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Chapter Nineteen
King Yayati Achieves Liberation
This Nineteenth Chapter describes how Maharaja Yayati achieved liberation after he recounted the figurative story of the he-goat and she-goat.
After many, many years of sexual relationships and enjoyment in the material world, King Yayati finally became disgusted with such materialistic happiness. When satiated with material enjoyment, he devised a story of a he-goat and she-goat, corresponding to his own life, and narrated the story before his beloved Devayani. The story is as follows. Once upon a time, while a goat was searching in a forest for different types of vegetables to eat, by chance he came to a well, in which he saw a she-goat. He became attracted to this she-goat and somehow or other delivered her from the well, and thus they were united. One day thereafter, when the she-goat saw the he-goat enjoying sex with another she-goat, she became angry, abandoned the he-goat, and returned to her brahmana owner, to whom she described her husband's behavior. The brahmana became very angry and cursed the he-goat to lose his sexual power. Thereupon, the he-goat begged the brahmana's pardon and was given back the power for sex. Then the he-goat enjoyed sex with the she-goat for many years, but still he was not satisfied. If one is lusty and greedy, even the total stock of gold in this world cannot satisfy one's lusty desires. These desires are like a fire. One may pour clarified butter on a blazing fire, but one cannot expect the fire to be extinguished. To extinguish such a fire, one must adopt a different process. The sastra therefore advises that by intelligence one renounce the life of enjoyment. Without great endeavor, those with a poor fund of knowledge cannot give up sense enjoyment, especially in relation to sex, because a beautiful woman bewilders even the most learned man. King Yayati, however, renounced worldly life and divided his property among his sons. He personally adopted the life of a mendicant, or sannyasi, giving up all attraction to material enjoyment, and engaged himself fully in devotional service to the Lord. Thus he attained perfection. Later, when his beloved wife, Devayani, was freed from her mistaken way of life, she also engaged herself in the devotional service of the Lord.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
sa ittham acaran kaman
straino 'pahnavam atmanah
buddhva priyayai nirvinno
gatham etam agayata
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; sah--Maharaja Yayati; ittham--in this way; acaran--behaving; kaman--in regard to lusty desires; strainah--very much attached to woman; apahnavam--counteraction; atmanah--of his own welfare; buddhva--understanding with intelligence; priyayai--unto his beloved wife, Devayani; nirvinnah--disgusted; gatham--story; etam--this (as follows); agayata--narrated.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O Maharaja Pariksit, Yayati was very much attached to woman. In due course of time, however, when disgusted with sexual enjoyment and its bad effects, he renounced this way of life and narrated the following story to his beloved wife.
TEXT 2
TEXT
srnu bhargavy amum gatham
mad-vidhacaritam bhuvi
dhira yasyanusocanti
vane grama-nivasinah
SYNONYMS
srnu--please hear; bhargavi--O daughter of Sukracarya; amum--this; gatham--history; mat-vidha--exactly resembling my behavior; acaritam--behavior; bhuvi--within this world; dhirah--those who are sober and intelligent; yasya--of whom; anusocanti--lament very much; vane--in the forest; grama-nivasinah--very much attached to materialistic enjoyment.
TRANSLATION
My dearly beloved wife, daughter of Sukracarya, in this world there was someone exactly like me. Please listen as I narrate the history of his life. By hearing about the life of such a householder, those who have retired from householder life always lament.
PURPORT
Persons who live in the village or town are called grama-nivasi, and those who live in the forest are called vana-vasi or vanaprastha. The vanaprasthas, who have retired from family life, generally lament about their past family life because it engaged them in trying to fulfill lusty desires. Prahlada Maharaja said that one should retire from family life as soon as possible, and he described family life as the darkest well (hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam). If one continuously or permanently concentrates on living with his family, he should be understood to be killing himself. In the Vedic civilization, therefore, it is recommended that one retire from family life at the end of his fiftieth year and go to vana, the forest. When he becomes expert or accustomed to forest life, or retired life as a vanaprastha, he should accept sannyasa. Vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta. Sannyasa means accepting unalloyed engagement in the service of the Lord. Vedic civilization therefore recommends four different stages of life--brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. One should be very much ashamed of remaining a householder and not promoting oneself to the two higher stages, namely vanaprastha and sannyasa.
TEXT 3
TEXT
basta eko vane kascid
vicinvan priyam atmanah
dadarsa kupe patitam
sva-karma-vasagam ajam
SYNONYMS
bastah--goat; ekah--one; vane--in a forest; kascit--some; vicinvan--searching for food; priyam--very dear; atmanah--for himself; dadarsa--saw by chance; kupe--within a well; patitam--fallen; sva-karma-vasa-gam--under the influence of the results of fruitive activities; ajam--a she-goat.
TRANSLATION
While wandering in the forest, eating to satisfy his senses, a he-goat by chance approached a well, in which he saw a she-goat standing helplessly, having fallen into it by the influence of the results of fruitive activities.
