Canto 6 - Chapter 1: The introductory part of the story of Ajamila

Mahāpurāṇa

Book Six

Discourse I

The introductory part of the story of Ajāmila

The king (Parikṣit) said : The path of Nivṛtti (cessation from worldly activity) has been duly delineated by your revered self, following which final beatitude (in the form of non-return to this world) is attained along with Brahmā (the creator) when He (Brahmā) has been reached by gradual stages (such as the attainment of the abode of the fire-god). (1)
And the path characterized by worldly activity has also been described (by you in Book III), O (venerable) sage—the path which has for its goal (the attainment of) heavenly and other sense-delights (the product of the three Guṇas) and which leads to repeated embodiment through the (same) Guṇas (for the enjoyment of such pleasures) in the case of the Jīvas on whom Prakṛti has not ceased her hold. (2)
The various regions of hell, which are symbolic of unrighteousness, have also been depicted by you. And so has been told at length (by you in Book IV) the story of the first Manvantara, over which presided (the Manu called) Swāyambhuva (son of Brahmā, the self-born), and so the posterity of Priyavrata and Uttānapāda as well as the story of (both) these kings. You have also narrated how the almighty Lord brought into existence the (seven) Dwipas (the principal divisions of the earth's surface) and (as many) oceans, as well as the mountains and rivers, gardens and trees, the disposition of the terrestrial globe—with (special) reference to its divisions, their distinctive character and extent—and (likewise) of the luminaries and the subterranean regions. (3—5)
Now be pleased to explain to me, O highly blessed one, how a man in this world can (manage to) escape from hell, full of various horrible tortures. (6)

Śrī Śuka replied : If a man does not atone during his very lifetime and in the proper way (as laid down in the scriptures such as Manusmṛti) for sins committed (by him) with his mind, speech and hands (body), he inevitably and actually goes after death to the infernal regions, that have already been described by me to you, and which are provide with means of severe torments. (7)
Therefore, with a body not (yet) incapacitated (for penance), one should take prompt measures here, even before death, for the atonement of one's sins, after weighing the gravity and lightness of the crime, just as a physician who knows the cause of maladies would adopt prompt remedies before it is too late, duly considering the seriousness or mildness of a complaint. (8)

The king said : Since a man, though knowing a sin to be hurtful to his self on the testimony of what is actually seen and heard of by him, repeats it (even after atoning for it), having lost control (over his self), how could there be (any) atonement (for his sins) under the circumstances (so long as the sinful propensity is there)? (9)
Now he is absolved from a sin and now he does it again. Such being the case, I account (all) atonement fruitless like the bath of an elephant (which throws dust on its body immediately after it has washed itself). (10)

Śrī Śuka replied : Indeed the counteraction of a (sinful) act through (another) action (by way of penance) is not accepted as radical (since there is every possibility of a man's falling back into sin even after the process of expiation has been undergone, so long as he is identified with the body), the ignorant (those identified with the body) alone being qualified for it (the expiatory process). Self-knowledge (alone) is (therefore) the (true) atonement (for it is knowledge alone which eradicates ignorance, the root of sin). (11)
Maladies do not actually attack him who eats only wholesome food. In the same way, he who practises self-discipline, O king, gradually becomes qualified for blessedness (final beatitude). (12)
Through concentration of mind and continence,* subjugation of the mind and control of the external Indriyas (the senses of perception and the organs of action), charity, truthfulness and purity (of body and mind), the vows of non-violence etc., and sacred observances (such as the muttering of prayers), the wise, who are conversant with (the spirit of) Dharma (righteousness) and full of reverence are able to get rid of even the greatest sin, committed through body, speech and mind, just as fire destroys a (whole) thicket of bamboos. (13-14)
A few (rarely blessed) souls, who are devoted to Lord Vasudeva, destroy (the stock of) their sins completely (with their very root in the form of ignorance) through mere devotion, even as the sun destroys mist in its entirety. (15)
Indeed a sinner, O king, is not purified so well through asceticism and other (expiatory) processes as the one who had dedicated his (very) life to Sri Kfsna through the constant service of His devotees. (16)
For in this world this path (of Devotion) is the best of all, in that it is full of bliss because it has no fear from any quarter. On this path tread pious (desireless) souls who are amiably (kindly) disposed (towards all) and devoted to Bhagavan Narayana. (17)
(All sorts of) atonements done fail to purify in a thorough way, O King of kings, him who has turned his face away from Bhagavan Narayana, even as (a number of) rivers (combined) cannot purify a jar of wine. (18)
They who have (but) once in their life fixed on the lotus-feet of Lord Sri Krsna their mind, that has conceived an attachment for His excellences, never behold even in a dream Yama (the god of retribution) and his servants, carrying a noose (in their hand), since they have actually done (all) atonement. (19)

