VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 11
The Song of Purûravâ
This chapter explains how unfavorable association is a threat to one's position in devotional service and how by associating with saintly persons one can attain the highest platform of devotion.
The jīva who has received a human body, which is in itself most conducive toward achieving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who has situated himself in the duties of devotional service to the Lord becomes capable of realizing Him, the very identity of spiritual bliss. Such a person, fully dedicated to the Supreme Personality, is liberated from the influence of Māyā; even while continuing to reside in this world created by illusion he is totally untouched by it. Those souls, on the other hand, who are bound up by Māyā are devoted only to their bellies and genitals. They are impure, and by associating with them one will fall down into the dark pit of ignorance.
The emperor Purūravā, who was bewildered by the association of the heavenly lady Urvaśī, later became renounced after being separated from her. He thus sang a song expressing his contempt for womanly connection. He described that persons who are attached to the body of a woman (or a man) — which is simply a mass of skin, meat, blood, sinew, brain tissue, marrow and bones — are not much different from worms. What is the worth of the education, austerity, renunciation, reception of the Vedas, solitary living and silence of one whose mind becomes stolen away by the body of a woman? Learned men should distrust their six mental enemies, headed by lust, and thus avoid associating with women or with men who are controlled by women. After declaring these facts, King Purūravā, now freed from the illusion of material existence, attained realization of the Supreme Lord in His form as the indwelling Supersoul.
In conclusion, one who is intelligent should give up bad association and let himself become attracted to the company of saintly persons. By their transcendental instructions, the saintly devotees of the Lord can break the false attachments of one's mind. Real saints are always liberated and devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In their association there are constant discussions about the Supreme Lord, by serving whom the spirit soul completely eradicates his material sins and obtains pure devotional service. And when one gains the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original ocean of unlimited perfect qualities, what else remains to be gained?
11.26.1
(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'Having acquired this human body one achieves, situated in My dharma under My direction, the Supreme Soul of Spiritual Happiness, Me who is situated in the heart.
Because of bad association, even those who are spiritually liberated may fall down from self-realization. Within the material world the association of women is especially dangerous, and therefore in this chapter the Aila-gīta is spoken to prevent such a falldown. One can be saved from sex attraction by association with saintly persons, who awaken one's real spiritual intelligence. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa will speak to Uddhava the amazing song of Purūravā, also known as the Aila-gītā.
11.26.2
vimukto jñāna-niṣṭhayā
dṛśyamāneṣv avastutaḥ
(2) The soul who by devotedly keeping to the knowledge of self-realisation was completely liberated from that what set him apart materially [his identification], does not get entangled in the midst of the material products of the modes of nature that, temporary as they are, constitute nothing essential despite of the fact that they before his eyes here and now appear as something real.
The three modes of nature become manifest as varieties of material bodies, places, families, countries, foods, sports, war, peace and so forth. In other words, everything we see within the material world is constituted of the modes of nature. A liberated soul, although existing within the ocean of material energy, sees everything as the property of the Lord and is thus not entangled. Although Māyā tempts such a liberated soul to become a thief — to steal the property of the Lord for sense gratification — a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not bite the bait of Māyā; he remains honest and pure in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In other words, he does not believe that anything within the universe can become his personal property for sense gratification, especially the illusory form of a woman.
11.26.3
tasyānugas tamasy andhe
pataty andhānugāndha-vat
(3) One should never at any time seek the company of materialists devoted to the gratification of their genitals and bellies because they who follow such people, just like a blind man following a blind man, will fall into the darkest pit.
11.26.4
agāyata bṛhac-chravāḥ
(4) The descendant of Ilâ [Aila or Purûravâ, see also 9.14: 15-16], the well-known great emperor, sang the following mighty song when he managed to put an end to his bewilderment by taking heart in the detachment he felt in his separation from Urvas'î.
This story is also narrated in the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Aila, or Purūravā, was a great king whose glories were vast. On being separated from Urvaśī, he felt great bewilderment at first. But after meeting her briefly at Kurukṣetra, he worshiped the demigods with the sacrificial fire given him by the Gandharvas and received the privilege of entering the planet where she resided.
