Ajamila, The Vile Sinner (original) (raw)
The story of Ajamila ('Ajaamilopaakhyaanam') occurs in the chapter VI of Srimad Bhagavatam. In his English translation of this Mahapurana (great narration) Sri N.Raghunathayyar, eminent scholar in English and Sanskrit of revered memory, (and formerly Assistant Editor of The Hindu for more than 30 years between the twenties and fifties of the last century), titles it as 'The Story of Ajamila, the Sinner', quite significantly!
The sinful ways of Ajamila
The story starts with king Parikshit (under a curse of imminent death) asking the narrator sage 'Suka Brahman' how one can escape the tortures of hell and the sage expounding the story of Ajamila. This brahmin Ajamila lived in Kanyakubja, who 'managed' to pollute himself by intercourse with a low-caste servant-maid. In order to support her and become necessarily (he convinced himself), a house-breaker, kidnapper, robber, gambler and cheat! His youngest son was named, by sheer chance, Narayana and of whom both the parents were specially fond.
O, Narayana, Narayana!
In due course, death called on him inevitably. As he was very virtuous in his earlier days Ajamila was able to perceive the dreaded messengers of death armed with the noose of death, he called for his darling son Narayana by name in full and only in sheer agitation. However, the celestial attendants of the Lord Narayana, hearing the brahmin outcaste's loud cries rushed thither and prevented the messengers of Death, by force, from capturing the life of Ajamila.
Furious altercation
There was a furious and heated altercation between the dutiful messengers of Vaivasvata (Yama, the Lord of Death) and the protective attendants of Lord Vishnu in this respect. Yama's minions pointed out that Ajamila deserved the worst possible hell, the vile sinner that he was. There was not one possible area of redemption for him. As Yama was the guardian of Dharma it was only proper for him to confine Ajamila to the darkest regions of hell. So, they requested the celestial attendants, whom they could not identify then, to let them do their assigned duty.
'We follow the Vedic injunctions'
Vaasudeva (Vishnu: Narayana) attendants identified themselves duly and then asked Yama's servants to define and explain Dharma and its nuances. The Yama dhutas explained that every action had an appropriate reaction which enjoined reward or punishment as befitted the action. "We follow the 'Vedas' in ensuring the sustenance of Dharma. What is against the 'Vedas' is 'Adharma'. As Narayana, the Lord, is Himself the Vedas, from Whom these scriptures emanated, it is only proper for you Vishnu-dhutas to allow us perform our duty as stipulated in the Vedas. Our Lord's abode is called 'Samyamani' - 'the abode of fair play and equal justice, the abode that ensures justice for all'. Please allow us to carry Ajamila's life away. He deserves nothing except hell, the confirmed worst of sinners he is!"
Ajamila's earlier life praised
In this connection, the Yama-dhutas praised Ajamila's virtuous life in his earlier years till he converted himself into a wretched sinner, by falling into evil ways by cohabiting with this mean harlot who had known several men previously.
R Srinivasan