Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Two

Ajamila Delivered by the Visnudutas

SB6.2Summary

In this chapter the messengers from Vaikuntha explain to the Yamadutas the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord. The Visnudutas said, “Now impious acts are being performed even in an assembly of devotees, for a person who is not punishable is going to be punished in the assembly of Yamaraja. The mass of people are helpless and must depend upon the government for their safety and security, but if the government takes advantage of this to harm the citizens, where will they go? We see perfectly that Ajamila should not be punished, although you are attempting to take him to Yamaraja for punishment.”

It was due to Ajamila’s glorifying the holy name of the Supreme Lord that he was not punishable. The Visnudutas explained this as follows: “Simply by once chanting the holy name of Narayana, this brahmana has become free from the reactions of sinful life. Indeed, he has been freed not only from the sins of this life, but from the sins of many, many thousands of other lives. He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the sastras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins. Chanting the glories of the Lord’s holy name awakens all good fortune. Therefore there is no doubt that Ajamila, being completely free from all sinful reactions, should not be punished by Yamaraja.”

As they were saying this, the Visnudutas released Ajamila from the ropes of the Yamadutas and left for their own abode. The brahmana Ajamila, however, offered his respectful obeisances to the Visnudutas. He could understand how fortunate he was to have chanted the holy name of Narayana at the end of his life. Indeed, he could realize the full significance of this good fortune. Having thoroughly understood the discussion between the Yamadutas and the Visnudutas, he became a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He lamented very much for how very sinful he had been, and he condemned himself again and again.

Finally, because of his association with the Visnudutas, Ajamila, his original consciousness aroused, gave up everything and went to Hardwar, where he engaged in devotional service without deviation, always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus the Visnudutas went there, seated him on a golden throne and took him away to Vaikunthaloka.

In summary, although the sinful Ajamila meant to call his son, the holy name of Lord Narayana, even though chanted in the preliminary stage, namabhasa, was able to give him liberation. Therefore one who chants the holy name of the Lord with faith and devotion is certainly exalted. He is protected even in his material, conditional life.

SB6.2.1

TEXT 1

sri-badarayanir uvaca

evam te bhagavad-duta

yamadutabhibhasitam

upadharyatha tan rajan

pratyahur naya-kovidah

SYNONYMS

sri-badarayanih uvaca—Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva, said; evam—thus; te—they; bhagavat-dutah—the servants of Lord Visnu; yamaduta—by the servants of Yamaraja; abhibhasitam—what was spoken; upadharya—hearing; atha—then; tan—unto them; rajan—O King; pratyahuh—replied properly; naya-kovidah—being conversant in good arguments or good logic.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, the servants of Lord Visnu are always very expert in logic and arguments. After hearing the statements of the Yamadutas, they replied as follows.

SB6.2.2

TEXT 2

sri-visnuduta ucuh

aho kastam dharma-drsam

adharmah sprsate sabham

yatradandyesv apapesu

dando yair dhriyate vrtha

SYNONYMS

sri-visnudutah ucuh—the Visnudutas said; aho—alas; kastam—how painful it is; dharma-drsam—of persons interested in maintaining religion; adharmah—irreligion; sprsate—is affecting; sabham—the assembly; yatra—wherein; adandyesu—upon persons not to be punished; apapesu—who are sinless; dandah—punishment; yaih—by whom; dhriyate—is being allotted; vrtha—unnecessarily.

TRANSLATION

The Visnudutas said: Alas, how painful it is that irreligion is being introduced into an assembly where religion should be maintained. Indeed, those in charge of maintaining the religious principles are needlessly punishing a sinless, unpunishable person.

PURPORT

The Visnudutas accused the Yamadutas of violating the religious principles by attempting to drag Ajamila to Yamaraja for punishment. Yamaraja is the officer appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to judge religious and irreligious principles and to punish people who are irreligious. However, if completely sinless people are punished, the entire assembly of Yamaraja is contaminated. This principle applies not only in the assembly of Yamaraja, but throughout human society also.

