॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ दशमोऽध्यायः ॥
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Discourse X
The meeting of Jaḍabharata with king Rahūgaṇa (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
अथ सिन्धुसौवीरपते रहूगणस्य व्रजत
इक्षुमत्यास्तटे तत्कुलपतिना शिबिकावाहपुरुषा-
न्वेषणसमये दैवेनोपसादितः स द्विजवर उपलब्ध
एष पीवा युवा संहननाङ्गो गोखरवद्धुरं वोढुमलमिति
पूर्वविष्टिगृहीतैः सह गृहीतः प्रसभमतदर्ह उवाह
शिबिकां स महानुभावः ॥ १॥
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Śrī Śuka began again : A (certain) king of the principalities of Sindhu and Sauvīra, Rahūgaṇa (by name), was (once) going (in a palanquin to meet the divine sage Kapila to receive instruction in spiritual knowledge). While looking on the bank of the Ikṣumati river for a man to serve as a bearer of his palanquin, the mate of the bearers came across this eminent Brāhmaṇa as pre-arranged by Providence. On the ground that he was stout, young and muscular and fit to carry a (heavy) load like an ox or a donkey, he was caught hold of by force along with those already employed to work without any wage, and that highly dignified soul bore the palanquin, even though he did not deserve such humiliation. (1) (1)
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यदा हि द्विजवरस्येषुमात्रावलोकानुगतेर्न
समाहिता पुरुषगतिस्तदा विषमगतां स्वशिबिकां
रहूगण उपधार्य पुरुषानधिवहत आह हे वोढारः
साध्वतिक्रमत किमिति विषममुह्यते यानमिति ॥ २॥
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When the gait of the (other) men (bearing the palanquin) did not fall in line with that of the holy Brāhmaṇa, who stepped forward only after (carefully) surveying the ground (ahead of him) up to a distance of three feet only (the standard length of an arrow), king Rahūgaṇa, on finding his palanquin irregularly borne, said to the bearers, "O bearers! March properly. Why is the palanquin borne irregularly in this way?" (2) (2)
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अथ त ईश्वरवचः सोपालम्भमुपाकर्ण्योपायतुरीया-
च्छङ्कितमनसस्तं विज्ञापयां बभूवुः ॥ ३॥
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Now, on hearing the reproachful words of their master and afraid at heart of punishment (the last of the four methods of correcting a man, viz., conciliation, gift, sowing seeds of dissension, and coercion), they submitted to him (as follows) :— (3) (3)
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न वयं नरदेव प्रमत्ता भवन्नियमानुपथाः साध्वेव
वहामः अयमधुनैव नियुक्तोऽपि न द्रुतं व्रजति
नानेन सह वोढुमु ह वयं पारयाम इति ॥ ४॥
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"We are not remiss, O ruler of men; (strictly) obeying your commands, we bear the palanquin quite well. Though engaged just now, this (new) man does not walk quickly. We are, therefore, unable to bear the palanquin with him." (4) (4)
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सांसर्गिको दोष एव नूनमेकस्यापि सर्वेषां
सांसर्गिकाणां भवितुमर्हतीति निश्चित्य
निशम्य कृपणवचो राजा रहूगण उपासित-
वृद्धोऽपि निसर्गेण बलात्कृत ईषदुत्थित-
मन्युरविस्पष्टब्रह्मतेजसं जातवेदसमिव
रजसाऽऽवृतमतिराह ॥ ५॥
अहो कष्टं भ्रातर्व्यक्तमुरुपरिश्रान्तो दीर्घमध्वानमेक
एव ऊहिवान् सुचिरं नातिपीवा न संहननाङ्गो जरसा
चोपद्रुतो भवान् सखे नो एवापर एते सङ्घट्टिन इति
बहु विप्रलब्धोऽप्यविद्यया रचितद्रव्यगुणकर्माशयस्व-
चरमकलेवरेऽवस्तुनि संस्थानविशेषेऽहम्ममेत्य-
नध्यारोपितमिथ्याप्रत्ययो ब्रह्मभूतस्तूष्णीं शिबिकां
पूर्ववदुवाह ॥ ६॥
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Hearing (their) piteous words, king Rahūgaṇa concluded that the fault appearing in one through contact (with others) is sure to become the fault of all who are connected with that person. Even though he had sat at the feet of sages, his Kṣatriya spirit prevailed over him. His judgment having been clouded by the element of Rajas, he felt a bit enraged and spoke (ironically as follows) to that Brāhmaṇa, whose spiritual glory was not distinctly perceived like (the brilliance of) fire (embers) covered with ashes :— (5)
