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
| Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind | Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.1.34-36
kirītinah kundalino
diśo vitimirālokāh
SYNONYMS
sarve — all of you; padma-palāśa-akshāh — with eyes like the petals of a lotus flower; pīta — yellow; kauśeya — silk; vāsasah — wearing garments; kirītinah — with helmets; kundalinah — with earrings; lasat — glittering; pushkara-mālinah — with a garland of lotus flowers; sarve — all of you; ca — also; nūtna-vayasah — very youthful; sarve — all of you; cāru — very beautiful; catuh-bhujāh — with four arms; dhanuh — bow; nishańga — quiver of arrows; asi — sword; gadā — club; śańkha — conchshell; cakra — disc; ambuja — lotus flower; śriyah — decorated with; diśah — all directions; vitimira — without darkness; ālokāh — extraordinary illumination; kurvantah — exhibiting; svena — by your own; tejasā — effulgence; kim artham — what is the purpose; dharma-pālasya — of Yamarāja, the maintainer of religious principles; kińkarān — servants; nah — us; nishedhatha — you are forbidding.
TRANSLATION
The order carriers of Yamarāja said: Your eyes are just like the petals of lotus flowers. Dressed in yellow silken garments, decorated with garlands of lotuses, and wearing very attractive helmets on your heads and earrings on your ears, you all appear fresh and youthful. Your four long arms are decorated with bows and quivers of arrows and with swords, clubs, conchshells, discs and lotus flowers. Your effulgence has dissipated the darkness of this place with extraordinary illumination. Now, sirs, why are you obstructing us?
PURPORT
Before even being introduced to a foreigner, one becomes acquainted with him through his dress, bodily features and behavior and can thus understand his position. Therefore when the Yamadūtas saw the Vishnudūtas for the first time, they were surprised. They said, "By your bodily features you appear to be very exalted gentlemen, and you have such celestial power that you have dissipated the darkness of this material world with your own effulgences. Why then should you endeavor to stop us from executing our duty?" It will be explained that the Yamadūtas, the order carriers of Yamarāja, mistakenly considered Ajāmila sinful. They did not know that although he was sinful throughout his entire life, he was purified by constantly chanting the holy name of Nārāyana. In other words, unless one is a Vaishnava, one cannot understand the activities of a Vaishnava.
The dress and bodily features of the residents of Vaikunthaloka are properly described in these verses. The residents of Vaikuntha, who are decorated with garlands and yellow silken garments, have four arms holding various weapons. Thus they conspicuously resemble Lord Vishnu. They have the same bodily features as Nārāyana because they have attained the liberation of sārūpya, but they nevertheless act as servants. All the residents of Vaikunthaloka know perfectly well that their master is Nārāyana, or Krishna, and that they are all His servants. They are all self-realized souls who are nitya-mukta, everlastingly liberated. Although they could conceivably declare themselves Nārāyana or Vishnu, they never do so; they always remain Krishna conscious and serve the Lord faithfully. Such is the atmosphere of Vaikunthaloka. Similarly, one who learns the faithful service of Lord Krishna through the Krishna consciousness movement will always remain in Vaikunthaloka and have nothing to do with the material world.
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