Adhyaya 26

Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच मल्ल‍क्षणमिमं कायं लब्ध्वा मद्धर्म आस्थित: । आनन्दं परमात्मानमात्मस्थं समुपैति माम् ॥ १ ॥

The Supreme Lord said: Having attained this human body, which grants the chance to realize Me, and taking shelter of My dharma—devotional service—one reaches Me, the reservoir of bliss and the Paramatma dwelling in every heart.

Verse 2

गुणमय्या जीवयोन्या विमुक्तो ज्ञाननिष्ठया । गुणेषु मायामात्रेषु द‍ृश्यमानेष्ववस्तुत: । वर्तमानोऽपि न पुमान् युज्यतेऽवस्तुभिर्गुणै: ॥ २ ॥

One fixed in transcendental knowledge becomes free from conditioned life by abandoning false identification with the products of the gunas. Seeing them as mere maya, he remains among them without entanglement, for the modes and their effects are not ultimately real.

Verse 3

सङ्गं न कुर्यादसतां शिश्न‍ोदरतृपां क्व‍‍चित् । तस्यानुगस्तमस्यन्धे पतत्यन्धानुगान्धवत् ॥ ३ ॥

One should never associate with materialists who are devoted to gratifying the genitals and the belly. By following them one falls into the deepest pit of darkness, like a blind man following another blind man.

Verse 4

ऐल: सम्राडिमां गाथामगायत बृहच्छ्रवा: । उर्वशीविरहान् मुह्यन् निर्विण्ण: शोकसंयमे ॥ ४ ॥

The following song was sung by the renowned emperor Aila (Purūravā). Deprived of his wife Urvaśī, he was at first bewildered, but by restraining his lamentation he began to feel detachment.

Verse 5

त्यक्त्वात्मानं व्रजन्तीं तां नग्न उन्मत्तवन्नृप: । विलपन्नन्वगाज्जाये घोरे तिष्ठेति विक्लव: ॥ ५ ॥

As she was leaving him, the king—though naked—ran after her like a madman and, in great distress, cried out, “O my wife, O terrible lady, please stop!”

Verse 6

कामानतृप्तोऽनुजुषन् क्षुल्ल‍कान् वर्षयामिनी: । न वेद यान्तीर्नायान्तीरुर्वश्याकृष्टचेतन: ॥ ६ ॥

Although for many years Purūravā enjoyed sexual pleasure in the evening hours, he still was not satisfied by such insignificant enjoyment. His mind was so attracted to Urvaśī that he did not notice how the nights were coming and going.

Verse 7

ऐल उवाच अहो मे मोहविस्तार: कामकश्मलचेतस: । देव्या गृहीतकण्ठस्य नायु:खण्डा इमे स्मृता: ॥ ७ ॥

King Aila said: “Alas, behold the vastness of my delusion! My heart was polluted by lust; while this goddess embraced me, holding my neck in her grip, I had no awareness of how the portions of my life were passing.”

Verse 8

नाहं वेदाभिनिर्मुक्त: सूर्यो वाभ्युदितोऽमुया । मूषितो वर्षपूगानां बताहानि गतान्युत ॥ ८ ॥

That woman deceived me so thoroughly that I did not even see the sun rise or set. Alas, for so many years my days passed in vain!

Verse 9

अहो मे आत्मसम्मोहो येनात्मा योषितां कृत: । क्रीडामृगश्चक्रवर्ती नरदेवशिखामणि: ॥ ९ ॥

Alas, such is my self-bewilderment that I—though a mighty emperor, the crown jewel of earthly kings—have become like a play-animal in the hands of women!

Verse 10

सपरिच्छदमात्मानं हित्वा तृणमिवेश्वरम् । यान्तीं स्‍त्रियं चान्वगमं नग्न उन्मत्तवद् रुदन् ॥ १० ॥

Though I was a powerful lord endowed with opulence, she cast me off like a mere blade of grass. Yet I followed her—naked, weeping like a madman.

Verse 11

कुतस्तस्यानुभाव: स्यात् तेज ईशत्वमेव वा । योऽन्वगच्छंस्‍त्रियं यान्तीं खरवत् पादताडित: ॥ ११ ॥

Where were my vaunted influence, power, and sovereignty? I chased the woman who had already abandoned me, like an ass kicked in the face by his she-ass.

Verse 12

किं विद्यया किं तपसा किं त्यागेन श्रुतेन वा । किं विविक्तेन मौनेन स्‍त्रीभिर्यस्य मनो हृतम् ॥ १२ ॥

What is the use of great learning, austerity, renunciation, or even hearing the sacred scriptures? What is the use of solitude and silence, if in the end one’s mind is stolen by a woman?

