Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 10: The Discussion Between Jada Bharata and Mahārāja Rahūgana

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.10.8

evam bahv abaddham api bhāshamānam nara-devābhimānam rajasā tamasānuviddhena madena tiraskritāśesha-bhagavat-priya-niketam pandita-māninam sa bhagavān brāhmano brahma-bhūta-sarva-bhūta-suhrid-ātmā yogeśvara-caryāyām nāti-vyutpanna-matim smayamāna iva vigata-smaya idam āha

SYNONYMS

evamin this way; bahu — much; abaddham — nonsensical; api — although; bhāshamānam — talking; nara-deva-abhimānam — King Rahūgana, who thought himself the ruler; rajasā — by the material mode of passion; tamasāas well as by the mode of ignorance; anuviddhena — being increased; madena — by madness; tiraskrita — who rebuked; aśesha — innumerable; bhagavat-priya-niketam — devotees of the Lord; pandita-māninam — considering himself a very learned scholar; sah — that; bhagavān — spiritually most powerful (Jada Bharata); brāhmanaha fully qualified brāhmana; brahma-bhūta — fully self-realized; sarva-bhūta-suhrit-ātmā — who was thus the friend of all living entities; yoga-īśvara — of the most advanced mystic yogīs; caryāyāmin the behavior; na ati-vyutpanna-matim — unto King Rahūgana, who was not actually experienced; smayamānah — slightly smiling; iva — like; vigata-smayah — who was relieved from all material pride; idam — this; āha — spoke.

TRANSLATION

Thinking himself a king, King Rahūgana was in the bodily conception and was influenced by material nature's modes of passion and ignorance. Due to madness, he chastised Jada Bharata with uncalled-for and contradictory words. Jada Bharata was a topmost devotee and the dear abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although considering himself very learned, the King did not know about the position of an advanced devotee situated in devotional service, nor did he know his characteristics. Jada Bharata was the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he always carried the form of the Lord within his heart. He was the dear friend of all living beings, and he did not entertain any bodily conception. He therefore smiled and spoke the following words.

PURPORT

The distinction between a person in the bodily conception and a person beyond the bodily conception is presented in this verse. In the bodily conception, King Rahūgana considered himself a king and chastised Jada Bharata in so many unwanted ways. Being self-realized, Jada Bharata, who was fully situated on the transcendental platform, did not at all become angry; instead, he smiled and began to deliver his teachings to King Rahūgana. A highly advanced Vaishnava devotee is a friend to all living entities, and consequently he is a friend to his enemies also. In fact, he does not consider anyone to be his enemy. Suhridah sarva-dehinām. Sometimes a Vaishnava becomes superficially angry at a nondevotee, but this is good for the nondevotee. We have several examples of this in Vedic literature. Once Nārada became angry with the two sons of Kuvera, Nalakūvara and Manigrīva, and he chastised them by turning them into trees. The result was that later they were liberated by Lord Śrī Krishna. The devotee is situated on the absolute platform, and when he is angry or pleased, there is no difference, for in either case he bestows his benediction.

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