Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

सकृन्मन: कृष्णपदारविन्दयो- र्निवेशितं तद्गुणरागि यैरिह । न ते यमं पाशभृतश्च तद्भ‍टान् स्वप्नेऽपि पश्यन्ति हि चीर्णनिष्कृता: ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṇa-rāgi yair iha na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne ’pi paśyanti hi cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ

Translation

ఎవరైతే ఒక్కసారి అయినా మనస్సును శ్రీకృష్ణ పదపద్మాలలో సంపూర్ణంగా నిలిపి, ఆయన నామ-రూప-గుణ-లీలలపై రాగం పొందారో, వారు సమస్త పాపఫలాల నుండి విముక్తులు—ఇదే నిజమైన నిష్కృతి; అటువంటి శరణాగతులు స్వప్నంలో కూడా యమరాజుని గాని పాశధారులైన యమదూతలను గాని చూడరు।

Synonyms

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘once’)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object of ‘niveśitam’)

• kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ: in Krishna’s lotus feet
• kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक) + aravinda (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), द्विवचन; ‘कृष्णस्य पद-अरविन्दे’ (lotus-feet)

• niveśitam: placed/fixed
• niveśitam: Karma (कर्म/predicate to manaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + √viś (विश्, धातु) + क्त (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘स्थापित/न्यस्त’

• tad-guṇa-rāgi: attached to His qualities
• tad-guṇa-rāgi: Karta (कर्ता/agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + rāgin (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन/बहुवचन-सम्भाव्य; अत्र ‘यैः’ इत्यनेन सह विशेषणरूपेण—‘तस्य (कृष्णस्य) गुणेषु रागः येषाम्’

• yaiḥ: by whom/for whom (those who)
• yaiḥ: Karana (करण/agent-instrument in relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this world)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• yamam: Yama
• yamam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pāśa-bhṛtaḥ: the noose-bearers (Yama’s servants)
• pāśa-bhṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (√bhṛ, भृ, धातु; कृत्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘पाशान् बिभ्रति’ = यमदूताः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tad-bhaṭān: his soldiers (Yama’s attendants)
• tad-bhaṭān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + bhaṭa (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘तस्य (यमस्य) भटाः’

• svapne: in a dream
• svapne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also)

• paśyanti: see
• paśyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ: those who have performed expiation
• cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīrṇa (√car, चर्, धातु; क्त) + niṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘चीर्णा निष्कृतिः येषाम्’—‘atonement performed’ (but here implying purified devotees)

Purport

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) :

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Yamarāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about true atonement (niṣkṛti)?

This verse teaches that the deepest atonement is to fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet and become attached to His qualities; such devotion purifies one so thoroughly that Yama and his messengers no longer approach.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention Yamarāja and his servants in the Ajāmila episode?

In Canto 6, Chapter 1, Śukadeva explains the contrast between karmic punishment and devotional purification: remembrance of Kṛṣṇa nullifies the jurisdiction of Yama’s agents over the devotee.

Practical application of remembering Krishna ‘even once’ in modern life?

Begin daily with a brief, sincere moment of remembrance—chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names or contemplating His qualities—so the mind develops attachment to devotion rather than fear, guilt, or anxiety.