Bharata kept quiet. For these taunting remarks did not touch him. He was crystallised in wisdom and âgavataPurâwas no longer troubled with the false perceptions of "I and mine."
The palanquin again lost its balance. The king lost his temper and broke forth thus; "What is this? are you alive or dead? Do you thus disregard my orders and think of living? You must be a madman, like the Death-god I will punish your madness and bring you to your senses." King Rahûgana was proud of his learning and his kingship. He was inflated with Rajas and Tames. He had therefore no hesitation in reproaching that lord of Yoga, Bharata.
Bharata smiled and thus replied: -- "Thy taunts are true, O king! There is no doubt, I am neither tired nor did I travel long. For thy weight does not affect me nor have I any distance to travel. Nor could I be called fat. For the body is fat and not I. It is by falsely attributing the bodily attributes to self that one is said to have thickness, leanness, disease, hunger thirst, fear, enmity, desire, sleep, attachment, anger, egotism, pride and sorrow. But I have no such false perception.
"Thou sayest I am dead even when alive. But such is the case with all beings for they are all subject to constant transformations.
"Thou chargest me with disregarding the orders of my Master. But only if the relationship of Master and servant does really subsist, might there be command and obedience. But where is that relationship? If thou sayest, in the ways of the world, thou art my king momentary though these ways be, please tell me thy behests.
"Thou callest me a mad man and dost want to punish me and bring me to my senses. But I am not mad, though I may look so, for I am fixed in the meditation of Brahmâ. But still if thou thinkest me to be a madman it will be useless to punish or to teach a senseless being."
So saying Bharata continued to carry the king. Rahûgana came down from the palanquin and fell at Bharata's feet. He expressed regret for having slighted such a sage in disguise and prayed for a fuller explanation of the philosophy involved in his weighty words. This led to an explanation by Bharata of the Advaita philosophy from the stand point of the Purânas, a denunciation of Vedic and Tântric rites, and an allegorical description of the worldly life as trading in the forest (the world being the forest and the traders being men in search of wealth). The allegory was explained by Suka to Parikshit. [The enquiring student is referred to the original for details (V. 11-14.)]