Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Two
SB6.2.33
TEXT 33
anyathā mriyamāṇasya
nāśucer vṛṣalī-pateḥ
vaikuṇṭha-nāma-grahaṇaṁ
jihvā vaktum ihārhati
SYNONYMS
anyathā—otherwise; mriyamāṇasya—of a person who is just ready for death; na—not; aśuceḥ—most unclean; vṛṣalī-pateḥ—the keeper of a prostitute; vaikuṇṭha—of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha; nāma-grahaṇam—the chanting of the holy name; jihvā—the tongue; vaktum—to speak; iha—in this situation; arhati—is able.
TRANSLATION
Were it not for my past devotional service, how could I, a most unclean keeper of a prostitute, have gotten an opportunity to chant the holy name of Vaikuṇṭhapati when I was just ready to die? Certainly it could not have been possible.
PURPORT
The name Vaikuṇṭhapati, which means “the master of the spiritual world,” is not different from the name Vaikuṇṭha. Ajāmila, who was now a realized soul, could understand that because of his past spiritual activities in devotional service, he had gotten this opportunity to chant the holy name of Vaikuṇṭhapati in his horrible condition at the time of death.
SB6.2.34 TEXT 34 kva cāhaṁ kitavaḥ pāpo brahma-ghno nirapatrapaḥ kva ca nārāyaṇety etad bhagavan-nāma maṅgalam SYNONYMS kva—where; ca—also; aham—I; kitavaḥ—a cheater; pāpaḥ—all sins personified; brahma-ghnaḥ—the killer of my brahminical culture; nirapatrapaḥ—shameless; kva—where; ca—also; nārāyaṇa—Nārāyaṇa; iti—thus; etat—this; bhagavat-nāma—the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maṅgalam—all-auspicious.
TRANSLATION Ajāmila continued: I am a shameless cheater who has killed his brahminical culture. Indeed, I am sin personified. Where am I in comparison to the all-auspicious chanting of the holy name of Lord Nārāyaṇa? PURPORT Those engaged in broadcasting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should always consider what our position was before we came and what it is now. We had fallen into abominable lives as meat-eaters, drunkards and woman hunters who performed all kinds of sinful activities, but now we have been given the opportunity to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore we should always appreciate this opportunity. By the grace of the Lord we are opening many branches, and we should use this good fortune to chant the holy name of the Lord and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. We must be conscious of the difference between our present and past conditions and should always be very careful not to fall from the most exalted life.
SB6.2.35 TEXT 35 so ’haṁ tathā yatiṣyāmi yata-cittendriyānilaḥ yathā na bhūya ātmānam andhe tamasi majjaye SYNONYMS saḥ—such a person; aham—I; tathā—in that way; yatiṣyāmi—I shall endeavor; yata-citta-indriya—controlling the mind and senses; anilaḥ—and the internal airs; yathā—so that; na—not; bhūyaḥ—again; ātmānam—my soul; andhe—in darkness; tamasi—in ignorance; majjaye—I drown.
TRANSLATION I am such a sinful person, but since I have now gotten this opportunity, I must completely control my mind, life and senses and always engage in devotional service so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness and ignorance of material life. PURPORT Every one of us should have this determination. We have been elevated to an exalted position by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, and if we remember that this is a great opportunity and pray to Kṛṣṇa that we will not fall again, our lives will be successful.
SB6.2.36-37 TEXTS 36–37 vimucya tam imaṁ bandham avidyā-kāma-karmajam sarva-bhūta-suhṛc chānto maitraḥ karuṇa ātmavān mocaye grastam ātmānaṁ yoṣin-mayyātma-māyayā vikrīḍito yayaivāhaṁ krīḍā-mṛga ivādhamaḥ SYNONYMS vimucya—having become free from; tam—that; imam—this; bandham—bondage; avidyā—due to ignorance; kāma—due to lusty desire; karma-jam—caused by activities; sarva-bhūta—of all living entities; suhṛt—friend; śāntaḥ—very peaceful; maitraḥ—friendly; karuṇaḥ—merciful; ātma-vān—self-realized; mocaye—I shall disentangle; grastam—encaged; ātmānam—my soul; yoṣit-mayyā—in the form of woman; ātma-māyayā—by the illusory energy of the Lord; vikrīḍitaḥ—played with; yayā—by which; eva—certainly; aham—I; krīḍā-mṛgaḥ—a controlled animal; iva—like; adhamaḥ—so fallen.
