Chapter 26: The Song of Purûravâ
(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. (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. (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. (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. (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!' (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.
(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. (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. (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! (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) 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 with a hoof is being kicked in the face for punishment! (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? (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! (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. (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? (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]. (17) What would she have done wrong to a 'seer'
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? (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! (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. (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? (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]. (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. (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].'
(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. (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. (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. (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. (29) They who
hear, chant and respectfully take them to heart, the faithful ones of
that resolve, reach My devotional service. (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. (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. (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]. (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. (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]. (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.'