The Song of King Aila (the Aila-gita)

Verse 1 (bhagavata.11.26.1)

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

śrī-bhagavān uvāca mal-lakṣaṇam imaṁ kāyaṁ labdhvā mad-dharma āsthitaḥ ānandaṁ paramātmānam ātma-sthaṁ samupaiti mām

The Blessed Lord said: Having obtained this body, marked out for reaching Me, and being established in devotion to Me, a person attains Me — the blissful Supreme Soul who dwells within the self.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.11.26.2)

गुणमय्या जीवयोन्या विमुक्तो ज्ञाननिष्ठया । गुणेषु मायामात्रेषु दृश्यमानेष्ववस्तुतः । वर्तमानोऽपि न पुमान् युज्यतेऽवस्तुभिर्गुणैः ॥ २ ॥

guṇa-mayyā jīva-yonyā vimukto jñāna-niṣṭhayā guṇeṣu māyā-mātreṣu dṛśyamāneṣv avastutaḥ vartamāno 'pi na pumān yujyate 'vastubhir guṇaiḥ

A person freed, through steadfastness in knowledge, from birth in the modes of nature is not bound by the modes even while remaining among them, for he sees that these visible modes are mere illusion and not truly real.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.11.26.3)

सङ्गं न कुर्यादसतां शिश्नोदरतृपां क्वचित् । तस्यानुगस्तमस्यन्धे पतत्यन्धानुगान्धवत् ॥ ३ ॥

saṅgaṁ na kuryād asatāṁ śiśnodara-tṛpāṁ kvacit tasyānugas tamasy andhe pataty andhānugāndha-vat

One should never keep company with the unworthy, those devoted only to satisfying the belly and the genitals. Whoever follows them falls into blind darkness, just as a blind man following another blind man falls.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.11.26.4)

ऐलः सम्राडिमां गाथामगायत बृहच्छ्रवाः । उर्वशीविरहान् मुह्यन् निर्विण्णः शोकसंयमे ॥ ४ ॥

ailaḥ samrāḍ imāṁ gāthām agāyata bṛhac-chravāḥ urvaśī-virahān muhyan nirviṇṇaḥ śoka-saṁyame

The renowned emperor Aila, bewildered by separation from Urvashi and then, restraining his grief, growing detached, sang this song.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.11.26.5)

त्यक्त्वात्मानं व्रजन्तीं तां नग्न उन्मत्तवन्नृपः । विलपन्नन्वगाज्जाये घोरे तिष्ठेति विक्लवः ॥ ५ ॥

tyaktvātmānaṁ vrayantīṁ tāṁ nagna unmatta-van nṛpaḥ vilapann anvagāj jāye ghore tiṣṭheti viklavaḥ

As she left him and went, the king, naked, ran after her like a man gone mad, crying out in his anguish, 'O my beloved, O cruel one, stay!'

Verse 6 (bhagavata.11.26.6)

कामानतृप्तोऽनुजुषन् क्षुल्लकान् वर्षयामिनीः । न वेद यान्तीर्नायान्तीरुर्वश्याकृष्टचेतनः ॥ ६ ॥

kāmān atṛpto 'nujuṣan kṣullakān varṣa-yāminīḥ na veda yāntīr nāyāntīr urvaśy-ākṛṣṭa-cetanaḥ

His mind so drawn to Urvashi, he enjoyed these trivial pleasures night after night for years without ever being satisfied, and did not even notice the nights coming and going.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.11.26.7)

ऐल उवाच अहो मे मोहविस्तारः कामकश्मलचेतसः । देव्या गृहीतकण्ठस्य नायुःखण्डा इमे स्मृताः ॥ ७ ॥

aila uvāca aho me moha-vistāraḥ kāma-kaśmala-cetasaḥ devyā gṛhīta-kaṇṭhasya nāyuḥ-khaṇḍā ime smṛtāḥ

King Aila said: Alas, see how vast my delusion was! My mind, soiled by lust, was in such a state that even as that goddess held me by the neck, I had no memory that these portions of my life were slipping away.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.11.26.8)

नाहं वेदाभिनिर्मुक्तः सूर्यो वाभ्युदितोऽमुया । मूषितो वर्षपूगानां बताहानि गतान्युत ॥ ८ ॥

nāhaṁ vedābhinirmuktaḥ sūryo vābhyudito 'muyā mūṣito varṣa-pūgānāṁ batāhāni gatāny uta

She robbed me so completely that I no longer even perceived the sun rising or setting. Alas, in this way I passed years upon years in vain!

