||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 58 – Ajamila Upakhyanam -2

Shukha Brahamam continues “ Oh! Pareekshith, there was a Brahmin Ajamila in the city of Kanyakubja. He was born in an  illustrious clan of Vedic Bhramin, he attained Vedic knowledge at a young age from his father.  The years have passed Ajamila married and had children, he persistently engaged in spiritual and religious rites, fire sacrifices and Vedic chants.  Once he has to go to wood to collect Samith/ dried thin wood.  There he saw an enchanting woman; he had an intense desire to have a physical relationship with that beautiful young woman. Finally, he left his family and children for this woman in the forest and stayed with her, attending all her needs.  He picked up new livelihood in the forest, he humiliated saintly men who pass through the woods and snatched whatever in their hands, he steals money and ornaments from the travelers, and hunt animals, in this way he earned money and looked after the woman and his ten children in the forest.  Ajamila did not notice the time, has reached the age of eighty-eight; he was very fond of his tenth child who was named Narayana.  He had a dream, in that three emissaries of Lord Yama who had a dreadful appearance, brutal face, blazing eyes, and spiky hairs, fastening him with the noose.  He was alarmed and called out loudly for his tenth son Narayana.  He was completely besieged by sorrow, fear, and attachment to his family.  Soon he could visualize brilliant rays and four Vishnu Parshadha/ emissaries of Lord Narayana, they moved forward and stopped the emissaries of Lord Yama and asked “Who are you?”.  

The emissaries of Lord Yama speaks “We are sincere attendants of Lord Yama, we have come to follow the command of our master.  Who are you to create obstacles?  Are you Devas/ deities or Upadeva or Siddhas ?”  The Vishnu Parshadhas has the appearance of supreme Lord Narayana, who has beautiful eyes resembles lotus flower petals, four hands hold Shankha, Chakra, Gadha, Padma, bow, and arrow attired in magnificent yellow silk garment, adorned in various precious ornaments and marvelous crown, armlets, ear ornaments, etc.  Vishnu Parshadhas said “Oh! Emissaries of Lord Yama, we have understood you have come to follow the command of your Master Dharmaraja, you are not aware of the principles of righteousness yet.  Tell us who should be punished? Who should not be punished?” 

The emissaries of Yama replied “The Veda is Lord Narayana, it is an authoritative scripture which describes the righteousness and immorality in detail.  After the death of a person who led a righteous life would attain heaven, and the person who had undertaken immoral deeds would attain hell.  The Brahmin Ajamila has chosen an immoral way of living,  though he was born in an illustrious clan of Vedic scholars.  He was leading a righteous life, performed all the religious and spiritual rites and fire sacrifices, virtuous, received guests with humility. Once he was instructed to bring ingredients for fire sacrifice, he came to the forest at the order of his father.  In the forest, he found an indecent fellow, overindulged in intoxicating drink and physical pleasure with a prostitute. The couples were taking immense joy in their mutual association.  In a sudden moment, Ajamila was overwhelmed with an intense desire to be with this beautiful woman.  He was mentally prepared to leave his family, children, and old parents, religious and spiritual rites to unite with her.   He started living with her, he committed various sins, did not perform any of his daily rites and lead a life of an insane; therefore he should be punished in hell.  The scriptures say that Lord Surya, Agni, sky, Air, etc, witnesses all the deeds of living beings on Earth, the person who commits wickedness at the command of mind, will take several births and keep repeating the same without the knowledge of self and receive punishments in the form of sorrow and grief while living on the Earth.   The mind is originated from the Athman/soul, which is closely attached to the activities of   Panchendhriyas,  Karmendhriyas, and Gnaendhriyas.  Therefore it has the capacity to produce happiness, joy, grief, fear, anxiety, distress, etc…, it acts like the fragrance in the flower that remains in the flower for sometimes and vanishes.   In this way, the mind has the capacity to hold on to the body and disappear as well.  The mind will not allow remaining idle, it is the source of actions; hence the body has to keep engaged in something or the other at the command of the mind.   In this way, the soul takes several births and the life cycle continues.  The Brahmin Ajamila committed various sins and followed a morally wrong way of life; therefore he is liable to get punished.”