11.26.1

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mal-lakṣaṇam imaḿ kāyaḿ

labdhvā mad-dharma āsthitaḥ

ānandaḿ paramātmānam

ātma-sthaḿ samupaiti mām

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mat-lakṣaṇam — in which I can be realized; imam — this; kāyam — human body; labdhvā — having achieved; mat-dharme — in devotional service to Me; āsthitaḥ — situated; ānandam — who is pure ecstasy; parama-ātmānam — the Supreme Soul; ātma-stham — situated within the heart; samapaiti — he achieves; mām — Me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

 11.26.2

guṇa-mayyā jīva-yonyā

vimukto jñāna-niṣṭhayā

guṇeṣu māyā-mātreṣu

dṛśyamāneṣv avastutaḥ

vartamāno 'pi na pumān

yujyate 'vastubhir guṇaiḥ

 

guṇa-mayyā — based on the modes of nature; jīva-yonyā — from the cause of material life, false identification; vimuktaḥ — one who has become completely free; jñāna — in transcendental knowledge; niṣṭhayā — by being properly fixed; guṇeṣu — among the products of the modes of nature; māyā-mātreṣu — which are simply illusion; dṛśyamāneṣu — appearing before the eyes; avastutaḥ — although not real; vartamānaḥ — living; api — although; na — does not; pumān — that person; yujyate — become entangled; avastubhiḥ — unreal; guṇaiḥ — with the manifestations of the modes of nature.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.3

sańgaḿ na kuryād asatāḿ

śiśnodara-tṛpāḿ kvacit

tasyānugas tamasy andhe

pataty andhānugāndha-vat

 

sańgam — association; na kuryāt — one should never make; asatām — of those who are materialistic; śiśna — the genitals; udara — and the belly; tṛpām — who are devoted to gratifying; kvacit — at any time; tasya — of any such person; anugaḥ — the follower; tamasi andhe — into the darkest pit; patati — he falls; andha-anuga — following a blind man; andha-vat — just like another blind man.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.4

ailaḥ samrāḍ imāḿ gāthām

agāyata bṛhac-chravāḥ

urvaśī-virahān muhyan

nirviṇṇaḥ śoka-saḿyame

 

ailaḥ — King Purūravā; samrāṭ — the great emperor; imām — this; gāthām — song; agāyata — sang; bṛhat — mighty; śravāḥ — whose fame; urvaśī-virahāt — because of experiencing separation from Urvaśī; muhyan — becoming bewildered; nirviṇṇaḥ — feeling detached; śoka — his lamentation; saḿyame — when he was finally able to bring under control.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The following song was sung by the famous emperor Purūravā. When deprived of his wife, Urvaśī, he was at first bewildered, but by controlling his lamentation he began to feel detachment.

 

11.26.5

tyaktvātmānaḿ vrayantīḿ tāḿ

nagna unmatta-van nṛpaḥ

vilapann anvagāj jāye

ghore tiṣṭheti viklavaḥ

 

tyaktvā — abandoning; ātmānam — him; vrajantīm — going away; tām — unto her; nagnaḥ — being naked; unmatta-vat — like a madman; nṛpaḥ — the king; vilapan — crying out; anvagāt — followed; jāye — O my wife; ghore — O terrible woman; tiṣṭha — please stop; iti — thus speaking; viklavaḥ — overwhelmed with distress.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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!"

 

11.26.6

kāmān atṛpto 'nujuṣan

kṣullakān varṣa-yāminīḥ

na veda yāntīr nāyāntīr

urvaśy-ākṛṣṭa-cetanaḥ

 

kāmān — lusty desires; atṛptaḥ — unsatiated; anujuṣan — gratifying; kṣullakān — insignificant; varṣa — of many years; yāminīḥ — the nights; na veda — he did not know; yāntīḥ — going; na — nor; āyāntīḥ — approaching; urvaśī — by Urvaṣī; ākṛṣṭa — attracted; cetanaḥ — his mind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although for many years Purūravā had enjoyed sex pleasure in the evening hours, still he 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.