TRANSLATION Because of identifying oneself with the body, one is subjected to desires for sense gratification, and thus one engages in many different types of pious and impious action. This is what constitutes material bondage. Now I shall disentangle myself from my material bondage, which has been caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s illusory energy in the form of a woman. Being a most fallen soul, I was victimized by the illusory energy and have become like a dancing dog led around by a woman’s hand. Now I shall give up all lusty desires and free myself from this illusion. I shall become a merciful, well-wishing friend to all living entities and always absorb myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. PURPORT This should be the standard of determination for all Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should free himself from the clutches of māyā, and he should also be compassionate to all others suffering in those clutches. The activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are meant not only for oneself but for others also. This is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is interested in his own salvation is not as advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as one who feels compassion for others and who therefore propagates the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such an advanced devotee will never fall down, for Kṛṣṇa will give him special protection. That is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is like a play toy in the hands of the illusory energy and is acting as she moves him. One should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to release oneself and also to release others.
SB6.2.38 TEXT 38 mamāham iti dehādau hitvāmithyārtha-dhīr matim dhāsye mano bhagavati śuddhaṁ tat-kīrtanādibhiḥ SYNONYMS mama—my; aham—I; iti—thus; deha-ādau—in the body and things related to the body; hitvā—giving up; amithyā—not false; artha—on values; dhīḥ—with my consciousness; matim—the attitude; dhāsye—I shall engage; manaḥ—my mind; bhagavati—on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śuddham—pure; tat—His name; kīrtana-ādibhiḥ—by chanting, hearing and so on.
TRANSLATION Simply because I chanted the holy name of the Lord in the association of devotees, my heart is now becoming purified. Therefore I shall not fall victim again to the false lures of material sense gratification. Now that I have become fixed in the Absolute Truth, henceforward I shall not identify myself with the body. I shall give up false conceptions of “I” and “mine” and fix my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. PURPORT How a living entity becomes a victim of the material condition is lucidly explained in this verse. The beginning is to misidentify the body as one’s self. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā begins with the spiritual instruction that one is not the body, but is within the body. This consciousness can be possible only if one chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and always keeps oneself in the association of devotees. This is the secret of success. Therefore we stress that one should chant the holy name of the Lord and keep oneself free from the contaminations of this material world, especially the contaminations of lusty desires for illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. With determination, one should vow to follow these principles and thus be saved from the miserable condition of material existence. The first necessity is to become freed from the bodily concept of life.
SB6.2.39 TEXT 39 iti jāta-sunirvedaḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgena sādhuṣu gaṅgā-dvāram upeyāya mukta-sarvānubandhanaḥ SYNONYMS iti—thus; jāta-sunirvedaḥ—(Ajāmila) who had become detached from the material conception of life; kṣaṇa-saṅgena—by a moment’s association; sādhuṣu—with devotees; gaṅgā-dvāram—to Hardwar (hari-dvāra), the doorway to Hari (because the Ganges begins there, Hardwar is also called gaṅgā-dvāra); upeyāya—went; mukta—being freed from; sarva-anubandhanaḥ—all kinds of material bondage.
