Chapter 12: The Conversation Between Mahârâja Rahûgana and Jada Bharata

(1) Rahûgana said: 'My respectful obeisances unto you who emanated from the embodiment of the Original Cause [Rishabhadeva, see 5.4], unto you who in his self-realization despises all strife and quarrel, unto you who as a forsaker of the world in the form of a brahmin friend has concealed his realization of the eternal truth. (2) You are like the medicine for a by fever distressed patient, you are like the cool water for someone scorched by the sun and for someone like me, whose vision in this gross body has been poisoned by the serpent of pride, you are the miracle potion of the gods. (3) Now, please explain to me burning with curiosity, again [in simple words], so that I may clearly understand, your concise speech concerning the yoga of self-realization. Personal matters not clear to me I will submit to you later. (4) You said oh Master of Yoga, that that what clearly can be distinguished as a result of one's actions [the 'fatigue', see 5.10: 21] is based upon someone's behavior and not fit for an inquiry into the ultimate reality [5.11: 1]. With that explanation your goodness has bewildered my mind.'

(5-6) The brahmin said: 'Moving around on the earth with that what is a transformation of that earth, you oh King also endowed with such an earthly body, recognize an earthly person in me. Why would your grace, with these [carrier's] feet and above them these ankles, calves, knees, thighs, waist, neck, shoulders and upon those shoulders the wooden palanquin upon which the one sits who thus is known as the King of Sauvîra, have to impose in this haughty manner your will with 'I, the King of Sindhu' and thus have to be a captive of false pride? (7) The way you control these poor, helpless people by mercilessly restraining them with violence and [on top of that even] boast 'I am your protector', you with your impudence cut a sorry figure in the society of the old and wise! (8) Because we as moving or unmoving life forms consist of earth, we are also familiar with the everlasting appearance and disappearance [of our earthly forms]. We only differ in name from each other when we speak of factual behavior. Let's consider how things really are to be inferred. (9) Seen from that perspective, that what exists is by the words we use for the earthly affair [of e.g. racial and national distinctions] not truthfully described. What one in one's mind imagines of the peculiar characteristics, the aggregation and the dissolution again in the constituent atomic particles [of returning to 'dust'] covers but a lesser intelligence of existence [see B.G. 13: 23]. (10) Thus is being meager, fat, tiny or big, existing as an individual entity, inanimate matter or whatever natural phenomenon else that might be of concern, all impermanence in the name of a certain place, time and activity, an impermanence which you should understand to be [inherent to] the operation of nature's duality. (11) The higher knowing, the intelligence in its pure existence that constitutes the ultimate goal, is the Oneness without an inside or an outside, the Absolute Truth of the Supreme [Brahman], the inner peace [of the meditator] that in a higher [personal] sense is known as Bhagavân, the Supreme Lord [of all opulence], who by the scholars is called Vâsudeva [the Soul of God within, Vishnu, or Lord Krishna as the son of Vasudeva].

(12) Dear King Rahûgana, this cannot be realized by [just] doing penance, by deity worship or by putting an end to one's material activities, nor by one's household life, by celibacy and study or by keeping oneself to austerities in relation to water, fire or the sun [alone], this is not revealed unless one smears the dust of the lotus feet of the great all over one's body! (13) There where one discusses the qualities of the One praised in the scriptures, worldly concerns find their end. When one day after day seriously listens to the ones whose purpose it is to find liberation [in devotional service], one's meditation will be turned purely to Vâsudeva. (14) In a previous birth I was known as a king named Bharata who found liberation through personal insight and association in worship of the Supreme Lord. Thus always engaged, I [nevertheless] became a deer [in my next life] because I, intimately associated with one, had neglected my duties. (15) Despite of being a deer oh great hero, the memory of my activities of worship unto Krishna [the Lord as the One known by His dark skin] didn't leave me. For that reason I, out of fear moving about unseen, [now] keep myself far from associating with ordinary folk. (16) Therefore, when a human being with the help of the sword of knowledge has cut with worldly association he even in this world can break away completely from the bewildered state. By both listening to and talking about the stories of the activities of the Lord the lost consciousness is regained and the ultimate goal of the way [back to Godhead] is attained.'