 

11.26.7

aila uvāca

aho me moha-vistāraḥ

kāma-kaśmala-cetasaḥ

devyā gṛhīta-kaṇṭhasya

nāyuḥ-khaṇḍā ime smṛtāḥ

 

ailaḥ uvāca — King Purūravā said; aho — alas; me — my; moha — of the delusion; vistāraḥ — the extent; kāma — by lust; kaśmala — contaminated; cetasaḥ — my consciousness; devyā — by this goddess; gṛhīta — is seized; kaṇṭhasya — whose neck; na — have not; āyuḥ — of my life span; khaṇḍāḥ — the divisions; ime — these; smṛtāḥ — been taken notice of.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.8

nāhaḿ vedābhinirmuktaḥ

sūryo vābhyudito 'muyā

mūṣito varṣa-pūgānāḿ

batāhāni gatāny uta

 

na — did not; aham — I; veda — know; abhinirmuktaḥ — having set; sūryaḥ — the sun; vā — or; abhyuditaḥ — risen; amuyā — by her; mūṣitaḥ — deceived; varṣa — years; pūgānām — comprising many; bata — alas; ahāni — days; gatāni — have gone; uta — certainly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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!

 

11.26.9

aho me ātma-sammoho

yenātmā yoṣitāḿ kṛtaḥ

krīḍā-mṛgaś cakravartī

naradeva-śikhāmaṇiḥ

 

aho — alas; me — my; ātma — of myself; sammohaḥ — total bewilderment; yena — by which; ātmā — my body; yoṣitām — of women; kṛtaḥ — became; krīḍā-mṛgaḥ — a toy animal; cakravartī — mighty emperor; naradeva — of kings; śikhā-maṇiḥ — the crown jewel.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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!

 

11.26.10

sa-paricchadam ātmānaḿ

hitvā tṛṇam iveśvaram

yāntīḿ striyaḿ cānvagamaḿ

nagna unmatta-vad rudan

 

sa-paricchadam — along with my kingdom and all paraphernalia; ātmānam — myself; hitvā — abandoning; tṛṇam — a blade of grass; iva — as if; īśvaram — the powerful lord; yāntīm — going away; striyam — the woman; ca — and; anvagaman — I followed; nagnaḥ — naked; unmatta-vat — like a madman; rudan — crying out.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.11

kutas tasyānubhāvaḥ syāt

teja īśatvam eva vā

yo 'nvagacchaḿ striyaḿ yāntīḿ

khara-vat pāda-tāḍitaḥ

 

kutaḥ — where; tasya — of that person (myself); anubhāvaḥ — the influence; syāt — is; tejaḥ — strength; īśatvam — sovereignty; eva — indeed; vā — or; yaḥ — who; anvagaccham — ran after; striyam — this woman; yāntīm — while going away; khara-vat — just like an ass; pāda — by the foot; tāḍitaḥ — punished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.12

kiḿ vidyayā kiḿ tapasā

kiḿ tyāgena śrutena vā

kiḿ viviktena maunena

strībhir yasya mano hṛtam

 

kim — what is the use; vidyayā — of knowledge; kim — what; tapasā — of austerities; kim — what; tyāgena — of renunciation; śrutena — of having studied the scriptures; vā — or; kim — what; viviktena — of solitude; maunena — of silence; strībhiḥ — by women; yasya — whose; manaḥ — the mind; hṛtam — taken away.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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?

 

11.26.13

svārthasyākovidaḿ dhiń māḿ

mūrkhaḿ paṇḍita-māninam

yo 'ham īśvaratāḿ prāpya

strībhir go-khara-vaj jitaḥ

 

sva-arthasya — his own best interest; akovidam — who does not know; dhik — to hell; mām — with me; mūrkham — a fool; paṇḍita-māninam — imagining himself to be a great scholar; yaḥ — who; aham — I; īśvaratām — the position of lordship; prāpya — achieving; strībhiḥ — by women; go-khara-vat — like a bullock or an ass; jitaḥ — conquered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.14

sevato varṣa-pūgān me

urvaśyā adharāsavam

na tṛpyaty ātma-bhūḥ kāmo

vahnir āhutibhir yathā

 

sevataḥ — who was serving; varṣa-pūgān — for many years; me — my; urvaśyāḥ — of Urvaśī; adhara — of the lips; āsavam — the nectar; na tṛpyati — never became satisfied; ātma-bhūḥ — born from the mind; kāmaḥ — the lust; vahniḥ — fire; āhutibhiḥ — by oblations; yathā — just as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Even after I had served the so-called nectar of the lips of Urvaśī 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.