TRANSLATION Because of a moment’s association with devotees [the Viṣṇudūtas], Ajāmila detached himself from the material conception of life with determination. Thus freed from all material attraction, he immediately started for Hardwar. PURPORT The word mukta-sarvānubandhanaḥ indicates that after this incident, Ajāmila, not caring for his wife and children, went straight to Hardwar for further advancement in his spiritual life. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement now has centers in Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa so that those who want to live a retired life, whether they be devotees or not, can go there and with determination give up the bodily concept of life. One is welcome to live in those holy places for the rest of his life in order to achieve the highest success by the very simple method of chanting the holy name of the Lord and taking prasāda. Thus one may return home, back to Godhead. We do not have a center in Hardwar, but Vṛndāvana and Śrīdhāma Māyāpur are better for devotees than any other places. The Caitanya Candrodaya temple offers one a good opportunity to associate with devotees. Let us all take advantage of this opportunity.
SB6.2.40 TEXT 40 sa tasmin deva-sadana āsīno yogam āsthitaḥ pratyāhṛtendriya-grāmo yuyoja mana ātmani SYNONYMS saḥ—he (Ajāmila); tasmin—at that place (Hardwar); deva-sadane—in one Viṣṇu temple; āsīnaḥ—being situated; yogam āsthitaḥ—performed bhakti-yoga; pratyāhṛta—withdrawn from all activities of sense gratification; indriya-grāmaḥ—his senses; yuyoja—he fixed; manaḥ—the mind; ātmani—on the self or the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION In Hardwar, Ajāmila took shelter at a Viṣṇu temple, where he executed the process of bhakti-yoga. He controlled his senses and fully applied his mind in the service of the Lord. PURPORT The devotees who have joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may live comfortably in our many temples and engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus they can control the mind and senses and achieve the highest success in life. This is the process descending from time immemorial. Learning from the life of Ajāmila, we should vow with determination to do what is necessary to follow this path.
SB6.2.41 TEXT 41 tato guṇebhya ātmānaṁ viyujyātma-samādhinā yuyuje bhagavad-dhāmni brahmaṇy anubhavātmani SYNONYMS tataḥ—thereafter; guṇebhyaḥ—from the modes of material nature; ātmānam—the mind; viyujya—detaching; ātma-samādhinā—by being fully engaged in devotional service; yuyuje—engaged; bhagavat-dhāmni—in the form of the Lord; brahmaṇi—which is Parabrahman (not idol worship); anubhava-ātmani—which is always thought of (beginning from the lotus feet and gradually progressing upward).
TRANSLATION Ajāmila fully engaged in devotional service. Thus he detached his mind from the process of sense gratification and became fully absorbed in thinking of the form of the Lord. PURPORT If one worships the Deity in the temple, one’s mind will naturally be absorbed in thought of the Lord and His form. There is no distinction between the form of the Lord and the Lord Himself. Therefore bhakti-yoga is the most easy system of yoga. Yogīs try to concentrate their minds upon the form of the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, within the heart, but this same objective is easily achieved when one’s mind is absorbed in the Deity worshiped in the temple. In every temple there is a transcendental form of the Lord, and one may easily think of this form. By seeing the Lord during ārati, by offering bhoga and by constantly thinking of the form of the Deity, one becomes a first-class yogī. This is the best process of yoga, as confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47):
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ “Of all yogīs, 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.” The first-class yogī is he who controls his senses and detaches himself from material activities by always thinking of the form of the Lord.
SB6.2.42 TEXT 42 yarhy upārata-dhīs tasminn adrākṣīt puruṣān puraḥ upalabhyopalabdhān prāg vavande śirasā dvijaḥ SYNONYMS yarhi—when; upārata-dhīḥ—his mind and intelligence were fixed; tasmin—at that time; adrākṣīt—had seen; puruṣān—the persons (the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu); puraḥ—before him; upalabhya—getting; upalabdhān—who were gotten; prāk—previously; vavande—offered obeisances; śirasā—by the head; dvijaḥ—the brāhmaṇa.