PURPORT
Here Maharaja Yayati compares himself to a he-goat and Devayani to a she-goat and describes the nature of man and woman. Like a he-goat, a man searches for sense gratification, wandering here and there, and a woman without the shelter of a man or husband is like a she-goat that has fallen into a well. Without being cared for by a man, a woman cannot be happy. Indeed, she is just like a she-goat that has fallen into a well and is struggling for existence. Therefore a woman must take shelter of her father, as Devayani did when under the care of Sukracarya, and then the father must give the daughter in charity to a suitable man, or a suitable man should help the woman by placing her under the care of a husband. This is shown vividly by the life of Devayani. When King Yayati delivered Devayani from the well, she felt great relief and requested Yayati to accept her as his wife. But when Maharaja Yayati accepted Devayani, he became too attached and had sex life not only with her but with others, like Sarmistha. Yet still he was dissatisfied. Therefore one should retire by force from such family life as Yayati's. When one is fully convinced of the degrading nature of worldly family life, one should completely renounce this way of life, take sannyasa, and engage himself fully in the service of the Lord. Then one's life will be successful.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tasya uddharanopayam
bastah kami vicintayan
vyadhatta tirtham uddhrtya
visanagrena rodhasi
SYNONYMS
tasyah--of the she-goat; uddharana-upayam--the means of deliverance (from the well); bastah--the he-goat; kami--having lusty desires; vicintayan--planning; vyadhatta--executed; tirtham--a way to come out; uddhrtya--digging the earth; visana-agrena--by the point of the horns; rodhasi--at the edge of the well.
TRANSLATION
After planning how to get the she-goat out of the well, the lusty he-goat dug up the earth on the well's edge with the point of his horns in such a way that she was able to come out very easily.
PURPORT
Attraction for woman is the impetus for economic development, housing and many other things meant for living comfortably in this material world. Digging up the earth to make a way out for the she-goat was a laborious task, but before accepting the she-goat, the he-goat underwent this labor. Aho grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. The union between male and female provides the impetus for gaining a nice apartment, a good income, children and friends. Thus one becomes entangled in this material world.
TEXTS 5-6
TEXT
sottirya kupat susroni
tam eva cakame kila
taya vrtam samudviksya
bahvyo 'jah kanta-kaminih
pivanam smasrulam prestham
midhvamsam yabha-kovidam
sa eko 'javrsas tasam
bahvinam rati-vardhanah
reme kama-graha-grasta
atmanam navabudhyata
SYNONYMS
sa--the she-goat; uttirya--getting out; kupat--from the well; su-sroni--possessing very nice hips; tam--unto the he-goat; eva--indeed; cakame--desired to get as her husband; kila--indeed; taya--by her; vrtam--accepted; samudviksya--seeing; bahvyah--many others; ajah--she-goats; kanta-kaminih--desiring to get the he-goat as their husband; pivanam--very stout and strong; smasrulam--having a very nice mustache and beard; prestham--first-class; midhvamsam--expert in discharging semen; yabha-kovidam--expert in the art of sexual intercourse; sah--that he-goat; ekah--alone; aja-vrsah--the hero of the goats; tasam--of all the she-goats; bahvinam--a great number; rati-vardhanah--could increase the lusty desire; reme--he enjoyed; kama-graha-grastah--being haunted by the ghost of lusty desire; atmanam--his own self; na--not; avabudhyata--could understand.
TRANSLATION
When the she-goat, who had very nice hips, got out of the well and saw the very handsome he-goat, she desired to accept him as her husband. When she did so, many other she-goats also desired him as their husband because he had a very beautiful bodily structure and a nice mustache and beard and was expert in discharging semen and in the art of sexual intercourse. Therefore, just as a person haunted by a ghost exhibits madness, the best of the he-goats, attracted by the many she-goats, engaged in erotic activities and naturally forgot his real business of self-realization.
PURPORT
Materialists are certainly very much attracted by sexual intercourse. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Although one becomes a grhastha, or householder, to enjoy sex life to his heart's content, one is never satisfied. Such a lusty materialist is like a goat, for it is said that if goats meant for slaughter get the opportunity, they enjoy sex before being killed. Human beings, however, are meant for self-realization.
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
Human life is meant for realization of the self, the spiritual soul within the body (dehino 'smin yatha dehe). A materialistic rascal does not know that he is not the body but a spiritual soul within the body. However, one should understand his real position and cultivate knowledge by which to get free from bodily entanglement. Like an unfortunate person who acts madly, haunted by ghosts, a materialist haunted by the ghost of lust forgets his real business so that he can enjoy so-called happiness in the bodily concept of life.
TEXT 7
TEXT
tam eva presthatamaya
ramamanam ajanyaya
vilokya kupa-samvigna
namrsyad basta-karma tat
SYNONYMS
tam--the he-goat; eva--indeed; presthatamaya--beloved; ramamanam--engaged in sexual activities; aja--the she-goat; anyaya--with another she-goat; vilokya--by seeing; kupa-samvigna--the she-goat who had fallen into the well; na--not; amrsyat--tolerated; basta-karma--the business of the goat; tat--that (sex is accepted here as the business of the goat).
