Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers
VERSE 6.3.1
śrī-rājovāca
niśamya devaḥ sva-bhaṭopavarṇitaṁ
pratyāha kiṁ tān api dharmarājaḥ
evaṁ hatājño vihatān murārer
naideśikair yasya vaśe jano ’yam
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King said; niśamya — after hearing; devaḥ — Lord Yamarāja; sva-bhaṭa — of his own servants; upavarṇitam — the statements; pratyāha — replied; kim — what; tān — unto them; api — also; dharma-rājaḥ — Yamarāja, the superintendent of death and the judge of religious and irreligious activities; evam — thus; hata-ājñaḥ — whose order was foiled; vihatān — who were defeated; murāreḥ naideśikaiḥ — by the order carriers of Murāri, Kṛṣṇa; yasya — of whom; vaśe — under the subjugation; janaḥ ayam — all the people of the world.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit said: O my lord, O Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja is the controller of all living entities in terms of their religious and irreligious activities, but his order had been foiled. When his servants, the Yamadūtas, informed him of their defeat by the Viṣṇudūtas, who had stopped them from arresting Ajāmila, what did he reply?
VERSE 6.3.2
yamasya devasya na daṇḍa-bhaṅgaḥ
kutaścanarṣe śruta-pūrva āsīt
etan mune vṛścati loka-saṁśayaṁ
na hi tvad-anya iti me viniścitam
SYNONYMS
yamasya — of Yamarāja; devasya — the demigod in charge of judgment; na — not; daṇḍa-bhaṅgaḥ — the breaking of the order; kutaścana — from anywhere; ṛṣe — O great sage; śruta-pūrvaḥ — heard before; āsīt — was; etat — this; mune — O great sage; vṛścati — can eradicate; loka-saṁśayam — the doubt of people; na — not; hi — indeed; tvat-anyaḥ — anyone other than you; iti — thus; me — by me; viniścitam — concluded.
TRANSLATION
O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamarāja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since that is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events.
VERSE 6.3.3
śrī-śuka uvāca
bhagavat-puruṣai rājan
yāmyāḥ pratihatodyamāḥ
patiṁ vijñāpayām āsur
yamaṁ saṁyamanī-patim
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bhagavat-puruṣaiḥ — by the order carriers of the Lord, the Viṣṇudūtas; rājan — O King; yāmyāḥ — the order carriers of Yamarāja; pratihata-udyamāḥ — whose efforts were defeated; patim — their master; vijñāpayām āsuḥ — informed; yamam — Yamarāja; saṁyamanī-patim — the master of the city Saṁyamanī.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear King, when the order carriers of Yamarāja were baffled and defeated by the order carriers of Viṣṇu, they approached their master, the controller of Saṁyamanī-purī and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.
VERSE 6.3.4
yamadūtā ūcuḥ
kati santīha śāstāro
jīva-lokasya vai prabho
trai-vidhyaṁ kurvataḥ karma
phalābhivyakti-hetavaḥ
SYNONYMS
yamadūtāḥ ūcuḥ — the order carriers of Yamarāja said; kati — how many; santi — are there; iha — in this world; śāstāraḥ — controllers or rulers; jīva-lokasya — of this material world; vai — indeed; prabho — O master; trai-vidhyam — under the three modes of material nature; kurvataḥ — performing; karma — activity; phala — of the results; abhivyakti — of the manifestation; hetavaḥ — causes.
TRANSLATION
The Yamadūtas said: Our dear lord, how many controllers or rulers are there in this material world? How many causes are responsible for manifesting the various results of activities performed under the three modes of material nature [sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa]?
VERSE 6.3.5
yadi syur bahavo loke
śāstāro daṇḍa-dhāriṇaḥ
kasya syātāṁ na vā kasya
mṛtyuś cāmṛtam eva vā
SYNONYMS
yadi — if; syuḥ — there are; bahavaḥ — many; loke — in this world; śāstāraḥ — rulers or controllers; daṇḍa-dhāriṇaḥ — who punish the sinful men; kasya — of whom; syātām — there may be; na — not; vā — or; kasya — of whom; mṛtyuḥ — distress or unhappiness; ca — and; amṛtam — happiness; eva — certainly; vā — or.
