Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 28
Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna
स पाशहस्तांस्त्रीन्दृष्ट्वा पुरुषानतिदारुणान् । वक्रतुण्डानूर्ध्वरोम्ण आत्मानं नेतुमागतान् ॥ २८ ॥ दूरे क्रीडनकासक्तं पुत्रं नारायणाह्वयम् । प्लावितेन स्वरेणोच्चैराजुहावाकुलेन्द्रिय: ॥ २९ ॥
sa pāśa-hastāṁs trīn dṛṣṭvā puruṣān ati-dāruṇān vakra-tuṇḍān ūrdhva-romṇa ātmānaṁ netum āgatān
そのときアジャーミラは、縄を手にし、顔は歪み、体毛は逆立つほど凄惨な三人の者が、自分を閻魔王の住処へ連れ去ろうとして来たのを見た。彼は驚き惑い、少し離れて遊ぶ「ナーラーヤナ」と名づけた息子への執着から、涙に濡れた声で大きく呼び立てた—こうして何とはなしに、聖名「ナーラーヤナ」を唱えてしまった。
A person who performs sinful activities performs them with his body, mind and words. Therefore three order carriers from Yamarāja came to take Ajāmila to Yamarāja’s abode. Fortunately, even though he was referring to his son, Ajāmila chanted the four syllables of the hari-nāma Nārāyaṇa, and therefore the order carriers of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas, also immediately arrived there. Because Ajāmila was extremely afraid of the ropes of Yamarāja, he chanted the Lord’s name with tearful eyes. Actually, however, he never meant to chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa; he meant to call his son.
FAQs
This verse describes the Yamadutas as terrifying messengers carrying ropes, coming to seize a sinful person at death—illustrating karmic accountability at the final moment.
In the narrative, Ajamila had lived sinfully, so the Yamadutas arrived to arrest him for punishment according to the laws of karma administered under Yamaraja.
Live with moral restraint and cultivate remembrance of God daily, so the mind is not overwhelmed by fear and regret at life’s end.