TRANSLATION
When the she-goat who had fallen into the well saw her beloved goat engaged in sexual affairs with another she-goat, she could not tolerate the goat's activities.
TEXT 8
TEXT
tam durhrdam suhrd-rupam
kaminam ksana-sauhrdam
indriyaramam utsrjya
svaminam duhkhita yayau
SYNONYMS
tam--him (the he-goat); durhrdam--cruel hearted; suhrt-rupam--pretending to be a friend; kaminam--very lusty; ksana-sauhrdam--having friendship for the time being; indriya-aramam--interested only in sense gratification or sensuality; utsrjya--giving up; svaminam--to her present husband, or to the former maintainer; duhkhita--being very much aggrieved; yayau--she left.
TRANSLATION
Aggrieved by her husband's behavior with another, the she-goat thought that the he-goat was not actually her friend but was hardhearted and was her friend only for the time being. Therefore, because her husband was lusty, she left him and returned to her former maintainer.
PURPORT
The word svaminam is significant. Svami means "caretaker" or "master." Devayani was cared for by Sukracarya before her marriage, and after her marriage she was cared for by Yayati, but here the word svaminam indicates that Devayani left the protection of her husband, Yayati, and returned to her former protector, Sukracarya. Vedic civilization recommends that a woman stay under the protection of a man. During childhood she should be cared for by her father, in youth by her husband, and in old age by a grown son. In any stage of life, a woman should not have independence.
TEXT 9
TEXT
so 'pi canugatah strainah
krpanas tam prasaditum
kurvann idavida-karam
nasaknot pathi sandhitum
SYNONYMS
sah--that he-goat; api--also; ca--also; anugatah--following the she-goat; strainah--hen pecked; krpanah--very poor; tam--her; prasaditum--to satisfy; kurvan--making; idavida-karam--an utterance in the language of the goats; na--not; asaknot--was able; pathi--on the road; sandhitum--to satisfy.
TRANSLATION
Being very sorry, the he-goat, who was subservient to his wife, followed the she-goat on the road and tried his best to flatter her, but he could not pacify her.
TEXT 10
TEXT
tasya tatra dvijah kascid
aja-svamy acchinad rusa
lambantam vrsanam bhuyah
sandadhe 'rthaya yogavit
SYNONYMS
tasya--of the he-goat; tatra--thereupon; dvijah--brahmana; kascit--some; aja-svami--the maintainer of another she-goat; acchinat--castrated, made effeminate; rusa--out of anger; lambantam--long; vrsanam--testicles; bhuyah--again; sandadhe--joined; arthaya--for self-interest; yoga-vit--expert in the power of mystic yoga.
TRANSLATION
The she-goat went to the residence of a brahmana who was the maintainer of another she-goat, and that brahmana angrily cut off the he-goat's dangling testicles. But at the he-goat's request, the brahmana later rejoined them by the power of mystic yoga.
PURPORT
Here Sukracarya is figuratively described as the husband of another she-goat. This indicates that the relationship between husband and wife in any society, whether higher or lower than human society, is nothing but the same relationship between he-goat and she-goat, for the material relationship between man and woman is one of sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Sukracarya was an acarya, or expert, in family affairs, which involve the transfer of semen from he-goat to she-goat, The words kascid aja-svami expressly indicate herein that Sukracarya was no better than Yayati, for both of them were interested in family affairs generated by sukra, or semen. Sukracarya first cursed Yayati to become old so that he could no longer indulge in sex, but when Sukracarya saw that Yayati's emasculation would make his own daughter a victim of punishment, he used his mystic power to restore Yayati's masculinity. Because he used his power of mystic yoga for family affairs and not to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this exercise in the magic of yoga was no better than the affairs of he-goats and she-goats. Yogic power should properly be used to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord Himself recommends in Bhagavad-gita (6.47):
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
"Of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."
TEXT 11
TEXT
sambaddha-vrsanah so 'pi
hy ajaya kupa-labdhaya
kalam bahu-titham bhadre
kamair nadyapi tusyati
SYNONYMS
sambaddha-vrsanah--rejoined with his testicles; sah--he; api--also; hi--indeed; ajaya--with the she-goat; kupa-labdhaya--whom he got from the well; kalam--for a time; bahu-titham--of a long, long duration; bhadre--O my dear wife; kamaih--with such lusty desires; na--not; adya api--even until now; tusyati--is satisfied.
TRANSLATION
My dear wife, when the he-goat had his testicles restored, he enjoyed the she-goat he had gotten from the well, but although he continued to enjoy for many, many years, even now he has not been fully satisfied.
PURPORT
When one is bound by affection for one's wife, one is attached to sexual desires that are very difficult to overcome. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one must voluntarily leave his so-called home and go to the forest. Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. Human life is meant for such tapasya, or austerity. By the austerity of voluntarily stopping sex life at home and going to the forest to engage in spiritual activities in the association of devotees, one achieves the actual purpose of human life.