"What a pity, brother! You are evidently very tired, (it seems) you have borne the palanquin single-handed all this long way (and) for long hours (too) and none of these other associates (of yours), O friend, have shared your burden (at all). (Besides) you are neither very stout nor possessed of an adamantine frame and are oppressed with old age (too)." Even when taunted unsparingly in this way, the sage, who had become one with the Infinite and never entertained the false notion of 'I' or 'mine' with regard to his ultimate body—which was nothing but a concatenation of various limbs put together in a particular disposition, consisting as it did of the five gross elements, the (ten) Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs of action), the (impressions of) past actions (both meritorious and sinful) and the mind (the seat or storehouse of such impressions), evolved by ignorance, and (therefore) unreal—quietly bore the palanquin (even) as before. (6) (5-6)
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अथ पुनः स्वशिबिकायां विषमगतायां प्रकुपित उवाच ।
रहूगणः किमिदमरे त्वं जीवन्मृतो मां कदर्थीकृत्य
भर्तृशासनमतिचरसि प्रमत्तस्य च ते करोमि
चिकित्सां दण्डपाणिरिव जनताया यथा प्रकृतिं स्वां
भजिष्यस इति ॥ ७॥
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King Rahūgaṇa, however, flew into a rage on his palanquin being borne irregularly again, and said, "Oh, what does this mean? Though living, you are (as good as) dead in that you ignore me (my presence) and transgress the commands of your lord. I shall accordingly correct you, perverse as you are—even as Yama (the god of punishment) chastises the people—so that you may recover your senses." (7) (7)
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एवं बह्वबद्धमपि भाषमाणं नरदेवाभिमानं रजसा
तमसानुविद्धेन मदेन तिरस्कृताशेषभगवत्प्रियनिकेतं
पण्डितमानिनं स भगवान् ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मभूतः सर्वभूत-
सुहृदात्मा योगेश्वरचर्यायां नातिव्युत्पन्नमतिं स्मयमान
इव विगतस्मय इदमाह ॥ ८॥
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To Rahūgaṇa who had in his pride mixed with anger (a product of Rajoguṇa) and infatuation (a product of Tamoguṇa or ignorance) slighted (through Bharata) all the devotees of the Lord (who constitute His favourite abode) and thought himself to be a wise man although he was not much acquainted with the (queer and deluding) ways of masters of Yoga, and was at the same time talking much nonsense, accounting himself to be a ruler of men—that worshipful Brāhmaṇa, who had become one with Brahma (the Infinite) and was a friend, nay, the very self of all living beings, smilingly spoke as follows, even though he was altogether free from pride:—(8) (8)
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ब्राह्मण उवाच ।
त्वयोदितं व्यक्तमविप्रलब्धं
भर्तुः स मे स्याद्यदि वीर भारः ।
गन्तुर्यदि स्यादधिगम्यमध्वा
पीवेति राशौ न विदां प्रवादः ॥ ९॥
स्थौल्यं कार्श्यं व्याधय आधयश्च
क्षुत्तृड्भयं कलिरिच्छा जरा च ।
निद्रा रतिर्मन्युरहं मदः शुचो
देहेन जातस्य हि मे न सन्ति ॥ १०॥
जीवन्मृतत्वं नियमेन राजन्
आद्यन्तवद्यद्विकृतस्य दृष्टम् ।
स्वस्वाम्यभावो ध्रुव ईड्य यत्र
तर्ह्युच्यतेऽसौ विधिकृत्ययोगः ॥ ११॥
विशेषबुद्धेर्विवरं मनाक्च
पश्याम यन्न व्यवहारतोऽन्यत् ।
क ईश्वरस्तत्र किमीशितव्यं
तथापि राजन् करवाम किं ते ॥ १२॥
उन्मत्तमत्तजडवत्स्वसंस्थां
गतस्य मे वीर चिकित्सितेन ।
अर्थः कियान् भवता शिक्षितेन
स्तब्धप्रमत्तस्य च पिष्टपेषः ॥ १३॥
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The Brāhmaṇa said : What has been (ironically) hinted at by you (just now*), (viz., that I am in no way fatigued and that I have not borne the palanquin to a long distance) is evidently true and constitutes no reproach. It would be a slur if this burden borne on (the shoulders of) its bearer (the body), O valiant king, had rested on me (the incorporeal Spirit, who has no burden at all) and if the goal to be reached or the way (leading to it), existing in the eyes of the goer (the moving body), had reference to me (the all-pervading and, therefore, immovable Spirit). (Even so) the epithet 'stout' is used by the wise with reference to a body (a conglomerate of the five gross elements) alone and never in relation to the incorporeal Spirit. (9)
Stoutness and leanness, (bodily) ailments and (mental) worries, hunger and thirst, fear and strife, desire and old age, sleep and attachment to the pleasures of sense, anger and vanity arising from egotism, and grief appear (only) in one who is born with a feeling of identification with the body and not in me (the pure Self). (10)
