Shloka 64
Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna
तामेव तोषयामास पित्र्येणार्थेन यावता । ग्राम्यैर्मनोरमै: कामै: प्रसीदेत यथा तथा ॥ ६४ ॥
tām eva toṣayām āsa pitryeṇārthena yāvatā grāmyair manoramaiḥ kāmaiḥ prasīdeta yathā tathā
ดังนั้นอชามิละจึงใช้ทรัพย์ที่สืบจากบิดาเท่าที่มีเพื่อเอาใจหญิงโสเภณี ให้เธอพอใจเขามอบสิ่งบำเรออันโลกีย์อันน่ารื่นรมย์ และละทิ้งกิจแห่งพราหมณ์ทั้งปวง
There are many instances throughout the world in which even a purified person, being attracted by a prostitute, spends all the money he has inherited. Prostitute hunting is so abominable that the desire for sex with a prostitute can ruin one’s character, destroy one’s exalted position and plunder all one’s money. Therefore illicit sex is strictly prohibited. One should be satisfied with his married wife, for even a slight deviation will create havoc. A Kṛṣṇa conscious gṛhastha should always remember this. He should always be satisfied with one wife and be peaceful simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Otherwise at any moment he may fall down from his good position, as exemplified in the case of Ajāmila.
FAQs
This verse describes Ajāmila using wealth from condemned, irreligious occupations to maintain sense pleasure, showing how adharma-driven earning entangles one further in sin and material bondage.
Overpowered by attachment and lust, Ajāmila centered his life on pleasing her, even abandoning proper conduct and adopting sinful means—illustrating how uncontrolled desire can eclipse dharma.
It warns against compromising ethics for pleasure or relationships; a devotee should earn honestly, restrain the senses, and align family life with dharma and devotion rather than gratification.