The Story of AjaameeLa (అజామీళుడు, अजामीला) - Part 3

Continued from part 2….
Confused after the conversation with the messengers of Lord Vishnu, the messengers of the hell went towards south to meet the Lord of the South, Lord Yama. They told the entire story and asked their king, "Hey lord, who else has ultimate powers to punish the people who do not live gently? Which other leader has powers to punish the living for their Karma? You are the only dictator of punishments for the Karma done by people of all the 3 worlds. Who else has powers to wipe off your dictatorship? In the place where you are the dictator, some godly people has stopped us from giving the punishment and pushed us away. Whom should we bring and whom should we not bring to hell?"

Image courtesy - back2godhead.com

    Lord Yama smiled, pleased with his messengers, prayed Lord Vishnu and said "There is One. He is greater than everyone. He is there everywhere. Giving birth and dying is all his magic. He making the ignorant people as the most knowledgeable people. This whole universe is Him and under his control. My prayers are always for Him. Telling His name will free you from all the Karma. Even if I go with other Gods like Indra, Varuna etc, we cannot find him. His expansion cannot be identified by people with ignorance and people with ego and selfishness. He has no birth, no measurements. His messengers look similar to him. Those messengers will be roaming around the universe and save Vishnu devotees from you me and others and make sure they do not get difficulties. We cannot take the life of people who tell the name of Him at the time of death. Ajaameela is an example, although he was calling his son. So humans do not have to worry about me. They have a powerful weapon called "Name of Lord Vishnu". They are becoming ignorant of this fact and lazy minded to understand this point."
    He further said, "Those who pray the God and keep Him in their mind, we cannot punish them. Do not bring those people. They are saved by the wheel (Chakra) of Lord Vishnu. Do not bring those people who always talk about God and who fly in the skies of Advaita. Do not bring those who always think of the lotus feet of the God."
పద్మనయను మీది భక్తి యోగంబెల్ల     | The devotion on the lotus eyed Krishna
ముక్తి యోగంబనుచు మొదలెరుంగు     | is the only way to Salvation – Those who follow this axiom
వారి వారివారి వారి చేరినవారి     | those devotees, relatives of those devotees & people of those relatives of those devotees
త్రోవబోవ వలదు దూతలార !        | O messengers – do not go into their way.
He further said,
ఎగసెక్కమ్బునకైన ఇందిరా రమణుని పలుకంగాలేని దుర్భాషితులను | Those ill-speakers who do not speak of Vishnu even for sarcasm
కలలోనైనా శ్రీకాంతు ని సత్పాడ కమలముల్ సూడని కర్మరతుల     | Those task doers who do not want to Vishnu in their dream
నవ్వుచునైనా కృష్ణ ప్రశంసకు చెవి దార్పనేరని దుష్కళా శ్రవణుల     | Those who do not even laugh when there is a praise of Krishna
యాత్రోత్పవంబులనైన ఈశుని గుడి త్రోవ తోక్కనేలని దుష్పదుల     | Those ill-feet who do not even go to temple at least in tours
బరచు భాగవతుల పాద ధూళి | Those do not even realize that the dust on the feet
సమస్త తీర్థ సార మమరు తెలియని | of the great devotees is eternal
వారి వారివారి వారిచేరినవారి | those people , Relatives of those people and people of those relatives of those people
తొలుత పట్టి తెండు దూతలార !    | O messengers – Bring those people first!!
"These people never say God name, their houses will be full of sinners, those who never respect the elderly and great people, bring those people first."

Learnings/Observations/Points to Note:

