Source
Texts:
The
Aila-gîtâ
Text
1
The
Supreme Lord said: 'Having gotten to this human body does one,
situated in My dharma being directed at Me, achieve the Supreme
Soul of Spiritual Happiness, Me who is situated in the
heart.
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said - Having achieved this
human form of life, which affords one the opportunity to
realize Me, and being situated in My devotional service, one
can achieve Me, the reservoir of all pleasure and the
Supreme Soul of all existence, residing within the heart of
every living being.
Text
2
Devoted in
spiritual knowledge being freed from the cause of a separate
existence that is based on the modes of nature does a person,
living in the midst of these natural qualities not become
entangled with the triviality of these effects of nature - who
deluding the senses are insubstantial despite of the fact that
one sees them.
A
person fixed in transcendental knowledge is freed from
conditioned life by giving up his false identification with
the products of the material modes of nature. Seeing these
products as simply illusion, he avoids entanglement with the
modes of nature, although constantly among them. Because the
modes of nature and their products are simply not real, he
does not accept them.
Text
3
One
should never at any time seek association with the ones untrue
that are devoted to gratify their genitals and bellies since
the follower of such people falls into the darkest pit, just
like a blind man following a blind man.
One
should never associate with materialists, those dedicated to
gratifying their genitals and bellies. By following them one
falls into the deepest pit of darkness, just like a blind
man who follows another blind man.
Text
4
The descendant
of Ilâ [Aila or Purûravâ, see also
9.14:
15-16],
the well-known great emperor, sang this mighty song as he,
bewildered as he was, in separation from Urvas'î finally
got his lamentation under control in feeling
detachment.
The
following song was sung by the famous emperor
Purûravâ. When deprived of his wife,
Urvas'î, he was at first bewildered, but by
controlling his lamentation he began to feel
detachment.
Text
5
Abandoning him
as he was naked did the king cry out to her like a madman as
she left, following her saying in distress: 'O my wife, o you
terrible woman, please stop!'
When
she was leaving him, even though he was naked he ran after
her just like a madman and called out in great distress, 'O
my wife, O terrible lady! Please stop!î
Text
6
Still not
satisfied gratifying insignificant lusts for many years,
realized he, in his mind attracted to Urvas'î, not how
the nights had been coming and going.
Although
for many years Purûravâ had enjoyed sex pleasure
in the evening hours, still he was not satisfied by such
insignificant enjoyment. His mind was so attracted to
Urvas'î that he did not notice how the nights were
coming and going.
Text
7
Aila said: 'How
regrettable the extent of my delusion; with my consciousness
contaminated by lust did I, by the neck being seized by this
goddess, not notice the times of my life
passing.
King
Aila said - Alas, just see the extent of my delusion! This
goddess was embracing me and held my neck in her grip. My
heart was so polluted by lust that I had no idea how my life
was passing.
Text
8
Under her spell
had I, alas, for so many years comprising so many days, really
no idea whether the sun was rising or setting.
That
lady cheated me so much that I did not even see the rising
or setting of the sun. Alas, for so many years I passed my
days in vain!
Text
9
How unfortunate
that total bewilderment of myself because of which the body of
this mighty emperor, this crown jewel of kings, became a cuddly
toy of women!
Alas,
although I am supposed to be a mighty emperor, the crown
jewel of all kings on this earth, just see how my
bewilderment has rendered me a toy animal in the hands of
women!
Text
10
Having
abandoned me, the mighty controller, with all of my kingdom as
if I were a blade of grass, ran I thus, crying out like a
madman, naked after the woman.
Although
I was a powerful lord with great opulence, that woman gave
me up as if I were no more than an insignificant blade of
grass. And still, naked and without shame, I followed her,
crying out to her like a madman.
Text
11
Where now is
the influence, strength, sovereignty of the person that I am?
Who now ran after this woman leaving, just like an ass by the
hoof being kicked in the face for punishment?
Where
are my so-called great influence, power and sovereignty?
Just like an ass being kicked in the face by his she-ass, I
ran after that woman, who had already given me up.
Text
12
What's the use
of knowledge, austerities and renunciation, of having listened
to the scriptures, or what of solitude and silence with him
whose mind was stolen by women?
What
is the use of a big education or the practice of austerities
and renunciation, and what is the use of studying religious
scriptures, of living in solitude and silence, if, after all
that, one's mind is stolen by a woman?