TRANSLATION When his intelligence and mind were fixed upon the form of the Lord, the brāhmaṇa Ajāmila once again saw before him four celestial persons. He could understand that they were those he had seen previously, and thus he offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them. PURPORT The Viṣṇudūtas who had rescued Ajāmila came before him again when his mind was firmly fixed upon the form of the Lord. The Viṣṇudūtas had gone away for some time to give Ajāmila a chance to become firmly fixed in meditation upon the Lord. Now that his devotion had matured, they returned to take him. Understanding that the same Viṣṇudūtas had returned, Ajāmila offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.
SB6.2.43 TEXT 43 hitvā kalevaraṁ tīrthe gaṅgāyāṁ darśanād anu sadyaḥ svarūpaṁ jagṛhe bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām SYNONYMS hitvā—giving up; kalevaram—the material body; tīrthe—in the holy place; gaṅgāyām—on the bank of the Ganges; darśanāt anu—after seeing; sadyaḥ—immediately; sva-rūpam—his original spiritual form; jagṛhe—he assumed; bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām—which is fit for an associate of the Lord.
TRANSLATION Upon seeing the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila gave up his material body at Hardwar on the bank of the Ganges. He regained his original spiritual body, which was a body appropriate for an associate of the Lord. PURPORT The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam “One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”
The result of perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that after giving up one’s material body, one is immediately transferred to the spiritual world in one’s original spiritual body to become an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some devotees go to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, and others go to Goloka Vṛndāvana to become associates of Kṛṣṇa.
SB6.2.44 TEXT 44 sākaṁ vihāyasā vipro mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkaraiḥ haimaṁ vimānam āruhya yayau yatra śriyaḥ patiḥ SYNONYMS sākam—along; vihāyasā—by the path in the sky, or the airways; vipraḥ—the brāhmaṇa (Ajāmila); mahāpuruṣa-kiṅkaraiḥ—with the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu; haimam—made of gold; vimānam—an airplane; āruhya—boarding; yayau—went; yatra—where; śriyaḥ patiḥ—Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune.
TRANSLATION Accompanied by the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, Ajāmila boarded an airplane made of gold. Passing through the airways, he went directly to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune. PURPORT For many years, material scientists have tried to go to the moon, but they are still unable to go there. However, the spiritual airplanes from the spiritual planets can take one back home, back to Godhead, in a second. The speed of such a spiritual plane can only be imagined. Spirit is finer than the mind, and everyone has experience of how swiftly the mind travels from one place to another. Therefore one can imagine the swiftness of the spiritual form by comparing it to the speed of the mind. In less than even a moment, a perfect devotee can return home, back to Godhead, immediately after giving up his material body.
SB6.2.45 TEXT 45 evaṁ sa viplāvita-sarva-dharmā dāsyāḥ patiḥ patito garhya-karmaṇā nipātyamāno niraye hata-vrataḥ sadyo vimukto bhagavan-nāma gṛhṇan SYNONYMS evam—in this way; saḥ—he (Ajāmila); viplāvita-sarva-dharmāḥ—who gave up all religious principles; dāsyāḥ patiḥ—the husband of a prostitute; patitaḥ—fallen; garhya-karmaṇā—by being engaged in abominable activities; nipātyamānaḥ—falling; niraye—in hellish life; hata-vrataḥ—who broke all his vows; sadyaḥ—immediately; vimuktaḥ—liberated; bhagavat-nāma—the holy name of the Lord; gṛhṇan—chanting.