TRANSLATION
If in this universe there are many rulers and justices who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize each other, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize each other, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded.
VERSE 6.3.6
kintu śāstṛ-bahutve syād
bahūnām iha karmiṇām
śāstṛtvam upacāro hi
yathā maṇḍala-vartinām
SYNONYMS
kintu — but; śāstṛ — of governors or judges; bahutve — in the plurality; syāt — there may be; bahūnām — of many; iha — in this world; karmiṇām — persons performing actions; śāstṛtvam — departmental management; upacāraḥ — administration; hi — indeed; yathā — just like; maṇḍala-vartinām — of the departmental heads.
TRANSLATION
The Yamadūtas continued: Since there are many different karmīs, or workers, there may be different judges or rulers to give them justice, but just as one central emperor controls different departmental rulers, there must be one supreme controller to guide all the judges.
VERSE 6.3.7
atas tvam eko bhūtānāṁ
seśvarāṇām adhīśvaraḥ
śāstā daṇḍa-dharo nṝṇāṁ
śubhāśubha-vivecanaḥ
SYNONYMS
ataḥ — as such; tvam — you; ekaḥ — one; bhūtānām — of all living beings; sa-īśvarāṇām — including all the demigods; adhīśvaraḥ — the supreme master; śāstā — the supreme ruler; daṇḍa-dharaḥ — the supreme administrator of punishment; nṝṇām — of human society; śubha-aśubha-vivecanaḥ — who discriminates between what is auspicious and inauspicious.
TRANSLATION
The supreme judge must be one, not many. It was our understanding that you are that supreme judge and that you have jurisdiction even over the demigods. Our impression was that you are the master of all living entities, the supreme authority who discriminates between the pious and impious activities of all human beings.
VERSE 6.3.8
tasya te vihito daṇḍo
na loke vartate ’dhunā
caturbhir adbhutaiḥ siddhair
ājñā te vipralambhitā
SYNONYMS
tasya — of the influence; te — of you; vihitaḥ — ordained; daṇḍaḥ — punishment; na — not; loke — within this world; vartate — exists; adhunā — now; caturbhiḥ — by four; adbhutaiḥ — very wonderful; siddhaiḥ — perfected persons; ājñā — the order; te — your; vipralambhitā — surpassed.
TRANSLATION
But now we see that the punishment ordained under your authority is no longer effective, since your order has been transgressed by four wonderful and perfect persons.
VERSE 6.3.9
nīyamānaṁ tavādeśād
asmābhir yātanā-gṛhān
vyāmocayan pātakinaṁ
chittvā pāśān prasahya te
SYNONYMS
nīyamānam — being brought; tava ādeśāt — by your order; asmābhiḥ — by us; yātanā-gṛhān — to the torture chambers, the hellish planets; vyāmocayan — released; pātakinam — the sinful Ajāmila; chittvā — cutting; pāśān — the ropes; prasahya — by force; te — they.
TRANSLATION
We were bringing the most sinful Ajāmila toward the hellish planets, following your order, when those beautiful persons from Siddhaloka forcibly cut the knots of the ropes with which we were arresting him.
VERSE 6.3.10
tāṁs te veditum icchāmo
yadi no manyase kṣamam
nārāyaṇety abhihite
mā bhair ity āyayur drutam
SYNONYMS
tān — about them; te — from you; veditum — to know; icchāmaḥ — we wish; yadi — if; naḥ — for us; manyase — you think; kṣamam — suitable; nārāyaṇa — Nārāyaṇa; iti — thus; abhihite — being uttered; mā — do not; bhaiḥ — fear; iti — thus; āyayuḥ — they arrived; drutam — very soon.
TRANSLATION
As soon as the sinful Ajāmila uttered the name Nārāyaṇa, these four beautiful men immediately arrived and reassured him, saying, “Do not fear. Do not fear.” We wish to know about them from Your Lordship. If you think we are able to understand them, kindly describe who they are.
