Shloka 30
Yamarāja Instructs the Yamadūtas: Supreme Authority, Mahājanas, and the Glory of the Holy Name
तत् क्षम्यतां स भगवान् पुरुष: पुराणो नारायण: स्वपुरुषैर्यदसत्कृतं न: । स्वानामहो न विदुषां रचिताञ्जलीनां क्षान्तिर्गरीयसि नम: पुरुषाय भूम्ने ॥ ३० ॥
tat kṣamyatāṁ sa bhagavān puruṣaḥ purāṇo nārāyaṇaḥ sva-puruṣair yad asat kṛtaṁ naḥ svānām aho na viduṣāṁ racitāñjalīnāṁ kṣāntir garīyasi namaḥ puruṣāya bhūmne
โอ้พระนารายณ์ บุรุษโบราณผู้สูงสุด ขอทรงโปรดอภัยความล่วงเกินที่บรรดาผู้รับใช้ของข้าพระองค์ได้กระทำ ด้วยความไม่รู้เรามิได้รู้จักผู้เป็นภักตะของพระองค์ จึงได้ก่ออปราธ ด้วยมือประนมเราขอขมา; ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระบุรุษผู้ทรงมหิทธิฤทธิ์—โปรดเมตตาอภัยเถิด
Lord Yamarāja took upon himself the responsibility for the offense committed by his servants. If the servant of an establishment makes a mistake, the establishment takes responsibility for it. Although Yamarāja is above offenses, his servants, practically with his permission, went to arrest Ajāmila, which was a great offense. The nyāya-śāstra confirms, bhṛtyāparādhe svāmino daṇḍaḥ: if a servant makes a mistake, the master is punishable because he is responsible for the offense. Taking this seriously, Yamarāja, along with his servants, prayed with folded hands to be excused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa.
FAQs
This verse shows the Yamadūtas admitting their fault for disrespecting the Lord’s own servants, implying that offending devotees is a grave mistake and one should humbly seek forgiveness.
After being stopped from taking Ajāmila and hearing higher principles of bhakti and Viṣṇu-dharma, they realized they had acted ignorantly against the Lord’s servants and therefore begged pardon from Nārāyaṇa.
Admit mistakes, avoid disrespect toward sincere devotees and spiritual practitioners, and cultivate humility—offering ‘joined palms’ internally by seeking reconciliation and aligning actions with dharma.