By Hansadutta das
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One who has studied the Bhagavad-gita
a little bit, who has drunk a tiny drop of Ganges water, who has
worshipped the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna even once shall
never come under the scrutiny of the Lord of Death.
In the first three chapters of the Sixth Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a story of a pure brahmana
boy named Ajamila, who fell down from his standard of spiritual life
because he happened to see a low-class man and a prostitute embracing
sexually. He became agitated and eventually took that prostitute for a
maid servant in his house. Then Ajamila actually left his legally
wedded wife, went off with the prostitute, became her husband and begot
children by her. He became a drunkard and a thief and fallen in every
way.
Toward the end of his life, when Ajamila was dying, he was calling out
for
his youngest child, whose name was Narayana, also a name of Vishnu.
Just
then, because it was the moment of his death, the messengers of
Yamaraja, the Lord of Death, appeared there to take away his soul for
punishment to the Plutonic planet of Yamaraja. But at the same time,
the messengers of
Vishnu also appeared, interfering with their business at hand. The
Vishnudutas
ordered the Yamadutas to release Ajamila, the sinful man. Afterwards,
the
Yamadutas went back to their master, Yamaraja, and questioned him about
this
incident. In the course of their conversation, Yamaraja explained that
there
are many controllers in the universe, and that he is only one of them.
The Supreme Controller of all living entities is Vishnu,
and Yamaraja is also a servant of Vishnu. Yamaraja further explained
that although he has control over the sinful living entities within
this universe, still that is a very small percentage of the living
entities, because those who are below the human species are not subject
to commit sinful activities. They are evolving in a natural way through
the evolutionary cycle. Amongst human beings, Yamaraja has jurisdiction
only over those who are sinful, but he has no jurisdiction over those
who are devotees of Vishnu.
Yamaraja explained that although Ajamila was sinful
throughout his life, because he was accustomed to chanting the name of
Narayana in
calling out for his youngest child, he was therefore immediately
relieved
of all reactions to his sinful deeds. Although he chanted the name
without
knowing, or without any intention of calling Lord Vishnu, still the
holy
name of the Lord is absolute, it has the same potency as the Lord
Himself.
By once chanting the name without any offence, a person becomes
relieved
of all sinful reactions--more than one is able to commit in hundreds of
thousands of lifetimes. In this way, Ajamila was liberated unknowingly,
even though he was sinful throughout his life. In that chapter there
are
repeated descriptions about the efficacy and the potency of chanting
the
holy name, even in joking, even by accident, even while asleep or, as
in
the case of Ajamila, even without any intention to chant. The same
principle
is expressed here that a person who has studied the Bhagavad-gita
even once, who has taken one drop of Ganges water, or worshipped the
Supreme
Personality of Godhead Krishna even once never comes under the
jurisdiction
of Yamaraja.
In Bhagavad-gita it is also said, "In this
endeavor there is a no diminution nor loss. Even a little advancement
on
this path can save one from the most dangerous type of fear." (Bhagavad-gita
2.40 ) The most dangerous thing is to lose the opportunity of human
life. To glide down into the species of animal life is the most
dangerous thing. Although we have come to this human form of life, we
are not aware of the great boon it brings us. Narottama das Thakur has
a prayer about this: "Although I have come to this human form, my Lord,
I have passed my life uselessly. I did not care to worship Radha and
Krishna-- Ishta-deve vijñapti. I have spent my life
uselessly." People have no awareness of the value of human life. They
are misusing it by indulging in various types of sense gratification.
That is unfortunate, because human life is rarely achieved.
Rishabhadeva says the same thing in Srimad-Bhagavatam:tapo
divyam putraka yena sattvam. "Human life is rarely achieved, and if
we get it, we should not waste
it in pursuit of sense gratification, which is automatically available
even to lower species of life, like cats and dogs and hogs. We should
practice penance and austerity in order to achieve divine life." (
Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1)
This is the age of darkness and quarrel, so naturally
there is no idea of spiritual life. People are busy only in taking care
of the temporary material body and its relationships, such as wife,
children and friends. They do not make any endeavor to get out of the
cycle of birth and death. They do not believe in it, or what is more
unfortunate, they
have not even heard of it. In Kali-yuga there is no knowledge.
There
is only the struggle to exist--to eat and sleep.
We are fortunate, because somehow or other we have come
in touch with this Krishna consciousness movement and are getting a
chance to go home, back to Godhead. So we should always appreciate our
good fortune and very enthusiastically and with determination try to
make more and more progress. Hare Krishna.
