Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 11 Chapter 26:1-12

Book 11: Chapter 26

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 26: Verses 1-12

The glorious Lord began again : Having obtained this (human) body, the (sole) medium of perceiving My true nature, he who has betaken himself to the course of conduct pleasing to Me (viz., the path of Devotion) duly attains to Me, his very Self, the embodiment of supreme Bliss, dwelling in his own heart. (Once) completely freed, by means of firm devotion to the path of Knowledge, from the bondage of Matter (which conditions the embodied soul) the Jiva does not get attached to the unreal objects of senses, though living in the midst of such objects, which are mere creations of Maya (My deluding potency) and are being falsely perceived (as one's own self or possession). One should on no account cultivate the fellowship of unworthy men given to the gratification of their sexual urge and satisfaction of their hunger (alone); (for) the follower of (even) one such sensualist falls into (the) blinding darkness (of hell) like a blind man following another blind man. Falling a prey to infatuation due to separation from Urvasi (in the first instance) and (eventually) disgusted (with the pleasures of sense) on his grief having been overcome as a result of his meeting her once more at Kuruksetra and attaining to her realm in heaven by offering oblations to the sacred fire entrusted to him by the Gandharvas and thereby propitiating the gods (vide IX. xiv. 32-47), Emperor Pururava (the son of Ha) of extensive fame sang the following song (concerning himself, reproduced in verses 7 to 24 below). As she went leaving him (alone in the bed), the monarch felt (greatly) perturbed and followed her in a state of nature like a madman, crying: "Tarry (awhile), my cruel wife!" Deprived of his reason by Urvasi, he was aware neither of the nights that passed nor of the coming ones for years together while repeatedly enjoying the trivial pleasures without satiety. Pururava sang : Astounding (indeed) is the magnitude of my infatuation, my judgment having been clouded by passion, inasmuch as (all) these years of my life have passed unnoticed by me while my neck remained clasped (in embrace) by my celestial wife ! Charmed by her alas I I did not perceive when the sun set or when it rose, nor did I know of the days, totalling numbers of years, that rolled by I How great is the infatuation of my soul by which myself, a universal monarch, the crest-jewel of kings, was made a toy deer of in the hands of women ! Crying like a madman, all naked, I followed the woman (even) as she went away deserting me, a ruler of men, including my kingdom, like a straw. Whence could there be any glory, majesty or lordship in me, who followed a departing woman (even) like a donkey kicked by a she-ass ? What will be gained through worship of gods, renunciation, askesis, study of scriptures, solitary life or observing silence by him whose heart has been stolen by women ?

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