1. It has been written and preached that, in Kaliyuga, one can attain salvation and service to God by either chanting His name or helping the needy. Rest of all are secondary. Surprising that this story mandates the importance of The name centuries ago. Thus communal singings (bhajans) are so important in daily life.
2. Notice the name of the city, kanyakubja, which symbolizes getting interwoven with worldly relational life with women.
3. The worst sins ever namely mahapathakas, are murder of a Brahmin, sleeping with wife of a teacher (cant imagine this), stealing gold and consumption of alcohol. Well, if you are able to say the God's name on death bed, you are exempted from this sins. However as mentioned in the story, its not as easy as the statement goes. People say, the mind sticks to what you like the most on the death bed. So increasing the love towards the God throughout the life can only bring peace at death. This is also the inner meaning behind that statement.
4. There is always a second chance.
5. Normally in stories like this, Brahmins are selected for portraying the characters. Brahmins are expected to gain physical as well as spiritual knowledge and share it with everyone. One who attains knowledge will always be on the highest step of a staircase and if he misuses the knowledge that he gained, he will be the worst hit person as he falls from top floor. However, the caste is decided based on Karma. So any person of the 4 varnas attains knowledge, he is considered Brahmin.
6. The points told by Lord Yama in the 3^rd part are crucial for any religion. Rename a "Hindu" god name with other religion's God name.
7. It hasn't been mentioned but the prostitute dies of a disease. Don't ask me how the story foretells about STDs.
8. The story is an important lesson for every person in teenage. Actually the story should be made part of the books is what I feel. Just because, saying the name, luckily, at the end of his life he got saved but this will not be the case with everyone. It is so important to try keep away from such activities and involve in something good, intentionally.
9. Ajaameela is not bad by birth. He got himself diverted from what is good because he misused his senses that are supposed to be used to attain knowledge.
10. This story was told to Maharaj Parikshit by Maharshi Suka in a situation where Parikshit knows that he is going to die in 7 days and was worried about attaining salvation. Maharshi Suka consoled him by saying stories of various devotees and said "Ajaameela was able to attain salvation just in a moment by uttering the name of God. So you do not have to worry as you still have 7 days." The idea is that Parikshit knows when he is going to die but for normal human beings like us, we do not know when we are going to die. So make the most of what you live in doing good service.
11. The judgement time for a person is when death is sitting beside that person. During that judgement time, it is normally the scenario that a person is in ICU of a hospital and his/her relatives are watching him from outside through glasses. He cannot talk to them or order them or request them to do a single worship to God on his name in a temple. Even if he wants to tell the God's name on that bed, he might not be able to do it. That person might think, "Ohh god, all this life I never did a good thing that you told as good. Now, even if I regret that fact and want to even spell your name, I cannot do it." This story gives a message that make use of your time. Do good things, believe in God and he will take care of the rest. The situation explained above if for people who are having slow death. Imagine people dying in accidents, incidents, dying out of sudden fear and what if they have not done single good.

The End

The Story of AjaameeLa (అజామీళుడు, अजामीला) - Part 2

Continued from part 1….

      The messengers from the Hell replied "What is defined to be done in the Vedas is what is right. Anything other, is said to be a sin. Because of Whom, this world is created, the creatures are getting their qualities, features and Who is inside all this life is the presenter of the Vedas. The sun, moon, Fire, Sky, days, nights and earth are all the evidence of the Karma done by a living being. Based on that evidence, the sinners will be punished. But you stopped us from doing it. Every life has to do their mandatory Karma but some lives are doing what is not required to do or doing karma as per their wishes. Based on those actions, either good or bad will happen to them. Those results will be given in this life or future life. Lord Yama will be silently sitting in everyone's heart and he will be observing those actions done by a being, to decide what he has done is right and what he has done is wrong. Some people attain salvation (moksha, మోక్షము) by using the various senses given to them but some will misuse the senses for satisfying their wishes."
They further explained the past of AjaameeLa….

కావుననితడు సత్కర్మ వర్తమున భూదేవకులమున పుట్టినాడు         | Because of his good karma, he was born in a Brahmin family
దాన్తుడై శాంతుడై ధర్మ పరశీలకుడై సకల వేదంబులు చదివినాడు         | Winning his senses, he was peaceful and read Vedas
అనయంబు గురువుల అతిధుల పెద్దల చేరి శుశ్రూషలు చేసినాడు     | Serviced Gurus, Guests and Elders.
సర్వ భూతములకు సమబుద్ధి యై చాల బహుమంత్ర సిద్ధులు బడసినాడు     | Saw all beings with equal mind, attained Manthras
సత్యభాష నియమంబు జారిపినాడు     | Spoke only truth
నిత్యనైమిత్తికాదులు నెరపినాడు         | Did all rituals as per time and place
దండిలోపాది గుణములు దరసినాడు    | Left all the 6 bad qualities
మంచి గుణములు తనయందు దరసినడు     | Kept only good qualities with him

     While he was doing all this, he entered into the youth life. His eyes had pride of youth. His mind was fervid as tides of ocean. His face had a smile and his body showed the signs of adolescence. His waist got bigger, his chest got broadened, his hands got lengthier, thighs thinner, hair shiny black and body turned very strong. Spring season boosted his desires.

