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gurunam—heavy; ca—and; laghunam—light; ca—also; guruni—heavy; ca—and; laghuni—light; ca—also; prayascittani—the processes of atonement; papanam—of sinful activities; jnatva—knowing perfectly well; uktani—have been prescribed; maha-rsibhih—by great sages.

Authorities who are learned scholars and sages have carefully ascertained that one should atone for the heaviest sins by undergoing a heavy process of atonement and one should atone for lighter sins by undergoing lighter atonement. Chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, however, vanquishes all the effects of sinful activities, regardless of whether heavy or light.

In this regard, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura describes an incident that took place when Samba was rescued from the punishment of the Kauravas. Samba fell in love with the daughter of Duryodhana, and since according to ksatriya custom one is not offered a ksatriya’s daughter unless he displays his chivalrous valor, Samba abducted her. Consequently Samba was arrested by the Kauravas. Later, when Lord Balarama came to rescue him, there was an argument about Samba’s release. Since the argument was not settled, Balarama showed His power in such a way that all of Hastinapura trembled and would have been vanquished as if by a great earthquake. Then the matter was settled, and Samba married Duryodhana’s daughter. The purport is that one should take shelter of Krsna-Balarama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose protective power is so great that it cannot be equaled in the material world. However powerful the reactions of one’s sins, they will immediately be vanquished if one chants the name of Hari, Krsna, Balarama or Narayana.

SB6.2.17

TEXT 17

tais tany aghani puyante

tapo-dana-vratadibhih

nadharmajam tad-dhrdayam

tad apisanghri-sevaya

taih—by those; tani—all those; aghani—sinful activities and their results; puyante—become vanquished; tapah—austerity; dana—charity; vrata-adibhih—by vows and other such activities; na—not; adharma-jam—produced from irreligious actions; tat—of that; hrdayam—the heart; tat—that; api—also; isa-anghri—of the lotus feet of the Lord; sevaya—by service.

Although one may neutralize the reactions of sinful life through austerity, charity, vows and other such methods, these pious activities cannot uproot the material desires in one’s heart. However, if one serves the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, he is immediately freed from all such contaminations.

As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.42), bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca: devotional service is so powerful that one who performs devotional service is immediately freed from all sinful desires. All desires within this material world are sinful because material desire means sense gratification, which always involves action that is more or less sinful. Pure bhakti, however, is anyabhilasita-sunya; in other words, it is free from material desires, which result from karma and jnana. One who is situated in devotional service no longer has material desires, and therefore he is beyond sinful life. Material desires should be completely stopped. Otherwise, although one’s austerities, penances and charity may free one from sin for the time being, one’s desires will reappear because his heart is impure. Thus he will act sinfully and suffer.

SB6.2.18

TEXT 18

ajnanad athava jnanad

uttamasloka-nama yat

sankirtitam agham pumso

dahed edho yathanalah

ajnanat—out of ignorance; athava—or; jnanat—with knowledge; uttamasloka—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nama—the holy name; yat—that which; sankirtitam—chanted; agham—sin; pumsah—of a person; dahet—burns to ashes; edhah—dry grass; yatha—just as; analah—fire.

As a fire burns dry grass to ashes, so the holy name of the Lord, whether chanted knowingly or unknowingly, burns to ashes, without fail, all the reactions of one’s sinful activities.

Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. For example, if a field of straw or dry grass is set afire, either by an elderly man who knows the power of fire or by a child who does not, the grass will be burned to ashes. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.

SB6.2.19

TEXT 19

yathagadam viryatamam

upayuktam yadrcchaya

ajanato ’py atma-gunam

kuryan mantro ’py udahrtah

yatha—just like; agadam—medicine; virya-tamam—very powerful; upayuktam—properly taken; yadrcchaya—somehow or other; ajanatah—by a person without knowledge; api—even; atma-gunam—its own potency; kuryat—manifests; mantrah—the Hare Krsna mantra; api—also; udahrtah—chanted.

If a person unaware of the effective potency of a certain medicine takes that medicine or is forced to take it, it will act even without his knowledge because its potency does not depend on the patient’s understanding. Similarly, even though one does not know the value of chanting the holy name of the Lord, if one chants knowingly or unknowingly, the chanting will be very effective.