11.26.5
tyaktvātmānaḿ vrayantīḿ tāḿ
vilapann anvagāj jāye
(5) When she abandoned him he ran after her naked crying out to her like a madman as she left: 'O my wife, o you terrible woman, please stop!'
As his beloved wife was leaving him, the shocked king was crying out, "My dear wife, please think for a moment. Just stop! You terrible lady, can't you stop? Why don't we speak together for a while? Why are you killing me?" Thus lamenting, he followed her.
11.26.6
kāmān atṛpto 'nujuṣan
(6) After all the years of gratifying his insignificant lusts still not being satisfied, he, whose mind was possessed by Urvas'î, didn't realize how many nights and days had passed that way.
This verse refers to Purūravā's materialistic experience with Urvaśī.
11.26.7
(7) Aila said: 'How regrettable is the extent of my delusion! With my consciousness contaminated by lust I, by this goddess being seized by the neck, didn't notice the passing of my life time.
11.26.8
nāhaḿ vedābhinirmuktaḥ
sūryo vābhyudito 'muyā
batāhāni gatāny uta
(8) Under her spell I had, alas, for so many years comprising so many days, really no idea whether the sun was rising or setting.
Due to attachment to the goddess, King Purūravā forgot his devotional service to the Supreme Lord and became more concerned with pleasing this beautiful young lady. Thus he later lamented, having wasted his valuable time. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious utilize every moment in the Lord's loving service.
11.26.9
krīḍā-mṛgaś cakravartī
naradeva-śikhāmaṇiḥ
(9) How unfortunate is that total bewilderment of mine because of which the body of this mighty emperor, this crown jewel of kings, became a cuddly toy for women!
Since the king's body had become fully engaged in satisfying the superficial desires of women, his body was now like a toy animal in their hands.
11.26.10
(10) When she abandoned me, the mighty controller, with all of my kingdom as if I were a blade of grass, I ran, crying out like a madman, naked after the woman.
11.26.11
kutas tasyānubhāvaḥ syāt
(11) Where now is the influence, strength, sovereignty of the person who I am? I ran after this woman leaving me, just like an ass that by the hoof is being kicked in the face for punishment!
11.26.12
(12) What's the use of knowledge, austerities and renunciation, of listening to the scriptures, of solitude and silence for him whose mind is stolen by women?
All of the above-mentioned processes are useless if one's heart and mind are stolen by an insignificant woman. One who hankers after a woman's association certainly spoils his spiritual progress. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that if one worships the example of the liberated gopīs of Vṛndāvana, who accepted Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as their paramour, one can free one's mental activities from the contamination of lust.
11.26.13
(13) To hell with the fool I am who doesn't know his own best interest, I who thought he was a scholar in achieving the position of lord and controller, but just like a bullock or ass was conquered by women!
ll the fools of this world consider themselves very wise scholars even though, intoxicated by sense gratification and maddened by their lust for women's association, they become just like bullocks and jackasses. By the mercy of a saintly spiritual master, this lusty propensity can gradually be removed and one can understand the terrible, contemptible nature of material sense gratification. In this verse King Purūravā is coming to his senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
11.26.14
urvaśyā adharāsavam
vahnir āhutibhir yathā
(14) For so many years serving Urvas'î's lips I, with the lust born from my mind, never got enough of the nectar, just like a fire that is never satisfied by oblations.
11.26.15
puḿścalyāpahṛtaḿ cittaḿ
ātmārāmeśvaram ṛte
(15) Who else but the Lord of the Sages Satisfied Within, the Supreme Lord Beyond the Senses, would be capable of freeing someone else who lost his mind with a woman of pleasure?
11.26.16
bodhitasyāpi devyā me
nāpayāty ajitātmanaḥ
(16) Out of control with myself I, dull-minded, saw no end to my confusion, even though the goddess eloquently gave me advice [see 9.14: 20-22].
As described in the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the goddess Urvaśī plainly told Purūravā that he should never trust women or believe their promises. Despite this frank advice, he became fully attached and thus suffered great mental anguish.