Image Courtesy - Maronsdog.net

     One day, obeying his father's commands, he went to forest to get flowers, fruits and dried grass. While returning he saw a lady enjoying her desires with her lover in an arbor. She was drunk and craving on him for getting herself satisfied. They were not in a position to see if they were covered with clothes and were deeply involved with what they were doing. AjaameeLa had horripilation and he never saw such thing before. He instantly fell in deep desire with that prostitute. His mind was not with him from that moment and left all his "good deeds". He left his education, his recently married wife, his parents, his father's money and went behind that lady. He ignored everyone and set his family in that prostitute's house and enjoyed with her for years. He turned out to be a thief for earning money and left all his education. Finally the prostitute died and now he is going to die. So we will punish him according to his bad deeds and purify him."

     The messengers of Lord Vishnu stopped their explanation and said, "Your ignorance is out now. If the children do mistakes, they come to the parents for help. If the parents don't help, who will? Another thing, just because he uttered the name "Narayana", for any reason, he is free from sins of crores of his previous births."

బ్రహ్మహత్యానేక పాపాటవులకగ్నికీలలు హరినామకీర్తనములు | The songs of Hari are like fire for forest like sins, like killing Brahmins
గురుతల్పకల్మష క్రూరసర్పములకు గేకులు హరినామకీర్తనములు |The songs of Hari are like peacocks for snake like sins, like sleeping on teacher's bed
తపనీయ చౌర్య సంతమసంబునకు సూర్యకిరణంబులు హరినామకీర్తనములు |The songs of Hari are like Sunrays for dark sins, like stealing gold
మధుపానకిల్మిష మదవాగాసమితికి , కేసరులు హరినమకీర్తనములు |The songs of Hari are like lions for elephant like sins, like alcohol consumption
మహిత యోగోగ్ర నిత్య సమాధి విధుల    | The Songs of Hari will provide comforts of salvation
నలరు బ్రహ్మాది సురులకు నందరాని    |which is not easy for great
భూరి నిర్వాణ సామ్రాజ్య భోగభాగ్య    | yogis like Lord Brahma.
ఖేలనంబులు హరినామకీర్తనములు    |
"There is nothing more the appellation of Vasudeva. He might have told that name with his son in his mind but telling the Lord's name in any form, he will be there as a savior always."
బిడ్డ పేరు పెట్టి విశ్రామ         |By giving the name of your son or
కేళి నైన మిగుల గేలి నైన         |While taking rest or while playing
పద్య గద్య గీత భావర్ధములనైన         |or in poetry or in prose or in meanings
కమలనయనతలుప కలుష హరము    |mentioning the God's name is sin killer.
They also said
కూలిన చోట కొట్టుపడి కుందిన చోట మహా జ్వరాదులం     |At the place you fall, at the place you stagger, at places of great diseases
ప్రేలినచోట సర్పముఖ పీదలొన్దిన చోట నార్తులై     |At the place of snake or poison problems
తూలినచోట విష్ణు భవదూరుని పేర్కొనిరేని మీద న     |At places where people need help or when scared, tell the name of Vishnu
క్కాలుని యాతనానితతి కావరు పూనరు దుఃఖ భావముల్ | It will relieve the problems created by Lord Yama
       They continued, "Just by saying the name, everyone's sins will be cleaned. In that case if a person tells the God's name with devotion, imagine the amount of good that happens to him. On the death bed, everybody cannot say the God's name. Only the people who did some good service will be able to tell the God's name when death is sitting beside him. So Ajaameela attained this state by doing the same thing. His life will not go into a waste. You must leave him and go."