VERSE 6.3.11
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
iti devaḥ sa āpṛṣṭaḥ
prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ
prītaḥ sva-dūtān pratyāha
smaran pādāmbujaṁ hareḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; devaḥ — the demigod; saḥ — he; āpṛṣṭaḥ — being questioned; prajā-saṁyamanaḥ yamaḥ — Lord Yamarāja, who controls the living entities; prītaḥ — being pleased; sva-dūtān — to his own servants; pratyāha — replied; smaran — remembering; pāda-ambujam — the lotus feet; hareḥ — of Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus having been questioned, Lord Yamarāja, the supreme controller of the living entities, was very pleased with his order carriers because of hearing from them the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. He remembered the lotus feet of the Lord and began to reply.
VERSE 6.3.12
yama uvāca
paro mad-anyo jagatas tasthuṣaś ca
otaṁ protaṁ paṭavad yatra viśvam
yad-aṁśato ’sya sthiti-janma-nāśā
nasy otavad yasya vaśe ca lokaḥ
SYNONYMS
yamaḥ uvāca — Yamarāja replied; paraḥ — superior; mat — than me; anyaḥ — another; jagataḥ — of all moving things; tasthuṣaḥ — of nonmoving things; ca — and; otam — crosswise; protam — lengthwise; paṭavat — like a woven cloth; yatra — in whom; viśvam — the cosmic manifestation; yat — of whom; aṁśataḥ — from the partial expansions; asya — of this universe; sthiti — the maintenance; janma — the creation; nāśāḥ — the annihilation; nasi — in the nose; ota-vat — like the rope; yasya — of whom; vaśe — under the control; ca — and; lokaḥ — the whole creation.
TRANSLATION
Yamarāja said: My dear servants, you have accepted me as the Supreme, but factually I am not. Above me, and above all the other demigods, including Indra and Candra, is the one supreme master and controller. The partial manifestations of His personality are Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are in charge of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this universe. He is like the two threads that form the length and breadth of a woven cloth. The entire world is controlled by Him just as a bull is controlled by a rope in its nose.
VERSE 6.3.13
yo nāmabhir vāci janaṁ nijāyāṁ
badhnāti tantryām iva dāmabhir gāḥ
yasmai baliṁ ta ime nāma-karma-
nibandha-baddhāś cakitā vahanti
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — He who; nāmabhiḥ — by different names; vāci — to the Vedic language; janam — all people; nijāyām — which has emanated from Himself; badhnāti — binds; tantryām — to a rope; iva — like; dāmabhiḥ — by cords; gāḥ — bulls; yasmai — unto whom; balim — a small presentation of taxes; te — all of them; ime — these; nāma-karma — of names and different activities; nibandha — by the obligations; baddhāḥ — bound; cakitāḥ — being fearful; vahanti — carry.
TRANSLATION
Just as the driver of a bullock cart ties ropes through the nostrils of his bulls to control them, the Supreme Personality of Godhead binds all men through the ropes of His words in the Vedas, which set forth the names and activities of the distinct orders of human society [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra]. In fear, the members of these orders all worship the Supreme Lord by offering Him presentations according to their respective activities.
VERSE 6.3.14-15
ahaṁ mahendro nirṛtiḥ pracetāḥ
somo ’gnir īśaḥ pavano viriñciḥ
āditya-viśve vasavo ’tha sādhyā
marud-gaṇā rudra-gaṇāḥ sasiddhāḥ
anye ca ye viśva-sṛjo ’mareśā
bhṛgv-ādayo ’spṛṣṭa-rajas-tamaskāḥ
yasyehitaṁ na viduḥ spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ
sattva-pradhānā api kiṁ tato ’nye
SYNONYMS
aham — I, Yamarāja; mahendraḥ — Indra, the King of heaven; nirṛtiḥ — Nirṛti; pracetāḥ — Varuṇa, the controller of water; somaḥ — the moon; agniḥ — fire; īśaḥ — Lord Śiva; pavanaḥ — the demigod of the air; viriñciḥ — Lord Brahmā; āditya — the sun; viśve — Viśvāsu; vasavaḥ — the eight Vasus; atha — also; sādhyāḥ — the demigods; marut-gaṇāḥ — masters of the wind; rudra-gaṇāḥ — the expansions of Lord Śiva; sa-siddhāḥ — with the inhabitants of Siddhaloka; anye — others; ca — and; ye — who; viśva-sṛjaḥ — Marīci and the other creators of the universal affairs; amara-īśāḥ — the demigods like Bṛhaspati; bhṛgu-ādayaḥ — the great sages headed by Bhṛgu; aspṛṣṭa — who have not been contaminated; rajaḥ-tamaskāḥ — by the lower modes of material nature (rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa); yasya — of whom; īhitam — the activity; na viduḥ — do not know; spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ — who are illusioned by the illusory energy; sattva-pradhānāḥ — chiefly in the mode of goodness; api — although; kim — what to speak of; tataḥ — than them; anye — others.