11.26.17
draṣṭuḥ svarūpāviduṣo
(17) What would have been her offense to a 'see r' like me who, taking a rope for a snake has no idea what he's really dealing with? I'm the one out of control with his senses isn't it?
When a person mistakes a rope for a snake, he becomes fearful and anxious. Such fear and anxiety are, of course, illusion, since the rope can never bite. Similarly, one who mistakenly thinks that the material, illusory energy of the Lord exists for his personal sense gratification will certainly bring down on his head an avalanche of material, illusory fear and anxiety. King Purūravā frankly admits here that the young lady Urvaśī is not to blame. After all, it was Purūravā who mistakenly considered her to be an object of his personal enjoyment, and therefore he suffered the reaction by the laws of nature. Purūravā himself was the offender for trying to exploit the external form of Urvaśī.
11.26.18
kvāyaḿ malīmasaḥ kāyo
daurgandhyādy-ātmako 'śuciḥ
(18) What does this filthy body, unclean, full of bad odors, have to offer, what are those 'blossoming qualities' and so on anyway, they are clearly a false appearance sprouting from ignorance!
Purūravā now understands that although he was madly attracted to the fragrant, shapely body of Urvaśī, in fact that body was a sack of stool, gas, bile, mucus, hairs and other repugnant elements. In other words, Purūravā is now becoming sane.
11.26.19-20
svāmino 'gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ
iti yo nāvasīyate
(19-20) One can never decide whether this body is the property of one's parents, wife, employer, fire, the dogs and jackals, the soul or one's friends. One gets [nevertheless] attached to this abominable matter and praises it in case of a woman for having such a cute nose, beautiful smile and face, but one heads with it for the lowest destination.
The phrase tuccha-niṣṭhe, or "headed toward a lowly destination," indicates that if buried, the body will be consumed by worms; if burned, it will turn to ashes; and if dying in a lonely place, it will be consumed by dogs and vultures. The illusory potency of Māyā enters within the female form and bewilders a man's mind. The man is attracted to Māyā appearing within the female form, but when he embraces the woman's body he ends up with two handfuls of stool, blood, mucus, pus, skin, bone, hairs and flesh. People should not be like cats and dogs, in the ignorance of bodily consciousness. A human being should be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and learn to serve the Supreme Lord without falsely trying to exploit His potencies.
11.26.21
medo-majjāsthi-saḿhatau
kṛmīṇāḿ kiyad antaram
(21) In what sense would one differ from worms when one enjoys that what is composed of skin, flesh, blood, muscle, fat, marrow and bone, urine, stool and pus?
11.26.22
athāpi nopasajjeta
viṣayendriya-saḿyogān
manaḥ kṣubhyati nānyathā
(22) A man understanding what's best for him, should never even think to run after women or associate with men who chase women, this for the sole reason that the mind united with the senses reaches for sense-objects and thus gets agitated [compare 5.5: 2, 7.12: 9, 9.19: 17, 9.14: 36].
11.26.23
adṛṣṭād aśrutād bhāvān
(23) A thing not heard or seen gives no rise to mental agitation, for someone who is not using his senses becomes pacified, he has his mind under control.
It may be argued that even while closing one's eyes, while dreaming or while living in a solitary place, one may remember or contemplate sense gratification. Such an experience, however, is due to previous sense gratification that one repeatedly saw and heard about. When one restricts the senses from their objects, especially from intimate contact with women, the mind's material propensity will slacken and, like a fire without fuel, eventually die.
11.26.24
strīṣu straiṇeṣu cendriyaiḥ
viduṣāḿ cāpy avisrabdhaḥ
(24) When the senses, with the six enemies of the spirit [shath-varga], cannot even by wise men be trusted, then what to say of persons like me? That's why one shouldn't get attached to women or seek the company of men attached to women [see also yoshita].'
11.26.25
(25) The Supreme Lord said: 'He who as the god of gods and men thus sang his song [of complaint], then gave up the world of Urvas'i. With realizing Me, the Supersoul, in his heart, he found peace while the transcendental knowledge put an end to his illusion.
11.26.26
tato duḥsańgam utsṛjya
(26) Someone intelligent therefore does away with bad association. He better gets attached to devotees, because one only with the words of the saintly cuts with the deep attachment of one's mind.
