Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.6
Sthāna· The universe in orderDivine Judgment Aims at Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
“The King of the pitās is Yamarāja, the very powerful son of the sun-god. He resides in Pitṛloka with his personal assistants and, while abiding by the rules and regulations set down by the Supreme Lord, has his agents, the Yamadūtas, bring all the sinful men to him immediately upon their death. After bringing them within his jurisdiction, he properly judges them according to their specific sinful activities and sends them to one of the many hellish planets for suitable punishments.”
What the purport teaches
- Yamarāja is not a fictitious character; he rules in Pitṛloka. Appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he judges sinful activities without overstepping the Lord’s orders.
- One should understand karma, vikarma and akarma—action, forbidden action and inaction—and act accordingly. Sense enjoyment is allowed only under regulative principles.
- Yamarāja’s chastisement is meant to bring conditioned souls back to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yet under māyā’s influence, they may continue committing sinful activities instead of returning to devotional service.
Try this today
Identify one repeated wrong action and choose today to refrain from it as a step toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Ask yourself
Am I learning from the consequences of my actions, or repeating the same mistakes?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.