||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 57 – Ajamila Upakhyanam -1

King Pareekshith  “ Oh! Maharishi, you have taught me the Nivriththi Marg/method of renunciation, the practice of mind not to get attached with the material affairs.  You have described the different types of hell/Narakavarnnana.  Oh! Mahabhaga, How could I get relieved from the pain and miseries of hellish tortures?”

Shukha Bhramam replied “ Oh! Rajan, whoever commits sins by words, deeds, and mind, should undergo endless miseries and sorrows, who do not perform the atonement of the sins have to undergo constant sufferings and afflictions.  Therefore, we have to take preventative measures for all those afflictions before it completely destroys the mental and physical well-being, like prevention is better than cure.”  King Pareekshith disapproving the idea of atonement said “Oh! Mahabhaga, once the atonement were performed for the sins committed, and if the sins were repeated again and again like giving bath to an elephant, if so why would we have to perform the atonement for the sins in the first place?”  Shuka Brahma replied “Oh! Rajan, The performance of atonement for the sins would provide some kind of relief for the people who have not attained the knowledge of Bhramam.  People who believe in the performance of atonement for sins will gradually focus their attention towards the supreme Lord by meditation, practice of celibacy, disciplines, worship of Lord Vasudeva, recitation of sacred hymns, in this way you can burn your accumulated sins and ignorance, like the brilliance of Lord Surya removes the darkness, in other words, the bamboo trees crush each other and the fire originates from it, eventually it destroys the entire Bamboo wood.  The impurities of mind can be cleansed with the intense devotion and meditation upon Lord Vasudeva.  The body made up of five vital elements, the mind has originated from the supreme soul and it is preserved by the supreme soul, therefore it has to return to the supreme Lord.  There are various methods to practice devotion to Lord, such as selfless service to Lord and his devotees, control of senses, recitation of sacred names of Lord, surrendering to supreme Lord, in this way the worshiper would get relieved from accumulated sins.  The worshiper who contemplates upon supreme Lord Narayana would get relieved from extreme fears and anxieties of worldly existence.  Oh! Rajendra, The person who performs the atonement for the sins without the knowledge of supreme Lord would not achieve any fruitful results, moreover, none of his/expiations would eradicate the sins, like the vessel contained the intoxicating drinks would bear the smell of the same even though it is cleansed with the waters of Ganga.  The worshiper whose mind is full of firm devotion at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and has thorough knowledge ‘self’ and glories of supreme Lord, will not face Lord Yama or emissaries of Lord Yama, not even in their dreams.  Oh! Rajan, listen to me carefully I shall narrate the story of a Brahmin Ajamila.”