Bhagwat Session 39
Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana
Synopsis of the Thirty Ninth Session
Bhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)
Chapter 1 to 2
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Pariksit Asks:
How a man in this world can manage to escape from hell which is full of various horrible tortures?
Sukhdevji Replies:
If a man does not atone during his very life time and in the proper way, as laid down by the scriptures (Shastras) for the sins committed by him, with his mind, speech and hand, he inevitably and actually goes after death to the infernal regions (Hell) and has to bear severe tortures.
Pariksit Asks:
A man knows after what he hears and reads, as to what is sinful, he repents and atones, but due to lack of control, commits the sin again. He is stuck in this vicious circle - absolving from the sin and then doing it again. How does he ever get rids of these sins then?
“The elephant goes and take a nice bath, just to come and throw dust on its body again.”
Sukhdevji Replies:
Now, the counteraction of a sinful act, by another act of goodness is not a radical remedy.
“Even a number of holy rivers combined can not purify a Jar of wine.”
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Story
There was a Learned Brahmin named Ajamila, a very pious person and belonged to a very pious family. He had a young devoted wife. He and his family lived an exemplary life.
One day he was walking past a jungle when he saw a drunk man indulging sexually with a prostitute. He stood watching and he felt an urge to experience the same sensual bliss. He understood that this was wrong and this was nothing but an attack by his senses and mind. Yet, he was unable to reason himself out of this burning desire.
He forced himself home, but the next day, visited the jungle and met this prostitute and soon he got her home. He forgot about his parent and his pious wife. He left them all and started living with her. He would do everything to make her happy and fulfilled her unending demands. To the extent that this learned Brahmin became a thief, a dacoit and later a murder. Such horrendous became his life, that no one would every come near their house.
Time went by, he had 10 sons and even at the age of 88 he was not free from the clutches of sensual pleasures. One day when he had gone out to fend for his family, a sage passing by, when he saw a little boy playing. He asked the boy his name, to this his mother answered that they had not named him yet. The sage asked her to call him Narayan.
Ajamila was very attached to Narayan, he would not eat, drink or sleep without his beloved son. He would go around calling out for Narayan every minute. Soon the time for his death arrived, as he laid on his bed, he saw some hideous looking creatures come down and they were trying to tear his soul from his body.
He shouted out for his son, Narayan come to me, Oh Narayan come to me. The minute the servants of Lord Narayan heard his name and someone calling for him, the immediately descended. When they saw the messengers of Yamaraj, pulling Ajamila’s soul. They stopped them saying they had no right over his soul.
Poor Ajamila could see and hear, the dialogue bettween the 4 servants of Narayan and the 4 Servants of Yamaraj, as to who would take his soul. There followed a long dialogue, which started with the servants of Narayan asking, Yama’s servant;
- What is the true characteristics of Dharma?
- How is the punishment given and to whom?
- Are all doers subject to punishment or only some?
To which Yama’s messengers answered;
- Dharma is that which is enjoined by the Veda and that which is forbidden by the Veda is Adharma. Vedas are Bhagwan Narayan himself.
This Ajamila they said, has violated the scripts, acted according to his own will, led a sinful life and lived for a long time in an impure state, he is a sinner, who has done no atonement for his sins to Yama, and he will throw him into the hell which will punish him for his hideous acts.
To which Bhagwan Narayan’s messengers answered;
This man has done atonement for all his sins, he said the name of Narayan in full, it wipes out the sins even when uttered in parts. He uttered it when he was about to die and there was no chance of another thought, word or action to be done. So after uttering the Lords name he could not commit another sin in thought, word and deed.
Not only this, this kind of a perfect timing, of taking the lords name precisely at the time of death is not possible without the Lords will.
Moreover, the Lords name, uttered for the Lord or for calling anyone else, uttered with love or hatred or with any emotion, with respect or disrespect, voluntarily or involuntarily, knowingly or unknowingly, destroys all sins instantly.
Hence, he is free from all sins he has done so far and hence, can not be taken to Yama, who cannot send him to Hell.
Hearing this, the messengers of Yama, let loose the soul of Ajamila and went back to Yama, reported everything that had conspired and asked for help in understanding what had just happened. Ajmila now loose from the noose of death fell at the feet of the messengers of God.
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Point to Ponder
Every sin has a specific remedy. Just like every illness has a specific medicine. However, finding a remedy for every sin every committed is a very tedious and difficult process. Instead of attaching every sin, what if the very root could be removed.
Sin - Remove it from the root
As long as one is identified with the body, and considers the body as the self and all things related to the body as Mine. This ignorant being can not be freed from the clutches of sin.
The identification with the body is the root cause of all sins. Till the root exists it will keep sprouting out new sins.
To eradicate sins, one has to burn the roots, with the ’True knowledge of the Self’. True knowledge drives aways ignorance and destroys the very root of sinful existence.
Just like the fires purifies anything that is placed in it, the fire of Self-Knowledge destroys the gravest of Sins.
Self-Discipline (Pls refer to material on Vibhisan Gita from Ramayan)
‘This can be achieved by the practice of self-discipline, which gradually makes one qualified for blessedness.’
- Concentration of mind
- Continence
- Subjugation of the mind
- Control of external indriyas
- Charity
- Truthfulness
- Purity (Body and Mind)
- Vow of non-Violence
- Scared Observances
The wise who are well versed with the spirit of Dharma are able to destroy the greatest sins every committed, just as the fire destroys the whole thicket of bamboos.
Devotion
Guru Govind dono khade,
Kake lagu paye,
Balihari guru aapki,
Govind Diyo milaya.
(Guru and Lord are both standing side by side, whose feet should I touch first. I am so indebted to you Oh Guru, who helped me meet God.)
Indeed, a sinner is not purified as much thought asceticism and other processes as the one who has dedicated his life to the constant service to the devotees of God.
Hari Naam
Utterance of the name of the Lord, is able to atone all categories of sins and help in attaining final Beatitude.
The process of elimination of the sins is not complete, if ones mind runs back to evil ways even after the process of penance has been completed.
Therefore, those seeking complete eradication of all the sinful karmas done, should utter the praise of Shri Hari, which is the only remedy.
Hari Naam without doubt purifies the Mind.
Jai Shri Krishna 🙏
Jai Hanuman 🙏
