Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Two
SB6.2.15
TEXT 15
patitaḥ skhalito bhagnaḥ
sandaṣṭas tapta āhataḥ
harir ity avaśenāha
pumān nārhati yātanāḥ
SYNONYMS
patitaḥ—fallen down; skhalitaḥ—slipped; bhagnaḥ—having broken his bones; sandaṣṭaḥ—bitten; taptaḥ—severely attacked by fever or similar painful conditions; āhataḥ—injured; hariḥ—Lord Kṛṣṇa; iti—thus; avaśena—accidentally; āha—chants; pumān—a person; na—not; arhati—deserves; yātanāḥ—hellish conditions.
TRANSLATION
If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping and suffering broken bones while traveling on the road, being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, or being injured by a weapon, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.6):
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” If one practices chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Kṛṣṇa) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death.
SB6.2.16 TEXT 16 gurūṇāṁ ca laghūnāṁ ca gurūṇi ca laghūni ca prāyaścittāni pāpānāṁ jñātvoktāni maharṣibhiḥ SYNONYMS gurūṇām—heavy; ca—and; laghūnām—light; ca—also; gurūṇi—heavy; ca—and; laghūni—light; ca—also; prāyaścittāni—the processes of atonement; pāpānām—of sinful activities; jñātvā—knowing perfectly well; uktāni—have been prescribed; mahā-ṛṣibhiḥ—by great sages.
TRANSLATION 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 Kṛṣṇa mantra, however, vanquishes all the effects of sinful activities, regardless of whether heavy or light. PURPORT In this regard, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes an incident that took place when Sāmba was rescued from the punishment of the Kauravas. Sāmba fell in love with the daughter of Duryodhana, and since according to kṣatriya custom one is not offered a kṣatriya’s daughter unless he displays his chivalrous valor, Sāmba abducted her. Consequently Sāmba was arrested by the Kauravas. Later, when Lord Balarāma came to rescue him, there was an argument about Sāmba’s release. Since the argument was not settled, Balarāma showed His power in such a way that all of Hastināpura trembled and would have been vanquished as if by a great earthquake. Then the matter was settled, and Sāmba married Duryodhana’s daughter. The purport is that one should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, 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, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma or Nārāyaṇa.
SB6.2.17 TEXT 17 tais tāny aghāni pūyante tapo-dāna-vratādibhiḥ nādharmajaṁ tad-dhṛdayaṁ tad apīśāṅghri-sevayā SYNONYMS taiḥ—by those; tāni—all those; aghāni—sinful activities and their results; pūyante—become vanquished; tapaḥ—austerity; dāna—charity; vrata-ādibhiḥ—by vows and other such activities; na—not; adharma-jam—produced from irreligious actions; tat—of that; hṛdayam—the heart; tat—that; api—also; īśa-aṅghri—of the lotus feet of the Lord; sevayā—by service.
TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.42), bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo 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 anyābhilāṣitā-śūnya; in other words, it is free from material desires, which result from karma and jñāna. 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 ajñānād athavā jñānād uttamaśloka-nāma yat saṅkīrtitam aghaṁ puṁso dahed edho yathānalaḥ SYNONYMS ajñānāt—out of ignorance; athavā—or; jñānāt—with knowledge; uttamaśloka—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nāma—the holy name; yat—that which; saṅkīrtitam—chanted; agham—sin; puṁsaḥ—of a person; dahet—burns to ashes; edhaḥ—dry grass; yathā—just as; analaḥ—fire.
TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT 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 Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.
SB6.2.19 TEXT 19 yathāgadaṁ vīryatamam upayuktaṁ yadṛcchayā ajānato ’py ātma-guṇaṁ kuryān mantro ’py udāhṛtaḥ SYNONYMS yathā—just like; agadam—medicine; vīrya-tamam—very powerful; upayuktam—properly taken; yadṛcchayā—somehow or other; ajānataḥ—by a person without knowledge; api—even; ātma-guṇam—its own potency; kuryāt—manifests; mantraḥ—the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra; api—also; udāhṛtaḥ—chanted.
TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT In the Western countries, where the Hare Kṛṣṇa 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 Vaiṣṇavas who voluntarily become servants of Kṛṣṇa and humanity. Even a few years ago, such hippies did not know the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but now they are chanting it and becoming pure Vaiṣṇavas. 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 Kṛṣṇa movement, which is supported in this verse. One may or may not know the value of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa 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.
SB6.2.20 TEXT 20 śrī-śuka uvāca ta evaṁ suvinirṇīya dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ nṛpa taṁ yāmya-pāśān nirmucya vipraṁ mṛtyor amūmucan SYNONYMS śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; te—they (the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu); evam—thus; su-vinirṇīya—perfectly ascertaining; dharmam—real religion; bhāgavatam—in terms of devotional service; nṛpa—O King; tam—him (Ajāmila); yāmya-pāśāt—from the bondage of the order carriers of Yamarāja; nirmucya—releasing; vipram—the brāhmaṇa; mṛtyoḥ—from death; amūmucan—rescued.
TRANSLATION Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, having thus perfectly judged the principles of devotional service with reasoning and arguments, the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu released the brāhmaṇa Ajāmila from the bondage of the Yamadūtas and saved him from imminent death. SB6.2.21 TEXT 21 iti pratyuditā yāmyā dūtā yātvā yamāntikam yama-rājñe yathā sarvam ācacakṣur arindama SYNONYMS iti—thus; pratyuditāḥ—having been replied to (by the order carriers of Viṣṇu); yāmyāḥ—the servants of Yamarāja; dūtāḥ—the messengers; yātvā—going; yama-antikam—to the abode of Lord Yamarāja; yama-rājñe—unto King Yamarāja; yathā—duly; sarvam—everything; ācacakṣuḥ—informed in full detail; arindama—O subduer of the enemies.
TRANSLATION My dear Mahārāja Parīkṣit, O subduer of all enemies, after the servants of Yamarāja had been answered by the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, they went to Yamarāja and explained to him everything that had happened. PURPORT In this verse the word pratyuditāḥ is very significant. The servants of Yamarāja 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 Yamarāja and described to him everything that had happened.
SB6.2.22 TEXT 22 dvijaḥ pāśād vinirmukto gata-bhīḥ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ vavande śirasā viṣṇoḥ kiṅkarān darśanotsavaḥ SYNONYMS dvijaḥ—the brāhmaṇa (Ajāmila); pāśāt—from the noose; vinirmuktaḥ—being released; gata-bhīḥ—freed from fear; prakṛtim gataḥ—came to his senses; vavande—offered his respectful obeisances; śirasā—by bowing his head; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu; kiṅkarān—unto the servants; darśana-utsavaḥ—very pleased by seeing them.
TRANSLATION Having been released from the nooses of Yamarāja’s servants, the brāhmaṇa Ajāmila, now free from fear, came to his senses and immediately offered obeisances to the Viṣṇudūtas 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 Yamarāja. PURPORT Vaiṣṇavas are also Viṣṇudūtas because they carry out the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa 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 Vaiṣṇava therefore tries to bring conditioned souls to their senses. Those who are fortunate like Ajāmila are saved by the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, and thus they return back home, back to Godhead.