TEXT 12
TEXT
tathaham krpanah subhru
bhavatyah prema-yantritah
atmanam nabhijanami
mohitas tava mayaya
SYNONYMS
tatha--exactly like the he-goat; aham--I; krpanah--a miser with no sense of the importance of life; su-bhru--O my wife, with beautiful eyebrows; bhavatyah--in your company; prema-yantritah--as if tied in love, although it is actually lust; atmanam--self-realization (what I am and what my duty is); na abhijanami--I could not realize even until now; mohitah--being bewildered; tava--your; mayaya--by the materially attractive feature.
TRANSLATION
O my dear wife with beautiful eyebrows, I am exactly like that he-goat, for I am so poor in intelligence that I am captivated by your beauty and have forgotten the real task of self-realization.
PURPORT
If one remains a victim of the so-called beauty of his wife, his family life is nothing but a dark well. Hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam. Existence in such a dark well is certainly suicidal. If one wants relief from the miserable condition of material life, one must voluntarily give up his lusty relationship with his wife; otherwise there is no question of self-realization. Unless one is extremely advanced in spiritual consciousness, household life is nothing but a dark well in which one commits suicide. Prahlada Maharaja therefore recommended that in due time, at least after one's fiftieth year, one must give up household life and go to the forest. Vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta. There one should seek shelter at the lotus feet of Hari.
TEXT 13
TEXT
yat prthivyam vrihi-yavam
hiranyam pasavah striyah
na duhyanti manah-pritim
pumsah kama-hatasya te
SYNONYMS
yat--what; prthivyam--within this world; vrihi--food grains, rice; yavam--barley; hiranyam--gold; pasavah--animals; striyah--wives or other women; na duhyanti--do not give; manah-pritim--satisfaction of the mind; pumsah--to a person; kama-hatasya--because of being victimized by lusty desires; te--they.
TRANSLATION
A person who is lusty cannot satisfy his mind even if he has enough of everything in this world, including rice, barley and other food grains, gold, animals and women. Nothing can satisfy him.
PURPORT
Improvement of one's economic condition is the aim and object of a materialist, but there is no end to this material advancement, for if one cannot control his lusty desires, he will never be pleased, even if he gets all the material wealth of the world. In this age we see much material improvement, but still people are struggling to get more and more material opulence. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati. Although every living entity is a part of the Supreme Being, because of lusty desires one continuously struggles for so-called betterment of one's economic condition. To have a satisfied mind, one must give up his heart disease of lusty desires. This can be done only when one is Krsna conscious.
bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah
(Bhag. 10.33.39)
If one becomes Krsna conscious, then he can give up this heart disease; otherwise this disease of lusty desires will continue, and one cannot have peace in his mind.
TEXT 14
TEXT
na jatu kamah kamanam
upabhogena samyati
havisa krsna-vartmeva
bhuya evabhivardhate
SYNONYMS
na--not; jatu--at any time; kamah--lusty desires; kamanam--of persons who are very lusty; upabhogena--by enjoyment of lusty desires; samyati--can be pacified; havisa--by supplying butter; krsna-vartma--fire; iva--like; bhuyah--again and again; eva--indeed; abhivardhate--increases more and more.
TRANSLATION
As supplying butter to a fire does not diminish the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful. [In fact, one must voluntarily cease from material desires.]
PURPORT
One may have enough money and enough resources to satisfy the senses but still not be satisfied, for the endeavor to stop lusty desires by enjoying can never be successful. The example given here is very appropriate. One cannot stop a blazing fire by trying to extinguish it with butter.
TEXT 15
TEXT
yada na kurute bhavam
sarva-bhutesv amangalam
sama-drstes tada pumsah
sarvah sukhamaya disah
SYNONYMS
yada--when; na--not; kurute--does; bhavam--a different attitude of attachment or envy; sarva-bhutesu--to all living entities; amangalam--inauspicious; sama-drsteh--because of being equipoised; tada--at that time; pumsah--of the person; sarvah--all; sukha-mayah--in a happy condition; disah--directions.
TRANSLATION
When a man is nonenvious and does not desire ill fortune for anyone, he is equipoised. For such a person, all directions appear happy.
PURPORT
Prabodhananda Sarasvati said, visvam purna-sukhayate: when one becomes Krsna conscious by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, for him the entire world appears happy, and he has nothing for which to hanker. On the brahma-bhuta stage, or the platform of spiritual realization, there is no lamentation and no material hankering (na socati na kanksati). As long as one lives in the material world, actions and reactions will continue, but when one is unaffected by such material actions and reactions, he is to be considered free from the danger of being victimized by material desires. The symptoms of those who are satiated with lusty desires are described in this verse. As explained by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, when one is not envious even of his enemy, does not expect honor from anyone, but instead desires all well-being even for his enemy, he is understood to be a paramahamsa, one who has fully subdued the lusty desires for sense gratification.