 

11.26.15

puḿścalyāpahṛtaḿ cittaḿ

ko nv anyo mocituḿ prabhuḥ

ātmārāmeśvaram ṛte

bhagavantam adhokṣajam

 

puḿścalya — by a prostitute; apahṛtam — stolen; cittam — the intelligence; kaḥ — who; nu — indeed; anyaḥ — other person; mocitum — to free; prabhuḥ — is capable; ātma-ārāma — of the self-satisfied sages; īśvaram — the Lord; ṛte — except for; bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhokṣajam — who lies beyond the purview of material senses.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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?

 

11.26.16

bodhitasyāpi devyā me

sūkta-vākyena durmateḥ

mano-gato mahā-moho

nāpayāty ajitātmanaḥ

 

bodhitasya — who had been informed; api — even; devyā — by the goddess Urvaśī; me — of me; su-ukta — well-spoken; vākyena — by words; durmateḥ — whose intelligence was dull; manaḥ-gataḥ — within the mind; mahā-mohaḥ — the great confusion; na apayāti — did not cease; ajita-ātmanaḥ — who had failed to control his senses.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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 Urvaśī herself gave me wise counsel with well-spoken words.

 

11.26.17

kim etayā no 'pakṛtaḿ

rajjvā vā sarpa-cetasaḥ

draṣṭuḥ svarūpāviduṣo

yo 'haḿ yad ajitendriyaḥ

 

kim — what; etayā — by her; naḥ — to us; apakṛtam — offense has been done; rajjvā — by a rope; vā — or; sarpa-cetasaḥ — who is thinking it to be a snake; draṣṭuḥ — of such a seer; svarūpa — the real identity; aviduṣaḥ — who does not understand; yaḥ — who; aham — I; yat — because of; ajita-indriyaḥ — having not controlled the senses.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.18

kvāyaḿ malīmasaḥ kāyo

daurgandhyādy-ātmako 'śuciḥ

kva guṇāḥ saumanasyādyā

hy adhyāso 'vidyayā kṛtaḥ

 

kva — where; ayam — this; malīmasaḥ — very filthy; kāyaḥ — material body; daurgandhya — bad odor; ādi — and so on; ātmakaḥ — consisting of; aśuciḥ — unclean; kva — where; guṇāḥ — the so-called good qualities; saumanasya — the fragrance and tenderness of flowers; ādyāḥ — and so on; hi — certainly; adhyāsaḥ — the superficial imposition; avidyayā — by ignorance; kṛtaḥ — created.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.19-20

pitroḥ kiḿ svaḿ nu bhāryāyāḥ

svāmino 'gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ

kim ātmanaḥ kiḿ suhṛdām

iti yo nāvasīyate

 

tasmin kalevare 'medhye

tuccha-niṣṭhe viṣajjate

aho su-bhadraḿ su-nasaḿ

su-smitaḿ ca mukhaḿ striyaḥ

 

pitroḥ — of the parents; kim — whether; svam — the property; nu — or; bhāryāyāḥ — of the wife; svāminaḥ — of the employer; agneḥ — of the fire; śva-gṛdhrayoḥ — of the dogs and jackals; kim — whether; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; kim — whether; suhṛdam — of friends; iti — thus; yaḥ — who; na avasīyate — can never decide;

 

tasmin — to that; kalevare — material body; amedhye — abominable; tuccha-niṣṭhe — heading toward the lowest destination; viṣajjate — becomes attached; aho — ah; su-bhadram — very attractive; su-nasam — having a beautiful nose; su-smitam — beautiful smile; ca — and; mukham — the face; striyaḥ — of a woman.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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!"

 

11.26.21

tvań-māḿsa-rudhira-snāyu-

medo-majjāsthi-saḿhatau

viṇ-mūtra-pūye ramatāḿ

kṛmīṇāḿ kiyad antaram

 

tvak — out of skin; māḿsa — flesh; rudhira — blood; snāyu — muscle; medaḥ — fat; majjā — marrow; asthi — and bone; saḿhatau — composed; viṭ — of stool; mūtra — urine; pūye — and pus; ramatām — enjoying; kṛmīṇām — compared to the worms; kiyat — how much; antaram — difference.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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?

