Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 27

Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

स एवं वर्तमानोऽज्ञो मृत्युकाल उपस्थिते । मतिं चकार तनये बाले नारायणाह्वये ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

sa evaṁ vartamāno ’jño mṛtyu-kāla upasthite matiṁ cakāra tanaye bāle nārāyaṇāhvaye

Translation

Así, viviendo en la ignorancia, cuando llegó la hora de la muerte, Ajāmila fijó su mente únicamente en su pequeño hijo llamado “Nārāyaṇa”.

Synonyms

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• वर्तमानः: being/continuing (in that state)
• वर्तमानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शतृ/Present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अज्ञः: ignorant
• अज्ञः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृत्यु-कालः: the time of death
• मृत्यु-कालः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Temporal locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (मृत्योः कालः = time of death); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उपस्थिते: when (it) had arrived
• उपस्थिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + उप (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present/arrived), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्भाव्य; ‘मृत्यु-काल’ इत्यस्य सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (when the time of death had come)

• मतिम्: thought/resolve
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चकार: made/formed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तनये: in/with regard to (his) son
• तनये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• बाले: young
• बाले: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तनये’ विशेषणम्

• नारायण-आह्वये: named Nārāyaṇa
• नारायण-आह्वये: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (नारायण इति आह्वयः/नाम यस्य = named ‘Nārāyaṇa’); पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तनये’ विशेषणम्

Purport

In the Second Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.6) Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:

Characters & Entities

• Ajāmila
• Nārāyaṇa (Ajāmila’s son)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering Nārāyaṇa at the time of death?

This verse shows that when death came, Ajāmila’s mind went to the name “Nārāyaṇa” (through his son), highlighting the decisive spiritual power of the Lord’s name and remembrance at life’s end.

Why did Ajāmila call out “Nārāyaṇa” in the Ajāmila story?

At death he became absorbed in affection for his small son named Nārāyaṇa; his attention fixed on the child, and this connection with the divine name becomes pivotal in the narrative.

Practical application: how can I use this teaching in modern life?

Cultivate daily remembrance of the Lord’s names (japa/kīrtana) so that the mind naturally turns to Bhagavān in crisis and at the time of death.