TEXT 16
TEXT
ya dustyaja durmatibhir
jiryato ya na jiryate
tam trsnam duhkha-nivaham
sarma-kamo drutam tyajet
SYNONYMS
ya--that which; dustyaja--extremely difficult to give up; durmatibhih--by persons too attached to material enjoyment; jiryatah--even by one who is an invalid because of old age; ya--that which; na--not; jiryate--is vanquished; tam--such; trsnam--desire; duhkha-nivaham--which is the cause of all tribulations; sarma-kamah--a person desiring his own happiness; drutam--very soon; tyajet--should give up.
TRANSLATION
For those who are too attached to material enjoyment, sense gratification is very difficult to give up. Even when one is an invalid because of old age, one cannot give up such desires for sense gratification. Therefore, one who actually desires happiness must give up such unsatisfied desires, which are the cause of all tribulations.
PURPORT
We have actually seen, especially in the Western countries, that men who have reached more than eighty years of age still go to nightclubs and pay heavy fees to drink wine and associate with women. Although such men are too old to enjoy anything, their desires have not ceased. Time deteriorates even the body itself, which is the medium for all sensual satisfaction, but even when a man becomes old and invalid, his desires are strong enough to dictate that he go here and there to satisfy the desires of his senses. Therefore, by the practice of bhakti-yoga, one should give up his lusty desires. As explained by Sri Yamunacarya:
yadavadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit
tadavadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu-nisthivanam ca
When one is Krsna conscious, he gets more and more happiness by discharging duties for Krsna. Such a person spits on sense gratification, especially that of sexual enjoyment. An experienced, advanced devotee is no longer interested in sex life. The strong desire for sex can be subdued only by advancement in Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 17
TEXT
matra svasra duhitra va
naviviktasano bhavet
balavan indriya-gramo
vidvamsam api karsati
SYNONYMS
matra--with one's mother; svasra--with one's sister; duhitra--with ones own daughter; va--either; na--not; avivikta-asanah--seated closely on one seat; bhavet--one should be; balavan--very strong; indriya-gramah--the group of senses; vidvamsam--the very learned and advanced person; api--even; karsati--agitates.
TRANSLATION
One should not allow oneself to sit on the same seat even with one's own mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that even though one is very advanced in knowledge, he may be attracted by sex.
PURPORT
Learning the etiquette of how to deal with women does not free one from sexual attraction. As specifically mentioned herewith, such attraction is possible even with one's mother, sister or daughter. Generally, of course, one is not sexually attracted to his mother, sister or daughter, but if one allows himself to sit very close to such a woman, one may be attracted. This is a psychological fact. It may be said that one is liable to be attracted if he is not very advanced in civilized life; however, as specifically mentioned here, vidvamsam api karsati: even if one is highly advanced, materially or spiritually, he may be attracted by lusty desires. The object of attraction may even be one's mother, sister or daughter. Therefore, one should be extremely careful in dealings with women. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was most strict in such dealings, especially after He accepted the sannyasa order. Indeed, no woman could come near Him to offer Him respect. Again, one is warned herewith that one should be extremely careful in dealings with women. A brahmacari is forbidden even to see the wife of his spiritual master if she happens to be young. The wife of the spiritual master may sometimes take some service from the disciple of her husband, as she would from a son, but if the wife of the spiritual master is young, a brahmacari is forbidden to render service to her.
TEXT 18
TEXT
purnam varsa-sahasram me
visayan sevato 'sakrt
tathapi canusavanam
trsna tesupajayate
SYNONYMS
purnam--completely; varsa-sahasram--one thousand years; me--my; visayan--sense gratification; sevatah--enjoying; asakrt--without cessation, continuously; tatha api--still; ca--indeed; anusavanam--more and more; trsna--lusty desires; tesu--in sense gratification; upajayate--are increased.
TRANSLATION
I have spent a full one thousand years enjoying sense gratification, yet my desire to enjoy such pleasure increases daily.
PURPORT
Maharaja Yayati is explaining, in terms of his actual experience, how strong are sexual desires, even in old age.
TEXT 19
TEXT
tasmad etam aham tyaktva
brahmany adhyaya manasam
nirdvandvo nirahankaras
carisyami mrgaih saha
SYNONYMS
tasmat--therefore; etam--such strong desires for lusty affairs; aham--I; tyaktva--giving up; brahmani--upon the Supreme Absolute Truth; adhyaya--fixing; manasam--the mind; nirdvandvah--without duality; nirahankarah--without an identity of false prestige; carisyami--I shall loiter or wander in the forest; mrgaih saha--with the forest animals.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, I shall now give up all these desires and meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Free from the dualities of mental concoction and free from false prestige, I shall wander in the forest with the animals.