Verse 9 (bhagavata.11.26.9)

अहो मे आत्मसम्मोहो येनात्मा योषितां कृतः । क्रीडामृगश्चक्रवर्ती नरदेवशिखामणिः ॥ ९ ॥

aho me ātma-sammoho yenātmā yoṣitāṁ kṛtaḥ krīḍā-mṛgaś cakravartī naradeva-śikhāmaṇiḥ

Alas, such was my self-delusion — that I, an emperor, the very crest-jewel of kings, made myself into a plaything in the hands of women!

Verse 10 (bhagavata.11.26.10)

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

sa-paricchadam ātmānaṁ hitvā tṛṇam iveśvaram yāntīṁ striyaṁ cānvagamaṁ nagna unmatta-vad rudan

That woman gave me up — lord and master, with all my retinue, as I was — as though I were a mere blade of grass; and I, naked, followed her as she went, weeping like a madman.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.11.26.11)

कुतस्तस्यानुभावः स्यात् तेज ईशत्वमेव वा । योऽन्वगच्छंस्त्रियं यान्तीं खरवत् पादताडितः ॥ ११ ॥

kutas tasyānubhāvaḥ syāt teja īśatvam eva vā yo 'nvagacchaṁ striyaṁ yāntīṁ khara-vat pāda-tāḍitaḥ

What then became of my majesty, my splendor, my very lordship — I who, like a donkey kicked by its mate, still ran after the woman as she walked away?

Verse 12 (bhagavata.11.26.12)

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

kiṁ vidyayā kiṁ tapasā kiṁ tyāgena śrutena vā kiṁ viviktena maunena strībhir yasya mano hṛtam

What use is learning, what use austerity, what use renunciation or the hearing of scripture, what use solitude and silence — for one whose mind has been carried off by women?

Verse 13 (bhagavata.11.26.13)

स्वार्थस्याकोविदं धिङ् मां मूर्खं पण्डितमानिनम् । योऽहमीश्वरतां प्राप्य स्त्रीभिर्गोखरवज्जितः ॥ १३ ॥

svārthasyākovidaṁ dhiṅ māṁ mūrkhaṁ paṇḍita-māninam yo 'ham īśvaratāṁ prāpya strībhir go-khara-vaj jitaḥ

Shame on a fool like me, who did not even understand his own good yet imagined himself wise — who, despite attaining the very position of sovereign, let himself be conquered by women as an ox or an ass is conquered.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.11.26.14)

सेवतो वर्षपूगान् मे उर्वश्या अधरासवम् । न तृप्यत्यात्मभूः कामो वह्निराहुतिभिर्यथा ॥ १४ ॥

sevato varṣa-pūgān me urvaśyā adharāsavam na tṛpyaty ātma-bhūḥ kāmo vahnir āhutibhir yathā

Even after drinking the nectar of Urvashi's lips for years on end, my inborn lust was never satisfied — just as fire is never satisfied by the oblations poured into it.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.11.26.15)

पुंश्चल्यापहृतं चित्तं को न्वन्यो मोचितुं प्रभुः । आत्मारामेश्वरमृते भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् ॥ १५ ॥

puṁścalyāpahṛtaṁ cittaṁ ko nv anyo mocituṁ prabhuḥ ātmārāmeśvaram ṛte bhagavantam adhokṣajam

Who, other than the Supreme Lord, beyond the senses and Lord of those content within themselves, has the power to free a mind such as mine, carried away by a wanton woman?

Verse 16 (bhagavata.11.26.16)

बोधितस्यापि देव्या मे सूक्तवाक्येन दुर्मतेः । मनोगतो महामोहो नापयात्यजितात्मनः ॥ १६ ॥

bodhitasyāpi devyā me sūkta-vākyena durmateḥ mano-gato mahā-moho nāpayāty ajitātmanaḥ

Even when that goddess herself instructed me with well-spoken words, the great delusion lodged in my mind — foolish and unrestrained as I was — did not depart.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.11.26.17)

किमेतया नोऽपकृतं रज्ज्वा वा सर्पचेतसः । द्रष्टुः स्वरूपाविदुषो योऽहं यदजितेन्द्रियः ॥ १७ ॥

kim etayā no 'pakṛtaṁ rajjvā vā sarpa-cetasaḥ draṣṭuḥ svarūpāviduṣo yo 'haṁ yad ajitendriyaḥ

What wrong has she done me — any more than a rope wrongs the one whose mind mistakes it for a snake? The fault is mine alone, ignorant of my true nature and with my senses unconquered.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.11.26.18)