Death synchronous with life, O king, is as a rule perceived in everything which undergoes transformation; for whatever undergoes transformation has a beginning and an end (too). And orders should be given by one and carried out by another without fail only where the relation of servant and master is fixed (unchangeable), O praiseworthy monarch! (11)
(In our case it is not so; for you can become a servant and I your master if there is a revolution.) And we do not find the slightest occasion (justification) for the notion of difference (as between a master and servant) apart from usage or convention. Under such circumstances who is the ruler and who, the servant (fit to be ruled) ? Nevertheless, O king, (if you account yourself a master, tell me,) what can we do for you (what service can we render to you ?). (12)
And what object will be gained by you, O valiant monarch, by correcting me or teaching a lesson to me, who behave like a lunatic, a sot or a dunce, even though established in my own Self. And if I am (really) stupid or drunk, giving a lesson to me will be (as unprofitable and preposterous as) grinding flour. (13)
(9-13)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
एतावदनुवादपरिभाषया प्रत्युदीर्य मुनिवर
उपशमशील उपरतानात्म्यनिमित्त उपभोगेन
कर्मारब्धं व्यपनयन् राजयानमपि तथोवाह ॥ १४॥
स चापि पाण्डवेय सिन्धुसौवीरपतिस्तत्त्व-
जिज्ञासायां सम्यक् श्रद्धयाधिकृताधिकार-
स्तद्धृदयग्रन्थिमोचनं द्विजवच आश्रुत्य बहु
योगग्रन्थसम्मतं त्वरयावरुह्य शिरसा
पादमूलमुपसृतः क्षमापयन् विगत-
नृपदेवस्मय उवाच ॥ १५॥
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Śrī Śuka continued : Having made this brief reply in the form of a bare statement of facts, the great sage (Bharata)—who was tranquil by nature and in whom the cause (in the shape of ignorance) for identification with the body had (altogether) ceased—bore the palanquin even as before in order to exhaust the stock of Karma which had already begun to bear fruit, by reaping its consequences. (14)
On hearing the reply of the Brāhmaṇa, which was capable of resolving the knot (of ignorance) existing in one's heart, and was (at the same time) borne out by many a work on Self-knowledge, the said ruler of the territories of Sindhu and Sauvira too, who had by virtue of (his) genuine faith acquired the (necessary) qualification for enquiring into the Truth, quickly alighted (from his conveyance) and, asking forgiveness (for his fault) and approaching (touching) the soles of his feet with his head, spoke (as follows), completely rid of his pride of sovereignty :— (15) (14-15)
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कस्त्वं निगूढश्चरसि द्विजानां
बिभर्षि सूत्रं कतमोऽवधूतः ।
कस्यासि कुत्रत्य इहापि कस्मात्
क्षेमाय नश्चेदसि नोत शुक्लः ॥ १६॥
नाहं विशङ्के सुरराजवज्रा-
न्न त्र्यक्षशूलान्न यमस्य दण्डात् ।
नाग्न्यर्कसोमानिलवित्तपास्त्रा-
च्छङ्के भृशं ब्रह्मकुलावमानात् ॥ १७॥
तद्ब्रूह्यसङ्गो जडवन्निगूढ-
विज्ञानवीर्यो विचरस्यपारः ।
वचांसि योगग्रथितानि साधो
न नः क्षमन्ते मनसापि भेत्तुम् ॥ १८॥
अहं च योगेश्वरमात्मतत्त्व-
विदां मुनीनां परमं गुरुं वै ।
प्रष्टुं प्रवृत्तः किमिहारणं तत्
साक्षाद्धरिं ज्ञानकलावतीर्णम् ॥ १९॥
स वै भवाँल्लोकनिरीक्षणार्थ-
मव्यक्तलिङ्गो विचरत्यपि स्वित् ।
योगेश्वराणां गतिमन्धबुद्धिः
कथं विचक्षीत गृहानुबन्धः ॥ २०॥
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"Who are you, that go about incognito and wear the sacred thread (a distinguishing mark) of the twice-born ? If you are an Avadhūta (one who has shaken off all worldly feeling and obligation), which (of the well-known Avadhūtas, such as the divine sage Dattātreya and others) may you be ? (Again,) whose son are you and born at what place, and wherefore are you here ? If (you have come here) for our good, are you not the sage Kapila (who is Sattva personified) ? (16)
I fear neither the thunderbolt of Indra (the lord of paradise) nor the trident of Lord Śiva (the three-eyed) nor (even) the rod (of punishment) of Yama (the god of retribution) nor (again) the weapons of the fire-god, the sun-god, the moon-god, the wind-god and Kubera (the lord of riches); but I am terribly afraid of showing disrespect to the Brāhmaṇa race. (17)
Tell me (all) this, (as to who you are) roaming about as you do like a dunce, with your greatness in the shape of profound wisdom fully disguised, free from attachment and possessing infinite glory. Your words which are replete with Self-Knowledge, O pious sage, cannot be penetrated (correctly understood) even with the help of intuition.(18)
