FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.12.5-6

ब्राह्मण उवाच अयं जनो नाम चलन् पृथिव्यां य: पार्थिव: पार्थिव कस्य हेतो: । तस्यापि चाङ्‌घ्र्योयोरधि गुल्फजङ्घा- जानूरुमध्योरशिरोधरांसा: ॥ ५ ॥ अंसेऽधि दार्वी शिबिका च यस्यां सौवीरराजेत्यपदेश आस्ते । यस्मिन् भवान् रूढनिजाभिमानो राजास्मि सिन्धुष्विति दुर्मदान्ध: ॥ ६ ॥
brāhmaṇa uvāca
[braahmana uvaacha]
ayaṁ jano nāma calan pṛthivyāṁ
[ayam jano naama chalan prithivyaam]
yaḥ pārthivaḥ pārthiva kasya hetoḥ
[yah paarthivah paarthiva kasya hetoh]
tasyāpi cāṅghryor adhi gulpha-jaṅghā-
[tasyaapi chaanghryor adhi gulpha-janghaa-]
jānūru-madhyora-śirodharāṁsāḥ
[jaanooru-madhyora-shirodharaamsaah]
aṁse ’dhi dārvī śibikā ca yasyāṁ
[amse ’dhi daarvee shibikaa cha yasyaam]
sauvīra-rājety apadeśa āste
[sauveera-raajety apadesha aaste]
yasmin bhavān rūḍha-nijābhimāno
[yasmin bhavaan roodha-nijaabhimaano]
rājāsmi sindhuṣv iti durmadāndhaḥ
[raajaasmi sindhushv iti durmadaandhah]
Word-for-word
brāhmaṇaḥ uvāca — the brāhmaṇa said ayam — this janaḥ — person nāma — celebrated as such calan — moving pṛthivyām — on the earth yaḥ — who pārthivaḥ — a transformation of the earth pārthiva — O King, who possesses a similar earthly body kasya — for what hetoḥ — reason tasya api — of him also ca — and aṅghryoḥ — feet adhi — above gulpha — ankles jaṅghā — calves jānu — knees uru — thighs madhyora — waist śiraḥ-dhara — neck aṁsāḥ — shoulders aṁse — shoulder adhi — upon dārvī — made of wood śibikā — palanquin ca — and yasyām — on which sauvīra-rājā — the King of Sauvīra iti — thus apadeśaḥ — known as āste — there is yasmin — in which bhavān — Your Lordship rūḍha — imposed upon nija-abhimānaḥ — having a conception of false prestige rājā asmi — I am the King sindhuṣu — in the state of Sindhu iti — thus durmada-andhaḥ — captivated by false prestige.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
brāhmaṇa uvāca
brāhmaṇaḥ uvāca
the brāhmaṇa said
ayaṁ jano nāma calan pṛthivyāṁ
ayam
this
janaḥ
person
nāma
celebrated as such
calan
moving
pṛthivyām
on the earth
yaḥ pārthivaḥ pārthiva kasya hetoḥ
yaḥ
who
pārthivaḥ
a transformation of the earth
pārthiva
O King, who possesses a similar earthly body
kasya
for what
hetoḥ
reason
tasyāpi cāṅghryor adhi gulpha-jaṅghā-
tasya api
of him also
ca
and
aṅghryoḥ
feet
adhi
above
gulpha
ankles
jaṅghā
calves
jānūru-madhyora-śirodharāṁsāḥ
jānu
knees
uru
thighs
madhyora
waist
śiraḥ-dhara
neck
aṁsāḥ
shoulders
aṁse ’dhi dārvī śibikā ca yasyāṁ
aṁse
shoulder
sauvīra-rājety apadeśa āste
adhi
upon
yasmin bhavān rūḍha-nijābhimāno
rājāsmi sindhuṣv iti durmadāndhaḥ
dārvī
made of wood
śibikā
palanquin
ca
and
yasyām
on which
sauvīra-rājā
the King of Sauvīra
iti
thus
apadeśaḥ
known as
āste
there is
yasmin
in which
bhavān
Your Lordship
rūḍha
imposed upon
nija-abhimānaḥ
having a conception of false prestige
rājā asmi
I am the King
sindhuṣu
in the state of Sindhu
iti
thus
durmada-andhaḥ
captivated by false prestige.