क्वायं मलीमसः कायो दौर्गन्ध्याद्यात्मकोऽशुचिः । क्व गुणाः सौमनस्याद्या ह्यध्यासोऽविद्यया कृतः ॥ १८ ॥

kvāyaṁ malīmasaḥ kāyo daurgandhyādy-ātmako 'śuciḥ kva guṇāḥ saumanasyādyā hy adhyāso 'vidyayā kṛtaḥ

Where is this filthy body, made of foul odors and impurity — and where are those so-called qualities of loveliness? They are nothing but a false superimposition wrought by ignorance.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.11.26.19)

पित्रोः किं स्वं नु भार्यायाः स्वामिनोऽग्नेः श्वगृध्रयोः । किमात्मनः किं सुहृदामिति यो नावसीयते ॥ १९ ॥

pitroḥ kiṁ svaṁ nu bhāryāyāḥ svāmino 'gneḥ śva-gṛdhrayoḥ kim ātmanaḥ kiṁ suhṛdām iti yo nāvasīyate

Whose, in truth, is this body — the parents', the wife's, the master's, the fire's, or the dogs' and vultures'? Is it the soul's own, or the friends'? No one is ever able to decide.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.11.26.20)

तस्मिन् कलेवरेऽमेध्ये तुच्छनिष्ठे विषज्जते । अहो सुभद्रं सुनसं सुस्मितं च मुखं स्त्रियः ॥ २० ॥

tasmin kalevare 'medhye tuccha-niṣṭhe viṣajjate aho su-bhadraṁ su-nasaṁ su-smitaṁ ca mukhaṁ striyaḥ

And yet a man clings to that very body, unclean and headed toward so trivial an end, and exclaims, 'Ah, how lovely her face, how shapely her nose, how sweet her smile!'

Verse 21 (bhagavata.11.26.21)

त्वङ्मांसरुधिरस्नायुमेदोमज्जास्थिसंहतौ । विण्मूत्रपूये रमतां कृमीणां कियदन्तरम् ॥ २१ ॥

tvaṅ-māṁsa-rudhira-snāyu- medo-majjāsthi-saṁhatau viṇ-mūtra-pūye ramatāṁ kṛmīṇāṁ kiyad antaram

Between worms and those who take their pleasure in this heap of skin, flesh, blood, sinew, fat, marrow and bone — in stool, urine and pus — what real difference is there?

Verse 22 (bhagavata.11.26.22)

अथापि नोपसज्जेत स्त्रीषु स्त्रैणेषु चार्थवित् । विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगान्मनः क्षुभ्यति नान्यथा ॥ २२ ॥

athāpi nopasajjeta strīṣu straiṇeṣu cārtha-vit viṣayendriya-saṁyogān manaḥ kṣubhyati nānyathā

Even so, one who understands the truth should never form attachment to women, or to men attached to women; for it is precisely the contact of the senses with their objects that agitates the mind — never otherwise.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.11.26.23)

अदृष्टादश्रुताद् भावान्न भाव उपजायते । असम्प्रयुञ्जतः प्राणान् शाम्यति स्तिमितं मनः ॥ २३ ॥

adṛṣṭād aśrutād bhāvān na bhāva upajāyate asamprayuñjataḥ prāṇān śāmyati stimitaṁ manaḥ

No attraction arises toward what is neither seen nor heard. Therefore the mind of one who does not engage his senses with such objects grows calm and comes to rest.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.11.26.24)

तस्मात् सङ्गो न कर्तव्यः स्त्रीषु स्त्रैणेषु चेन्द्रियैः । विदुषां चाप्यविस्रब्धः षड्वर्गः किमु मादृशाम् ॥ २४ ॥

tasmāt saṅgo na kartavyaḥ strīṣu straiṇeṣu cendriyaiḥ viduṣāṁ cāpy avisrabdhaḥ ṣaḍ-vargaḥ kim u mādṛśām

Therefore one should never let the senses come into contact with women, or with men attached to women. Even the learned cannot trust the six inner enemies — what then of one like me.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.11.26.25)

श्रीभगवानुवाच एवं प्रगायन् नृपदेवदेवः स उर्वशीलोकमथो विहाय । आत्मानमात्मन्यवगम्य मां वै उपारमज्ज्ञानविधूतमोहः ॥ २५ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca evaṁ pragāyan nṛpa-deva-devaḥ sa urvaśī-lokam atho vihāya ātmānam ātmany avagamya māṁ vai upāramaj jñāna-vidhūta-mohaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: Singing thus, that king among kings, honored even among the gods, gave up the world he had shared with Urvashi. Realizing the self within the self, his delusion dispelled by knowledge, he found peace in Me alone.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.11.26.26)

ततो दुःसङ्गमुत्सृज्य सत्सु सज्जेत बुद्धिमान् । सन्त एवास्य छिन्दन्ति मनोव्यासङ्गमुक्तिभिः ॥ २६ ॥

tato duḥsaṅgam utsṛjya satsu sajjeta buddhimān santa evāsya chindanti mano-vyāsaṅgam uktibhiḥ

Therefore the wise should give up bad association and cultivate the company of the saintly, for it is the saintly alone whose words cut through the mind's excessive entanglement.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.11.26.27)

सन्तोऽनपेक्षा मच्चित्ताः प्रशान्ताः समदर्शिनः । निर्ममा निरहङ्कारा निर्द्वन्द्वा निष्परिग्रहाः ॥ २७ ॥

santo 'napekṣā mac-cittāḥ praśāntāḥ sama-darśinaḥ nirmamā nirahaṅkārā nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ

My saintly devotees, wanting nothing, their minds fixed on Me, are ever tranquil and see all things equally; they are free of possessiveness, false ego, the pairs of opposites, and acquisitiveness.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.11.26.28)

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

teṣu nityaṁ mahā-bhāga mahā-bhāgeṣu mat-kathāḥ sambhavanti hi tā nṝṇāṁ juṣatāṁ prapunanty agham

O most fortunate Uddhava, among such greatly blessed devotees there is always talk of Me, and those who partake of it with reverence certainly have all their sins washed away.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.11.26.29)

ता ये शृण्वन्ति गायन्ति ह्यनुमोदन्ति चादृताः । मत्पराः श्रद्दधानाश्च भक्तिं विन्दन्ति ते मयि ॥ २९ ॥

tā ye śṛṇvanti gāyanti hy anumodanti cādṛtāḥ mat-parāḥ śraddadhānāś ca bhaktiṁ vindanti te mayi

Those who, with reverence, hear, sing and rejoice in these accounts of Me, becoming devoted and full of faith, attain devotion unto Me.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.11.26.30)

भक्तिं लब्धवतः साधोः किमन्यदवशिष्यते । मय्यनन्तगुणे ब्रह्मण्यानन्दानुभवात्मनि ॥ ३० ॥

bhaktiṁ labdhavataḥ sādhoḥ kim anyad avaśiṣyate mayy ananta-guṇe brahmaṇy ānandānubhavātmani

What else remains to be gained for the saint who has attained devotion to Me — the Absolute of endless qualities, whose very being is the experience of bliss?

Verse 31 (bhagavata.11.26.31)

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

yathopaśrayamāṇasya bhagavantaṁ vibhāvasum śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo 'pyeti sādhūn saṁsevatas tathā

Just as cold, fear and darkness leave one who takes shelter of a blazing fire, so they leave one who takes to the service of the saintly.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.11.26.32)

निमज्ज्योन्मज्जतां घोरे भवाब्धौ परमायणम् । सन्तो ब्रह्मविदः शान्ता नौर्दृढेवाप्सु मज्जताम् ॥ ३२ ॥

nimajjyonmajjatāṁ ghore bhavābdhau paramāyaṇam santo brahma-vidaḥ śāntā naur dṛḍhevāpsu majjatām

For those who sink and rise again in this fearsome ocean of worldly existence, the peaceful knowers of the Absolute are the ultimate refuge — like a sturdy boat for one drowning in water.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.11.26.33)

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

annaṁ hi prāṇināṁ prāṇa ārtānāṁ śaraṇaṁ tv aham dharmo vittaṁ nṛṇāṁ pretya santo 'rvāg bibhyato 'raṇam

As food is the life-breath of living beings, as I am the shelter of the afflicted, and as dharma is the wealth of men after death, so the saintly are, here in this world, the refuge of those who live in fear.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.11.26.34)

सन्तो दिशन्ति चक्षूंषि बहिरर्कः समुत्थितः । देवता बान्धवाः सन्तः सन्त आत्माहमेव च ॥ ३४ ॥

santo diśanti cakṣūṁṣi bahir arkaḥ samutthitaḥ devatā bāndhavāḥ santaḥ santa ātmāham eva ca

The saintly grant true sight, whereas the outer sun gives sight only once it has risen. The saintly are one's true deities, one's true kin, one's own self — and, in the end, they are nothing other than Me.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.11.26.35)

वैतसेनस्ततोऽप्येवमुर्वश्या लोकनिष्पृहः । मुक्तसङ्गो महीमेतामात्मारामश्चचार ह ॥ ३५ ॥

vaitasenas tato 'py evam urvaśyā loka-niṣpṛhaḥ mukta-saṅgo mahīm etām ātmārāmaś cacāra ha

Thus Vaitasena, all desire for Urvashi's world now gone, wandered this earth free of attachment and content within his own self.