Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.10.2

yadā hi dvija-varasyeshu-mātrāvalokānugater na samāhitā purusha-gatis tadā vishama-gatām sva-śibikām rahūgana upadhārya purushān adhivahata āha he vodhārah sādhv atikramata kim iti vishamam uhyate yānam iti

SYNONYMS

yadā — when; hi — certainly; dvija-varasya — of Jada Bharata; ishu-mātra — the measurement of an arrow (three feet) ahead; avaloka-anugateh — from moving only after glancing; na samāhitā — not united; purusha-gatih — the movement of the carriers; tadā — at that time; vishama-gatām — becoming uneven; sva-śibikām — his own palanquin; rahūganah — King Rahūgana; upadhārya — understanding; purushān — unto the men; adhivahatah — who were carrying the palanquin; āha — said; he — oh; vodhārah — carriers of the palanquin; sādhu atikramata — please walk evenly so that there will not be bouncing; kim iti — for what reason; vishamam — uneven; uhyate — is being carried; yānam — the palanquin; iti — thus.

TRANSLATION

The palanquin, however, was very erratically carried by Jada Bharata due to his sense of nonviolence. As he stepped forward, he checked before him every three feet to see whether he was about to step on ants. Consequently he could not keep pace with the other carriers. Due to this, the palanquin was shaking, and King Rahūgana immediately asked the carriers, "Why are you carrying this palanquin unevenly? Better carry it properly."

PURPORT

Although Jada Bharata was forced to carry the palanquin, he did not give up his sympathetic feelings toward the poor ants passing on the road. A devotee of the Lord does not forget his devotional service and other favorable activities, even when he is in a most distressful condition. Jada Bharata was a qualified brāhmana, highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, yet he was forced to carry the palanquin. He did not mind this, but while walking on the road, he could not forget his duty to avoid killing even an ant. A Vaishnava is never envious or unnecessarily violent. There were many ants on the path, but Jada Bharata took care by looking ahead three feet. When the ants were no longer in his way, he would place his foot on the ground. A Vaishnava is always very kind at heart to all living entities. In His sāńkhya-yoga, Lord Kapiladeva explains: suhridah sarva-dehinām. Living entities assume different bodily forms. Those who are not Vaishnavas consider only human society worthy of their sympathy, but Krishna claims to be the supreme father of all life forms. Consequently the Vaishnava takes care not to annihilate untimely or unnecessarily any life form. All living entities have to fulfill a certain duration for being encaged in a particular type of material body. They have to finish the duration allotted a particular body before being promoted or evolved to another body. Killing an animal or any other living being simply places an impediment in the way of his completing his term of imprisonment in a certain body. One should therefore not kill bodies for one's sense gratification, for this will implicate one in sinful activity.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness