Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 3:27-35

Book 6: Chapter 3

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 3: Verses 27-35 A dialogue between Yama (the god of retribution) and his messengers The sacred stories of those pious souls who regard all with the same eye and have taken refuge in the Lord are constantly sung even by the gods and Siddhas. Never approach such men, protected as they are by the mace of Sri Hari. Neither we nor the Time-Spirit has the power to punish them. Bring those impious men (alone to me) who are averse to the joy inhering in the honey-like sweetness of the lotus-feet of Lord Visnu (the Bestower of Liberation)--incessantly tasted by flocks of noblest swans in the form of ascetics of the highest order, who have nothing to call their own and who are connoisseurs of sweetness-and have given their heart to the delights of home life, which lead one to hell. (Further,) bring those wicked fellows (for punishment to me) whose tongue neither recounts the virtues nor utters the name of the Lord, whose mind never contemplates on His lotus-feet and whose head does not bow even once to Sri Krsna, and who have never rendered (any) service to Lord Visnu (in their whole life). Ah, may that most ancient Person, Bhagavan Narayana, put up with the offence* committed, through the instrumentality of our messengers, by ourselves, His ignorant servants, who crave His forgiveness with joined palms; for forgiveness (alone) becomes the greatest of the great, Hail to the all-pervading Supreme Person ! Therefore, O Pariksit ( a scion of Kuru); know the chanting of the names and praises of Lord Visnu as a source of blessing to the (whole) world and the complete atonement for the greatest sins. The mind is not purified so well through fasting and other means as through Devotion easily engendered in the heart of those who repeatedly hear or narrate The messengers of Yama argued with the servants of Lord Visnu and insisted on taking away the soul of Ajamila to the abode of Yams not with standing their remonstrances. This is evidently regarded by Yama as an offence against the Lord, for which he seeks His forgiveness here. accounts of the extraordinary exploits of Sri Hari. He who enjoys like a bee the sweetness of Sri Krsna's lotus-feet (by contemplating on them) delights no more in the enjoyments brought forth by Maya (Prakrti) , once they have been given up by him as conducive to suffering. The other man (who does not enjoy the sweetness of those feet and) who is (consequently) buffeted by desires takes to action (alone in the shape of an expiatory process) in order to atone for his sin-action which leads only to sin again (inasmuch as it does not purify the mind and thus proves no better than the path of an elephant, which throws dust on its body as soon as it emerges from water after the bath). The servants of Yama were not at all surprised to (hear and) realize as such the greatness of the Lord, depicted by their master (Yama). Afraid of men depending on the immortal Lord (Visnu) they shuddered even to look at them from that moment, O king (Pariksit) ! Dwelling on (the summit of) Mount Malaya and worshipping Sri Hari, the glorious sage Agastya (who was born of a pitcher) narrated (to me) this secret legend. Thus ends the third discourse, forming part of the dialogue between Yama and his servants,in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.