TRANSLATION
I, Yamarāja; Indra, the King of heaven; Nirṛti; Varuṇa; Candra, the moon-god; Agni; Lord Śiva; Pavana; Lord Brahmā; Sūrya, the sun-god; Viśvāsu; the eight Vasus; the Sādhyas; the Maruts; the Rudras; the Siddhas; and Marīci and the other great ṛṣis engaged in maintaining the departmental affairs of the universe, as well as the best of the demigods headed by Bṛhaspati, and the great sages headed by Bhṛgu are all certainly freed from the influence of the two base material modes of nature, namely passion and ignorance. Nevertheless, although we are in the mode of goodness, we cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What, then, is to be said of others, who, under illusion, merely speculate to know God?
VERSE 6.3.16
yaṁ vai na gobhir manasāsubhir vā
hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate
ātmānam antar-hṛdi santam ātmanāṁ
cakṣur yathaivākṛtayas tataḥ param
SYNONYMS
yam — whom; vai — indeed; na — not; gobhiḥ — by the senses; manasā — by the mind; asubhiḥ — by the life breath; vā — or; hṛdā — by thoughts; girā — by words; vā — or; asu-bhṛtaḥ — the living entities; vicakṣate — see or know; ātmānam — the Supersoul; antaḥ-hṛdi — within the core of the heart; santam — existing; ātmanām — of the living entities; cakṣuḥ — the eyes; yathā — just like; eva — indeed; ākṛtayaḥ — the different parts or limbs of the body; tataḥ — than them; param — higher.
TRANSLATION
As the different limbs of the body cannot see the eyes, the living entities cannot see the Supreme Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart. Not by the senses, by the mind, by the life air, by thoughts within the heart, or by the vibration of words can the living entities ascertain the real situation of the Supreme Lord.
VERSE 6.3.17
tasyātma-tantrasya harer adhīśituḥ
parasya māyādhipater mahātmanaḥ
prāyeṇa dūtā iha vai manoharāś
caranti tad-rūpa-guṇa-svabhāvāḥ
SYNONYMS
tasya — of Him; ātma-tantrasya — being self-sufficient, not dependent on any other person; hareḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhīśituḥ — who is the master of everything; parasya — the Transcendence; māyā-adhipateḥ — the master of the illusory energy; mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul; prāyeṇa — almost; dūtāḥ — the order carriers; iha — in this world; vai — indeed; manoharāḥ — pleasing in their dealings and bodily features; caranti — they move; tat — of Him; rūpa — possessing the bodily features; guṇa — the transcendental qualities; svabhāvāḥ — and nature.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient and fully independent. He is the master of everyone and everything, including the illusory energy. He has His form, qualities and features; and similarly His order carriers, the Vaiṣṇavas, who are very beautiful, possess bodily features, transcendental qualities and a transcendental nature almost like His. They always wander within this world with full independence.
