In the city of Kanyakubja the present day Kannauj in Uttarpradesh, there lived a devote Brahmin family. The first and eldest son of the family was known as “Ajamila”. He was well versed in Vedas and did all his duties as a brahmachari, had guru bakthi and was softspoken. He did his sandhya prayers three times of the day offering the oblations of water to the Gods, and recited veda, did Agni upasana as prescribed and assisted his father in his daily pooja to the Lord. Time passed and he became a lad and his father had him married to a chaste girl from a vedic pundit’s family and he had just begun his family life. One day his father asked him to go to a nearby forest and collect flowers, fruits, samidh or twigs to be offered in sacred fire, and Kusa grass required for conduct of rituals. Obeying his father he went into the forest and collected the materials required and was returning, while he was thus returning he saw a beautiful women of hunter tribe intoxicated with the Mitra nectar a kind of drink that derived from soma plant that is wild, she was driven by lusty impulse and lured Ajamila to give her company. Ajamila lost his senses and due to his wavering mind took a wrong decision of consenting to her pleadings. He forgot all about his duties as a householder, and his father’s command, and also about his spiritual responsibilities and spent time with her forgetting everything. He lost his interest in the organized life style and adopted the nomadic way of life and stayed back in the forest abandoning his wife and family. He had spent all the money he had with him and was compelled to adopt unjust methods of stealing and robbery to sustain his life. He had many children through the hunter women. But somehow he had named his last son as Narayana despite all the wrong things that he was used to. By now he had become a worthless sinner who did everything proscribed by sastras. He was of advanced age and his health started failing, and was afflicted by many age related ailments. His eye sight had considerably reduced, hearing impaired, and was infirm. He was very fond of his last son and as he had seen him grow from a small child and enjoyed his pranks, he spent most of his time thinking about him. His health deteriorated and death was nearing him. The penultimate day too arrived. Ajamila was lying in his bed as a shred of torn bark of a tree! He was too weak even to express his suffering! Suddenly he saw three terrible looking servants of God of death nearing him menacingly! He was driven out of his lingering wits! Too afraid to shout in horror and also feeble. Now he was sure that he is going to be dragged by these terrible looking beings, he did not know what to do. Only thought that came to his mind was his last son whose name was Narayana! He feebly called out to him. But even his voice failed him and evoked no response from his son who was away from him now. He kept calling him. Suddenly he saw brilliant angel like men adorned with all the splendid ornaments and wearing silk robes and sporting the sankha and chakra in their hands nearing him. Now he could hear the conversation between the earlier terrible looking beings and these people who had just arrived. Ajamila strained his ears to catch their conversation with trembling body of his. The Yama dhoothas were determined to take Ajamila were seen listing out the various misdeeds and sins he has committed. They were arguing that these were unpardonable sins and he need to undergo punishment for his misdeeds in the Yamaloka. On the contrary the splendid looking people who had come from Vaikunta were seen telling them that there is no doubt that he had committed grave sins but had uttered the name of the Lord inadvertently at the time of passing away and such a deed is itself is meritorious and washes away all sins like the waters of Ganga when spate washes all dirt and muck accumulated on the plains and makes the entire region fertile! Had he not taken many births and atoned his sins he would not have been born as a Brahmin and moreover he had devotedly followed his dharma till he came to the forest. Out of sheer ignorance and his remaining prarabhdha accumulated sins he suffered this distraction and has suffered in this life too without proper food and livelihood. Because he has accumulated his satkarma or good deeds he was able to recite the name of the Lord that he had kept for his son. Their arguments initially saw no conclusion and finally the Yama duthas relented and left the place. Ajamila soon realized a sense of relief and looked at the Vishnu doothas, they smilingly looked at him and Ajamila was shedding his tears as he was rescued. But to his shock they simply disappeared! Ajamila now realized his mistakes and was crying inwardly for all the misdeeds and negligence and was aware of the prospect of severe punishment listed in sastras for such a sinner in Yamaloka, then thanked the Lord’s unbounded mercy to have rescued him . He had now the acquired vairagya and pleaded with the Lord of Vaikunta for forgiving him for his mistakes. He himself listed out all the misdeeds and sought pardon. After a while the Vishnu doothas reappeared and took him along to the abode of Lord Vishnu. In the meanwhile the yama doothas returned to Yamaloka and reported the matter as it occurred and after listening to their account the Lord of death explained that only out of sufficient spiritual practice and dharmic living alone one would be able to recite the name of the Lord even though he had named his son after the Lord. Hence the decision of the Vishnu doothas is justified and perfect. Moral of the story is whatever good deeds done by an individual are not wasted and they remain to yield good results, so it would be prudent to sustain them and not fall prey to circumstances and lead an ignorant way of life. One must master the senses and should never allow emotions and passion to overcome one’s behavior and cloud one’s good sense. source: Vedas For the Young ones