PURPORT
To go to the forest and live there with the animals, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the only means by which to give up lusty desires. Unless one gives up such desires, one's mind cannot be freed from material contamination. Therefore, if one is at all interested in being freed from the bondage of repeated birth, death, old age and disease, after a certain age one must go to the forest. pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. After fifty years of age, one should voluntarily give up family life and go to the forest. The best forest is Vrndavana, where one need not live with the animals but can associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never leaves Vrndavana. Cultivating Krsna consciousness in Vrndavana is the best means of being liberated from material bondage, for in Vrndavana one can automatically meditate upon Krsna. Vrndavana has many temples, and in one or more of these temples one may see the form of the Supreme Lord as Radha-Krsna or Krsna-Balarama and meditate upon this form. As expressed here by the words brahmany adhyaya, one should concentrate one's mind upon the Supreme Lord, Parabrahman. This Parabrahman is Krsna, as confirmed by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita (param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan). Krsna and His abode, Vrndavana, are not different. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam. Vrndavana is as good as Krsna. Therefore, if one somehow or other gets the opportunity to live in Vrndavana, and if one is not a pretender but simply lives in Vrndavana and concentrates his mind upon Krsna, one is liberated from material bondage. One's mind is not purified, however, even in Vrndavana, if one is agitated by lusty desires. One should not live in Vrndavana and commit offenses, for a life of offenses in Vrndavana is no better than the lives of the monkeys and hogs there. Many monkeys and hogs live in Vrndavana, and they are concerned with their sexual desires. Men who have gone to Vrndavana but who still hanker for sex should immediately leave Vrndavana and stop their grievous offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord. There are many misguided men who live in Vrndavana to satisfy their sexual desires, but they are certainly no better than the monkeys and hogs. Those who are under the control of maya, and specifically under the control of lusty desires, are called maya-mrga. Indeed, everyone in the conditional stage of material life is a maya-mrga. It is said, maya-mrgam dayitayepsitam anvadhavad: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa to show His causeless mercy to the maya-mrgas, the people of this material world, who suffer because of lusty desires. One should follow the principles of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and always think of Krsna in full Krsna consciousness. Then one will be eligible to live in Vrndavana, and his life will be successful.
TEXT 20
TEXT
drstam srutam asad buddhva
nanudhyayen na sandiset
samsrtim catma-nasam ca
tatra vidvan sa atma-drk
SYNONYMS
drstam--the material enjoyment we experience in our present life; srutam--material enjoyment as promised to the fruitive workers for future happiness (either in this life or in the next, in the heavenly planets and so on); asat--all temporary and bad; buddhva--knowing; na--not; anudhyayet--one should even think of; na--nor; sandiset--should actually enjoy; samsrtim--prolongation of material existence; ca--and; atma-nasam--forgetfulness of one's own constitutional position; ca--as well as; tatra--in such a subject matter; vidvan--one who is completely aware; sah--such a person; atma-drk--a self-realized soul.
TRANSLATION
One who knows that material happiness, whether good or bad, in this life or in the next, on this planet or on the heavenly planets, is temporary and useless, and that an intelligent person should not try to enjoy or even think of such things, is the knower of the self. Such a self-realized person knows quite well that material happiness is the very cause of continued material existence and forgetfulness of one's own constitutional position.
PURPORT
The living entity is a spiritual soul, and the material body is his encagement. This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
"As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." (Bg. 2.13) The real mission of human life is to get free from encagement in the material body. Therefore Krsna descends to teach the conditioned soul about spiritual realization and how to become free from material bondage. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata. The words dharmasya glanih mean "pollution of one's existence." Our existence is now polluted, and it must be purified (sattvam suddhyet). The human life is meant for this purification, not for thinking of happiness in terms of the external body, which is the cause of material bondage. Therefore, in this verse, Maharaja Yayati advises that whatever material happiness we see and whatever is promised for enjoyment is all merely flickering and temporary. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna. Even if one is promoted to Brahmaloka, if one is not freed from material bondage one must return to this planet earth and continue in the miserable condition of material existence (bhutva bhutva praliyate). One should always keep this understanding in mind so as not to be allured by any kind of sense enjoyment, in this life or in the next. One who is fully aware of this truth is self-realized (sa atma-drk), but aside from him, everyone suffers in the cycle of birth and death (mrtyu-samsara-vartmani). This understanding is one of true intelligence, and anything contrary to this is but a cause of unhappiness. Krsna-bhakta--niskama, ataeva 'santa.' Only a Krsna conscious person, who knows the aim and object of life, is peaceful. All others, whether karmis, jnanis or yogis, are restless and cannot enjoy real peace.
TEXT 21
TEXT
ity uktva nahuso jayam
tadiyam purave vayah
dattva sva-jarasam tasmad
adade vigata-sprhah
SYNONYMS
iti uktva--saying this; nahusah--Maharaja Yayati, the son of King Nahusa; jayam--unto his wife, Devayani; tadiyam--his own; purave--unto his son Puru; vayah--youth; dattva--delivering; sva-jarasam--his own invalidity and old age; tasmat--from him; adade--took back; vigata-sprhah--being freed from all material lusty desires.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: After speaking in this way to his wife, Devayani, King Yayati, who was now free from all material desires, called his youngest son, Puru, and returned Puru's youth in exchange for his own old age.