In human society, properly maintaining religious principles is the duty of the king’s court or the government. Unfortunately, in this yuga, Kali-yuga, the religious principles are tampered with, and the government cannot properly judge who is to be punished and who is not. It is said that in the Kali-yuga if one cannot spend money in court, one cannot get justice. Indeed, in courts of justice it is often found that magistrates are bribed for favorable judgments. Sometimes religious men who preach the Krsna consciousness movement for the benefit of the entire populace are arrested and harassed by the police and courts. The Visnudutas, who are Vaisnavas, lamented for these very regrettable facts. Because of their spiritual compassion for all the fallen souls, Vaisnavas go out to preach according to the standard method of all religious principles, but unfortunately, because of the influence of Kali-yuga, Vaisnavas who have dedicated their lives to preaching the glories of the Lord are sometimes harassed and punished by courts on false charges of disturbing the peace.

SB6.2.3

TEXT 3

prajanam pitaro ye ca

sastarah sadhavah samah

yadi syat tesu vaisamyam

kam yanti saranam prajah

SYNONYMS

prajanam—of the citizens; pitarah—protectors, guardians (kings or government servants); ye—they who; ca—and; sastarah—give instructions concerning law and order; sadhavah—endowed with all good qualities; samah—equal to everyone; yadi—if; syat—there is; tesu—among them; vaisamyam—partiality; kam—what; yanti—will go to; saranam—shelter; prajah—the citizens.

TRANSLATION

A king or governmental official should be so well qualified that he acts as a father, maintainer and protector of the citizens because of affection and love. He should give the citizens good advice and instructions according to the standard scriptures and should be equal to everyone. Yamaraja does this, for he is the supreme master of justice, and so do those who follow in his footsteps. However, if such persons become polluted and exhibit partiality by punishing an innocent, blameless person, where will the citizens go to take shelter for their maintenance and security?

PURPORT

The king, or in modern times the government, should act as the guardian of the citizens by teaching them the proper goal of life. The human form of life is especially meant for realization of one’s self and one’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because this cannot be realized in animal life. The duty of the government, therefore, is to take charge of training all the citizens in such a way that by a gradual process they will be elevated to the spiritual platform and will realize the self and his relationship with God. This principle was followed by kings like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit, Lord Ramacandra, Maharaja Ambarisa and Prahlada Maharaja. The leaders of the government must be very honest and religious because otherwise all the affairs of the state will suffer. Unfortunately, in the name of democracy, rogues and thieves are electing other rogues and thieves to the most important posts in the government. Recently this has been proven in America, where the president had to be condemned and dragged down from his post by the citizens. This is only one case, but there are many others. Because of the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement, people should be Krsna conscious and should not vote for anyone who is not Krsna conscious. Then there will be actual peace and prosperity in the state. When a Vaisnava sees mismanagement in the government, he feels great compassion in his heart and tries his best to purify the situation by spreading the Hare Krsna movement.

SB6.2.4

TEXT 4

yad yad acarati sreyan

itaras tat tad ihate

sa yat pramanam kurute

lokas tad anuvartate

SYNONYMS

yat yat—whatever; acarati—executes; sreyan—a first-class man with full knowledge of religious principles; itarah—the subordinate man; tat tat—that; ihate—performs; sah—he (the great man); yat—whatever; pramanam—as evidence or as the right thing; kurute—accepts; lokah—the general public; tat—that; anuvartate—follows.

TRANSLATION

The mass of people follow the example of a leader in society and imitate his behavior. They accept as evidence whatever the leader accepts.

PURPORT

Although Ajamila was not punishable, the Yamadutas were insisting on taking him away to Yamaraja for punishment. This was adharma, contrary to religious principles. The Visnudutas feared that if such irreligious acts were allowed, the management of human society would be spoiled. In modern times, the Krsna consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Krsna movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service. The Hare Krsna movement is the right movement for ameliorating the fallen condition of human society, and therefore governments and public leaders in every part of the world should support this movement to completely rectify humanity’s sinful condition.

SB6.2.5-6

TEXTS 5–6

yasyanke sira adhaya

lokah svapiti nirvrtah

svayam dharmam adharmam va

na hi veda yatha pasuh

sa katham nyarpitatmanam

krta-maitram acetanam

visrambhaniyo bhutanam

saghrno dogdhum arhati

SYNONYMS

yasya—of whom; anke—on the lap; sirah—the head; adhaya—placing; lokah—the general mass of people; svapiti—sleep; nirvrtah—in peace; svayam—personally; dharmam—religious principles or the goal of life; adharmam—irreligious principles; va—or; na—not; hi—indeed; veda—know; yatha—exactly like; pasuh—an animal; sah—such a person; katham—how; nyarpita-atmanam—unto the living entity who has fully surrendered; krta-maitram—endowed with good faith and friendship; acetanam—with undeveloped consciousness, foolish; visrambhaniyah—deserving to be the object of faith; bhutanam—of the living entities; sa-ghrnah—who has a soft heart for the good of all people; dogdhum—to give pain; arhati—is able.

