Shloka 60
Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna
एकदासौ वनं यात: पितृसन्देशकृद् द्विज: । आदाय तत आवृत्त: फलपुष्पसमित्कुशान् ॥ ५८ ॥ ददर्श कामिनं कञ्चिच्छूद्रं सह भुजिष्यया । पीत्वा च मधु मैरेयं मदाघूर्णितनेत्रया ॥ ५९ ॥ मत्तया विश्लथन्नीव्या व्यपेतं निरपत्रपम् । क्रीडन्तमनुगायन्तं हसन्तमनयान्तिके ॥ ६० ॥
ekadāsau vanaṁ yātaḥ pitṛ-sandeśa-kṛd dvijaḥ ādāya tata āvṛttaḥ phala-puṣpa-samit-kuśān
ਉਹ ਇਸਤਰੀ ਨਸ਼ੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਸਤ ਸੀ, ਉਸ ਦੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਢਿੱਲੇ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਸਨ ਅਤੇ ਲੱਜਾ ਰਹਿਤ ਸੀ; ਉਹ ਸ਼ੂਦਰ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਖੇਡਦਾ, ਗਾਉਂਦਾ ਤੇ ਹੱਸਦਾ ਨਿਰਲੱਜ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਰਮਣ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ—ਅਜਾਮਿਲ ਨੇ ਇਹੀ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ ਦੇਖਿਆ।
While traveling along the public way, Ajāmila came upon a fourth-class man and a prostitute, who are vividly described here. Drunkenness was sometimes manifest even in bygone ages, although not very frequently. In this Age of Kali, however, such sin is to be seen everywhere, for people all over the world have become shameless. Long ago, when he saw the scene of the drunken śūdra and the prostitute, Ajāmila, who was a perfect brahmacārī, was affected. Nowadays such sin is visible in so many places, and we must consider the position of a brahmacārī student who sees such behavior. For such a brahmacārī to remain steady is very difficult unless he is extremely strong in following the regulative principles. Nevertheless, if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously, he can withstand the provocation created by sin. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we prohibit illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. In Kali-yuga, a drunk, half-naked woman embracing a drunk man is a very common sight, especially in the Western countries, and restraining oneself after seeing such things is very difficult. Nevertheless, if by the grace of Kṛṣṇa one adheres to the regulative principles and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Kṛṣṇa will certainly protect him. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa says that His devotee is never vanquished ( kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ). Therefore all the disciples practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness should obediently follow the regulative principles and remain fixed in chanting the holy name of the Lord. Then there need be no fear. Otherwise one’s position is very dangerous, especially in this Kali-yuga.
FAQs
In Ajāmila’s account, a single encounter with shameless, intoxicated sensual behavior becomes the trigger for his moral and spiritual decline, showing how powerful bad association and uncontrolled desire can be.
The vivid description highlights the specific sense-objects that agitate the mind, illustrating how temptation enters through sight and association and can overturn even a trained brāhmaṇa when vigilance is lost.
Guard the senses—especially what you watch and whom you associate with—avoid intoxication and environments that normalize shamelessness, and strengthen daily sādhana so sudden temptations do not redirect your life.