TRANSLATION Ajāmila was a brāhmaṇa who because of bad association had given up all brahminical culture and religious principles. Becoming most fallen, he stole, drank and performed other abominable acts. He even kept a prostitute. Thus he was destined to be carried away to hell by the order carriers of Yamarāja, but he was immediately rescued simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name Nārāyaṇa. SB6.2.46 TEXT 46 nātaḥ paraṁ karma-nibandha-kṛntanaṁ mumukṣatāṁ tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt na yat punaḥ karmasu sajjate mano rajas-tamobhyāṁ kalilaṁ tato ’nyathā SYNONYMS na—not; ataḥ—therefore; param—better means; karma-nibandha—the obligation to suffer or undergo tribulations as a result of fruitive activities; kṛntanam—that which can completely cut off; mumukṣatām—of persons desiring to get out of the clutches of material bondage; tīrtha-pada—about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at whose feet all the holy places stand; anukīrtanāt—than constantly chanting under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master; na—not; yat—because; punaḥ—again; karmasu—in fruitive activities; sajjate—becomes attached; manaḥ—the mind; rajaḥ-tamobhyām—by the modes of passion and ignorance; kalilam—contaminated; tataḥ—thereafter; anyathā—by any other means.
TRANSLATION Therefore one who desires freedom from material bondage should adopt the process of chanting and glorifying the name, fame, form and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at whose feet all the holy places stand. One cannot derive the proper benefit from other methods, such as pious atonement, speculative knowledge and meditation in mystic yoga, because even after following such methods one takes to fruitive activities again, unable to control his mind, which is contaminated by the base qualities of nature, namely passion and ignorance. PURPORT It has actually been seen that even after achieving so-called perfection, many karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs become attached to material activities again. Many so-called svāmīs and yogīs give up material activities as false (jagan mithyā), but after some time they nevertheless resume material activities by opening hospitals and schools or performing other activities for the benefit of the public. Sometimes they participate in politics, although still falsely declaring themselves sannyāsīs, members of the renounced order. The perfect conclusion, however, is that if one actually desires to get out of the material world, he must take to devotional service, which begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: [SB 7.5.23] chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has actually proved this. In the Western countries, many young boys who were addicted to drugs and who had many other bad habits, which they could not give up, abandoned all those propensities and very seriously engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord as soon as they joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In other words, this process is the perfect method of atonement for actions performed in rajaḥ and tamaḥ (passion and ignorance). As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.19):
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ As a result of rajaḥ and tamaḥ, one becomes increasingly lusty and greedy, but when one takes to the process of chanting and hearing, one comes to the platform of goodness and becomes happy. As he advances in devotional service, all his doubts are completely eradicated (bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ). Thus the knot of his desire for fruitive activities is cut to pieces.
SB6.2.47-48 TEXTS 47–48 ya etaṁ paramaṁ guhyam itihāsam aghāpaham śṛṇuyāc chraddhayā yukto yaś ca bhaktyānukīrtayet na vai sa narakaṁ yāti nekṣito yama-kiṅkaraiḥ yady apy amaṅgalo martyo viṣṇu-loke mahīyate SYNONYMS yaḥ—anyone who; etam—this; paramam—very; guhyam—confidential; itihāsam—historical narration; agha-apaham—which frees one from all reactions to sins; śṛṇuyāt—hears; śraddhayā—with faith; yuktaḥ—endowed; yaḥ—one who; ca—also; bhaktyā—with great devotion; anukīrtayet—repeats; na—not; vai—indeed; saḥ—such a person; narakam—to hell; yāti—goes; na—not; īkṣitaḥ—is observed; yama-kiṅkaraiḥ—by the order carriers of Yamarāja; yadi api—although; amaṅgalaḥ—inauspicious; martyaḥ—a living entity with a material body; viṣṇu-loke—in the spiritual world; mahīyate—is welcomed and respectfully received.
TRANSLATION Because this very confidential historical narration has the potency to vanquish all sinful reactions, one who hears or describes it with faith and devotion is no longer doomed to hellish life, regardless of his having a material body and regardless of how sinful he may have been. Indeed, the Yamadūtas, who carry out the orders of Yamarāja, do not approach him even to see him. After giving up his body, he returns home, back to Godhead, where he is very respectfully received and worshiped. SB6.2.49 TEXT 49 mriyamāṇo harer nāma gṛṇan putropacāritam ajāmilo ’py agād dhāma kim uta śraddhayā gṛṇan SYNONYMS mriyamāṇaḥ—at the time of death; hareḥ nāma—the holy name of Hari; gṛṇan—chanting; putra-upacāritam—indicating his son; ajāmilaḥ—Ajāmila; api—even; agāt—went; dhāma—to the spiritual world; kim uta—what to speak of; śraddhayā—with faith and love; gṛṇan—chanting.