Text
13
To hell with
the fool of me not knowing his own best interest, I who thought
he was a scholar achieving the position of lord and controller,
but just like a bullock or ass was conquered by
women!
To
hell with me! I am such a fool that I didn't even know what
was good for me, although I arrogantly thought I was highly
intelligent. Although I achieved the exalted position of a
lord, I allowed myself to be conquered by women as if I were
a bullock or a jackass.
Text
14
For so many
years serving Urvas'î her lips did I, with the lust born
from my mind, never get enough of the nectar, just like a fire
never satisfied by oblations.
Even
after I had served the so-called nectar of the lips of
Urvas'î for many years, my lusty desires kept rising
again and again within my heart and were never satisfied,
just like a fire that can never be extinguished by the
oblations of ghee poured into its flames.
Text
15
Who, but the
Lord of the Sages Satisfied Within, the Supreme Lord Beyond the
Senses, would be capable of freeing another one whose
intelligence is stolen by a woman of pleasure?
Who
but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who lies beyond
material perception and is the Lord of self-satisfied sages,
can possibly save my consciousness, which has been stolen by
a prostitute?
Text
16
Of me,
dull-minded, did, even by the goddess informed with words well
spoken, the confusion not cease, not having conquered myself
[see 9.14:
20-22].
Because
I allowed my intelligence to become dull and because I
failed to control my senses, the great confusion in my mind
did not go away, even though Urvas'î herself gave me
wise counsel with well-spoken words.
Text
17
What would have
been her offense to a 'seer' like us who, taking a rope for a
snake, not understands the real identity, for I'm the one who
didn't conquer his senses.
How
can I blame her for my trouble when I myself am ignorant of
my real, spiritual nature? I did not control my senses, and
so I am like a person who mistakenly sees a harmless rope as
a snake.
Text
18
What does this
filthy body, unclean, full of bad odors, have to offer, what
are those 'blossoming qualities' and so on anyway, for sure
they're an imposition set up by ignorance!
What
is this polluted body anyway - so filthy and full of bad
odors? I was attracted by the fragrance and beauty of a
woman's body, but what are those so-called attractive
features? They are simply a false covering created by
illusion.
Text
19-20
Whether
it's the property of the parents, the wife, the employer, the
fire, the dogs and the jackals, the soul or the friends one can
never decide. To that material body of abomination getting
attached for it being so very attractive, feminine as it is
having such a cute nose, beautiful smile and face, heads one
for the lowest destination.
One
can never decide whose property the body actually is. Does
it belong to one's parents, who have given birth to it, to
one's wife, who gives it pleasure, or to one's employer, who
orders the body around? Is it the property of the funeral
fire or of the dogs and jackals who may ultimately devour
it? Is it the property of the indwelling soul, who partakes
in its happiness and distress, or does the body belong to
intimate friends who encourage and help it? Although a man
never definitely ascertains the proprietor of the body, he
becomes most attached to it. The material body is a polluted
material form heading toward a lowly destination, yet when a
man stares at the face of a woman he thinks, 'What a
good-looking lady! What a charming nose she's got, and see
her beautiful smile!î
Text
21
In what sense
does one differ from worms in enjoying what is composed of
skin, flesh, blood, muscle, fat, marrow and bone, urine, stool
and pus?
What
difference is there between ordinary worms and persons who
try to enjoy this material body composed of skin, flesh,
blood, muscle, fat, marrow, bone, stool, urine and
pus?
Text
22
He who knows
what's best for him, should never but even initiate contact
with women or men attracted to women for no other reason than
the fact that the mind united with the senses reaching out to
the sense-objects gets agitated [compare
5.5:
2,
7.12:
9,
9.19:
17,
9.14:
36].
Yet
even one who theoretically understands the actual nature of
the body should never associate with women or with men
attached to women. After all, the contact of the senses with
their objects inevitably agitates the mind.
Text
23
A thing not
heard or seen gives no rise to mental agitation; the mind of
the one restricting the forces of life [the senses],
thus checked, becomes pacified.
Therefore
one should never let his senses associate freely with women
or with men attached to women. Even those who are highly
learned cannot trust the six enemies of the mind; what to
speak, then, of foolish persons like me.
Text
24
When the
senses, these six enemies [shath-varga],
not even by wise men can be trusted, then what to say of
persons like me; it is for that reason that one shouldn't seek
association with women or men attracted to women [see also
yoshita].'
Therefore
one should never let his senses associate freely with women
or with men attached to women. Even those who are highly
learned cannot trust the six enemies of the mind; what to
speak, then, of foolish persons like me.
Text
25
The Supreme
Lord said: 'He thus eminent among kings and demigods singing it
so, gave, realizing Me, the Supreme Soul within himself, up the
world of Urvas'î and indeed became peaceful having his
illusion removed by spiritual knowledge.
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said - Having thus chanted
this song, Mahârâja Purûravâ,
eminent among the demigods and human beings, gave up the
position he had achieved in the planet of Urvas'î. His
illusion cleansed away by transcendental knowledge, he
understood Me to be the Supreme Soul within his heart and so
at last achieved peace.
Text
26
Someone
intelligent should therefore do away with the bad [or
desirous of] association and get attached to the saintly
only [including the devîs,
not to be sexist]; as by the words of the holy the deep
attachment of the mind is cut off.
An
intelligent person should therefore reject all bad
association and instead take up the association of saintly
devotees, whose words cut off the excessive attachment of
one's mind.
Text
27
The devoted
with their minds set on Me not depending [on lusts] are
completely peaceful with an equal vision free from
possessiveness, false ego, the dualities and
greed.
My
devotees fix their minds on Me and do not depend upon
anything material. They are always peaceful, endowed with
equal vision, and free from possessiveness, false ego,
duality and greed.
Text
28
O greatly
fortunate one, constantly arise among those greatly fortunate
ones indeed discussions about Me; of persons partaking in these
topics are the sins completely eradicated.
O
greatly fortunate Uddhava, in the association of such
saintly devotees there is constant discussion of Me, and
those partaking in this chanting and hearing of My glories
are certainly purified of all sins.
Text
29
They who hear,
chant and take them indeed with respect to heart, they so
decided faithful, achieve the bhakti for Me.
Whoever
hears, chants and respectfully takes to heart these topics
about Me becomes faithfully dedicated to Me and thus
achieves My devotional service.
Text
30
What else would
there remain [to be accomplished] for the devotee who
has achieved the devotional service to Me, the One of Countless
Qualities, the Absolute Truth Comprising the Experience of
Spiritual Happiness.
What
more remains to be accomplished for the perfect devotee
after achieving devotional service unto Me, the Supreme
Absolute Truth, whose qualities are innumerable and who am
the embodiment of all ecstatic experience?
Text
31
Just as cold,
fear and darkness will dissolve for the one who resorts to the
supreme of the fire [Agni] are similarly the dullness,
sense of danger and ignorance removed of the one serving the
saintly.
Just
as cold, fear and darkness are eradicated for one who has
approached the sacrificial fire, so dullness, fear and
ignorance are destroyed for one engaged in serving the
devotees of the Lord.
Text
32
For those
submerging and rising again in the horrible ocean of material
life are the saintly devotees, peaceful in understanding the
Absolute, a supreme shelter that is just like a strong boat in
the water to the drowning [compare 11.23:
28 and
11.17:
44].
The
devotees of the Lord, peacefully fixed in absolute
knowledge, are the ultimate shelter for those who are
repeatedly rising and falling within the fearful ocean of
material life. Such devotees are just like a strong boat
that comes to rescue persons who are at the point of
drowning.
Text
33
With food
indeed as the very life of living entities, I as the shelter of
the distressed and the religion as the acquisition of men
passing away, are the devotees the refuge of those afraid of
going downward.
Just
as food is the life of all creatures, just as I am the
ultimate shelter for the distressed, and just as religion is
the wealth of those who are passing away from this world, so
My devotees are the only refuge of persons fearful of
falling into a miserable condition of life.
Text
34
The devoted
give one eyes where the sun allows the external after having
risen; the devotees are the ones worshipable, one's
[true] relatives, just as they are one's very soul and
Me as well [see also e.g. 1.1:
15,
3.5:
47,
3.6:
28,
11.2:
6].
My
devotees bestow divine eyes, whereas the sun allows only
external sight, and that only when it is risen in the sky.
My devotees are one's real worshipable deities and real
family; they are one's own self, and ultimately they are
nondifferent from Me.
Text
35
He yielding to
the supreme [Purûravâ] for that reason,
thus freed from the desire for the world of Urvas'î,
traveled, liberated from all attachment, indeed satisfied
within himself this earth.'
Thus
losing his desire to be on the same planet as Urvas'î,
Mahârâja Purûravâ began to wander
the earth free of all material association and completely
satisfied within the self.