Further, (as an illustration) on this point, the learned narrate the following old legend, in which there occurs a conversation between the messengers of Lord Visnu and Yama, (Now) hear it from me. (20)
In (the city of) Kanyakubja (the modern Kannauja) there lived a certain Brahmana, Ajamila by name, who had kept a maid-servant (a woman of the servant class) and, polluted by intercourse (cohabitation) with that Sudra woman, had cast to the winds (all) pious conduct (enjoined on a Brahmana householder). (21)
Making a reproachful living by robbery, gambling, cheating and theft and (thus) maintaining his family,the impious fellow tortured (and put to death) living beings (and supported his family on their flesh when food could not be got by other means). (22)
As he thus maintained (his) existence, fondling the (many) offspring of that Sudra woman, O king, a considerable period, equivalent to eighty- eight years of his life, rolled by. (23)
The old man had ten sons (by that woman); he who was the youngest of them, Narayana by name, was yet a child and was (therefore) greatly loved by his parents. (24)
Having fastened his heart on that sweetly lisping infant, the old fellow felt extremely delighted while watching its sports. (25)
Feeding it while (himself) taking his meals or chewing anything (by way of refreshment), and giving it water to drink while (himself) drinking it, bound as he was by (ties of) love to the child, the silly man did not perceive (the hour of) death, which had (now) arrived. (26)

Thus continuing, the fool thought of his juvenile son, named Narayana, when the hour’ of death (actually) arrived. (27)
Beholding three most terrible male figures with wry faces and hair standing on end, that had come to take him, noose in hand, Ajamila, (greatly) agitated in mind, called by name his son, named Narayana, who was busy with (his) playthings away at (some) distance (from him), in a loud and lengthened tone. (28-29)
Hearing the loud utterance of Sri Hari's (blessed name by the dying man (Ajamila), who was calling (though unconsciously) the name of their Master (Bhagavan Narayana), O great king, His attendants rushed to the spot (there) all of a sudden. (30)
The messengers of Lord Visnu stopped by force the servants of Yama, that were (at that moment) tearing (the soul of) Ajamila, who had kept a maid-servant, from inside his heart. (31)
(Thus) forbidden, the servants of Yama said to them: "Who are you that (thus) interfere with the authority of Yama (the deity presiding over righteousness)? (32)
Whose representatives are you or whence have you come, and wherefore do you forbid his being taken away (by us)? Are you (some) gods or demigods or some foremost Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers by their very birth)? (33)
With eyes resembling the petals of a lotus and clad in yellow silk, you are all adorned with a diadem, a pair of ear-rings and a shining wreath of lotuses!(34)
Besides, you are all in the bloom of youth and all possessed of four lovely arms and graced with a bow, quiver, sword, mace, conch, discus and lotus. (35)
Driving away the darkness of the quarters and overshadowing (all) other (material) lights by your splendour, what for do you hinder us, the servants of Yama (the protector of virtue)?" (36)

