Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 2
Ajāmila Delivered: Viṣṇudūtas Establish the Supremacy of the Holy Name
श्रीविष्णुदूता ऊचु: अहो कष्टं धर्मदृशामधर्म: स्पृशते सभाम् । यत्रादण्ड्येष्वपापेषु दण्डो यैर्ध्रियते वृथा ॥ २ ॥
śrī-viṣṇudūtā ūcuḥ aho kaṣṭaṁ dharma-dṛśām adharmaḥ spṛśate sabhām yatrādaṇḍyeṣv apāpeṣu daṇḍo yair dhriyate vṛthā
The Viṣṇudūtas said: Alas, how painful it is that irreligion is being introduced into an assembly where religion should be maintained. Indeed, those in charge of maintaining the religious principles are needlessly punishing a sinless, unpunishable person.
The Viṣṇudūtas accused the Yamadūtas of violating the religious principles by attempting to drag Ajāmila to Yamarāja for punishment. Yamarāja is the officer appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to judge religious and irreligious principles and to punish people who are irreligious. However, if completely sinless people are punished, the entire assembly of Yamarāja is contaminated. This principle applies not only in the assembly of Yamarāja, but throughout human society also.
FAQs
This verse condemns punishing those who are sinless and not eligible for punishment, calling it adharma—even if it occurs in a court that claims to uphold dharma.
They objected to the attempt to arrest Ajāmila, arguing that a wrongful punishment was being carried out under the banner of religious justice.
It encourages fair judgment: do not condemn without true fault, and ensure that “dharma” is not used to justify bias, cruelty, or institutional injustice.