In the Western countries, where the Hare Krsna movement is spreading, learned scholars and other thoughtful men are realizing its effectiveness. For example, Dr. J. Stillson Judah, a learned scholar, has been very much attracted to this movement because he has actually seen that it is turning hippies addicted to drugs into pure Vaisnavas who voluntarily become servants of Krsna and humanity. Even a few years ago, such hippies did not know the Hare Krsna mantra, but now they are chanting it and becoming pure Vaisnavas. Thus they are becoming free from all sinful activities, such as illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is practical proof of the effectiveness of the Hare Krsna movement, which is supported in this verse. One may or may not know the value of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, but if one somehow or other chants it, he will immediately be purified, just as one who takes a potent medicine will feel its effects, regardless of whether he takes it knowingly or unknowingly.

dharmam bhagavatam nrpa

tam yamya-pasan nirmucya

vipram mrtyor amumucan

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; te—they (the order carriers of Lord Visnu); evam—thus; su-vinirniya—perfectly ascertaining; dharmam—real religion; bhagavatam—in terms of devotional service; nrpa—O King; tam—him (Ajamila); yamya-pasat—from the bondage of the order carriers of Yamaraja; nirmucya—releasing; vipram—the brahmana; mrtyoh—from death; amumucan—rescued.

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, having thus perfectly judged the principles of devotional service with reasoning and arguments, the order carriers of Lord Visnu released the brahmana Ajamila from the bondage of the Yamadutas and saved him from imminent death.

SB6.2.21

TEXT 21

iti pratyudita yamya

duta yatva yamantikam

yama-rajne yatha sarvam

acacaksur arindama

SYNONYMS

iti—thus; pratyuditah—having been replied to (by the order carriers of Visnu); yamyah—the servants of Yamaraja; dutah—the messengers; yatva—going; yama-antikam—to the abode of Lord Yamaraja; yama-rajne—unto King Yamaraja; yatha—duly; sarvam—everything; acacaksuh—informed in full detail; arindama—O subduer of the enemies.

TRANSLATION

My dear Maharaja Pariksit, O subduer of all enemies, after the servants of Yamaraja had been answered by the order carriers of Lord Visnu, they went to Yamaraja and explained to him everything that had happened.

PURPORT

In this verse the word pratyuditah is very significant. The servants of Yamaraja are so powerful that they can never be hindered anywhere, but this time they were baffled and disappointed in their attempt to take away a man they considered sinful. Therefore they immediately returned to Yamaraja and described to him everything that had happened.

SB6.2.22

TEXT 22

dvijah pasad vinirmukto

gata-bhih prakrtim gatah

vavande sirasa visnoh

kinkaran darsanotsavah

dvijah—the brahmana (Ajamila); pasat—from the noose; vinirmuktah—being released; gata-bhih—freed from fear; prakrtim gatah—came to his senses; vavande—offered his respectful obeisances; sirasa—by bowing his head; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; kinkaran—unto the servants; darsana-utsavah—very pleased by seeing them.

Having been released from the nooses of Yamaraja’s servants, the brahmana Ajamila, now free from fear, came to his senses and immediately offered obeisances to the Visnudutas by bowing his head at their lotus feet. He was extremely pleased by their presence, for he had seen them save his life from the hands of the servants of Yamaraja.

Vaisnavas are also Visnudutas because they carry out the orders of Krsna. Lord Krsna is very eager for all the conditioned souls rotting in this material world to surrender to Him and be saved from material pangs in this life and punishment in hellish conditions after death. A Vaisnava therefore tries to bring conditioned souls to their senses. Those who are fortunate like Ajamila are saved by the Visnudutas, or Vaisnavas, and thus they return back home, back to Godhead.

SB6.2.23

TEXT 23

tam vivaksum abhipretya

mahapurusa-kinkarah

sahasa pasyatas tasya

tatrantardadhire ’nagha

tam—him (Ajamila); vivaksum—desiring to speak; abhipretya—understanding; mahapurusa-kinkarah—the order carriers of Lord Visnu; sahasa—suddenly; pasyatah tasya—while he looked on; tatra—there; antardadhire—disappeared; anagha—O sinless Maharaja Pariksit.

O sinless Maharaja Pariksit, the order carriers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Visnudutas, saw that Ajamila was attempting to say something, and thus they suddenly disappeared from his presence.

papistha ye duracara
deva-brahmana-nindakah
apathya-bhojanas tesam
akale maranam dhruvam

The sastras say:

“For persons who are papistha, very sinful, and duracara, misbehaved or very unclean in their habits, who are against the existence of God, who disrespect Vaisnavas and brahmanas, and who eat anything and everything, untimely death is sure.” It is said that in Kali-yuga one has a maximum lifetime of one hundred years, but as people become degraded, the duration of their lives decreases (prayenalpayusah). Because Ajamila was now free from all sinful reactions, his lifetime was extended, even though he was to have died immediately. When the Visnudutas saw Ajamila trying to say something to them, they disappeared to give him a chance to glorify the Supreme Lord. Since all his sinful reactions had been vanquished, he was now prepared to glorify the Lord. Indeed, one cannot glorify the Lord unless one is completely free from all sinful activities. This is confirmed by Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.28):

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” The Visnudutas made Ajamila aware of devotional service so that He might immediately become fit to return home, back to Godhead. To increase his eagerness to glorify the Lord, they disappeared so that he would feel separation in their absence. In the mode of separation, glorification of the Lord is very intense.

