Ajamila

Legend

Early life and downfall

In the city of Kanyākubja (modern-day Kannauj), there lived a Brahmana called Ajamila. Originally Ajamila was endowed with Vedic learning, gentle, truthful, and dedicated to serving his elders, guests, and teachers. One day, this reticent and humble Brahmana, who was obedient to his father, went to the forest to collect fruits, flowers, sticks for sacrificial fire, and kusha grass. On his way back, he chanced upon a passionate harlot, intoxicated on maireya liquor, who was singing with her sari knot untied. Despite his efforts to control himself using the instructions of sacred texts, his mind became agitated and he was unable to resist his temptation to claim her for himself. Infatuated, he set aside his own wife and married this woman. He also neglected the Vedic way of life that a Brahmana was expected to adhere to. He resorted to a life of crime for supporting his family and her children from other men, holding captives for ransom, gambling, committing frauds, and thefts.

Deathbed and the arrival of Yamadutas

He had ten children by this woman, the youngest of whom was named Narayana, who was his favourite toddler whose broken sentences gave him great joy. After a period of eighty-eight years, while feeding his child and oblivious to his approaching end, on his deathbed, he saw the Yamadutas, three extremely terrible male figures with wry faces, twisted snouts, erect hair, and holding nooses in their hands, who had come to take his soul. Greatly frightened, he called out in a loud labored voice to his son, Narayana.

The dialogue between the Vishnudutas and Yamadutas

Hearing the name of their lord invoked, the four-armed, golden-clad the Vishnudutas, the servants of Vishnu, appeared and forcefully rescued him from the clutches of hell as the Yamadutas dragged his soul. The Vishnudutas and the Yamadutas engaged in a dialogue regarding the nature of righteousness and punishment, and brought the Brahmana before Yama for arbitration. The Yamadutas argued that dharma consists of Vedic injunctions, that entities like the sun and wind witness human actions (karma), and that Ajamila had spent decades committing sins that were unatoned and that demanded punishment under the laws of karma.

The Vishnudutas countered that the Yamadutas were giving punishment unlawfully to a sinless person. They warned that authorities that allow injustice set a bad standard for common people to follow. They asserted that chanting the four syllables "Na-ra-ya-na" at death serves as the best atonement for any sinner. This is because the sound attracts te mind of Vishnu and burns sins life fire kindling wood and functions like medicine even when taken by someone ignorant. They emphasized that uttering "Hari" even in the middle of crises like falling, tripping, or getting burned frees a person from suffering in hell.

Deliverance and redemption

The Vishnudutas explained that the Shastras state that the mere utterance or the recitation of the name of Vishnu, even if taken to denote another person, or in a friendly joke, or as an insertion during the recitation of a song, or even as an apparent insult, completely annihilates all the sins of the one who utters it. Following this exchange, the Vishnudutas freed Ajamila from Yama's bonds. This caused the Yamadutas to return to King Yama, while the Vishnudutas suddenly vanished as Ajamila suddenly started to speak.

Ajamila, who witnessed the exchange between the beings, fell into remorse, announcing that he had indeed led a vile life and unworthy of his Brahminhood, and would henceforth lose his sense of self in his service to Vishnu. He repented for abandoning his wife, his son, and his elderly parents, lamenting that his actions had condemned him to hell. He reflected that his soul was controlled by maya and vowed to give up the false indentification he felt with his body.

By this manner, the Brahmana Ajamila, who had neglected his duties and led a sinful life, was able to achieve moksha, and attain Vaikuntha.