      Ajaameela came back alive. He was confused seeing and listening to both the messengers without knowing who they were. He realized his mistakes and he regretted for what he did to himself as well as his family and the right wife. He went to the Ganges and in a temple, he went into Yoga and finally attained salvation. The same messengers who came before, came again to take him to Vaikuntam.

There is no way to skip Karma. The mind, which does not listen to you and goes in all bad directions, can only be controlled by saying the name "Narayana". This is the only idea.

……… [What did the Messengers of the Hell conveyed to, and discuss with, Lord Yama?] …. To be continued…..

The Story of AjaameeLa (అజామీళుడు, अजामीला) - Part 1

Shree Gurubhyonamah

[This is a DEVOTIONAL story. This is not my story and this is not a story I created but is taken from Maharshi Vyasa's Srimad Bhagavata Purana. I am somehow influenced by this story because this is so much relevant to the current age and current generation of people. It has few current realities that were foretold when this Purana was written and I thought it's a good idea to put this story as a blog post. Before I start, this story need not be treated as a story told for a religion but to be treated as story needed for every human being who trust in God in any form/religion. Heaven and hell are 2 common things found in most of the religious practices. It has few things to learn for people who do not trust in God as well. Also this story has few sections that praise Lord Vishnu and encourage others to do it. It's up to you if you do not want to read those. You can take that as part of story.
I am going to refer to few Telugu poems from the Telugu version of Srimad Bhagavata written by the great writer Sri Pothana. The reason being they are such wonderful verses and I will try to translate the same to English without losing the essence. I am grateful to my guru because of whom I came to know this story. Any mistakes in the story are because of my ignorance. DON'T MISS THE OBSERVATIONS & LEARNINGS AT THE END OF THE STORY.]

        Once upon a time, there lived a Brahmin named Ajaameela in a city called Kanyaakubja. He is a sinner, thief, ignorant of meaning of life, follower of ill practices, gambler, fighter and a drunkard. In the rage of adolescence, he married a prostitute and had 10 sons with her. He spent time with her and the kids, in the ocean of family world. He became old, his black hair turned white, organs lost control, his head started to shiver, and his sight got poor, got asthama, lost teeth, cough and his mind lost control. Totally, he is close to death in no time. He turned 88 and had lots of love towards his last son named Narayana.
       He was on his death bed and his sight was towards his last son who was playing few meters away from him. He uttered Narayana thinking about his son when he saw the messengers of the Hell. They were huge, black, spitting fire because of anger, inflated lips, bad shaped faces and cruel eyes. They had thick lengthy ropes and knives in their hands, ready to separate the life out of Ajaameela. He was scared and half dead seeing them. And then in that fear,

దూరమున వాడు బాలుడు                | He saw his son playing at the distance and whom
బోరన దన చిత్త సీమ పొడగట్టిననో       |He loved a lot and called him by his name
నారాయణ ! నారాయణ!                    |Narayana, Narayana
నారాయణ! ననచునాత్మ నన్దనునొడినెన్ |Narayana (called him 3 times)

        On hearing the word Narayana, told 3 times during his death, the messengers of Lord Vishnu who were roaming around, stopped the ugly acts of the messengers of the hell. They stopped those messengers of hell who were trying to grab the soul from Ajaameela and forced them away.

        The messengers of the Hell asked the messengers of Lord Vishnu, "Dear great souls, Whom do you belong to? If you stop doing our work like this, the death ropes of the king of the Hell, Lord Yama, will turn out to be fun to the humans. You look handsome, are you from the sky? Are you gods? Your eyes look like a blossomed lotus, you wore silk clothes and you look bright with jewelry all over your body. You have 4 shoulders and seem to be ever youth. You have bow & arrows, lotus, conch, sword, mace in your hands and your peaceful body is so surprising to this world. Why did you stop us from carrying out the orders of the Lord of all axioms?"

        Then the Govinda's messengers said "Ohh, are you the servers of Lord Yama? Then can you please tell us the qualities of holiness and structure of sins? Who is punishable and who is not? What is this person's story? In this universe, are all the living beings punishable or just the sinners?"

 
[Image courtesy: Krishna.com]

 

 
…….. [Watch out for Part 2 to see the reply of messengers of the Hell and rest of the story]