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tasya—of Him; atma-tantrasya—being self-sufficient, not dependent on any other person; hareh—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhisituh—who is the master of everything; parasya—the Transcendence; maya-adhipateh—the master of the illusory energy; maha-atmanah—of the Supreme Soul; prayena—almost; dutah—the order carriers; iha—in this world; vai—indeed; manoharah—pleasing in their dealings and bodily features; caranti—they move; tat—of Him; rupa—possessing the bodily features; guna—the transcendental qualities; svabhavah—and nature.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient and fully independent. He is the master of everyone and everything, including the illusory energy. He has His form, qualities and features; and similarly His order carriers, the Vaisnavas, who are very beautiful, possess bodily features, transcendental qualities and a transcendental nature almost like His. They always wander within this world with full independence.

Yamaraja was describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, but the order carriers of Yamaraja were very eager to know about the Visnudutas, who had defeated them in their encounter with Ajamila. Yamaraja therefore stated that the Visnudutas resemble the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their bodily features, transcendental qualities and nature. In other words, the Visnudutas, or Vaisnavas, are almost as qualified as the Supreme Lord. Yamaraja informed the Yamadutas that the Visnudutas are no less powerful than Lord Visnu. Since Visnu is above Yamaraja, the Visnudutas are above the Yamadutas. Persons protected by the Visnudutas, therefore, cannot be touched by the Yamadutas.

SB6.3.18

TEXT 18

bhutani visnoh sura-pujitani

durdarsa-lingani mahadbhutani

raksanti tad-bhaktimatah parebhyo

mattas ca martyan atha sarvatas ca

bhutani—living entities or servants; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; sura-pujitani—who are worshiped by the demigods; durdarsa-lingani—possessing forms not easily seen; maha-adbhutani—greatly wonderful; raksanti—they protect; tat-bhakti-matah—the devotees of the Lord; parebhyah—from others who are inimical; mattah—from me (Yamaraja) and my order carriers; ca—and; martyan—the human beings; atha—thus; sarvatah—from everything; ca—and.

The order carriers of Lord Visnu, who are worshiped even by the demigods, possess wonderful bodily features exactly like those of Visnu and are very rarely seen. The Visnudutas protect the devotees of the Lord from the hands of enemies, from envious persons and even from my jurisdiction, as well as from natural disturbances.

Yamaraja has specifically described the qualities of the Visnudutas to convince his own servants not to be envious of them. Yamaraja warned the Yamadutas that the Visnudutas are worshiped with respectful obeisances by the demigods and are always very alert to protect the devotees of the Lord from the hands of enemies, from natural disturbances and from all dangerous conditions in this material world. Sometimes the members of the Krsna Consciousness Society are afraid of the impending danger of world war and ask what would happen to them if a war should occur. In all kinds of danger, they should be confident of their protection by the Visnudutas or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati). Material danger is not meant for devotees. This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam: in this material world there are dangers at every step, but they are not meant for devotees who have fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The pure devotees of Lord Visnu may rest assured of the Lord’s protection, and as long as they are in this material world they should fully engage in devotional service by preaching the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krsna, namely the Hare Krsna movement of Krsna consciousness.

SB6.3.19

TEXT 19

dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam

na vai vidur rsayo napi devah

na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah

kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

dharmam—real religious principles, or bona fide laws of religion; tu—but; saksat—directly; bhagavat—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pranitam—enacted; na—not; vai—indeed; viduh—they know; rsayah—the great rsis such as Bhrgu; na—not; api—also; devah—the demigods; na—nor; siddha-mukhyah—the chief leaders of Siddhaloka; asurah—the demons; manusyah—the inhabitants of Bhurloka, the human beings; kutah—where; nu—indeed; vidyadhara—the lesser demigods known as Vidyadharas; carana—the residents of the planets where people are by nature great musicians and singers; adayah—and so on.

Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great rsis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyadharas and Caranas.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh

When challenged by the Visnudutas to describe the principles of religion, the Yamadutas said, veda-pranihito dharmah: the religious principles are the principles enacted in the Vedic literature. They did not know, however, that the Vedic literature contains ritualistic ceremonies that are not transcendental, but are meant to keep peace and order among materialistic persons in the material world. Real religious principles are nistraigunya, above the three modes of material nature, or transcendental. The Yamadutas did not know these transcendental religious principles, and therefore when prevented from arresting Ajamila they were surprised. Materialistic persons who attach all their faith to the Vedic rituals are described in Bhagavad-gita (2.42), wherein Krsna says, veda-vada-ratah partha nanyad astiti vadinah: the supposed followers of the Vedas say that there is nothing beyond the Vedic ceremonies. Indeed, there is a group of men in India who are very fond of the Vedic rituals, not understanding the meaning of these rituals, which are intended to elevate one gradually to the transcendental platform of knowing Krsna (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). Those who do not know this principle but who simply attach their faith to the Vedic rituals are called veda-vada-ratah.

Herein it is stated that the real religious principle is that which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That principle is stated in Bhagavad-gita. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] one should give up all other duties and surrender unto the lotus feet of Krsna. That is the real religious principle everyone should follow. Even though one follows Vedic scriptures, one may not know this transcendental principle, for it is not known to everyone. To say nothing of human beings, even the demigods in the upper planetary systems are unaware of it. This transcendental religious principle must be understood from the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly or from His special representative, as stated in the next verses.

SB6.3.20-21

TEXTS 20–21

kumarah kapilo manuh

prahlado janako bhismo

balir vaiyasakir vayam

dvadasaite vijanimo

dharmam bhagavatam bhatah

guhyam visuddham durbodham

yam jnatvamrtam asnute

svayambhuh—Lord Brahma; naradah—the great saint Narada; sambhuh—Lord Siva; kumarah—the four Kumaras; kapilah—Lord Kapila; manuh—Svayambhuva Manu; prahladah—Prahlada Maharaja; janakah—Janaka Maharaja; bhismah—Grandfather Bhisma; balih—Bali Maharaja; vaiyasakih—Sukadeva, the son of Vyasadeva; vayam—we; dvadasa—twelve; ete—these; vijanimah—know; dharmam—real religious principles; bhagavatam—which teach a person how to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhatah—O my dear servants; guhyam—very confidential; visuddham—transcendental, not contaminated by the material modes of nature; durbodham—not easily understood; yam—which; jnatva—understanding; amrtam—eternal life; asnute—he enjoys.

Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.

pumsam dharmah parah smrtah

In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna refers to bhagavata-dharma as the most confidential religious principle (sarva-guhyatamam, guhyad guhyataram). Krsna says to Arjuna, “Because you are My very dear friend, I am explaining to you the most confidential religion.” Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] “Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me.” One may ask, “If this principle is very rarely understood, what is the use of it?” In answer, Yamaraja states herein that this religious principle is understandable if one follows the parampara system of Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras and the other standard authorities. There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahma, one from Lord Siva, one from Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumaras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahma is called the Brahma-sampradaya, the succession from Lord Siva (Sambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradaya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji, is called the Sri-sampradaya, and the one from the Kumaras is called the Kumara-sampradaya. One must take shelter of one of these four sampradayas in order to understand the most confidential religious system. In the Padma Purana it is said, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions, his mantra or initiation is useless. In the present day there are many apasampradayas, or sampradayas which are not bona fide, which have no link to authorities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the Kumaras or Laksmi. People are misguided by such sampradayas. The sastras say that being initiated in such a sampradaya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand the real religious principles.

SB6.3.22

TEXT 22

etavan eva loke ’smin

bhakti-yogo bhagavati

tan-nama-grahanadibhih

etavan—this much; eva—indeed; loke asmin—in this material world; pumsam—of the living entities; dharmah—the religious principles; parah—transcendental; smrtah—recognized; bhakti-yogah—bhakti-yoga, or devotional service; bhagavati—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (not to the demigods); tat—His; nama—of the holy name; grahana-adibhih—beginning with chanting.

Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society.

As stated in the previous verse, dharmam bhagavatam, real religious principles, are bhagavata-dharma, the principles described in Srimad-Bhagavatam itself or in Bhagavad-gita, the preliminary study of the Bhagavatam. What are these principles? The Bhagavatam says, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ’tra: [SB 1.1.2] in Srimad-Bhagavatam there are no cheating religious systems. Everything in the Bhagavatam is directly connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavatam further says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: [SB 1.2.6] the supreme religion is that which teaches its followers how to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the reach of experimental knowledge. Such a religious system begins with tan-nama-grahana, chanting of the holy name of the Lord (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]). After chanting the holy name of the Lord and dancing in ecstasy, one gradually sees the form of the Lord, the pastimes of the Lord and the transcendental qualities of the Lord. This way one fully understands the situation of the Personality of Godhead. One can come to this understanding of the Lord, how He descends into the material world, how He takes His births and what activities He performs, but one can know this only by executing devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati: [Bg. 18.55] simply by devotional service one can understand everything about the Supreme Lord. If one fortunately understands the Supreme Lord in this way, the result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up his material body, he no longer has to take birth in this material world. Instead, he returns home, back to Godhead. That is the ultimate perfection. Therefore Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (8.15):

mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.”

SB6.3.23

TEXT 23

namoccarana-mahatmyam

hareh pasyata putrakah

ajamilo ’pi yenaiva

mrtyu-pasad amucyata

nama—of the holy name; uccarana—of the pronouncing; mahatmyam—the exalted position; hareh—of the Supreme Lord; pasyata—just see; putrakah—O my dear servants, who are like my sons; ajamilah api—even Ajamila (who was considered greatly sinful); yena—by the chanting of which; eva—certainly; mrtyu-pasat—from the ropes of death; amucyata—was delivered.

My dear servants, who are as good as my sons, just see how glorious is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The greatly sinful Ajamila chanted only to call his son, not knowing that he was chanting the Lord’s holy name. Nevertheless, by chanting the holy name of the Lord, he remembered Narayana, and thus he was immediately saved from the ropes of death.

There is no need to conduct research into the significance of the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. The history of Ajamila is sufficient proof of the power of the Lord’s holy name and the exalted position of a person who chants the holy name incessantly. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised:

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

[Adi 17.21]

In this age of Kali, no one can perform all the ritualistic ceremonies for becoming liberated; that is extremely difficult. Therefore all the sastras and all the acaryas have recommended that in this age one chant the holy name.

SB6.3.24

TEXT 24

etavatalam agha-nirharanaya pumsam

sankirtanam bhagavato guna-karma-namnam

vikrusya putram aghavan yad ajamilo ’pi

narayaneti mriyamana iyaya muktim

etavata—with this much; alam—sufficient; agha-nirharanaya—for taking away the reactions of sinful activities; pumsam—of human beings; sankirtanam—the congregational chanting; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna—of the transcendental qualities; karma-namnam—and of His names according to His activities and pastimes; vikrusya—crying to without offense; putram—his son; aghavan—the sinful; yat—since; ajamilah api—even Ajamila; narayana—the Lord’s name, Narayana; iti—thus; mriyamanah—dying; iyaya—achieved; muktim—liberation.

Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajamila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Narayana.

In the assembly of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s father, Haridasa Thakura confirmed that simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord one is liberated, even if he does not chant completely inoffensively. Smarta-brahmanas and Mayavadis do not believe that one can achieve liberation in this way, but the truth of Haridasa Thakura’s statement is supported by many quotations from Srimad-Bhagavatam.

In his commentary on this verse, for example, Sridhara Svami gives the following quotation:

sayam pratar grnan bhaktya
duhkha-gramad vimucyate

“If one always chants the holy name of the Lord with great devotion in the evening and in the morning, one can become free from all material miseries.” Another quotation confirms that one can achieve liberation if one hears the holy name of the Lord constantly, every day with great respect (anudinam idam adarena srnvan). Another quotation says:

sravanam kirtanam dhyanam
harer adbhuta-karmanah
janma-karma-gunanam ca
tad-arthe ’khila-cestitam

“One should always chant and hear about the extraordinarily wonderful activities of the Lord, one should meditate upon these activities, and one should endeavor to please the Lord.” (Bhag. 11.3.27)

Sridhara Svami also quotes from the Puranas, papa-ksayas ca bhavati smaratam tam ahar-nisam: “One can become free from all sinful reactions simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Lord day and night [ahar-nisam].” Furthermore, he quotes from Bhagavatam (6.3.31):

tasmat sankirtanam visnor
jagan-mangalam amhasam
mahatam api kauravya
viddhy aikantika-niskrtam

All these quotations prove that one who constantly engages in chanting and hearing of the holy activities, name, fame and form of the Lord is liberated. As stated wonderfully in this verse, etavatalam agha-nirharanaya pumsam: simply by uttering the name of the Lord, one is freed from all sinful reactions.

The word alam, which is used in this verse, indicates that simply uttering the holy name of the Lord is sufficient. This word is used with different imports. As stated in the Amara-kosa, the most authorized dictionary in the Sanskrit language, alam bhusana-paryapti-sakti-varana-vacakam: the word alam is used to mean “ornament,” “sufficiency,” “power” and “restraint.” Here the word alam is used to indicate that there is no need of any other process, for the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is sufficient. Even if one chants imperfectly, one becomes free from all sinful reactions by chanting.

This power of chanting the holy name was proved by the liberation of Ajamila. When Ajamila chanted the holy name of Narayana, he did not precisely remember the Supreme Lord; instead, he remembered his own son. At the time of death, Ajamila certainly was not very clean; indeed, he was famous as a great sinner. Furthermore, one’s physiological condition is completely disturbed at the time of death, and in such an awkward condition it would certainly have been very difficult for Ajamila to have chanted clearly. Nevertheless, Ajamila achieved liberation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Therefore, what is to be said of those who are not sinful like Ajamila? It is to be concluded that with a strong vow one should chant the holy name of the Lord—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—for thus one will certainly be delivered from the clutches of maya by the grace of Krsna.

The chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krsna. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, prema pum-artho mahan: one’s main concern should be to increase one’s attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one’s love for Him.

In this regard Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.19.24):

evam dharmair manusyanam
uddhavatmani vedinam
mayi sanjayate bhaktih
ko ’nyo ’rtho ’syavasisyate

“My dear Uddhava, the supreme religious system for human society is that by which one can awaken his dormant love for Me.” Commenting on this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura describes the word bhakti by saying premaivoktah. Kah anyah arthah asya: in the presence of bhakti, what is the necessity of liberation?

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura also quotes this verse from the Padma Purana:

namaparadha-yuktanam
namany eva haranty agham
avisranti-prayuktani
tany evartha-karani ca

Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. Papa-ksayas ca bhavati smaratam tam ahar-nisam: one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who quoted the following verse:

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

[Adi 17.21]

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” If the members of the Krsna consciousness movement strictly follow this recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, their position will always be secure.

SB6.3.25

TEXT 25

prayena veda tad idam na mahajano ’yam

devya vimohita-matir bata mayayalam

trayyam jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitayam

vaitanike mahati karmani yujyamanah

prayena—almost always; veda—know; tat—that; idam—this; na—not; mahajanah—great personalities besides Svayambhu, Sambhu and the other ten; ayam—this; devya—by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimohita-matih—whose intelligence is bewildered; bata—indeed; mayaya—by the illusory energy; alam—greatly; trayyam—in the three Vedas; jadi-krta-matih—whose intelligence has been dulled; madhu-puspitayam—in the flowery Vedic language describing the results of ritualistic performances; vaitanike—in the performances mentioned in the Vedas; mahati—very great; karmani—fruitive activities; yujyamanah—being engaged.

Because they are bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajnavalkya and Jaimini and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot know the secret, confidential religious system of the twelve mahajanas. They cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas—especially the Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Rg Veda—their intelligence has become dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the sankirtana movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha, kama and moksa.