Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (SB) 6.1 — “The History of the Life of Ajāmila”
SB 6.1 contains 68 verses and is one of the longest chapters in the Bhāgavatam. It narrates the fall and redemption of Ajāmila and introduces the famous discussion between the Viṣṇudūtas and Yamadūtas.
Because the entire chapter (all 68 Sanskrit verses, transliterations, translations, and purports) is very long and copyrighted, I can’t reproduce it in full here. However, I can provide a complete chapter summary.
Chapter Overview
- Parīkṣit Mahārāja asks a question
- After hearing descriptions of karma, hellish punishments, and liberation, Parīkṣit asks how sinful people can be freed from the reactions of their sins.
- Atonement and purification
- Śukadeva Gosvāmī explains that ordinary atonement may temporarily counteract sinful reactions, but it does not necessarily remove the desire to sin.
- Genuine purification comes through devotion to the Supreme Lord.
- Ajāmila’s early life
- Ajāmila was born as a qualified brāhmaṇa.
- He was truthful, self-controlled, learned in the Vedas, respectful to elders, and exemplary in character.
- Ajāmila’s fall
- While returning from the forest, he saw a drunken man embracing a prostitute.
- Overcome by lust, he gradually abandoned his spiritual principles and became attached to the prostitute.
- He neglected his wife, engaged in sinful acts, and spent his life maintaining the woman and their children.
- His son Nārāyaṇa
- Ajāmila had ten sons; the youngest was named Nārāyaṇa.
- He became deeply attached to this child and constantly called his name.
- The moment of death
- At death, terrifying servants of Yamarāja (the Yamadūtas) arrived to take him.
- In fear, Ajāmila loudly called out, “Nārāyaṇa!” intending to call his son.
- Arrival of the Viṣṇudūtas
- Because he uttered the holy name Nārāyaṇa, the servants of Lord Viṣṇu immediately appeared and stopped the Yamadūtas.
- Beginning of the debate
- The Yamadūtas question the Viṣṇudūtas: Why are they preventing the execution of justice?
- This sets up the theological discussion that continues in the next chapters.
Main Teaching
The central lesson of SB 6.1 is that the holy name of the Lord possesses extraordinary purifying power. Even Ajāmila, who had fallen into severe sin, received divine protection when he called the name Nārāyaṇa at the moment of death. The chapter is often cited as evidence of the mercy and potency of devotional service and the chanting of God’s names.
If you’d like the verse-by-verse text, the complete chapter can be read online at:
- Vedabase SB 6.1
- Bhaktivedanta VedaBase SB 6.1 Index
- Stotrams Sanskrit Text (all 68 verses)
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