Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for MankindChapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.1.28-29

sa pāśa-hastāms trīn drishtvā

purushān ati-dārunān

vakra-tundān ūrdhva-romna

ātmānam netum āgatān

dūre krīdanakāsaktam

putram nārāyanāhvayam

plāvitena svarenoccair

ājuhāvākulendriyah

SYNONYMS

sah — that person (Ajāmila); pāśa-hastān — having ropes in their hands; trīn — three; drishtvā — seeing; purushān — persons; ati-dārunān — very fearful in their features; vakra-tundān — with twisted faces; ūrdhva-romnah — with hair standing on the body; ātmānam — the self; netumto take away; āgatān — arrived; dūrea short distance away; krīdanaka-āsaktam — engaged in his play; putram — his child; nārāyana-āhvayam — named Nārāyana; plāvitena — with tearful eyes; svarena — with his voice; uccaih — very loudly; ājuhāva — called; ākula-indriyah — being full of anxiety.

TRANSLATION

Ajāmila then saw three awkward persons with deformed bodily features, fierce, twisted faces, and hair standing erect on their bodies. With ropes in their hands, they had come to take him away to the abode of Yamarāja. When he saw them he was extremely bewildered, and because of attachment to his child, who was playing a short distance away, Ajāmila began to call him loudly by his name. Thus with tears in his eyes he somehow or other chanted the holy name of Nārāyana.

PURPORT

A person who performs sinful activities performs them with his body, mind and words. Therefore three order carriers from Yamarāja came to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja's abode. Fortunately, even though he was referring to his son, Ajāmila chanted the four syllables of the hari-nāma Nārāyana, and therefore the order carriers of Nārāyana, the Vishnudūtas, also immediately arrived there. Because Ajāmila was extremely afraid of the ropes of Yamarāja, he chanted the Lord's name with tearful eyes. Actually, however, he never meant to chant the holy name of Nārāyana; he meant to call his son.

<<< >>>

Buy Online Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness