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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.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 5 · Chapter 12: Conversation Between Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata
5.11.175.12.2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 5.12.1

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Rahūgaṇasince 5.12.1inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitJaḍa Bharata → King Rahūgaṇa
A turning point forKing Rahūgaṇa· Humility awakens

रहूगण उवाच

नमो नम: कारणविग्रहाय

स्वरूपतुच्छीकृतविग्रहाय ।

नमोऽवधूत द्विजबन्धुलिङ्ग-

निगूढनित्यानुभवाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १ ॥

rahūgaṇa uvāca

namo namaḥ kāraṇa-vigrahāya

svarūpa-tucchīkṛta-vigrahāya

namo ’vadhūta dvija-bandhu-liṅga-

nigūḍha-nityānubhavāya tubhyam

Translation

King Rahūgaṇa said: O most exalted personality, you are not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By the influence of your true self, all kinds of contradiction in the śāstras have been removed. In the dress of a friend of a brāhmaṇa, you are hiding your transcendental blissful position. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Honor Realization Beyond Outward Appearance

  1. 1

    King Rahūgaṇa offers respectful obeisances to Jaḍa Bharata, whose transcendental blissful position is hidden by his outward dress.

  2. 2

    Rahūgaṇa recognizes that Jaḍa Bharata’s true self removes contradictions in the śāstras.

  3. 3

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes. Bharata Mahārāja received his body from Ṛṣabhadeva, a direct incarnation of the Lord, and is therefore addressed as kāraṇa-vigrahāya.

Key points from the purport
  • From the Brahma-saṁhitā we understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes (sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam).
  • His son, Bharata Mahārāja, who was now acting as the brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata, had received his body from the cause of all causes.

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

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 12: Conversation Between Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa and Jaḍa Bharata

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this chapter, Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa offers his respectful obeisances to Jaḍa Bharata, who was concealing his real position. The King could understand by his speech how exalted and advanced he was in spiritual knowledge.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 5.12
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. rahūgaṇaḥ uvācaKing Rahūgaṇa said
  2. namaḥmy respectful obeisances
  3. namaḥobeisances
  4. kāraṇa-vigrahāyato one whose body emanates from the Supreme Person, the cause of all causes
  5. svarūpa-tucchīkṛta-vigrahāyawho has completely removed all the contradictions of the scriptures by manifesting his true self
  6. namaḥrespectful obeisances
  7. avadhūtaO master of all mystic power
  8. dvija-bandhu-liṅgaby the characteristics of a person born in a brāhmaṇa family but not executing the duties of a brāhmaṇa
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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

  • Sakhya · Sacred friendship

    The affection of companions and friends of the Lord. · Theme in SB 5.12

    In this verse: “friend”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 5.12

    In this verse: “king”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How might outward appearance keep me from honoring someone’s spiritual realization?

Practice

Reread Rahūgaṇa’s respectful words today, noticing how he honors realization rather than outward dress.

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.

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 5.12's connections

Live this todayHonor Realization Beyond Outward AppearanceThis 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 5.12.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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