VERSE 6.3.18
bhūtāni viṣṇoḥ sura-pūjitāni
durdarśa-liṅgāni mahādbhutāni
rakṣanti tad-bhaktimataḥ parebhyo
mattaś ca martyān atha sarvataś ca
SYNONYMS
bhūtāni — living entities or servants; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; sura-pūjitāni — who are worshiped by the demigods; durdarśa-liṅgāni — possessing forms not easily seen; mahā-adbhutāni — greatly wonderful; rakṣanti — they protect; tat-bhakti-mataḥ — the devotees of the Lord; parebhyaḥ — from others who are inimical; mattaḥ — from me (Yamarāja) and my order carriers; ca — and; martyān — the human beings; atha — thus; sarvataḥ — from everything; ca — and.
TRANSLATION
The order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, who are worshiped even by the demigods, possess wonderful bodily features exactly like those of Viṣṇu and are very rarely seen. The Viṣṇudūtas protect the devotees of the Lord from the hands of enemies, from envious persons and even from my jurisdiction, as well as from natural disturbances.
VERSE 6.3.19
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ
SYNONYMS
dharmam — real religious principles, or bona fide laws of religion; tu — but; sākṣāt — directly; bhagavat — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; praṇītam — enacted; na — not; vai — indeed; viduḥ — they know; ṛṣayaḥ — the great ṛṣis such as Bhṛgu; na — not; api — also; devāḥ — the demigods; na — nor; siddha-mukhyāḥ — the chief leaders of Siddhaloka; asurāḥ — the demons; manuṣyāḥ — the inhabitants of Bhūrloka, the human beings; kutaḥ — where; nu — indeed; vidyādhara — the lesser demigods known as Vidyādharas; cāraṇa — the residents of the planets where people are by nature great musicians and singers; ādayaḥ — and so on.
TRANSLATION
Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas.
VERSE 6.3.20-21
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
dvādaśaite vijānīmo
dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ
guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ
yaṁ jñātvāmṛtam aśnute
SYNONYMS
svayambhūḥ — Lord Brahmā; nāradaḥ — the great saint Nārada; śambhuḥ — Lord Śiva; kumāraḥ — the four Kumāras; kapilaḥ — Lord Kapila; manuḥ — Svāyambhuva Manu; prahlādaḥ — Prahlāda Mahārāja; janakaḥ — Janaka Mahārāja; bhīṣmaḥ — Grandfather Bhīṣma; baliḥ — Bali Mahārāja; vaiyāsakiḥ — Śukadeva, the son of Vyāsadeva; vayam — we; dvādaśa — twelve; ete — these; vijānīmaḥ — know; dharmam — real religious principles; bhāgavatam — which teach a person how to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaṭāḥ — O my dear servants; guhyam — very confidential; viśuddham — transcendental, not contaminated by the material modes of nature; durbodham — not easily understood; yam — which; jñātvā — understanding; amṛtam — eternal life; aśnute — he enjoys.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, Bhagavān Nārada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahūti], Svāyambhuva Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Grandfather Bhīṣma, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhāgavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.
VERSE 6.3.22
etāvān eva loke ’smin
puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ
bhakti-yogo bhagavati
tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ
SYNONYMS
etāvān — this much; eva — indeed; loke asmin — in this material world; puṁsām — of the living entities; dharmaḥ — the religious principles; paraḥ — transcendental; smṛtaḥ — recognized; bhakti-yogaḥ — bhakti-yoga, or devotional service; bhagavati — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (not to the demigods); tat — His; nāma — of the holy name; grahaṇa-ādibhiḥ — beginning with chanting.
TRANSLATION
Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society.
VERSE 6.3.23
nāmoccāraṇa-māhātmyaṁ
hareḥ paśyata putrakāḥ
ajāmilo ’pi yenaiva
mṛtyu-pāśād amucyata
SYNONYMS
nāma — of the holy name; uccāraṇa — of the pronouncing; māhātmyam — the exalted position; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord; paśyata — just see; putrakāḥ — O my dear servants, who are like my sons; ajāmilaḥ api — even Ajāmila (who was considered greatly sinful); yena — by the chanting of which; eva — certainly; mṛtyu-pāśāt — from the ropes of death; amucyata — was delivered.