TEXT 22
TEXT
disi daksina-purvasyam
druhyum daksinato yadum
praticyam turvasum cakra
udicyam anum isvaram
SYNONYMS
disi--in the direction; daksina-purvasyam--southeast; druhyum--his son named Druhyu; daksinatah--in the southern side of the world; yadum--Yadu; praticyam--in the western side of the world; turvasum--his son known as Turvasu; cakre--he made; udicyam--in the northern side of the world; anum--his son named Anu; isvaram--the King.
TRANSLATION
King Yayati gave the southeast to his son Druhyu, the south to his son Yadu, the west to his son Turvasu, and the north to his son Anu. In this way he divided the kingdom.
TEXT 23
TEXT
bhu-mandalasya sarvasya
purum arhattamam visam
abhisicyagrajams tasya
vase sthapya vanam yayau
SYNONYMS
bhu-mandalasya--of the entire planet earth; sarvasya--of all wealth and riches; purum--his youngest son, Puru; arhat-tamam--the most worshipable person, the king; visam--of the citizens or the subjects of the world; abhisicya--crowning on the throne of the emperor; agrajan--all his elder brothers, beginning from Yadu; tasya--of Puru; vase--under the control; sthapya--establishing; vanam--in the forest; yayau--he went away.
TRANSLATION
Yayati enthroned his youngest son, Puru, as the emperor of the entire world and the proprietor of all its riches, and he placed all the other sons, who were older than Puru, under Puru's control.
TEXT 24
TEXT
asevitam varsa-pugan
sad-vargam visayesu sah
ksanena mumuce nidam
jata-paksa iva dvijah
SYNONYMS
asevitam--being always engaged in; varsa-pugan--for many, many years; sat-vargam--the six senses, including the mind; visayesu--in sense enjoyment; sah--King Yayati; ksanena--within a moment; mumuce--gave up; nidam--nest; jata-paksah--one that has grown its wings; iva--like; dvijah--a bird.
TRANSLATION
Having enjoyed sense gratification for many, many years, O King Pariksit, Yayati was accustomed to it, but he gave it up entirely in a moment, just as a bird flies away from the nest as soon as its wings have grown.
PURPORT
That Maharaja Yayati was immediately liberated from the bondage of conditioned life is certainly astonishing. But the example given herewith is appropriate. A tiny baby bird, dependent fully on its father and mother even to eat, suddenly flies away from the nest when its wings have grown. Similarly, if one fully surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is immediately liberated from the bondage of conditioned life, as promised by the Lord Himself (aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami). As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
"Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him." Lord Visnu is so powerful that He can deliver anyone at once if He is pleased to do so. And Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, can be pleased immediately if we accept His order by surrendering unto Him, as Maharaja Yayati did. Maharaja Yayati was eager to serve Vasudeva, Krsna, and therefore as soon as he wanted to renounce material life, Lord Vasudeva helped him. We must therefore be very sincere in surrendering ourselves unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Then we can immediately be liberated from all the bondage of conditioned life. This is clearly expressed in the next verse.
TEXT 25
TEXT
sa tatra nirmukta-samasta-sanga
atmanubhutya vidhuta-trilingah
pare 'male brahmani vasudeve
lebhe gatim bhagavatim pratitah
SYNONYMS
sah--Maharaja Yayati; tatra--upon doing this; nirmukta--was immediately liberated from; samasta-sangah--all contamination; atma-anubhutya--simply by understanding his constitutional position; vidhuta--was cleansed of; tri-lingah--the contamination caused by the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna); pare--unto the Transcendence; amale--without material contact; brahmani--the Supreme Lord; vasudeve--Vasudeva, Krsna, the Absolute Truth, Bhagavan; lebhe--achieved; gatim--the destination; bhagavatim--as an associate of the Supreme personality of Godhead; pratitah--famous.
TRANSLATION
Because King Yayati completely surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, he was freed from all contamination of the material modes of nature. Because of his self-realization, he was able to fix his mind upon the Transcendence [Parabrahman, Vasudeva], and thus he ultimately achieved the position of an associate of the Lord.
PURPORT
The word vidhuta, meaning "cleansed," is very significant. Everyone in this material world is contaminated (karanam guna-sango 'sya). Because we are in a material condition, we are contaminated either by sattva-guna, by rajo-guna or by tamo-guna. Even if one becomes a qualified brahmana in the mode of goodness (sattva-guna), he is still materially contaminated. One must come to the platform of suddha-sattva, transcending the sattva-guna. Then one is vidhuta-trilinga, cleansed of the contamination caused by the three modes of material nature. This is possible by the mercy of Krsna. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt-satam
"Sri Krsna, the personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." A person trying to be perfectly Krsna conscious by hearing the words of Krsna from Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita certainly has all the dirty things cleansed from the core of his heart. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says, ceto-darpana-marjanam: the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord washes away the dirty things accumulated in the core of the heart. As soon as one is freed from all the dirt of material contamination, as Maharaja Yayati was, one's original position as an associate of the Lord is revealed. This is called svarupa-siddhi, or personal perfection.
