THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉT Ä Lesson 20: The Aila-G étä (SB Canto 11, Chapter 26)

1. THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GÉTÄLesson 20: The Aila-Gétä(SB Canto 11, Chapter 26) Carucandra Dasa

2. Recap and Background • The problem of the mind—the subject matter of chapter 26 • 22.56 (also Bg 13.22)  The spirit soul trapped in material conception of life—even though it is not real, it does seem real (ex: the dream state) • Bhikñu-gétä of the theAvantébrähmaëa  the mind absorbed in material conception of life, the false ego  experience material dualities • 25.31-36  Even when the soul is fixed in ds, sexual attraction to a beautiful woman comes along  the restless and obstinate mind gets uncontrollably agitated  breaks one’s determination Carucandra Dasa

3. King Püruravä enchanted by Urvaçé, the heavenly Apsarä (Canto 9, chapter 14) • Brahmä had a son named AtriÅñi, whose son was the moon god, Soma, the king of all drugs and stars • Soma became the conqueror of the entire universe • Being inflated with false pride, Soma kidnapped Tarä, the wife of Båhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods  led to war between the demigods (Indra and Lord Çiva) and the demons (because Soma, even though being a demigod, was supported by Çukräcärya, the spiritual master of the demons, who was inimical to Båhaspati) • Lord Brahmä had to intervene and chastise Soma to return Tarä to her husband. Carucandra Dasa

4. However, Tarä had been pregnant with Soma’s son named Buddha, who later begot in the womb of Ilä a son named Aila, alias Püruravä. • Urvaçi was captivated by Püruravä’sbeauti and valor in war, who had established the moon dynasty in which later the Päìòavas appeared. • Püruravä was equally enchanted by Urvaçi’s heavenly beauty, who agreed to live with him on two primary conditions: 1) he would protect her two lambs at all times, and 2) he would not appear naked to her except during sexual intercourse with her. • However, when the Gandharvas stole a lamb, he could not save it from being taken even while he rushed without being dressed, and then got exposed naked to Urvaçi during the Gandharva’s effulgence. CarucandraDasa

5. Urvaçi, as a result, left Püruravä, who became almost like a madman. While traveling all over the world, he met her again at Kurukñetra, but she agreed to have sex with him for only one night in a year and bear his children. • Püruravä was of course overwhelmed with grief due to separation from Urvaçi. Thereafter, with help from the Gandharvas, he performed Vedic sacrifice to please the demigods to attain the planet of Urvaçi. • Chapter 26 explains how such an overly sexual infatuation for a woman can be detrimental to one’s devotional progress. Conversely, saintly association can lead one the highest devotional perfection. CarucandraDasa

6. Chapter 26 Highlights: The Aila-Gétä • Krsna narrates to Uddhava the instructive story of Püruravä’s sexual enchantment with Urvaśī (1-6) • The Aila-Gétä—Püruravä’s lamentation(7-24) • Krsna’s concluding instructions (25-35) Carucandra Dasa

7. Krsnanarrates to Uddhava the instructive story of Püruravä’ssexual enchantment with Urvaśī (1-6) • Human life is meant for self-realization. • As illustrated by Püruravä’s sexual enchantment with Urvaśī, Krsna graphically proves the perils of undesirable association (the worst kind is overindulgence with sex)  perpetual material existence. • Having become free from his lamentation over his sexual overindulgence, Püruravä revived his attraction for devotional service, spiritual knowledge and renunciation. • Thus, he sang the following song. Carucandra Dasa

8. The Aila-Gétä—Püruravä’s lamentation(7-24) • The king lamented, “…My heart was so polluted by lust that I had no idea how my life was passing. That lady cheated me so much that I did not even se the rising or setting of the sun. Alas, for so many years I passed my days in vain.” (7-8)  the imperceptible time! • Due to his insatiable desire for sexual indulgence, he simply neglected his ds, which had been his practice before. He profusely repented the loss of his valuable time. Carucandra Dasa

