Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
Rahūgaṇa Instructed by Jaḍa Bharata — Dehātma-buddhi, Nondual Truth, and the Mercy of Devotees
ज्वरामयार्तस्य यथागदं सत् निदाघदग्धस्य यथा हिमाम्भ: । कुदेहमानाहिविदष्टदृष्टे: ब्रह्मन् वचस्तेऽमृतमौषधं मे ॥ २ ॥
jvarāmayārtasya yathāgadaṁ sat nidāgha-dagdhasya yathā himāmbhaḥ kudeha-mānāhi-vidaṣṭa-dṛṣṭeḥ brahman vacas te ’mṛtam auṣadhaṁ me
噢，最上等的婆罗门啊，我的身体充满污秽，我的眼界被傲慢之蛇所噬；因物质观念而染病。你那如甘露的教诲，于我如治热病的良药，又如炎暑灼烧者所需的清凉之水。
The conditioned soul has a body full of dirty things — bones, blood, urine, stool and so forth. Nonetheless, the most intelligent men in this material world think they are these combinations of blood, bone, urine and stool. If this is so, why can’t other intelligent men be made with these ingredients, which are so readily available? The entire world is going on under the bodily conception and creating a hellish condition unfit for any gentleman’s living. The instructions given to King Rahūgaṇa by Jaḍa Bharata are very valuable. They are like the medicine that can save one from a snakebite. The Vedic instructions are like nectar and cool water for one suffering from scorching heat.
FAQs
This verse says bodily pride is like a serpent that bites one’s vision, making true spiritual understanding impossible until corrected by saintly instruction.
After offending Jada Bharata due to arrogance, Rahugana realizes Bharata’s spiritual greatness and acknowledges that Bharata’s words cure his ego and ignorance.
Seek guidance from genuine spiritual teachers, accept correction without defensiveness, and consciously reduce identity-based pride to restore clarity in values and purpose.