TRANSLATION
My dear servants, who are as good as my sons, just see how glorious is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The greatly sinful Ajāmila chanted only to call his son, not knowing that he was chanting the Lord’s holy name. Nevertheless, by chanting the holy name of the Lord, he remembered Nārāyaṇa, and thus he was immediately saved from the ropes of death.
VERSE 6.3.24
etāvatālam agha-nirharaṇāya puṁsāṁ
saṅkīrtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām
vikruśya putram aghavān yad ajāmilo ’pi
nārāyaṇeti mriyamāṇa iyāya muktim
SYNONYMS
etāvatā — with this much; alam — sufficient; agha-nirharaṇāya — for taking away the reactions of sinful activities; puṁsām — of human beings; saṅkīrtanam — the congregational chanting; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guṇa — of the transcendental qualities; karma-nāmnām — and of His names according to His activities and pastimes; vikruśya — crying to without offense; putram — his son; aghavān — the sinful; yat — since; ajāmilaḥ api — even Ajāmila; nārāyaṇa — the Lord’s name, Nārāyaṇa; iti — thus; mriyamāṇaḥ — dying; iyāya — achieved; muktim — liberation.
TRANSLATION
Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajāmila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Nārāyaṇa.
VERSE 6.3.25
prāyeṇa veda tad idaṁ na mahājano ’yaṁ
devyā vimohita-matir bata māyayālam
trayyāṁ jaḍī-kṛta-matir madhu-puṣpitāyāṁ
vaitānike mahati karmaṇi yujyamānaḥ
SYNONYMS
prāyeṇa — almost always; veda — know; tat — that; idam — this; na — not; mahājanaḥ — great personalities besides Svayambhū, Śambhu and the other ten; ayam — this; devyā — by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimohita-matiḥ — whose intelligence is bewildered; bata — indeed; māyayā — by the illusory energy; alam — greatly; trayyām — in the three Vedas; jaḍī-kṛta-matiḥ — whose intelligence has been dulled; madhu-puṣpitāyām — in the flowery Vedic language describing the results of ritualistic performances; vaitānike — in the performances mentioned in the Vedas; mahati — very great; karmaṇi — fruitive activities; yujyamānaḥ — being engaged.
TRANSLATION
Because they are bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yājñavalkya and Jaimini and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot know the secret, confidential religious system of the twelve mahājanas. They cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas — especially the Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda and Ṛg Veda — their intelligence has become dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the saṅkīrtana movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.
VERSE 6.3.26
evaṁ vimṛśya sudhiyo bhagavaty anante
sarvātmanā vidadhate khalu bhāva-yogam
te me na daṇḍam arhanty atha yady amīṣāṁ
syāt pātakaṁ tad api hanty urugāya-vādaḥ
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; vimṛśya — considering; su-dhiyaḥ — those whose intelligence is sharp; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anante — the unlimited; sarva-ātmanā — with all their heart and soul; vidadhate — take to; khalu — indeed; bhāva-yogam — the process of devotional service; te — such persons; me — my; na — not; daṇḍam — punishment; arhanti — deserve; atha — therefore; yadi — if; amīṣām — of them; syāt — there is; pātakam — some sinful activity; tat — that; api — also; hanti — destroys; urugāya-vādaḥ — the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Considering all these points, therefore, intelligent men decide to solve all problems by adopting the devotional service of chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart and who is a mine of all auspicious qualities. Such persons are not within my jurisdiction for punishment. Generally they never commit sinful activities, but even if by mistake or because of bewilderment or illusion they sometimes commit sinful acts, they are protected from sinful reactions because they always chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
VERSE 6.3.27
te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā
ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ
tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān
naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe
SYNONYMS
te — they; deva — by the demigods; siddha — and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka; parigīta — sung; pavitra-gāthāḥ — whose pure narrations; ye — who; sādhavaḥ — devotees; samadṛśaḥ — who see everyone equally; bhagavat-prapannāḥ — being surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tān — them; na — not; upasīdata — should go near; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gadayā — by the club; abhiguptān — being fully protected; na — not; eṣām — of these; vayam — we; na ca — and also not; vayaḥ — unlimited time; prabhavāma — are competent; daṇḍe — in punishing.