 

11.26.22

athāpi nopasajjeta

strīṣu straiṇeṣu cārtha-vit

viṣayendriya-saḿyogān

manaḥ kṣubhyati nānyathā

 

atha api — yet therefore; na upasajjeta — he should never make contact; strīṣu — with women; straiṇeṣu — with men who are attached to women; ca — or; artha-vit — one who knows what is best for him; viṣaya — of the objects of enjoyment; indriya — with the senses; saḿyogāt — because of the connection; manaḥ — the mind; kṣubhyati — becomes agitated; na — not; anyathā — otherwise.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.23

adṛṣṭād aśrutād bhāvān

na bhāva upajāyate

asamprayuñjataḥ prāṇān

śāmyati stimitaḿ manaḥ

 

adṛṣṭāt — which is not seen; aśrutāt — which is not heard; bhāvāt — from a thing; na — does not; bhāvaḥ — mental agitation; upajāyate — arise; asamprayuñjataḥ — for one who is not using; prāṇān — the senses; śāmyati — becomes pacified; stimitam — checked; manaḥ — the mind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because the mind is not disturbed by that which is neither seen nor heard, the mind of a person who restricts the material senses will automatically be checked in its material activities and become pacified.

 

11.26.24

tasmāt sańgo na kartavyaḥ

strīṣu straiṇeṣu cendriyaiḥ

viduṣāḿ cāpy avisrabdhaḥ

ṣaḍ-vargaḥ kim u mādṛśām

 

tasmāt — therefore; sańgaḥ — association; na kartavyaḥ — should never be made; strīṣu — with women; straiṇeṣu — with men attached to women; ca — and; indriyaiḥ — by one's senses; viduṣām — of wise men; ca api — even; avisrabdhaḥ — untrustworthy; ṣaṭ-vargaḥ — the six enemies of the mind (lust, anger, greed, bewilderment, intoxication and envy); kim u — what to speak; mādṛśām — of persons like me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.25

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

evaḿ pragāyan nṛpa-deva-devaḥ

sa urvaśī-lokam atho vihāya

ātmānam ātmany avagamya māḿ vai

upāramaj jñāana-vidhūta-mohaḥ

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; evam — in this way; pragāyan — singing; nṛpa — among men; deva — and among demigods; devaḥ — who was eminent; saḥ — he, King Purūravā; urvaśī-lokam — the planet of Urvaśī, Gandharvaloka; atha u — then; vihāya — giving up; ātmānam — the Supreme Soul; ātmani — within his own heart; avagamya — realizing; mām — Me; vai — indeed; upāramat — he became peaceful; jñāna — by transcendental knowledge; vidhūta — removed; mohaḥ — his illusion.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having thus chanted this song, Mahārāja Purūravā, eminent among the demigods and human beings, gave up the position he had achieved in the planet of Urvaśī. His illusion cleansed away by transcendental knowledge, he understood Me to be the Supreme Soul within his heart and so at last achieved peace.

 

11.26.26

tato duḥsańgam utsṛjya

satsu sajjeta buddhimān

santa evāsya chindanti

mano-vyāsańgam uktibhiḥ

 

tataḥ — therefore; duḥsańgam — bad association; utsṛjya — throwing away; satsu — to saintly devotees; sajjeta — he should become attached; buddhi-man — one who is intelligent; santaḥ — saintly persons; eva — only; asya — his; chindanti — cut off; manaḥ — of the mind; vyāsańgam — excessive attachment; uktibhiḥ — by their words.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.27

santo 'napekṣā mac-cittāḥ

praśāntāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

nirmamā nirahańkārā

nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ

 

santaḥ — the saintly devotees; anapekṣāḥ — not dependent on anything material; mat-cittāḥ — who have fixed their minds on Me; praśāntāḥ — completely peaceful; sama-darśinaḥ — endowed with equal vision; nirmamaḥ — free from possessiveness; nirahańkārāḥ — free from false ego; nirdvandvāḥ — free from all dualities; niṣparigrahāḥ — free from greed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.28

teṣu nityaḿ mahā-bhāga

mahā-bhāgeṣu mat-kathāḥ

sambhavanti hi tā nṝṇāḿ

juṣatāḿ prapunanty agham

 

teṣu — among them; nityam — constantly; mahā-bhāga — O greatly fortunate Uddhava; mahā-bhāgeṣu — among these greatly fortunate devotees; mat-kathāḥ — discussions about Me; sambhavanti — arise; hi — indeed; tāḥ — these topics; nṝṇām — of persons; juṣatām — who are partaking in them; prapunanti — totally purify; agham — the sins.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.29

tā ye śṛṇvanti gāyanti

hy anumodanti cādṛtāḥ

mat-parāḥ śraddadhānāś ca

bhaktiḿ vindanti te mayi

 

tāḥ — those topics; ye — persons who; śṛṇvanti — hear; gāyanti — chant; hi — indeed; anumodanti — take to heart; ca — and; ādṛtāḥ — with respect; mat-parāḥ — dedicated to Me; śraddadhānāḥ — faithful; ca — and; bhaktim — devotional service; vindanti — achieve; te — they; mayi — for Me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Whoever hears, chants and respectfully takes to heart these topics about Me becomes faithfully dedicated to Me and thus achieves My devotional service.

 

11.26.30

bhaktiḿ labdhavataḥ sādhoḥ

kim anyad avaśiṣyate

mayy ananta-guṇe brahmaṇy

ānandānubhavātmani

 

bhaktim — devotional service to the Supreme Lord; labdhavataḥ — who has achieved; sādhoḥ — for the devotee; kim — what; anyat — else; avaśiṣyate — remains; mayi — to Me; ananta-guṇe — whose qualities are countless; brahmaṇi — to the Absolute Truth; ānanda — of ecstasy; anubhava — the experience; ātmani — who comprises.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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?

 

11.26.31

yathopaśrayamāṇasya

bhagavantaḿ vibhāvasum

śītaḿ bhayaḿ tamo 'pyeti

sādhūn saḿsevatas tathā

 

yathā — just as; upaśrayamāṇasya — of one who is approaching; bhagavantam — the powerful; vibhāvasum — fire; śītam — cold; bhayam — fear; tamaḥ — darkness; apyeti — are removed; sādhūn — saintly devotees; saḿsevataḥ — for one who is serving; tathā — similarly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.32

nimajjyonmajjatāḿ ghore

bhavābdhau paramāyaṇam

santo brahma-vidaḥ śāntā

naur dṛḍhevāpsu majjatām

 

nimajjya — of those who are submerging; unmajjatām — and rising again; ghore — in the horrible; bhava — of material life; abdhau — ocean; parama — supreme; ayanam — shelter; santaḥ — saintly devotees; brahma-vidaḥ — who understand the Absolute Truth; śāntāḥ — peaceful; nauḥ — a boat; dṛḍhā — strong; iva — just as; apsu — in the water; majjatām — for those who are drowning.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.33

annaḿ hi prāṇināḿ prāṇa

ārtānāḿ śaraṇaḿ tv aham

dharmo vittaḿ nṛṇāḿ pretya

santo 'rvāg bibhyato 'raṇam

 

annam — food; hi — indeed; prāṇinām — of living entities; prāṇaḥ — the very life; ārtānām — of those who are distressed; śaraṇam — the shelter; tu — and; aham — I; dharmaḥ — religion; vittam — the wealth; nṛṇām — of men; pretya — when they have passed away from this world; santaḥ — the devotees; arvāk — of going downward; bibhyataḥ — for those who are fearful; araṇam — the refuge.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.34

santo diśanti cakṣūḿsi

bahir arkaḥ samutthitaḥ

devatā bāndhavāḥ santaḥ

santa ātmāham eva ca

 

santaḥ — the devotees; diśanti — bestow; cakṣūḿṣi — eyes; bahiḥ — external; arkaḥ — the sun; samutthitaḥ — when it is fully risen; devatāḥ — worshipable deities; bāndhavāḥ — relatives; santaḥ — the devotees; santaḥ — the devotees; ātmā — one's very soul; aham — Myself; eva ca — as well.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

11.26.35

vaitasenas tato 'py evam

urvaśyā loka-niṣpṛhaḥ

mukta-sańgo mahīm etām

ātmārāmaś cacāra ha

 

vaitasenaḥ — King Purūravā; tataḥ api — for that reason; evam — thus; urvaśyāḥ — of Urvaśī; loka — of being on the same planet; niṣpṛhaḥ — freed from the desire; mukta — liberated; sańgaḥ — from all material association; mahīm — the earth; etām — this; ātma-ārāmaḥ — self-satisfied; cacāra — he traveled; ha — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus losing his desire to be on the same planet as Urvaśī, Mahārāja Purūravā began to wander the earth free of all material association and completely satisfied within the self.