Moreover, I was (just) proceeding to ask Lord Kapila—who is no other than Śrī Hari, descended (on earth) with a view to imparting (true) knowledge, nay, who is the Master of Yoga and the supreme preceptor of sages knowing the truth about the Self—what is the (true) asylum in this world. (19)
May it be that you are the same Lord Kapila going about incognito in order to examine the condition of the world? How can he who is tied to his home and whose intellect is blinded (by infatuation) understand the ways of Masters of Yoga? (20) (16-20)
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दृष्टः श्रमः कर्मत आत्मनो वै
भर्तुर्गन्तुर्भवतश्चानुमन्ये ।
यथासतोदानयनाद्यभावात्
समूल इष्टो व्यवहारमार्गः ॥ २१॥
स्थाल्यग्नितापात्पयसोऽभिताप-
स्तत्तापतस्तण्डुलगर्भरन्धिः ।
देहेन्द्रियास्वाशयसन्निकर्षा-
त्तत्संसृतिः पुरुषस्यानुरोधात् ॥ २२॥
शास्ताभिगोप्ता नृपतिः प्रजानां
यः किङ्करो वै न पिनष्टि पिष्टम् ।
स्वधर्ममाराधनमच्युतस्य
यदीहमानो विजहात्यघौघम् ॥ २३॥
तन्मे भवान् नरदेवाभिमान-
मदेन तुच्छीकृतसत्तमस्य ।
कृषीष्ट मैत्री दृशमार्तबन्धो
यथा तरे सदवध्यानमंहः ॥ २४॥
न विक्रिया विश्वसुहृत्सखस्य
साम्येन वीताभिमतेस्तवापि ।
महद्विमानात्स्वकृताद्धि मादृ-
ङ्नङ्क्ष्यत्यदूरादपि शूलपाणिः ॥ २५॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
पञ्चमस्कन्धे दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ १०॥
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"I have known weariness being felt by me through activity (in the form of fighting in war) and infer that the same must (likewise) be experienced by you while bearing a load and walking (with the same). The phenomenal world too ought to have a reality at its bottom; for otherwise it will have no utility nor will it be possible to take any work from it, any more than one can fetch water and so on in an unreal jar. (21)
(It is a matter of common experience that) in consequence of a kettle being heated by fire the water (contained in it) also gets fully heated and due to the heat of the water the grains of rice (that are being boiled in it) get softened (first) and (then) their interior too; and the heat thus conducted from the pot to the water and from the water to the exterior of the grains in the first instance and later on to their interior as well is not unreal. Even so, due to contact (identification) with the body, as well as with the Indriyas (the senses of perception and the organs of action) and the mind, their experiences (in the form of fatigue, the feeling of heat and cold and so on) are (gradually) transmitted to the soul (as well) because of its taking upon itself the attributes of its conditioning vestures. (22)
(Granted that the relation of master and servant subsisting between a ruler and his subjects is not permanent or unchangeable) a king is (nevertheless for the time being) the ruler and protector of the people. He who is a servant (of the Lord, that is, he who does his duty as a piece of service to the Lord) does not grind what is already ground (undertake an unprofitable business), for (although he may not be able to rid a dunce of his stupidity by upbraiding him for his remissness, he thereby carries out the Lord's behests and) by offering worship to the Lord in the shape of performing his duty he is able to get rid of his stock of sins. (23)
Therefore, may you be pleased, O friend of the afflicted, to cast a kindly look on me, who have slighted the most holy (like you) through vanity arising from consciousness of my being a ruler of men, so that I may (be able to) get rid of the sin incurred by showing disrespect to pious souls. (24)
Although there is no agitation in you, who are a friend and a well-wisher of the (whole) universe and have entirely ceased to identify yourself with the body because of your undifferentiating outlook, a man like me is sure to perish at no distant date as a result of his own misdeed in the shape of despising exalted souls, even if he were (as great and powerful as ) Lord Śiva (the Wielder of a trident) Himself." (25)
Thus ends the tenth discourse in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (21-25)
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