Verse 13

स्वार्थस्याकोविदं धिङ् मां मूर्खं पण्डितमानिनम् । योऽहमीश्वरतां प्राप्य स्‍त्रीभिर्गोखरवज्जित: ॥ १३ ॥

To hell with me! I was a fool, ignorant of my own true good, yet I fancied myself learned. Though I attained the station of a lord, I was conquered by women like an ox or a jackass.

Verse 14

सेवतो वर्षपूगान् मे उर्वश्या अधरासवम् । न तृप्यत्यात्मभू: कामो वह्निराहुतिभिर्यथा ॥ १४ ॥

Even after I had tasted for many years the so-called nectar of Urvaśī’s lips, lust kept rising again and again within my heart and was never satisfied—like fire that cannot be quenched by offerings of ghee.

Verse 15

पुंश्चल्यापहृतं चित्तं को न्वन्यो मोचितुं प्रभु: । आत्मारामेश्वरमृते भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् ॥ १५ ॥

Who but Bhagavān Adhokṣaja—beyond material perception and the Lord of self-satisfied sages—can rescue my consciousness, stolen away by a prostitute?

Verse 16

बोधितस्यापि देव्या मे सूक्तवाक्येन दुर्मते: । मनोगतो महामोहो नापयात्यजितात्मन: ॥ १६ ॥

Even though the goddess Urvaśī instructed me with well-spoken, wise words, because my intelligence had grown dull and I failed to master my senses, the great delusion within my mind did not depart.

Verse 17

किमेतया नोऽपकृतं रज्ज्वा वा सर्पचेतस: । द्रष्टु: स्वरूपाविदुषो योऽहं यदजितेन्द्रिय: ॥ १७ ॥

How can I blame her for my suffering? I myself do not know my true spiritual nature, and I did not conquer my senses; thus I am like one who, fearing a snake, mistakes a harmless rope for a snake.

Verse 18

क्व‍ायं मलीमस: कायो दौर्गन्ध्याद्यात्मकोऽशुचि: । क्व‍ गुणा: सौमनस्याद्या ह्यध्यासोऽविद्यया कृत: ॥ १८ ॥

What is this body, so tainted, foul-smelling, and impure? The fragrance and beauty I once sought in a woman’s form are not true qualities at all, but a false covering fashioned by māyā through ignorance.

Verse 19

पित्रो: किं स्वं नु भार्याया: स्वामिनोऽग्ने: श्वगृध्रयो: । किमात्मन: किं सुहृदामिति यो नावसीयते ॥ १९ ॥ तस्मिन् कलेवरेऽमेध्ये तुच्छनिष्ठे विषज्जते । अहो सुभद्रं सुनसं सुस्मितं च मुखं स्‍त्रिय: ॥ २० ॥

One can never settle whose property the body truly is—parents, wife, master, the funeral fire, or the dogs and vultures that may consume it; the indwelling ātman, or one’s friends. Yet, unable to decide, a man still clings to this body.

Verse 20

पित्रो: किं स्वं नु भार्याया: स्वामिनोऽग्ने: श्वगृध्रयो: । किमात्मन: किं सुहृदामिति यो नावसीयते ॥ १९ ॥ तस्मिन् कलेवरेऽमेध्ये तुच्छनिष्ठे विषज्जते । अहो सुभद्रं सुनसं सुस्मितं च मुखं स्‍त्रिय: ॥ २० ॥

Though this body is impure and bound for a lowly end, a man becomes attached to it. And gazing upon a woman’s face he thinks, “How beautiful! What a charming nose, what a lovely smile!”

Verse 21

त्वङ्‍मांसरुधिरस्‍नायुमेदोमज्जास्थिसंहतौ । विण्मूत्रपूये रमतां कृमीणां कियदन्तरम् ॥ २१ ॥

What difference is there between ordinary worms and those who seek enjoyment in this body—an aggregate of skin, flesh, blood, sinew, fat, marrow and bone, filled with stool, urine and pus?

Verse 22

अथापि नोपसज्जेत स्‍त्रीषु स्‍त्रैणेषु चार्थवित् । विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगान्मन: क्षुभ्यति नान्यथा ॥ २२ ॥

Even one who knows the body’s true nature should not associate with women or with men attached to women, for when the senses meet their objects, the mind is inevitably disturbed.

Verse 23

अद‍ृष्टादश्रुताद् भावान्न भाव उपजायते । असम्प्रयुञ्जत: प्राणान् शाम्यति स्तिमितं मन: ॥ २३ ॥

That which is neither seen nor heard does not agitate the mind. One who restrains the material senses finds that the mind’s worldly activities are checked of their own accord, and it becomes calm and still.