SB6.2.24-25

TEXTS 24–25

ajamilo ’py athakarnya

dutanam yama-krsnayoh

dharmam bhagavatam suddham

trai-vedyam ca gunasrayam

bhaktiman bhagavaty asu

mahatmya-sravanad dhareh

anutapo mahan asit

smarato ’subham atmanah

ajamilah—Ajamila; api—also; atha—thereafter; akarnya—hearing; dutanam—of the order carriers; yama-krsnayoh—of Yamaraja and Lord Krsna; dharmam—actual religious principles; bhagavatam—as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, or concerning the relationship between the living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; suddham—pure; trai-vedyam—mentioned in three Vedas; ca—also; guna-asrayam—material religion, under the modes of material nature; bhakti-man—a pure devotee (cleansed of the modes of material nature); bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; asu—immediately; mahatmya—glorification of the name, fame, etc.; sravanat—because of hearing; hareh—of Lord Hari; anutapah—regret; mahan—very great; asit—there was; smaratah—remembering; asubham—all the inglorious activities; atmanah—done by himself.

After hearing the discourses between the Yamadutas and the Visnudutas, Ajamila could understand the religious principles that act under the three modes of material nature. These principles are mentioned in the three Vedas. He could also understand the transcendental religious principles, which are above the modes of material nature and which concern the relationship between the living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Furthermore, Ajamila heard glorification of the name, fame, qualities and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He thus became a perfectly pure devotee. He could then remember his past sinful activities, which he greatly regretted having performed.

In Bhagavad-gita (2.45) Lord Krsna told Arjuna:

traigunya-visaya veda
nistraigunyo bhavarjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-ksema atmavan

“The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.” The Vedic principles certainly prescribe a gradual process for rising to the spiritual platform, but if one remains attached to the Vedic principles, there is no chance of his being elevated to spiritual life. Krsna therefore advised Arjuna to perform devotional service, which is the process of transcendental religion. The transcendental position of devotional service is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.6). Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Bhakti, devotional service, is paro dharmah, transcendental dharma; it is not material dharma. People generally think that religion should be pursued for material profit. This may be suitable for persons interested in material life, but one who is interested in spiritual life should be attached to paro dharmah, the religious principles by which one becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord (yato bhaktir adhoksaje). The bhagavata religion teaches that the Lord and the living entity are eternally related and that the duty of the living entity is to surrender to the Lord. When one is situated on the platform of devotional service, one is freed from impediments and completely satisfied (ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati). Having been elevated to that platform, Ajamila began to lament for his past materialistic activities and glorify the name, fame, form and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB6.2.26

TEXT 26

aho me paramam kastam

abhud avijitatmanah

yena viplavitam brahma

vrsalyam jayatatmana

aho—alas; me—my; paramam—extreme; kastam—miserable condition; abhut—became; avijita-atmanah—because my senses were uncontrolled; yena—by which; viplavitam—destroyed; brahma—all my brahminical qualifications; vrsalyam—through a sudrani, a maidservant; jayata—being born; atmana—by me.

Ajamila said: Alas, being a servant of my senses, how degraded I became! I fell down from my position as a duly qualified brahmana and begot children in the womb of a prostitute.

The men of the higher classes—the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas—do not beget children in the wombs of lower-class women. Therefore the custom in Vedic society is to examine the horoscopes of a girl and boy being considered for marriage to see whether their combination is suitable. Vedic astrology reveals whether one has been born in the vipra-varna, ksatriya-varna, vaisya-varna or sudra-varna, according to the three qualities of material nature. This must be examined because a marriage between a boy of the vipra-varna and a girl of the sudra-varna is incompatible; married life would be miserable for both husband and wife. Consequently a boy should marry a girl of the same category. Of course, this is trai-gunya, a material calculation according to the Vedas, but if the boy and girl are devotees there need be no such considerations. A devotee is transcendental, and therefore in a marriage between devotees, the boy and girl form a very happy combination.

SB6.2.27

TEXT 27

dhin mam vigarhitam sadbhir

duskrtam kula-kajjalam

hitva balam satim yo ’ham

sura-pim asatim agam

dhik mam—all condemnation upon me; vigarhitam—condemned; sadbhih—by honest men; duskrtam—who has committed sinful acts; kula-kajjalam—who has defamed the family tradition; hitva—giving up; balam—a young wife; satim—chaste; yah—who; aham—I; surapim—with a woman accustomed to drinking wine; asatim—unchaste; agam—I had sexual intercourse.