TRANSLATION While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless returned home, back to Godhead. Therefore if one faithfully and inoffensively chants the holy name of the Lord, where is the doubt that he will return to Godhead? PURPORT At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are in disorder. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.
Supplementary note to this chapter.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s commentary to texts nine and ten of this chapter form a dialogue concerning how one can become free from all sinful reactions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
Someone may say, “It may be accepted that by chanting the holy name of the Lord one becomes freed from all the reactions of sinful life. However, if one commits sinful acts in full consciousness, not only once but many, many times, he is unable to free himself from the reactions of such sins even after atoning for them for twelve years or more. How is it possible, then, that simply by once chanting the holy name of the Lord one immediately becomes freed from the reactions of such sins?”
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura replies by quoting verses nine and ten of this chapter: “The chanting of the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brāhmaṇa, or for one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior. It is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers “Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.’ ”
One may atone for sinful life and vanquish all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name, although this is not called atonement. Ordinary atonement may temporarily protect a sinful person, but it does not completely cleanse his heart of the deep-rooted desire to commit sinful acts. Therefore atonement is not as powerful as the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the śāstras it is said that if a person only once chants the holy name and completely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, the Lord immediately considers him His ward and is always inclined to give him protection. This is confirmed by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Thus when Ajāmila was in great danger of being carried off by the order carriers of Yamarāja, the Lord immediately sent His personal order carriers to protect him, and because Ajāmila was freed from all sinful reactions, the Viṣṇudūtas spoke on his behalf.
Ajāmila had named his son Nārāyaṇa, and because he loved the boy very much, he would call him again and again. Although he was calling for his son, the name itself was powerful because the name Nārāyaṇa is not different from the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. When Ajāmila named his son Nārāyaṇa, all the reactions of his sinful life were neutralized, and as he continued calling his son and thus chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa thousands of times, he was actually unconsciously advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
One may argue, “Since he was constantly chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, how was it possible for him to be associating with a prostitute and thinking of wine?” By his sinful actions he was bringing suffering upon himself again and again, and therefore one may say that his ultimate chanting of Nārāyaṇa was the cause of his being freed. However, his chanting would then have been a nāma-aparādha. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: one who continues to act sinfully and tries to neutralize his sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is a nāma-aparādhī, an offender to the holy name. In response it may be said that Ajāmila’s chanting was inoffensive because he did not chant the name of Nārāyaṇa with the purpose of counteracting his sins. He did not know that he was addicted to sinful actions, nor did he know that his chanting of the name of Nārāyaṇa was neutralizing them. Thus he did not commit a nāma-aparādha, and his repeated chanting of the holy name of Nārāyaṇa while calling his son may be called pure chanting. Because of this pure chanting, Ajāmila unconsciously accumulated the results of bhakti. Indeed, even his first utterance of the holy name was sufficient to nullify all the sinful reactions of his life. To cite a logical example, a fig tree does not immediately yield fruits, but in time the fruits are available. Similarly, Ajāmila’s devotional service grew little by little, and therefore although he committed very sinful acts, the reactions did not affect him. In the śāstras it is said that if one chants the holy name of the Lord even once, the reactions of past, present or future sinful life do not affect him. To give another example, if one extracts the poison fangs of a serpent, this saves the serpent’s future victims from poisonous effects, even if the serpent bites repeatedly. Similarly, if a devotee chants the holy name even once inoffensively, this protects him eternally. He need only wait for the results of the chanting to mature in due course of time.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas.”
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