Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 48
Ajāmila Delivered: Viṣṇudūtas Establish the Supremacy of the Holy Name
Devanagari script
य एतं परमं गुह्यमितिहासमघापहम् । शृणुयाच्छ्रद्धया युक्तो यश्च भक्त्यानुकीर्तयेत् ॥ ४७ ॥ न वै स नरकं याति नेक्षितो यमकिङ्करै: । यद्यप्यमङ्गलो मर्त्यो विष्णुलोके महीयते ॥ ४८ ॥
Transliteration
ya etaṁ paramaṁ guhyam itihāsam aghāpaham śṛṇuyāc chraddhayā yukto yaś ca bhaktyānukīrtayet
Translation
凡以信心聆听并以虔爱（bhakti）称颂此至秘、能灭罪之史传者，决不堕入地狱；阎摩王的使者甚至不敢前来一见。纵使仍具凡身、曾多罪业，舍身之后亦得归于毗湿奴之界，受尊敬迎接与礼拜。
Synonyms
yaḥwho
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक)
etamthis
etam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally
paramamsupreme
paramam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with itihāsam
guhyamsecret
guhyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootguhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with itihāsam
itihāsamnarrative/legend
itihāsam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootitihāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
aghāpahamremover of sin
aghāpaham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootagha + apaha (प्रातिपदिक; from √apah/अपह् ‘to remove’)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; tatpuruṣa: agha-apaha = ‘sin-removing’; agrees with itihāsam
śṛṇuyātshould hear
śṛṇuyāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śru (श्रु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
śraddhayāwith faith
śraddhayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootśraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular
yuktaḥendowed/engaged
yuktaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootyukta (कृदन्त; past passive participle from √yuj/युज्)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; PPP used adjectivally
yaḥand who
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; relative pronoun (repeated)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction particle (समुच्चय)
bhaktyāwith devotion
bhaktyā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular
anukīrtayetshould recite/praise
anukīrtayet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootanu + √kīrt (कीर्त्)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; causative not intended; simple denominative sense ‘to recite/praise’; parasmaipada
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध)
vaiindeed
vai:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; demonstrative pronoun
narakamhell
narakam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnaraka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
yātigoes
yāti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√yā (या)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध)
īkṣitaḥseen/targeted
īkṣitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootīkṣita (कृदन्त; past passive participle from √īkṣ/ईक्ष्)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; PPP; with instrumental agent
yama-kiṅkaraiḥby Yama's servants
yama-kiṅkaraiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyama + kiṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘servants of Yama’
yadiif
yadi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
FormConditional particle (शर्त)
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormConcessive/emphatic particle (अपि)
amaṅgalaḥinauspicious/sinful
amaṅgalaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootamaṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; agrees with martyaḥ
martyaḥmortal
martyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmartya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular
viṣṇu-lokein Viṣṇu's abode
viṣṇu-loke:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘in Viṣṇu's world’
mahīyateis honored/exalted
mahīyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√mah (मह्)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person, Singular; ātmanepada/passive sense ‘is honored/glorified’
Characters & Entities
Y
YamaV
ViṣṇuFAQs
This verse states that faithfully hearing and devotionally recounting this confidential history destroys sin and prevents one from going to hell.
Because the Ajāmila episode reveals the hidden power of bhakti—especially śravaṇa and kīrtana connected to Viṣṇu’s name—showing how divine grace overrides even severe prior wrongdoing.
Regularly hear and share Bhāgavatam teachings with faith and devotion, and cultivate sincere remembrance of Viṣṇu through chanting—this purifies character and redirects life toward spiritual destiny.