Alas, all condemnation upon me! I acted so sinfully that I degraded my family tradition. Indeed, I gave up my chaste and beautiful young wife to have sexual intercourse with a fallen prostitute accustomed to drinking wine. All condemnation upon me!

This is the mentality of one who is becoming a pure devotee. When one is elevated to the platform of devotional service by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master, one first regrets his past sinful activities. This helps one advance in spiritual life. The Visnudutas had given Ajamila the chance to become a pure devotee, and the duty of a pure devotee is to regret his past sinful activities in illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. Not only should one give up his past bad habits, but he must always regret his past sinful acts. This is the standard of pure devotion.

SB6.2.28

TEXT 28

vrddhav anathau pitarau

nanya-bandhu tapasvinau

aho mayadhuna tyaktav

akrtajnena nicavat

vrddhau—old; anathau—who had no other person to look after their comforts; pitarau—my father and mother; na anya-bandhu—who had no other friend; tapasvinau—who underwent great difficulties; aho—alas; maya—by me; adhuna—at that moment; tyaktau—were given up; akrta-jnena—ungrateful; nica-vat—like the most abominable low-class person.

My father and mother were old and had no other son or friend to look after them. Because I did not take care of them, they lived with great difficulty. Alas, like an abominable lower-class man, I ungratefully left them in that condition.

According to Vedic civilization, everyone has the responsibility for taking care of brahmanas, old men, women, children and cows. This is the duty of everyone, especially an upper-class person. Because of his association with a prostitute, Ajamila abandoned all his duties. Regretting this, Ajamila now considered himself quite fallen.

SB6.2.29

TEXT 29

so ’ham vyaktam patisyami

narake bhrsa-darune

dharma-ghnah kamino yatra

vindanti yama-yatanah

sah—such a person; aham—I; vyaktam—it is now clear; patisyami—will fall down; narake—in hell; bhrsa-darune—most miserable; dharma-ghnah—they who break the principles of religion; kaminah—who are too lusty; yatra—where; vindanti—undergo; yama-yatanah—the miserable conditions imposed by Yamaraja.

It is now clear that as a consequence of such activities, a sinful person like me must be thrown into hellish conditions meant for those who have broken religious principles and must there suffer extreme miseries.

SB6.2.30

TEXT 30

kim idam svapna aho svit

saksad drstam ihadbhutam

kva yata adya te ye mam

vyakarsan pasa-panayah

SYNONYMS

kim—whether; idam—this; svapne—in a dream; aho svit—or; saksat—directly; drstam—seen; iha—here; adbhutam—wonderful; kva—where; yatah—have gone; adya—now; te—all of them; ye—who; mam—me; vyakarsan—were dragging; pasa-panayah—with ropes in their hands.

TRANSLATION

Was this a dream I saw, or was it reality? I saw fearsome men with ropes in their hands coming to arrest me and drag me away. Where have they gone?

SB6.2.31

TEXT 31

atha te kva gatah siddhas

catvaras caru-darsanah

vyamocayan niyamanam

baddhva pasair adho bhuvah

SYNONYMS

atha—thereafter; te—those persons; kva—where; gatah—went; siddhah—liberated; catvarah—four personalities; caru-darsanah—extremely beautiful to see; vyamocayan—they released; niyamanam—me, who was being carried away; baddhva—being arrested; pasaih—by ropes; adhah bhuvah—downward to the hellish region.

TRANSLATION

And where have those four liberated and very beautiful persons gone who released me from arrest and saved me from being dragged down to the hellish regions?

PURPORT

As we have learned from the descriptions in the Fifth Canto, the hellish planets are situated in the lower portions of this universe. Therefore they are called adho bhuvah. Ajamila could understand that the Yamadutas had come from that region.

SB6.2.32

TEXT 32

athapi me durbhagasya

vibudhottama-darsane

bhavitavyam mangalena

yenatma me prasidati

atha—therefore; api—although; me—of me; durbhagasya—so unfortunate; vibudha-uttama—exalted devotees; darsane—because of seeing; bhavitavyam—there must be; mangalena—auspicious activities; yena—by which; atma—self; me—my; prasidati—actually becomes happy.

I am certainly most abominable and unfortunate to have merged in an ocean of sinful activities, but nevertheless, because of my previous spiritual activities, I could see those four exalted personalities who came to rescue me. Now I feel exceedingly happy because of their visit.