Verse 24

तस्मात् सङ्गो न कर्तव्य: स्‍त्रीषु स्‍त्रैणेषु चेन्द्रियै: । विदुषां चाप्यविस्रब्ध: षड्‍वर्ग: किमु माद‍ृशाम् ॥ २४ ॥

Therefore one should not let the senses roam freely with women, nor with men attached to women. Even the learned do not trust the mind’s six enemies—what then of a fool like me?

Verse 25

श्रीभगवानुवाच एवं प्रगायन् नृपदेवदेव: स उर्वशीलोकमथो विहाय । आत्मानमात्मन्यवगम्य मां वै उपारमज्ज्ञानविधूतमोह: ॥ २५ ॥

The Supreme Lord said: Having thus sung this song, Mahārāja Purūravā—foremost among gods and men—abandoned the position he had attained in Urvaśī’s realm. His delusion washed away by transcendental knowledge, he realized Me as the Paramātmā within his heart and at last found peace.

Verse 26

ततो दु:सङ्गमुत्सृज्य सत्सु सज्जेत बुद्धिमान् । सन्त एवास्य छिन्दन्ति मनोव्यासङ्गमुक्तिभि: ॥ २६ ॥

Therefore an intelligent person should abandon bad association and take up the company of saintly devotees, whose liberating words cut through the mind’s excessive attachment.

Verse 27

सन्तोऽनपेक्षा मच्चित्ता: प्रशान्ता: समदर्शिन: । निर्ममा निरहङ्कारा निर्द्वन्द्वा निष्परिग्रहा: ॥ २७ ॥

My devotees fix their minds on Me and depend on nothing material. They are always peaceful, endowed with equal vision, and free from possessiveness, false ego, duality, and greed.

Verse 28

तेषु नित्यं महाभाग महाभागेषु मत्कथा: । सम्भवन्ति हि ता नृणां जुषतां प्रपुनन्त्यघम् ॥ २८ ॥

O greatly fortunate Uddhava, in the company of such saintly devotees My narrations ever arise; those who partake in hearing and chanting My glories are surely purified of all sin.

Verse 29

ता ये श‍ृण्वन्ति गायन्ति ह्यनुमोदन्ति चाद‍ृता: । मत्परा: श्रद्दधानाश्च भक्तिं विन्दन्ति ते मयि ॥ २९ ॥

Whoever hears, chants, and respectfully embraces these topics about Me becomes faithful and devoted to Me, and thus attains bhakti unto Me.

Verse 30

भक्तिं लब्धवत: साधो: किमन्यदवशिष्यते । मय्यनन्तगुणे ब्रह्मण्यानन्दानुभवात्मनि ॥ ३० ॥

O saintly one, what more remains for the perfected devotee after attaining bhakti unto Me—the Supreme Brahman of innumerable qualities, the very embodiment of blissful realization?

Verse 31

यथोपश्रयमाणस्य भगवन्तं विभावसुम् । शीतं भयं तमोऽप्येति साधून् संसेवतस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥

Just as cold, fear, and darkness vanish for one who approaches the sacrificial fire, so dullness, fear, and ignorance are destroyed for one who serves the Lord’s saintly devotees.

Verse 32

निमज्ज्योन्मज्जतां घोरे भवाब्धौ परमायणम् । सन्तो ब्रह्मविद: शान्ता नौर्दृढेवाप्सु मज्जताम् ॥ ३२ ॥

In the dreadful ocean of material life, where souls repeatedly sink and rise, the Lord’s devotees—peaceful and fixed in Brahman-realization—are the supreme shelter; they are like a sturdy boat that rescues those about to drown.

Verse 33

अन्नं हि प्राणिनां प्राण आर्तानां शरणं त्वहम् । धर्मो वित्तं नृणां प्रेत्य सन्तोऽर्वाग् बिभ्यतोऽरणम् ॥ ३३ ॥

Just as food is the very life of all beings, so I am the supreme shelter of the distressed. And just as dharma is the wealth of a man as he departs this world, so My saintly devotees are the only refuge for those who fear falling into a miserable condition.

Verse 34

सन्तो दिशन्ति चक्षूंषि बहिरर्क: समुत्थित: । देवता बान्धवा: सन्त: सन्त आत्माहमेव च ॥ ३४ ॥

My devotees bestow divine eyes, whereas the sun grants only external sight, and only after it has risen. My devotees are one’s true worshipable deities and true family; they are one’s own self, and ultimately they are nondifferent from Me.

Verse 35

वैतसेनस्ततोऽप्येवमुर्वश्या लोकनिष्पृह: । मुक्तसङ्गो महीमेतामात्मारामश्चचार ह ॥ ३५ ॥

Thus, losing even the desire to dwell on the same planet as Urvaśī, Mahārāja Purūravā wandered the earth, freed from all material association and fully satisfied within the self.