TRANSLATION

People in general are not very advanced in knowledge by which to discriminate between religion and irreligion. The innocent, unenlightened citizen is like an ignorant animal sleeping in peace with its head on the lap of its master, faithfully believing in the master’s protection. If a leader is actually kindhearted and deserves to be the object of a living entity’s faith, how can he punish or kill a foolish person who has fully surrendered in good faith and friendship?

PURPORT

The Sanskrit word visvasta-ghata refers to one who breaks faith or causes a breach of trust. The mass of people should always feel security because of the government’s protection. Therefore, how regrettable it is for the government itself to cause a breach of trust and put the citizens in difficulty for political reasons. We actually saw during the partition days in India that although Hindus and Muslims were living together peacefully, manipulation by politicians suddenly aroused feelings of hatred between them, and thus the Hindus and Muslims killed one another over politics. This is a sign of Kali-yuga. In this age, animals are kept nicely sheltered, completely confident that their masters will protect them, but unfortunately as soon as the animals are fat, they are immediately sent for slaughter. Such cruelty is condemned by Vaisnavas like the Visnudutas. Indeed, the hellish conditions already described await the sinful men responsible for such suffering. One who betrays the confidence of a living entity who takes shelter of him in good faith, whether that living entity be a human being or an animal, is extremely sinful. Because such betrayals now go unpunished by the government, all of human society is terribly contaminated. The people of this age are therefore described as mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. As a consequence of such sinfulness, men are condemned (mandah), their intelligence is unclear (sumanda-matayah), they are unfortunate (manda-bhagyah), and therefore they are always disturbed by many problems (upadrutah). This is their situation in this life, and after death they are punished in hellish conditions.

SB6.2.7

TEXT 7

ayam hi krta-nirveso

janma-koty-amhasam api

yad vyajahara vivaso

nama svasty-ayanam hareh

SYNONYMS

ayam—this person (Ajamila); hi—indeed; krta-nirvesah—has undergone all kinds of atonement; janma—of births; koti—of millions; amhasam—for the sinful activities; api—even; yat—because; vyajahara—he has chanted; vivasah—in a helpless condition; nama—the holy name; svasti-ayanam—the means of liberation; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Ajamila has already atoned for all his sinful actions. Indeed, he has atoned not only for sins performed in one life but for those performed in millions of lives, for in a helpless condition he chanted the holy name of Narayana. Even though he did not chant purely, he chanted without offense, and therefore he is now pure and eligible for liberation.

PURPORT

The Yamadutas had considered only the external situation of Ajamila. Since he was extremely sinful throughout his life, they thought he should be taken to Yamaraja and did not know that he had become free from the reactions of all his sins. The Visnudutas therefore instructed that because he had chanted the four syllables of the name Narayana at the time of his death, he was freed from all sinful reactions. In this regard Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes the following verses from the smrti-sastra:

namno hi yavati saktih
papa-nirharane hareh
tavat kartum na saknoti
patakam pataki narah

“Simply by chanting one holy name of Hari, a sinful man can counteract the reactions to more sins than he is able to commit.” (Brhad-visnu Purana)

avasenapi yan-namni
kirtite sarva-patakaih
puman vimucyate sadyah
simha-trastair mrgair iva

“If one chants the holy name of the Lord, even in a helpless condition or without desiring to do so, all the reactions of his sinful life depart, just as when a lion roars, all the small animals flee in fear.” (Garuda Purana)

sakrd uccaritam yena
harir ity aksara-dvayam
baddha-parikaras tena
moksaya gamanam prati

“By once chanting the holy name of the Lord, which consists of the two syllables ha-ri, one guarantees his path to liberation.” (Skanda Purana)

These are some of the reasons why the Visnudutas objected to the Yamadutas’ taking Ajamila to the court of Yamaraja.