TRANSLATION
My dear servants, please do not approach such devotees, for they have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are equal to everyone, and their narrations are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka. Please do not even go near them. They are always protected by the club of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore Lord Brahmā and I and even the time factor are not competent to chastise them.
VERSE 6.3.28
tān ānayadhvam asato vimukhān mukunda-
pādāravinda-makaranda-rasād ajasram
niṣkiñcanaiḥ paramahaṁsa-kulair asaṅgair
juṣṭād gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān
SYNONYMS
tān — them; ānayadhvam — bring before me; asataḥ — nondevotees (those who have not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness); vimukhān — who have turned against; mukunda — of Mukunda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pāda-aravinda — of the lotus feet; makaranda — of the honey; rasāt — the taste; ajasram — continuously; niṣkiñcanaiḥ — by persons completely free from material attachment; paramahaṁsa-kulaiḥ — by the paramahaṁsas, the most exalted personalities; asaṅgaiḥ — who have no material attachment; juṣṭāt — which is enjoyed; gṛhe — to household life; niraya-vartmani — the path leading to hell; baddha-tṛṣṇān — whose desires are bound.
TRANSLATION
Paramahaṁsas are exalted persons who have no taste for material enjoyment and who drink the honey of the Lord’s lotus feet. My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of that honey, who do not associate with paramahaṁsas and who are attached to family life and worldly enjoyment, which form the path to hell.
VERSE 6.3.29
jihvā na vakti bhagavad-guṇa-nāmadheyaṁ
cetaś ca na smarati tac-caraṇāravindam
kṛṣṇāya no namati yac-chira ekadāpi
tān ānayadhvam asato ’kṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān
SYNONYMS
jihvā — the tongue; na — not; vakti — chants; bhagavat — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guṇa — transcendental qualities; nāma — and the holy name; dheyam — imparting; cetaḥ — the heart; ca — also; na — not; smarati — remembers; tat — His; caraṇa-aravindam — lotus feet; kṛṣṇāya — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa through His Deity in the temple; no — not; namati — bows; yat — whose; śiraḥ — head; ekadā api — even once; tān — them; ānayadhvam — bring before me; asataḥ — the nondevotees; akṛta — not performing; viṣṇu-kṛtyān — duties toward Lord Viṣṇu.
TRANSLATION
My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Kṛṣṇa, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Kṛṣṇa. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Viṣṇu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals.
VERSE 6.3.30
tat kṣamyatāṁ sa bhagavān puruṣaḥ purāṇo
nārāyaṇaḥ sva-puruṣair yad asat kṛtaṁ naḥ
svānām aho na viduṣāṁ racitāñjalīnāṁ
kṣāntir garīyasi namaḥ puruṣāya bhūmne
SYNONYMS
tat — that; kṣamyatām — let it be excused; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; purāṇaḥ — the oldest; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa; sva-puruṣaiḥ — by my own servants; yat — which; asat — impudence; kṛtam — performed; naḥ — of us; svānām — of my own men; aho — alas; na viduṣām — not knowing; racita-añjalīnām — folding our hands together to beg Your pardon; kṣāntiḥ — forgiveness; garīyasi — in the glorious; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; puruṣāya — unto the person; bhūmne — supreme and all-pervading.
TRANSLATION
[Then Yamarāja, considering himself and his servants to be offenders, spoke as follows, begging pardon from the Lord.] O my Lord, my servants have surely committed a great offense by arresting a Vaiṣṇava such as Ajāmila. O Nārāyaṇa, O supreme and oldest person, please forgive us. Because of our ignorance, we failed to recognize Ajāmila as a servant of Your Lordship, and thus we have certainly committed a great offense. Therefore with folded hands we beg Your pardon. My Lord, since You are supremely merciful and are always full of good qualities, please pardon us. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
VERSE 6.3.31
tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor
jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām
mahatām api kauravya
viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; saṅkīrtanam — the congregational chanting of the holy name; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; jagat-maṅgalam — the most auspicious performance within this material world; aṁhasām — for sinful activities; mahatām api — even though very great; kauravya — O descendant of the Kuru family; viddhi — understand; aikāntika — the ultimate; niṣkṛtam — atonement.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.