9. “One’s power of discrimination, performance of austerities, receiving instructions for spiritual advancement, residing in a solitary place, and detachment from sense gratification can be destroyed in a moment by the association of a beautiful woman.” (BSS comments to verse 12) • “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?” (15) • Explains the cause of his change of heart. The Lord is the master of all self-realized souls. Carucandra Dasa

10. He recalled that even “Urvaśī herself gave me wise counsel with well-spoken words.” (16) • “Urvaśī said: My dear King, you are a man, a hero. Don't be impatient and give up your life. Be sober and don't allow the senses to overcome you like foxes. Don't let the foxes eat you. In other words, you should not be controlled by your senses. Rather, you should know that the heart of a woman is like that of a fox. There is no use making friendship with women. Women as a class are merciless and cunning. They cannot tolerate even a slight offense. For their own pleasure they can do anything irreligious, and therefore they do not fear killing even a faithful husband or brother. Women are very easily seduced by men. Therefore, polluted women give up the friendship of a man who is their well-wisher and establish false friendship among fools. Indeed, they seek newer and newer friends, one after another.” (9.14.36-38) Carucandra Dasa

11. “When a person mistakes a rope for a snake, he becomes fearful and anxious. Such fear and anxiety are, of course, illusion, since the rope can never bite. Similarly, one who mistakenly thinks that the material, illusory energy of the Lord exists for his personal sense gratification will certainly bring down on his head an avalanche of material, illusory fear and anxiety. King Purūravā frankly admits here that the young lady Urvaśī is not to blame. After all, it was Purūravā who mistakenly considered her to be an object of his personal enjoyment, and therefore he suffered the reaction by the laws of nature. Purūravā himself was the offender for trying to exploit the external form of Urvaśī.” (purport to verse 17) Carucandra Dasa

12. VCT comments to verse 18: King Aila thought, “The so-called beauty, sweetness, and other attractive qualities possessed by Urvaśī were not the cause of my illusion. Such qualities were imagined by me because of ignorance. This material body, which is subject to material transformation, cannot be ultimate reality. The sweet aroma, fresh youth, and other attractive qualities are simply illusions created by material nature, and yet I foolishly attributed such characteristics to Urvaśī herself.” Carucandra Dasa

13. Attachment for material body is simply due to ignorance. The relationships established between persons in this material world are simply based on material body, which is temporary, insignificant, and ultimately abandoned (20). • It is the mind that simply fixes on the objects of sense gratification. By diverting the mind in loving ds unto Lord Krsna’s lotus feet, the tremendous propensity for material enjoyment can effectively be tamed, or subdued (22). Carucandra Dasa

14. VCT comments to verse 23: “If a person withdraws his senses from their objects, especially from intimate association with women, the mind will gradually become steady as material desires become extinguished, like a fire without a fuel.” • King Purūravāconcludes his song by saying that one should not let his senses freely associate with women or those who associate with women. The six enemies of the mind namely lust, anger, greed, pride, illusion, and envy are never to be trusted even by learned persons (24) Carucandra Dasa

15. Krsna’s concluding instructions (25-35) • Krsna highlights the overriding instruction of the Aila-Gétä: One who is intelligent should carefully avoid associating with nondevotees, who are solely interested in satisfying the demands of belly and genitals. Rather, one should eagerly seek out associating with saintly people, which promotes Krsna consciousness 25, 26). • King Purūravā made up his mind to leave the abode of Urvaśīand give up sense enjoyment. Carucandra Dasa

16. Krsna declares that His devotees are peaceful. They are free from anger, envy, and false pride; do not retaliate even if provoked. This is because they have conquered the false ego. VCT ensures that even householders can become such devotees (27). • When a living entity thus engaged in dsof the Lord, the polluted workings of the mind are checked (29). Carucandra Dasa

17. VCT comments on verse 34: “Pure devotees are just like eyes by which one can see God because they impart to one the nine processes of ds…Devotees are therefore one’s real relatives and well-wishers…life and soul, and not one’s material body.” Carucandra Dasa