Sri §uka continued : In reply to the aforesaid questions asked by those messengers of Yama, the servants of Lord Vasudeva heartily laughed and addressed the following (words) to them in a voice (deep) as the rumbling of clouds. (37)

The messengers of Viṣṇu said : If you are really servants of Yama (the deity presiding over righteousness), (please) tell us the true character of virtue and also the means of ascertaining it. (38)
How is punishment meted out and who is intended to be its object? Are all the doers subject to punishment or (only) some (doers) of the human species? (39)

The messengers of Yama replied : Dharma (righteousness) is (that which is) enjoined by the Veda and the reverse of it (that which is forbidden by the Veda) is Adharma (unrighteousness). And we have heard (from Yama and others) that the Veda is Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa Himself (from whom it has emanated) and self-born (in the sense that it flows from His nostrils by way of respiration without any conscious effort on His part). (40)
It is by Nārāyaṇa that all these existences (living beings) made up of (the three modes of Prakṛti, viz.,) Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, are duly evolved in His own being with (their distinctive) qualities, denominations, activities and forms. (41)
The sun, the fire, the sky, the air, the Indriyas (the senses of perception and the organs of action), the moon, the morning and evening twilights, day and night, the (four) quarters, water, the earth, Time and Dharma (the god of piety)—these indeed are the witnesses of (the good and evil actions of) a Jīva (an embodied soul). (42)
Unrighteousness as ascertained by (the evidence of) these are determined to be a fit occasion for punishment. And all doers (without distinction) deserve punishment in consideration of their (sinful) actions. (43)
For good as well as evil deeds are capable of being done by men given to action, O sinless ones, inasmuch as they are (ever) associated with the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti), and no one invested with a body can help doing action (with one's mind, speech or body). (44)
He alone by whom a virtuous or sinful act was performed in this world reaps in the other world the fruit of it in the same manner and to the same extent it was actually done. (45)
Just as in this world, O jewels among gods, there are found three varieties of living beings (viz., those living a life of ease, those dragging a miserable existence and those who are partly happy and partly miserable, or again those who are tranquil by nature, those who are ferocious and those who are dull, or, according to a third classification, those who are pious by temperament, those who are vicious by nature and those who are of a mixed temperament, and as this heterogeneity cannot be explained except by assuming that the said three types of beings severally performed meritorious, sinful and mixed deeds in the past), so from the diversity (in the proportion) of the three Guṇas (manifested in the form of virtuous, sinful and mixed types of actions on the part of men in this world) it is inferred that they will reap the three corresponding types of fruit (in the form of happiness, misery and a mixture of both) in another life. (46)
(Again,) just as a current period of time indicates the characteristics of the past as well as the future rounds of the same period, so the current life (of a man) is illustrative of the merits and sins of the past as well as of the future incarnations. (47)
(Our master,) the omniscient Yama, who is (another) Brahmā (as it were), clearly perceives (while) at his (own) capital (Saṃyamani) by his very mind the former state of existence (including the record of virtuous and sinful deeds) of a departed soul and reflects with his mind on his future (destiny) too. (48)
(Even) as a man in sleep (the dream state) treats as his self the body revealed in the dream alone and not the one existing before the dream state nor that which will follow the dream state, so the ignorant Jīva (too) identifies itself with its existing psycho-physical organism (the one revealed by its past actions) alone and has no knowledge of the one preceding it nor of the succeeding one, having lost (all) memory of its past incarnation. (49)
The Jīva, itself constituting the seventeenth principle (over and above the sixteen constituents of the subtle body, with which it stands identified, viz., the ten Indriyas, the mind and the five objects of senses, viz., the subtle elements), discharges its own functions (of grasping things, locomotion and so on) with the five organs of actions, perceives the five objects of senses with the five senses of perception and experiences with the sixteenth (viz., the mind) the threefold objects of the senses of perception, the organs of action and the mind, all alone. (50)
This well-known subtle body, consisting of (the aforesaid) sixteen parts, and a product of the three Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, endowed with the three potencies of illumination, activity and obscuration respectively) and exceedingly tenacious, subjects the Jīva again and again to transmigration, which is a source of joy and sorrow, fear and affliction.(51)
The ignorant Jīva (which stands identified with a body and), that has not subdued the five senses of perception and the mind, is prompted (by that subtle body) to fall back upon action, though unwilling (to do so), and veiling itself with a network of Karma, even as a silk-worm wraps itself in a cocoon, stands bewildered (finding no way out of it). (52)
Indeed none remains actionless at any time even for an instant; for everyone is forcibly impelled—by attachment etc.,(born of the three Guṇas—Sattva, Rajas and Tamas—and) resulting from the impressions of past actions—to do action against his will. (53)
Having found an occasion in the form of merit or sin resulting from one's past actions, a psycho-physical organism (consisting of a gross and a subtle body) actually moulds itself either after the womb (the mother's body) or after the seed (the body of the father) according to the irresistible tendencies of the Jīva (occupying it). (54)
This degeneration of the soul (in the shape of loss of its blissful character and its being reduced to a wretched state as a result of identifying itself with a psycho-physical organism) has been due to its association with Prakṛti (Matter). (And) the degeneration ceases before long through devotion to God (and by no other means). (55)

