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Canto 5 · The Creative Impetus · 26 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
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Canto 5 · Chapter 10: The Discussion Between Jaḍa Bharata and Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa
5.10.135.10.15

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.10.14

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 5.10.14inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitJaḍa Bharata → King Rahūgaṇa

श्रीशुक उवाच

एतावदनुवादपरिभाषया प्रत्युदीर्य मुनिवर उपशमशील उपरतानात्म्यनिमित्त उपभोगेन कर्मारब्धं व्यपनयन् राजयानमपि तथोवाह ॥ १४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca

etāvad anuvāda-paribhāṣayā pratyudīrya muni-vara upaśama-śīla uparatānātmya-nimitta upabhogena karmārabdhaṁ vyapanayan rāja-yānam api tathovāha.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, when King Rahūgaṇa chastised the exalted devotee Jaḍa Bharata with harsh words, that peaceful, saintly person tolerated it all and replied properly. Nescience is due to the bodily conception, and Jaḍa Bharata was not affected by this false conception. Out of his natural humility, he never considered himself a great devotee, and he agreed to suffer the results of his past karma. Like an ordinary man, he thought that by carrying the palanquin he was destroying the reactions of his past misdeeds. Thinking in this way, he began to carry the palanquin as before.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Continue Devotional Service with Humility

  1. 1

    An exalted devotee never considers himself a great liberated person. He remains a humble servant of the Lord, as Jaḍa Bharata did while tolerating harsh words.

  2. 2

    In adverse conditions, the devotee accepts the results of past actions and sees the Lord’s mercy. He does not blame the Lord for his distress.

  3. 3

    Whatever the circumstances, the devotee continues his duty in devotional service. Such a person is assured of returning home, back to Godhead.

Key points from the purport
  • An exalted devotee of the Lord never thinks that he is a paramahaṁsa or a liberated person.
  • In all reverse conditions, he agrees to suffer the results of his past life.
  • When suffering reversed conditions, the devotee always considers that the reverse conditions are the Lord’s concessions.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 5.10.14 quotesSB 10.14.8

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8): “My dear Lord, one who constantly waits for Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him and who goes on suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Misjudgment → Humility and insight. Spiritual insight hides behind social appearances.

Chapters 10–14 of Canto 5: Jaḍa Bharata instructs Rahūgaṇa. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 10: The Discussion Between Jaḍa Bharata and Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The King within the palanquin became very disturbed and chastised Jaḍa Bharata with filthy language, but Jaḍa Bharata, being completely freed from the bodily conception, did not protest; he proceeded carrying the palanquin. When he continued as before, the King threatened him with punishment, and being threatened by the King, Jaḍa Bharata began to talk.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.10
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak
  2. etāvatso much
  3. anuvāda-paribhāṣayāby explanatory repetition of words spoken previously by the King
  4. pratyudīryagiving replies one after another
  5. muni-varaḥgreat sage Jaḍa Bharata
  6. upaśama-śīlaḥwho was calm and peaceful in character
  7. uparataceased
  8. anātmyathings not related to the soul
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Dainya · Humility

    Ego yields to insight, service and surrender. · Theme in SB 5.10

    In this verse: “humility”, “humble”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 5.10

    In this verse: “devotee”, “devotional service”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.10

    In this verse: “king”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Can I continue serving the Lord without blaming Him when circumstances are difficult?

Practice

Complete one small duty in devotional service today, even if an inconvenience arises.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 10.14.8

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 5.10's connections

Live this todayContinue Devotional Service with HumilityThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 5.10.14? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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