VERSE 6.3.32
śṛṇvatāṁ gṛṇatāṁ vīryāṇy
uddāmāni harer muhuḥ
yathā sujātayā bhaktyā
śuddhyen nātmā vratādibhiḥ
SYNONYMS
śṛṇvatām — of those hearing; gṛṇatām — and chanting; vīryāṇi — the wonderful activities; uddāmāni — able to counteract sin; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; muhuḥ — always; yathā — as; su-jātayā — easily brought forth; bhaktyā — by devotional service; śuddhyet — may be purified; na — not; ātmā — the heart and soul; vrata-ādibhiḥ — by performing ritualistic ceremonies.
TRANSLATION
One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotional service, which can cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.
VERSE 6.3.33
kṛṣṇāṅghri-padma-madhu-liṇ na punar visṛṣṭa-
māyā-guṇeṣu ramate vṛjināvaheṣu
anyas tu kāma-hata ātma-rajaḥ pramārṣṭum
īheta karma yata eva rajaḥ punaḥ syāt
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-aṅghri-padma — of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa; madhu — the honey; liṭ — one who licks; na — not; punaḥ — again; visṛṣṭa — already renounced; māyā-guṇeṣu — in the material modes of nature; ramate — desires to enjoy; vṛjina-avaheṣu — which brings distress; anyaḥ — another; tu — however; kāma-hataḥ — being enchanted by lust; ātma-rajaḥ — the sinful infection of the heart; pramārṣṭum — to cleanse; īheta — may perform; karma — activities; yataḥ — after which; eva — indeed; rajaḥ — the sinful activity; punaḥ — again; syāt — appears.
TRANSLATION
Devotees who always lick the honey from the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa do not care at all for material activities, which are performed under the three modes of material nature and which bring only misery. Indeed, devotees never give up the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa to return to material activities. Others, however, who are addicted to Vedic rituals because they have neglected the service of the Lord’s lotus feet and are enchanted by lusty desires, sometimes perform acts of atonement. Nevertheless, being incompletely purified, they return to sinful activities again and again.
VERSE 6.3.34
itthaṁ svabhartṛ-gaditaṁ bhagavan-mahitvaṁ
saṁsmṛtya vismita-dhiyo yama-kiṅkarās te
naivācyutāśraya-janaṁ pratiśaṅkamānā
draṣṭuṁ ca bibhyati tataḥ prabhṛti sma rājan
SYNONYMS
ittham — of such power; sva-bhartṛ-gaditam — explained by their master (Yamarāja); bhagavat-mahitvam — the extraordinary glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His name, fame, form and attributes; saṁsmṛtya — remembering; vismita-dhiyaḥ — whose minds were struck with wonder; yama-kiṅkarāḥ — all the servants of Yamarāja; te — they; na — not; eva — indeed; acyuta-āśraya-janam — a person sheltered by the lotus feet of Acyuta, Lord Kṛṣṇa; pratiśaṅkamānāḥ — always fearing; draṣṭum — to see; ca — and; bibhyati — they are afraid; tataḥ prabhṛti — beginning from then; sma — indeed; rājan — O King.
TRANSLATION
After hearing from the mouth of their master about the extraordinary glories of the Lord and His name, fame and attributes, the Yamadūtas were struck with wonder. Since then, as soon as they see a devotee, they fear him and dare not look at him again.
VERSE 6.3.35
itihāsam imaṁ guhyaṁ
bhagavān kumbha-sambhavaḥ
kathayām āsa malaya
āsīno harim arcayan
SYNONYMS
itihāsam — history; imam — this; guhyam — very confidential; bhagavān — the most powerful; kumbha-sambhavaḥ — Agastya Muni, the son of Kumbha; kathayām āsa — explained; malaye — in the Malaya Hills; āsīnaḥ — residing; harim arcayan — worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
When the great sage Agastya, the son of Kumbha, was residing in the Malaya Hills and worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I approached him, and he explained to me this confidential history.