This fellow (Ajāmila) was indeed endowed with learning (the knowledge of the Vedas and other scriptures), a (veritable) abode of amiability, good conduct and virtues (like forgiveness), had taken a vow of worship, prayer and so on and controlled his senses, was gentle (and) truthful, well-versed in sacred formulas and pure (in habits). (56)
(Nay,) he worshipped the sacred fire (by pouring oblations into it) and served his preceptor, strangers (calling at his house) and elders, was a friend to all living beings, free from egotism, pious, taciturn and uncavilling (by nature). (57)
One day, this Brāhmaṇa went to the woods in obedience to his father's command; and as he returned therefrom, taking fruits and flowers, sticks for the sacrificial fire and Kuśa grass, he saw (on the way) a (most) profligate Śūdra, who was a (most) libidinous and shameless fellow, drunk with spirituous liquor distilled from meal, sporting with a harlot of the same class—who was not only (similarly) drunk, with her eyes swimming through intoxication but stood by his side in a half-naked condition (with the knot of her loin-cloth loosened)—and (also) singing and joking with her. (58—60)
Seeing her folded in the arm of that Śūdra, which was painted with unguents exciting lust, this man (Ajāmila) was inspired with extravagant passion and succumbed to (the darts of) love all at once. (61)
Though controlling his mind by recourse to reason with all his firmness and by dint of his learning, he could not compose it, agitated as it was with love. (62)
Possessed by the devil of love excited by (the sight of) that (lewd) woman, and (thus) deprived of reason and thinking of her alone with his mind, he actually deviated from his duty (neglected all his sacred obligations). (63)
With the entire fortune of his father (at his disposal) he indulged her alone through carnal pleasures delightful to her mind so that she might be pleased (with him). (64)
The sinful fellow, whose judgement had been crippled by the sidelong glance of that lewd woman, abandoned before long his own wedded wife, a Brāhmaṇa girl, still in the prime of youth and bestowed on him (by her father) in view of his noble pedigree. (65)
(Having spent on her all the fortune of his father,) this stupid fellow brought money from here and there by fair and foul means and maintained the family (progeny) of this woman, who was (soon) the mother of many children. (66)
Because this fellow—who having violated (the injunctions of) the scriptures, acted according to his own will and was (therefore) censured by (all) worthy men—led a sinful life and lived for a long time in an impure state; eating the food polluted by the touch of a harlot, we shall accordingly take this sinner, who has done no atonement (for his crimes so far), to the presence of Yama (who wields the rod of punishment), where he will be purified through punishment. (67-68)

Thus ends the first discourse, forming part of the story of Ajāmila,
in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa,
otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā.