Srimad Bhagavatam – day 321
Sixth Canto Chapter Two
In this chapter, Ajāmila’s accent to Vaikunṭha is explained.
Maharishi Śuka said to Emperor Parikshit, “O King, attendants of Vishnu possess great expertise in issuing judgment in matters of dharma. Having heard all that Yama’s attendants had to say, they replied as follows,
“Oho! What calamity has befallen! Unrighteousness has entered assemblies where righteousness should be adhered! The innocent who are faultless are being issued punishments. If noble persons, who have to rule over the society treating everyone as their children and who have to rule with feelings of equanimity, themselves punish the innocent, then what will be the fate of the ordinary? Under whom will they seek shelter?
Yad yad ācarati śreyān itaras tat tad īhate
Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
This is a supreme mantra.
Ordinary people always imitate actions of great leaders. They will accept blindly whatever is declared as dharma by such leader. For this reason, leaders should always be alert. Ordinary people cannot differentiate between righteousness and unrighteousness with their self-efforts.
How can a trustworthy and compassionate noble leader ever mislead those who have placed implicit faith in him and who have whole-heartedly surrendered to him?
Ajāmila has atoned not only for the sins of this birth but also for the sins of millions of his past births. This is because this man uttered the Supreme Lord’s name at the moment of death. Although it was unintentional this sinner uttered the four-syllable mantra “Nārāyaṇa” at the time of death. With this he has atoned for all his sins”.
Swamiji explains: Hearing Ajāmila’s story it is wrong to assume that we can indulge in sins throughout life and then call out the Lord’s name at the time of death. What is the guarantee that the Lord’s name will come to memory of a sinner at the time of death? At the time of death, it is almost impossible to think of God. The desire to continue living; the desire to enjoy comforts; the desire to eat tasty food etc. come to the memory of sinners.
‘My money is in that locker, what will happen to my property after my death, will the person who borrowed money repay it’ – such thoughts only prevail in the mind at the time of death. It is impossible for such persons to even remotely think about God. The person who declares that he will think of God at the moment of death is an escapist.
Even in uttering the Lord’s name at the time of death there is a procedure. His name should be chanted with the mind totally fixed upon Him. It should be a call from the heart. Simply calling out “Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa” when the mind is filled with other thoughts is a waste. In Ajāmila’s case, whole-heartedly, with no other thought in his mind, he called out his son Nārāyaṇa.
“Chanting Lord Vishnu’s name is the only atonement for a person who has stolen gold; to a drunkard; a person who cheats his own friend, who desires the Guru’s wife; who has murdered a Brahmin Vedic scholar, woman, child, king, parents, cow or buffalo; and who has indulged in other terrible sins. Due to regular chanting of the Lord Vishnu’s name, his mind will be fixed upon the Lord. The Lord’s grace will fall upon him.
To be freed from sins, Vedic scholars recommend many different types of atonement procedures and rituals. However, the degree of purity that a sinner obtains by chanting the Lord’s name cannot be obtained by any atonement procedures! The ever-pure Lord Srihari, who is of supreme repute, shines in the heart of the person who calls out his name”.
Swamiji says: So many exemptions are being given in Bhāgavatam for the ordinary sinners. Hence sinners and ordinary people should, without waiting for the last moment, begin chanting His name from early age. This habit should be cultivated early on. In old age when the eyes and ears fail, when the person is tormented by various diseases, the mind will be focused only upon the bodily pain. It will not travel towards God. The least a person can do is to keep God’s name for his children.
Without his knowledge, Ajāmila’s unconditional love for his son transformed into bhakti. He called out to his son with the same degree of love with which one addresses the Supreme Lord Nārāyana. The moment he called out to his son with such supreme focused love, the Supreme Lord illumined in his heart.
Even after completion of atonement, if the person’s mind travels back towards sinful activities then the atonement would have served no purpose. It would have failed to cleanse the mind.
Therefore those who desire complete freedom from worldly bondages should mandatorily sing the glories of Lord Srihari! This is imperative. They should develop unflinching love towards Srihari and towards Bhāgavatam.
Irrespective of the time, situation and condition, they should rush to listen to Bhāgavatam if it is being narrated by someone. Even if just one word of Bhāgavatam is understood it is of immense benefit. It is not easy to understand Bhāgavatam. We should strive to understand at least a little of it. With this the inner mind will be completely purified and will bless us with liberation.
Just as we place our love upon our children or upon our desires we should place it on Lord as well. If in the last moments the focus is on the assets, children etc. and the person grieves to leave them, then he cannot whole-heartedly think of God.
Govindāya namah