SB6.2.23 TEXT 23 taṁ vivakṣum abhipretya mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkarāḥ sahasā paśyatas tasya tatrāntardadhire ’nagha SYNONYMS tam—him (Ajāmila); vivakṣum—desiring to speak; abhipretya—understanding; mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkarāḥ—the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu; sahasā—suddenly; paśyataḥ tasya—while he looked on; tatra—there; antardadhire—disappeared; anagha—O sinless Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION O sinless Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the order carriers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Viṣṇudūtas, saw that Ajāmila was attempting to say something, and thus they suddenly disappeared from his presence. PURPORT The śāstras say:
pāpiṣṭhā ye durācārā “For persons who are pāpiṣṭha, very sinful, and durācāra, misbehaved or very unclean in their habits, who are against the existence of God, who disrespect Vaiṣṇavas and brāhmaṇas, 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 (prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ). Because Ajāmila was now free from all sinful reactions, his lifetime was extended, even though he was to have died immediately. When the Viṣṇudūtas saw Ajāmila 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 Kṛṣṇa Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):
yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ “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 Viṣṇudūtas made Ajāmila 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 ajāmilo ’py athākarṇya dūtānāṁ yama-kṛṣṇayoḥ dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ śuddhaṁ trai-vedyaṁ ca guṇāśrayam bhaktimān bhagavaty āśu māhātmya-śravaṇād dhareḥ anutāpo mahān āsīt smarato ’śubham ātmanaḥ SYNONYMS ajāmilaḥ—Ajāmila; api—also; atha—thereafter; ākarṇya—hearing; dūtānām—of the order carriers; yama-kṛṣṇayoḥ—of Yamarāja and Lord Kṛṣṇa; dharmam—actual religious principles; bhāgavatam—as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or concerning the relationship between the living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śuddham—pure; trai-vedyam—mentioned in three Vedas; ca—also; guṇa-aśrayam—material religion, under the modes of material nature; bhakti-mān—a pure devotee (cleansed of the modes of material nature); bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; āśu—immediately; māhātmya—glorification of the name, fame, etc.; śravaṇāt—because of hearing; hareḥ—of Lord Hari; anutāpaḥ—regret; mahān—very great; āsīt—there was; smarataḥ—remembering; aśubham—all the inglorious activities; ātmanaḥ—done by himself.
TRANSLATION After hearing the discourses between the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila 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, Ajāmila 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. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (2.45) Lord Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna:
traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā “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. Kṛṣṇa therefore advised Arjuna to perform devotional service, which is the process of transcendental religion. The transcendental position of devotional service is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6). Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Bhakti, devotional service, is paro dharmaḥ, 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 dharmaḥ, the religious principles by which one becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord (yato bhaktir adhokṣaje). The bhāgavata 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 apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati). Having been elevated to that platform, Ajāmila 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 paramaṁ kaṣṭam abhūd avijitātmanaḥ yena viplāvitaṁ brahma vṛṣalyāṁ jāyatātmanā SYNONYMS aho—alas; me—my; paramam—extreme; kaṣṭam—miserable condition; abhūt—became; avijita-ātmanaḥ—because my senses were uncontrolled; yena—by which; viplāvitam—destroyed; brahma—all my brahminical qualifications; vṛṣalyām—through a śūdrāṇī, a maidservant; jāyatā—being born; ātmanā—by me.
TRANSLATION Ajāmila said: Alas, being a servant of my senses, how degraded I became! I fell down from my position as a duly qualified brāhmaṇa and begot children in the womb of a prostitute. PURPORT The men of the higher classes—the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas—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-varṇa, kṣatriya-varṇa, vaiśya-varṇa or śūdra-varṇa, according to the three qualities of material nature. This must be examined because a marriage between a boy of the vipra-varṇa and a girl of the śūdra-varṇa 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-guṇya, 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 dhiṅ māṁ vigarhitaṁ sadbhir duṣkṛtaṁ kula-kajjalam hitvā bālāṁ satīṁ yo ’haṁ surā-pīm asatīm agām SYNONYMS dhik mām—all condemnation upon me; vigarhitam—condemned; sadbhiḥ—by honest men; duṣkṛtam—who has committed sinful acts; kula-kajjalam—who has defamed the family tradition; hitvā—giving up; bālām—a young wife; satīm—chaste; yaḥ—who; aham—I; surāpīm—with a woman accustomed to drinking wine; asatīm—unchaste; agām—I had sexual intercourse.
TRANSLATION 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! PURPORT 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 Viṣṇudūtas had given Ajāmila 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 vṛddhāv anāthau pitarau nānya-bandhū tapasvinau aho mayādhunā tyaktāv akṛtajñena nīcavat SYNONYMS vṛddhau—old; anāthau—who had no other person to look after their comforts; pitarau—my father and mother; na anya-bandhū—who had no other friend; tapasvinau—who underwent great difficulties; aho—alas; mayā—by me; adhunā—at that moment; tyaktau—were given up; akṛta-jñena—ungrateful; nīca-vat—like the most abominable low-class person.
TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT According to Vedic civilization, everyone has the responsibility for taking care of brāhmaṇas, old men, women, children and cows. This is the duty of everyone, especially an upper-class person. Because of his association with a prostitute, Ajāmila abandoned all his duties. Regretting this, Ajāmila now considered himself quite fallen.
SB6.2.29 TEXT 29 so ’haṁ vyaktaṁ patiṣyāmi narake bhṛśa-dāruṇe dharma-ghnāḥ kāmino yatra vindanti yama-yātanāḥ SYNONYMS saḥ—such a person; aham—I; vyaktam—it is now clear; patiṣyāmi—will fall down; narake—in hell; bhṛśa-dāruṇe—most miserable; dharma-ghnāḥ—they who break the principles of religion; kāminaḥ—who are too lusty; yatra—where; vindanti—undergo; yama-yātanāḥ—the miserable conditions imposed by Yamarāja.
TRANSLATION 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 idaṁ svapna āho svit sākṣād dṛṣṭam ihādbhutam kva yātā adya te ye māṁ vyakarṣan pāśa-pāṇayaḥ SYNONYMS kim—whether; idam—this; svapne—in a dream; āho svit—or; sākṣāt—directly; dṛṣṭam—seen; iha—here; adbhutam—wonderful; kva—where; yātāḥ—have gone; adya—now; te—all of them; ye—who; mām—me; vyakarṣan—were dragging; pāśa-pāṇayaḥ—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 gatāḥ siddhāś catvāraś cāru-darśanāḥ vyāmocayan nīyamānaṁ baddhvā pāśair adho bhuvaḥ SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; te—those persons; kva—where; gatāḥ—went; siddhāḥ—liberated; catvāraḥ—four personalities; cāru-darśanāḥ—extremely beautiful to see; vyāmocayan—they released; nīyamānam—me, who was being carried away; baddhvā—being arrested; pāśaiḥ—by ropes; adhaḥ bhuvaḥ—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 bhuvaḥ. Ajāmila could understand that the Yamadūtas had come from that region.
SB6.2.32 TEXT 32 athāpi me durbhagasya vibudhottama-darśane bhavitavyaṁ maṅgalena yenātmā me prasīdati SYNONYMS atha—therefore; api—although; me—of me; durbhagasya—so unfortunate; vibudha-uttama—exalted devotees; darśane—because of seeing; bhavitavyam—there must be; maṅgalena—auspicious activities; yena—by which; ātmā—self; me—my; prasīdati—actually becomes happy.
TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT As stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.54):
’sādhu-saṅga’, ’sādhu-saṅga’——sarva-śāstre kaya “Association with devotees is recommended by all the śāstras because by even a moment of such association one can receive the seed for all perfection.” In the beginning of his life Ajāmila was certainly very pure, and he associated with devotees and brāhmaṇas; because of that pious activity, even though he was fallen, he was inspired to name his son Nārāyaṇa. Certainly this was due to good counsel given from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” The Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, is so kind that if one has ever rendered service to Him, the Lord never forgets him. Thus the Lord, from within, gave Ajāmila the opportunity to name his youngest son Nārāyaṇa so that in affection he would constantly call “Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa!” and thus be saved from the most fearful and dangerous condition at the time of his death. Such is the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja: by the mercy of the guru and Kṛṣṇa, one receives the seed of bhakti. This association saves a devotee from the greatest fear. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we therefore change a devotee’s name to a form that reminds him of Viṣṇu. If at the time of death the devotee can remember his own name, such as Kṛṣṇadāsa or Govinda dāsa, he can be saved from the greatest danger. Therefore the change of names at the time of initiation is essential. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so meticulous that it gives one a good opportunity to remember Kṛṣṇa somehow or other.
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deva-brāhmaṇa-nindakāḥ
apathya-bhojanās teṣām
akāle maraṇaṁ dhruvam
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-kṣema ātmavān
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya