Shloka 27
Ajāmila Delivered: Viṣṇudūtas Establish the Supremacy of the Holy Name
धिङ्मां विगर्हितं सद्भिर्दुष्कृतं कुलकज्जलम् । हित्वा बालां सतीं योऽहं सुरापीमसतीमगाम् ॥ २७ ॥
dhiṅ māṁ vigarhitaṁ sadbhir duṣkṛtaṁ kula-kajjalam hitvā bālāṁ satīṁ yo ’haṁ surā-pīm asatīm agām
Schande über mich! Ich beging eine von den Frommen verabscheute Sünde und schwärzte die Ehre meines Geschlechts. Ich verließ meine junge, schöne und keusche Frau und ging zu einer gefallenen Prostituierten, dem Wein ergeben—Schande über mich!
This is the mentality of one who is becoming a pure devotee. When one is elevated to the platform of devotional service by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master, one first regrets his past sinful activities. This helps one advance in spiritual life. The Viṣṇudūtas had given Ajāmila the chance to become a pure devotee, and the duty of a pure devotee is to regret his past sinful activities in illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. Not only should one give up his past bad habits, but he must always regret his past sinful acts. This is the standard of pure devotion.
FAQs
This verse shows Ajāmila’s deep remorse—he openly condemns his own actions as sinful and disgraceful, indicating that sincere self-reproach is a crucial step toward purification.
Because he abandoned dharmic conduct—leaving his young, chaste wife and associating with an immoral, intoxicated woman—he sees himself as bringing disgrace to his lineage and to the standards upheld by the righteous.
Take honest accountability for harmful choices, recognize how they affect family and character, and use that clarity to return to disciplined, dharmic living and sincere spiritual practice.