Shloka 6
Yamarāja Instructs the Yamadūtas: Supreme Authority, Mahājanas, and the Glory of the Holy Name
किन्तु शास्तृबहुत्वे स्याद्बहूनामिह कर्मिणाम् । शास्तृत्वमुपचारो हि यथा मण्डलवर्तिनाम् ॥ ६ ॥
kintu śāstṛ-bahutve syād bahūnām iha karmiṇām śāstṛtvam upacāro hi yathā maṇḍala-vartinām
Namun, walaupun para pelaku karma ramai sehingga seolah-olah ada banyak hakim, itu hanyalah sebutan menurut tugas; seperti para pemerintah wilayah berada di bawah seorang maharaja pusat, demikian juga mesti ada satu Penguasa Tertinggi yang membimbing semua hakim.
In governmental management there may be departmental officials to give justice to different persons, but the law must be one, and that central law must control everyone. The Yamadūtas could not imagine that two judges would give two different verdicts in the same case, and therefore they wanted to know who the central judge is. The Yamadūtas were certain that Ajāmila was a most sinful man, but although Yamarāja wanted to punish him, the Viṣṇudūtas excused him. This was a puzzling situation that the Yamadūtas wanted Yamarāja to clarify.
FAQs
This verse cautions that if every karmī (fruitive worker) is treated as an authority, “authority” becomes only a social label; true dharma must be known from genuine, higher sources—not mere convention.
After the Ajāmila episode, Yamarāja corrects his messengers’ misunderstanding of dharma, warning them not to rely on common worldly opinions that mistake conventional religiosity for real authority.
Do not accept spiritual guidance merely because someone is popular or part of a respected group; verify teachings through authentic scripture and saintly, realized teachers aligned with the Bhagavatam’s conclusions.