FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.10.1

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ सिन्धुसौवीरपते रहूगणस्य व्रजत इक्षुमत्यास्तटे तत्कुलपतिना शिबिकावाहपुरुषान्वेषणसमये दैवेनोपसादित: स द्विजवर उपलब्ध एष पीवा युवा संहननाङ्गो गोखरवद्धुरं वोढुमलमिति पूर्वविष्टिगृहीतै: सह गृहीत: प्रसभमतदर्ह उवाह शिबिकां स महानुभाव: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
atha sindhu-sauvīra-pate rahūgaṇasya vrajata ikṣumatyās taṭe tat-kula-patinā śibikā-vāha-puruṣānveṣaṇa-samaye daivenopasāditaḥ sa dvija-vara upalabdha eṣa pīvā yuvā saṁhananāṅgo go-kharavad dhuraṁ voḍhum alam iti pūrva-viṣṭi-gṛhītaiḥ saha gṛhītaḥ prasabham atad-arha uvāha śibikāṁ sa mahānubhāvaḥ.
[atha sindhu-sauveera-pate rahooganasya vrajata ikshumatyaas tate tat-kula-patinaa shibikaa-vaaha-purushaanveshana-samaye daivenopasaaditah sa dvija-vara upalabdha esha peevaa yuvaa samhananaango go-kharavad dhuram vodhum alam iti poorva-vishti-griheetaih saha griheetah prasabham atad-arha uvaaha shibikaam sa mahaanubhaavah.]
Word-for-word
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak atha — thus sindhu-sauvīra-pateḥ — of the ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvīra rahū-gaṇasya — the King known as Rahūgaṇa vrajataḥ — while going (to the āśrama of Kapila) ikṣu-matyāḥ taṭe — on the bank of the river known as Ikṣumatī tat-kula-patinā — by the leader of the palanquin carriers śibikā-vāha — to become a carrier of the palanquin puruṣa-anveṣaṇa-samaye — at the time of searching for a man daivena — by chance upasāditaḥ — led near saḥ — that dvija-varaḥ — Jaḍa Bharata, the son of a brāhmaṇa upalabdhaḥ — obtained eṣaḥ — this man pīvā — very strong and stout yuvā — young saṁhanana-aṅgaḥ — having very firm limbs go-khara-vat — like a cow or an ass dhuram — a load voḍhum — to carry alam — able iti — thus thinking pūrva-viṣṭi-gṛhītaiḥ — others who were formerly forced to do the task saha — with gṛhītaḥ — being taken prasabham — by force a-tat-arhaḥ — although not fit for carrying the palanquin uvāha — carried śibikām — the palanquin saḥ — he mahā-anubhāvaḥ — a great soul.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak
atha sindhu-sauvīra-pate rahūgaṇasya vrajata ikṣumatyās taṭe tat-kula-patinā śibikā-vāha-puruṣānveṣaṇa-samaye daivenopasāditaḥ sa dvija-vara upalabdha eṣa pīvā yuvā saṁhananāṅgo go-kharavad dhuraṁ voḍhum alam iti pūrva-viṣṭi-gṛhītaiḥ saha gṛhītaḥ prasabham atad-arha uvāha śibikāṁ sa mahānubhāvaḥ.
atha
thus
sindhu-sauvīra-pateḥ
of the ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvīra
rahū-gaṇasya
the King known as Rahūgaṇa
vrajataḥ
while going (to the āśrama of Kapila)
ikṣu-matyāḥ taṭe
on the bank of the river known as Ikṣumatī
tat-kula-patinā
by the leader of the palanquin carriers
śibikā-vāha
to become a carrier of the palanquin
puruṣa-anveṣaṇa-samaye
at the time of searching for a man
daivena
by chance
upasāditaḥ
led near
saḥ
that
dvija-varaḥ
Jaḍa Bharata, the son of a brāhmaṇa
upalabdhaḥ
obtained
eṣaḥ
this man
pīvā
very strong and stout
yuvā
young
saṁhanana-aṅgaḥ
having very firm limbs
go-khara-vat
like a cow or an ass
dhuram
a load
voḍhum
to carry
alam
able
iti
thus thinking
pūrva-viṣṭi-gṛhītaiḥ
others who were formerly forced to do the task
saha
with
gṛhītaḥ
being taken
prasabham
by force
a-tat-arhaḥ
although not fit for carrying the palanquin
uvāha
carried
śibikām
the palanquin
saḥ
he
mahā-anubhāvaḥ
a great soul.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, after this, King Rahūgaṇa, ruler of the states known as Sindhu and Sauvīra, was going to Kapilāśrama. When the King’s chief palanquin carriers reached the banks of the river Ikṣumatī, they needed another carrier. Therefore they began searching for someone, and by chance they came upon Jaḍa Bharata. They considered the fact that Jaḍa Bharata was very young and strong and had firm limbs. Like cows and asses, he was quite fit to carry loads. Thinking in this way, although the great soul Jaḍa Bharata was unfit for such work, they nonetheless unhesitatingly forced him to carry the palanquin.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
While the King of Sindhu and Suvīra, Rahūgana, was traveling on the bank of the Ikṣūmatī River and the leader of his palanquin bearers was searching for extra bearer, by chance they came upon Bharata, best of the brāhmaṇas, who had arrived there. He was well nourished, young, and strong like a bull or donkey. Thinking that he was suitable to carry the load, they forcibly engaged that great devotee along with the other carriers who were also engaged by force. The great devotee, though not proper for such a job, carried the palanquin of the King. The Tenth Chapter describes how King Rahūgana, understanding that the foul words he used to describe the carrier of the palanquin were not suitable for a great sage, got down from the palanquin and praised Bharata. Bharata gave mercy to his brothers and neighbors who maintained him with rice and oil cakes, even though they were materialists filled with rajo-guṇa, by letting them see his form for a considerable period of time. He also gave mercy to the leader of the thieves, even though he was in deep tamo-guna, attached to sinful activities, and had beaten Bharata, because he arranged for thief’s liberation in the next life because he saw himself and Kālī directly. And he gave mercy to King Rahūgana who was in sattva-guṇa, being a jñānī, even though the King made him carry the palanquin through a manifestation of rajo-guṇa suitable to the position of a king. Because the King did not show rajas or tamas, and shows sattva, Bharata revealed bhakti and jñāna to the King. He did not reveal this to his brothers or the thieves. The story begins in order to reveal this. It should be explained that though, as paramahaṁsa, one should see everything equally, mercy manifests from one’s being a great devotee. Some say the story is told to explain how, by the mercy of the Lord, Bharata’s own bhakti, jñāna and vairāgya were multiplied a hundred times. Rahūgana was King the states of Sindhu and Sauvīra. The leader of the carriers (tat-kula-patinā) was searching for another carrier. Bharata had well-nourished limbs and was strong. Thinking that he was capable (alam,) he forcibly engaged him.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Spiritual greatness can be drafted into menial work by people who cannot see who it actually is. The world often presses saints into service as if they were ordinary laborers — and the saint, unconcerned, simply complies. Real strength wears no badge.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose true stature in your life have you been measuring by their menial role?
  • Where could you serve without protest in a role beneath your perceived worth?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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