TEXT 26
TEXT
srutva gatham devayani
mene prastobham atmanah
stri-pumsoh sneha-vaiklavyat
parihasam iveritam
SYNONYMS
srutva--hearing; gatham--the narration; devayani--Queen Devayani, the wife of Maharaja Yayati; mene--understood; prastobham atmanah--when instructed for her self-realization; stri-pumsoh--between the husband and wife; sneha-vaiklavyat--from an exchange of love and affection; parihasam--a funny joke or story; iva--like; iritam--spoken (by Maharaja Yayati).
TRANSLATION
When Devayani heard Maharaja Yayati's story of the he-goat and she-goat, she understood that this story, which was presented as if a funny joke for entertainment between husband and wife, was intended to awaken her to her constitutional position.
PURPORT
When one actually awakens from material life, one understands his real position as an eternal servant of Krsna. This is called liberation. Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih (Bhag. 2.10.6). Under the influence of maya, everyone living in this material world thinks that he is the master of everything (ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate). One thinks that there is no God or controller and that one is independent and can do anything. This is the material condition, and when one awakens from this ignorance, he is called liberated. Maharaja Yayati had delivered Devayani from the well, and finally, as a dutiful husband, he instructed her with the story about the he-goat and she-goat and thus delivered her from the misconception of material happiness. Devayani was quite competent to understand her liberated husband, and therefore she decided to follow him as his faithful wife.
TEXTS 27-28
TEXT
sa sannivasam suhrdam
prapayam iva gacchatam
vijnayesvara-tantranam
maya-viracitam prabhoh
sarvatra sangam utsrjya
svapnaupamyena bhargavi
krsne manah samavesya
vyadhunol lingam atmanah
SYNONYMS
sa--Devayani; sannivasam--living in the association; suhrdam--of friends and relatives; prapayam--in a place where water is supplied; iva--like; gacchatam--of tourists on a program for going from one place to another; vijnaya--understanding; isvara-tantranam--under the influence of the rigid laws of nature; maya-viracitam--the laws enforced by maya, the illusory energy; prabhoh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarvatra--everywhere in this material world; sangam--association; utsrjya--giving up; svapna-aupamyena--by the analogy of a dream; bhargavi--Devayani, the daughter of Sukracarya; krsne--unto Lord Krsna; manah--complete attention; samavesya--fixing; vyadhunot--gave up; lingam--the gross and subtle bodies; atmanah--of the soul.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Devayani, the daughter of Sukracarya, understood that the materialistic association of husband, friends and relatives is like the association in a hotel full of tourists. The relationships of society, friendship and love are created by the maya of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as in a dream. By the grace of Krsna, Devayani gave up her imaginary position in the material world. Completely fixing her mind upon Krsna, she achieved liberation from the gross and subtle bodies.
PURPORT
One should be convinced that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Krsna, but has somehow or other been entrapped by the material coverings of the gross and subtle bodies, consisting of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. One should know that the association of society, friendship, love, nationalism, religion and so on are nothing but creations of maya. One's only business is to become Krsna conscious and render service unto Krsna as extensively as possible for a living being. In this way one is liberated from material bondage. By the grace of Krsna, Devayani attained this state through the instructions of her husband.
TEXT 29
TEXT
namas tubhyam bhagavate
vasudevaya vedhase
sarva-bhutadhivasaya
santaya brhate namah
SYNONYMS
namah--I offer my respectful obeisances; tubhyam--unto You; bhagavate--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vasudevaya--Lord Vasudeva; vedhase--the creator of everything; sarva-bhuta-adhivasaya--present everywhere (within the heart of every living entity and within the atom also); santaya--peaceful, as if completely inactive; brhate--the greatest of all; namah--I offer my respectful obeisances.
TRANSLATION
O Lord Vasudeva, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation. You live as the Supersoul in everyone's heart and are smaller than the smallest, yet You are greater than the greatest and are all-pervading. You appear completely silent, having nothing to do, but this is due to Your all-pervading nature and Your fullness in all opulences. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
PURPORT
How Devayani became self-realized by the grace of her great husband, Maharaja Yayati, is described here. Describing such realization is another way of performing the bhakti process.
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him--these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service." (Bhag. 7.5.23) sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting, are especially important. By hearing from her husband about the greatness of Lord Vasudeva, Devayani certainly became convinced and surrendered herself unto the lotus feet of the Lord (om namo bhagavate vasudevaya). This is knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. Surrender to Vasudeva is the result of hearing about Him for many, many births. As soon as one surrenders unto Vasudeva, one is liberated immediately. Because of her association with her great husband, Maharaja Yayati, Devayani became purified, adopted the means of bhakti-yoga, and thus became liberated.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "King Yayati Achieves Liberation."