SB6.2.8

TEXT 8

etenaiva hy aghono ’sya

krtam syad agha-niskrtam

yada narayanayeti

jagada catur-aksaram

SYNONYMS

etena—by this (chanting); eva—indeed; hi—certainly; aghonah—who possesses sinful reactions; asya—of this (Ajamila); krtam—performed; syat—is; agha—of sins; niskrtam—complete atonement; yada—when; narayana—O Narayana (the name of his son); aya—please come; iti—thus; jagada—he chanted; catuh-aksaram—the four syllables (na-ra-ya-na).

TRANSLATION

The Visnudutas continued: Even previously, while eating and at other times, this Ajamila would call his son, saying, “My dear Narayana, please come here.” Although calling the name of his son, he nevertheless uttered the four syllables na-ra-ya-na. Simply by chanting the name of Narayana in this way, he sufficiently atoned for the sinful reactions of millions of lives.

PURPORT

Previously, when engaged in sinful activities to maintain his family, Ajamila chanted the name of Narayana without offenses. To chant the holy name of the Lord just to counteract one’s sinful activities, or to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name, is offensive (namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih). But although Ajamila engaged in sinful activities, he never chanted the holy name of Narayana to counteract them; he simply chanted the name Narayana to call his son. Therefore his chanting was effective. Because of chanting the holy name of Narayana in this way, he had already vanquished the accumulated sinful reactions of many, many lives. In the beginning he was pure, but although he later committed many sinful acts, he was offenseless because he did not chant the holy name of Narayana to counteract them. One who always chants the holy name of the Lord without offenses is always pure. As confirmed in this verse Ajamila was already sinless, and because he chanted the name of Narayana he remained sinless. It did not matter that he was calling his son; the name itself was effective.

SB6.2.9-10

TEXTS 9–10

stenah sura-po mitra-dhrug

brahma-ha guru-talpa-gah

stri-raja-pitr-go-hanta

ye ca patakino ’pare

sarvesam apy aghavatam

idam eva suniskrtam

nama-vyaharanam visnor

yatas tad-visaya matih

SYNONYMS

stenah—one who steals; sura-pah—a drunkard; mitra-dhruk—one who turns against a friend or relative; brahma-ha—one who kills a brahmana; guru-talpa-gah—one who indulges in sex with the wife of his teacher or guru; stri—women; raja—king; pitr—father; go—of cows; hanta—the killer; ye—those who; ca—also; patakinah—committed sinful activities; apare—many others; sarvesam—of all of them; api—although; agha-vatam—persons who have committed many sins; idam—this; eva—certainly; su-niskrtam—perfect atonement; nama-vyaharanam—chanting of the holy name; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; yatah—because of which; tat-visaya—on the person who chants the holy name; matih—His attention.

TRANSLATION

The chanting of the holy name of Lord Visnu 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 brahmana, 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 Visnu, 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.”

SB6.2.11

TEXT 11

na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis

tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih

yatha harer nama-padair udahrtais

tad uttamasloka-gunopalambhakam

SYNONYMS

na—not; niskrtaih—by the processes of atonement; uditaih—prescribed; brahma-vadibhih—by learned scholars such as Manu; tatha—to that extent; visuddhyati—becomes purified; agha-van—a sinful man; vrata-adibhih—by observing the vows and regulative principles; yatha—as; hareh—of Lord Hari; nama-padaih—by the syllables of the holy name; udahrtaih—chanted; tat—that; uttamasloka—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna—of the transcendental qualities; upalambhakam—reminding one.

TRANSLATION

By following the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or undergoing atonement, sinful men do not become as purified as by chanting once the holy name of Lord Hari. Although ritualistic atonement may free one from sinful reactions, it does not awaken devotional service, unlike the chanting of the Lord’s names, which reminds one of the Lord’s fame, qualities, attributes, pastimes and paraphernalia.

PURPORT

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that the chanting of the holy name of the Lord has special significance that distinguishes it from the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement for severe, more severe or most severe sinful actions. There are twenty types of religious scriptures called dharma-sastras, beginning with the Manu-samhita and parasara-samhita, but herein it is stressed that although one may become free from the reactions of the most sinful activities by following the religious principles of these scriptures, this cannot promote a sinful man to the stage of loving service to the Lord. On the other hand, chanting the holy name of the Lord even once not only frees one immediately from the reactions of the greatest sins, but also raises one to the platform of rendering loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described as uttamasloka because He is famous for His glorious activities. Thus one serves the Lord by remembering His form, His attributes and pastimes. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that this is all possible simply by chanting the Lord’s holy name because of the Lord’s omnipotence. What cannot be achieved through the performance of Vedic rituals can be easily achieved through the chanting of the Lord’s holy name. To chant the holy name and dance in ecstasy is so easy and sublime that one can achieve all the benefits of spiritual life simply by following this process. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu declares, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: “All glories to Sri Krsna sankirtana!” The sankirtana movement we have started offers the best process for becoming purified of all sinful reactions and coming immediately to the platform of spiritual life.

SB6.2.12

TEXT 12

naikantikam tad dhi krte ’pi niskrte

manah punar dhavati ced asat-pathe

tat karma-nirharam abhipsatam harer

gunanuvadah khalu sattva-bhavanah

SYNONYMS

na—not; aikantikam—absolutely cleansed; tat—the heart; hi—because; krte—very nicely performed; api—although; niskrte—atonement; manah—the mind; punah—again; dhavati—runs; cet—if; asat-pathe—on the path of material activities; tat—therefore; karma-nirharam—cessation of the fruitive reactions of material activities; abhipsatam—for those who seriously want; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna-anuvadah—constant chanting of the glories; khalu—indeed; sattva-bhavanah—actually purifying one’s existence.

TRANSLATION

The ritualistic ceremonies of atonement recommended in the religious scriptures are insufficient to cleanse the heart absolutely because after atonement one’s mind again runs toward material activities. Consequently, for one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely.

PURPORT

The statements in this verse have been confirmed previously 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 relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” It is the special mercy of the Supreme Lord that as soon as He knows that one is glorifying His name, fame and attributes, He personally helps cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. Therefore simply by such glorification one not only becomes purified, but also achieves the results of pious activities (punya-sravana-kirtana). Punya-sravana-kirtana refers to the process of devotional service. Even if one does not understand the meaning of the Lord’s name, pastimes or attributes, one is purified simply by hearing or chanting of them. Such purification is called sattva-bhavana.

One’s main purpose in human life should be to purify his existence and achieve liberation. As long as one has a material body, one is understood to be impure. In such an impure, material condition, one cannot enjoy a truly blissful life, although everyone seeks it. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.1) says, tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyet: one must perform tapasya, austerity, to purify his existence in order to come to the spiritual platform. The tapasya of chanting and glorifying the name, fame and attributes of the Lord is a very easy purifying process by which everyone can be happy. Therefore everyone who desires the ultimate cleansing of his heart must adopt this process. Other processes, such as karma, jnana and yoga, cannot cleanse the heart absolutely.

SB6.2.13

TEXT 13

athainam mapanayata

krtasesagha-niskrtam

yad asau bhagavan-nama

mriyamanah samagrahit

SYNONYMS

atha—therefore; enam—him (Ajamila); ma—do not; apanayata—try to take; krta—already done; asesa—unlimited; agha-niskrtam—atonement for his sinful actions; yat—because; asau—he; bhagavat-nama—the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mriyamanah—while dying; samagrahit—perfectly chanted.

TRANSLATION

At the time of death, this Ajamila helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord, Narayana. That chanting alone has already freed him from the reactions of all sinful life. Therefore, O servants of Yamaraja, do not try to take him to your master for punishment in hellish conditions.

PURPORT

The Visnudutas, who are superior authorities, gave orders to the Yamadutas, who did not know that Ajamila was no longer subject to tribulation in hellish life for his past sins. Although he had chanted the holy name Narayana to indicate his son, the holy name is so transcendentally powerful that he was automatically freed because he had chanted the holy name while dying (ante narayana-smrtih). As Krsna confirms 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.” Unless one is freed from all sinful reactions, one cannot be promoted to the platform of devotional service. Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (8.5) it is stated:

anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah

If one remembers Krsna, Narayana, at the time of death, one is certainly eligible to return immediately home, back to Godhead.

SB6.2.14

TEXT 14

sanketyam parihasyam va

stobham helanam eva va

vaikuntha-nama-grahanam

asesagha-haram viduh

SYNONYMS

sanketyam—as an assignation; parihasyam—jokingly; va—or; stobham—as musical entertainment; helanam—neglectfully; eva—certainly; va—or; vaikuntha—of the Lord; nama-grahanam—chanting the holy name; asesa—unlimited; agha-haram—neutralizing the effect of sinful life; viduh—advanced transcendentalists know.

TRANSLATION

One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.

Next verse (SB6.2.15)