The self-realized brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata said: Among the various material combinations and permutations, there are various forms and earthly transformations. For some reason, these move on the surface of the earth and are called palanquin carriers. Those material transformations which do not move are gross material objects like stones. In any case, the material body is made of earth and stone in the form of feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, torso, throat and head. Upon the shoulders is the wooden palanquin, and within the palanquin is the so-called King of Sauvīra. The body of the King is simply another transformation of earth, but within that body Your Lordship is situated and falsely thinking that you are the King of the state of Sauvīra.
Purport

After analyzing the material bodies of the palanquin carrier and the palanquin passenger, Jaḍa Bharata concludes that the real living force is the living entity. The living entity is the offshoot or offspring of Lord Viṣṇu; therefore within this material world, among moving and nonmoving things, the real principle is Lord Viṣṇu. Due to His presence, everything is working, and there are actions and reactions. One who understands Lord Viṣṇu as the original cause of everything is to be understood to be perfectly situated in knowledge. Although he was falsely proud of being a king, King Rahūgaṇa was not really situated in knowledge. Therefore he was rebuking the palanquin carriers, including the self-realized brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata. This is the first accusation Jaḍa Bharata made against the King, who was daring to talk to a learned brāhmaṇa from the flimsy ground of ignorance, identifying everything with matter. King Rahūgaṇa argued that the living entity is within the body and that when the body is fatigued the living entity within must therefore be suffering. It is clearly explained in the following verses that the living entity does not suffer due to the body’s fatigue. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī gives an example of a child heavily decorated with ornaments; although the child’s body is very delicate, he does not feel fatigue, nor do the parents think that his ornaments should be taken away. The living entity has nothing to do with bodily pains and pleasures. These are simply mental concoctions. An intelligent man will find the original cause of everything. Material combinations and permutations may be a matter of fact in worldly dealings, but actually the living force, the soul, has nothing to do with them. Those who are materially upset take care of the body and manufacture daridra-nārāyaṇa (poor Nārāyaṇa). However, it is not a fact that the soul or Supersoul becomes poor simply because the body is poor. These are the statements of ignorant people. The soul and Supersoul are always apart from bodily pleasure and pain.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The brāhmaṇa (Jaḍa Bharata) said: O King! This carrier, who is a transformation of earth, walks on the earth for some reason. Above his feet are ankles, calves, knees, thigh, waist, chest, neck, and shoulders. Above the shoulders is the wooden palanquin and in the palanquin is the person called the King of Sauvīra, who, blinded by illusion of false identity, thinks “I am the King of Sindhu. Not having understood the answer given to defeat the King’s statement, the King again asks. Now Bharata addresses the King disrespectfully. O King (pārthiva—earth)! Your conventional existence is insubstantial. Using another technique, Bharata now answers. This person, the carrier of the palanquin, is a transformation of earth. He is moving for some reason. It he does not move, he is an inanimate object like a stone. This is the difference. His feet, a transformation of earth, are situated on earth. Above his feet are his ankles, calves, knees, thighs, waist, chest, neck and shoulders (aṁśāḥ). Ura instead of uras is poetic license. Above the shoulders is the palanquin, a transformation of wood. In the palanquin, a transformation of earth, there is a person with the name “King of Sauvīra.” You think you are the King, but this is not actual. From all the elements starting with earth and ending with the palanquin, to which of these does the fatigue from carrying it belong? “I can see that the earth and the palanquin are not tired. Therefore the feet etc. must be tired.” But without the palanquin we do not see fatigue in the limbs which do the carrying. “Fatigue arises for the possessor of limbs from carrying the palanquin.” But we cannot distinguish fatigue of the possessor of limbs who is different from the limbs. “Whether a possessor of limbs exists or not, one experiences the suffering of fatigue in being the carrier.” This is not the final conclusion, because one does not experience fatigue on carrying the ornaments of a young girl or on carrying one’s young son. Thus happiness and distress are experienced only by one’s particular identity. And you, blind with false identity, thinking “I am a king” actually see nothing. This is your happiness. Those who have no false identity do not have this happiness and distress.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Bodies — moving like palanquin carriers, motionless like stones — are all earthly transformations animated by the living soul. The real agent is Viṣṇu, present everywhere. Knowing this dissolves false hierarchies between bodies.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are you ranking bodies — your own and others' — as if they were the actual living force?
  • How would seeing Viṣṇu as the real animator change how you treat the bodies around you?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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