11.26.27
santo 'napekṣā mac-cittāḥ
nirmamā nirahańkārā
nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ
(27) The devoted with their minds fixed on Me do not depend [on lusts] and are with an equal minded vision completely peaceful and free from possessiveness, false ego, the dualities and greed.
11.26.28
(28) O most fortunate one, these greatly fortunate souls are constantly discussing My stories, and these discussions have the power to completely eradicate the sins of anyone participating in them.
Even if one does not receive direct instructions from a pure devotee, simply by hearing him glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can be purified of all sinful reactions caused by one's involvement in illusion.
11.26.29
hy anumodanti cādṛtāḥ
(29) They who hear, chant and respectfully take them to heart, the faithful ones of that resolve, reach My devotional service.
One who hears from advanced devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa can be saved from the ocean of material existence. When one obeys the order of a bona fide spiritual master, the polluted workings of the mind are checked, one sees things in a new, spiritual light, and there blossoms the propensity for selfless loving service to the Lord, which gives the fruit of love of Godhead.
11.26.30
kim anyad avaśiṣyate
ānandānubhavātmani
(30) What else would there remain [to be accomplished] for a devotee who has achieved My devotional service, the service of Me, the One of Countless Qualities who is the Absolute Truth Comprising the Experience of Spiritual Happiness.
Devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is so pleasing that a pure devotee cannot desire anything except service to the Lord. In the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Lord Kṛṣṇa told the gopīs that they would have to accept their own service as the ultimate reward of their devotion to Him, since nothing awards as much happiness and knowledge as devotional service itself. When one sincerely chants and hears the holy name and fame of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the heart is purified ad gradually one can appreciate the actual, blissful nature of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, loving service to the Lord.
11.26.31
yathopaśrayamāṇasya
(31) The way cold, fear and darkness will dissolve for the one who resorts to the supreme grace of fire [viz. Agni], are similarly the dullness, sense of danger and ignorance removed of someone who serves the saintly.
Those engaged in fruitive activities are certainly dull; they lack higher awareness of the Supreme Lord and the soul. Materialists are engaged more or less mechanically in gratifying their senses and ambitions, and thus they are considered dull or practically unconscious. All such dullness, fear and ignorance are removed when one serves the lotus feet of the Lord, just as cold, fear and darkness are removed when one approaches a fire.
11.26.32
nimajjyonmajjatāḿ ghore
bhavābdhau paramāyaṇam
naur dṛḍhevāpsu majjatām
(32) For those who submerge and rise up again in the fearful ocean of material life are the saintly devotees, who are so peaceful in understanding the Absolute, a supreme shelter as good as a strong boat in the water for the drowning [compare 11.23: 28 and 11.17: 44].
11.26.33
santo 'rvāg bibhyato 'raṇam
(33) With food as that what gives life to the living entities, with Me as the shelter of the distressed and the religion as the asset for men passing away, are the devotees the refuge for those in fear of falling down.
Those fearful of being dragged down by material lust and anger should take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord's devotees, who can engage one safely in the Lord's loving service.
11.26.34
santo diśanti cakṣūḿsi
(34) The devotees offer one one's eyes while the sun shows the outer world after having risen; the devotees are the ones worshipable, they are one's [true] relatives, just as they are one's very soul and represent Me as well [see e.g. 1.1: 15, 3.5: 47, 3.6: 28, 11.2: 6].
Foolishness is the wealth of the impious, who place great value on their treasure and firmly make up their minds to remain in the darkness of ignorance. Saintly devotees of the Lord are just like the sun. By the light of their words, the living entities' eyes of knowledge are opened and the darkness of ignorance is destroyed. Thus the saintly devotees are one's real friends and relatives. They are the proper recipients of service — not the gross material body, which merely clamors for sense gratification.
11.26.35
vaitasenas tato 'py evam
(35) He [Purûravâ] who for that reason had surrendered himself to the Supreme, thus freed from desiring after the world of Urvas'î, traveled, liberated from all attachment, truly satisfied within himself this earth.'
Thus end of the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Aila-gītā."
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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