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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 6 · Chapter 3: Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers
6.3.236.3.25

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.3.24

Mukti· Liberation
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Yamarājasince 6.3.12inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitYamarāja → the Yamadūtas

एतावतालमघनिर्हरणाय पुंसां

सङ्कीर्तनं भगवतो गुणकर्मनाम्नाम् ।

विक्रुश्य पुत्रमघवान् यदजामिलोऽपि

नारायणेति म्रियमाण इयाय मुक्तिम् ॥ २४ ॥

etāvatālam agha-nirharaṇāya puṁsāṁ

saṅkīrtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām

vikruśya putram aghavān yad ajāmilo ’pi

nārāyaṇeti mriyamāṇa iyāya muktim

Translation

Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajāmila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Nārāyaṇa.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Keep Chanting to Grow in Love

  1. 1

    Chanting the Lord’s holy name is sufficient to free one from sinful reactions. Ajāmila’s liberation shows its power even when chanting is imperfect.

  2. 2

    Even those who begin chanting with offenses should continue. By chanting again and again, they gradually become free from offenses.

  3. 3

    Chanting without offenses increases one’s love for Kṛṣṇa. The main concern should be to increase attachment and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not merely to gain liberation.

Key points from the purport
  • In the assembly of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s father, Haridāsa Ṭhākura confirmed that simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord one is liberated, even if he does not chant completely inoffensively.
  • The word alam, which is used in this verse, indicates that simply uttering the holy name of the Lord is sufficient.
  • Nevertheless, Ajāmila achieved liberation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 3

The purport of SB 6.3.24 quotesSB 11.3.27-28

“One should always chant and hear about the extraordinarily wonderful activities of the Lord, one should meditate upon these activities, and one should endeavor to please the Lord.”

The purport of SB 6.3.24 quotesSB 6.3.31

Furthermore, he quotes from Bhāgavatam (6.3.31): All these quotations prove that one who constantly engages in chanting and hearing of the holy activities, name, fame and form of the Lord is liberated.

The purport of SB 6.3.24 quotesSB 11.19.20-24

In this regard Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura quotes the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.24): “My dear Uddhava, the supreme religious system for human society is that by which one can awaken his dormant love for Me.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Guilt and mortal terror → Mercy and renewed devotion. The holy name opens a path beyond an apparently hopeless death.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 6: Ajāmila and the Viṣṇudūtas. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 3: Yamarāja Instructs His Messengers

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Yamarāja said, “Although Ajāmila was calling for his son, he chanted the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, and simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name, he immediately achieved the association of Lord Viṣṇu’s order carriers, who saved him from your attempt to arrest him. This is quite all right.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.3
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. etāvatāwith this much
  2. alamsufficient
  3. agha-nirharaṇāyafor taking away the reactions of sinful activities
  4. puṁsāmof human beings
  5. saṅkīrtanamthe congregational chanting
  6. bhagavataḥof the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  7. guṇaof the transcendental qualities
  8. karma-nāmnāmand of His names according to His activities and pastimes
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Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Mukti · Liberation

    What is real freedom for the soul? · Subject 9 of 10

  • Kīrtana · Hearing and chanting

    Remembering the Lord through sacred sound. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “chanting”, “holy name”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “material”, “attachment”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 6.3

    In this verse: “dying”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I make growing in love for Kṛṣṇa my main concern when I chant?

Practice

Choose a short time this evening to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra with devotion, and set a reminder to chant again tomorrow morning.

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The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 2 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 2 lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

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Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 11.3.27SB 11.19.24

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 6.3's connections

Live this todayKeep Chanting to Grow in LoveOne of the 108 chosen lessons: a practice and a question from this verse

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 6.3.24? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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