NARAYANEEYAM DASAKAM - 22 - STORY OF AJAMILA

Dasakam - 22 - Story of Ajamila

Ajamila, a virtuous Brahmin, leading a grihastashrama went to forest on his father's command. Falling prey to a drunken woman, he left his old parents and good dutiful wife to lead a sinful life together with her. 

Ajamila had named his last son as Narayana, Lord's Naama, due to his previous sath-karmas and was attached to this son. At his old age, when death approached Ajamila, he saw three messengers of Yama with frightful appearance. Scared by the looks of the messengers and due to past devotion to Lord, he called out to his youngest Son, ''Narayana!. From nowhere appeared four beautiful Young man wearing yellow robes with divine looks like the Lord, who prevented the yama dhuthaas from dragging Ajamila. 

The messengers of Yama, questioned the divine young men for their prevention of their duty. Beautiful men of Lord agreed that Ajamila had committed a sinful life but at his death bed, even if he had called his son ''Narayana'' out of fear, still the mention of name alone is sufficient to absolve him of all sins committed by him in his various births. 

Hearing the Lord's name, the messengers of Yama left Ajamila, who then woke up from sleep as if it was all a dream. He repented for his sinful life and spent his last few days meditating on Lord. Finally he reached Lord's abode with the help of the same four divine young men who saved him from yama dhuthaas.

Hearing the account from his messengers, Yama instructed them strictly to spare the devotees of Lord. Bhattadari moved with Lord's mercy, requested that he be protected in a similar way.

PS: Ajamilan means someone who is caught in attachment or maaya. Even such person, if he does bhagawath bhajanam, knowingly or unknowingly, he attains sathgathi. This is the highlight of the story of Ajamila. 

Lyrics of Dasakam 22

अजामिलो नाम महीसुर: पुरा

चरन् विभो धर्मपथान् गृहाश्रमी ।

गुरोर्गिरा काननमेत्य दृष्टवान्

सुधृष्ट शीलां कुलटां मदाकुलाम् ॥१॥

ajaamilO naama mahiisura: puraa

charan vibhO dharmapathaan gR^ihaashramii |

gurOrgiraa kaananametya dR^iShTavaan

sudhR^iShTa shiilaaM kulaTaaM madaakulaam || 1 ||

स्वत: प्रशान्तोऽपि तदाहृताशय:

स्वधर्मं  उत्सृज्य तया समारमन् ।

अधर्मकारी दशमी भवन् पुन:

दधौ भवन् नामयुते सुते रतिम् ॥२॥

svata: prashaantO(a)pi tadaahR^itaashaya:

svadharmam utsR^ijya tayaa samaaraman |

adharmakaarii dashamii bhavan puna:

dadhau bhavan naamayute sute ratim || 2 ||

स मृत्युकाले यमराज किङ्करान्

भयङ्करांस्त्रीन् अभिलक्षयन् भिया ।

पुरा मनाक् त्वत् स्मृति वासना बलात्

जुहाव नारायण नामकं सुतम् ॥३॥

sa mR^ityukaale yamaraaja kinkaraan

bhayankaraamstriin abhilakshayan bhiyaa |

puraa manaak tvat smR^iti vaasanaa balaat

juhaava naaraayaNa naamakaM sutam || 3 ||

दुराशयस्यापि तदात्वनिर्गत:

त्वदीय नामाक्षर मात्र वैभवात् ।

पुरोऽभिपेतु: भवदीय पार्षदा:

चतुर्भुजा: पीतपटा मनोरमा: ॥४॥

duraashayasyaapi tadaatvanirgata:

tvadiiya naamaakshara maatra vaibhavaat

purO(a)bhipetu: bhavadiiya paarShadaa:

chaturbhujaa: piitapaTaa manOrama: || 4 ||

अमुं च संपाश्य विकर्षतो भटान्

विमुञ्चतेत्या-रुरुधुर्बलादमी ।

निवारितास्ते च भवज् -जनैस्तदा

तदीय पापं निखिलं न्यवेदयन् ॥५॥

amuM cha sampaashya vikarShatO bhaTaan

vimu~nchate-tyaa rurudhur balaadamii |

nivaaritaaste cha bhavaj-janaistadaa

tadiiya paapaM nikhilaM nyavedayan || 5 ||

भवन्तु पापानि कथं तु निष्कृते

कृतेऽपि भो दण्डनमस्ति पण्डिता: ।

न निष्कृति: किं विदिता भवादृशं

इति प्रभो त्वत्पुरुषा बभाषिरे ॥६॥

bhavantu paapaani kathaM tu niShkR^ite

kR^ite(a)pi bhO daNDanamasti paNDitaa: |

na niShkR^iti: kiM viditaa bhavaadR^ishaam

iti prabhO tvat puruShaa babhaaShire || 6 ||

श्रुति-स्मृतिभ्यां विहिता व्रतादय:

पुनन्ति पापं न लुनन्ति वासनां ।

अनन्तसेवा तु निकृन्तति द्वयीं

इति प्रभो त्वत्पुरुषा बभाषिरे ॥७॥

shruti smR^itibhyaam vihitaa vrataadaya:

punanti paapaM na lunanti vaasanaam |

anantasevaa tu nikR^intati dvayiim

iti prabhO tvat puruShaa babhaaShire || 7 ||

अनेन भो जन्म सहस्र कोटिभि:

कृतेषु पापेष्वपि निष्कृति: कृता ।

यदग्रहीन्नाम भयाकुलो हरे:

इति प्रभो त्वत्पुरुषा बभाषिरे ॥८॥

anena bhO janma sahasrakOTibhi:

kR^iteShu paapeShvapi niShkR^iti: kR^itaa |

yadagrahiinnaama bhayaakulO hare:

iti prabhO tvat puruShaa babhaaShire || 8 ||

नृणां अबुद्ध्यापि मुकुन्द कीर्तनं

दहत्यघौघान् महिमास्य तादृश: ।

यथाग्नि रेधांसि यथौषधं गदान्

इति प्रभो त्वत्पुरुषा बभाषिरे ॥९॥

nR^iNaam abuddhyaa(a)pi mukunda kiirtanaM

dahatyaghaughaan mahimaasya taadR^isha: |

yathaagni redhaamsi yathauShadhaM gadaan

iti prabhO tvatpuruShaa babhaaShire || 9 ||

इतीरितै: याम्यभटै: अपासृते

भवद्भटानां च गणे तिरोहिते ।

भवत्-स्मृतिं कंचन कालमाचरन्

भवत्पदं प्रापि भवत्-भटैरसौ ॥१०॥

itiiritai: yaamyabhaTai: apaasR^ite

bhavadbhaTaanaaM cha gaNe tirOhite |

bhavatsmR^itiM ka~nchana kaalamaacharan

bhavatpadaM praapi bhavat bhaTairasau || 10 ||

स्व किङ्करावेदन शङ्कितो यम:

त्वदंघ्रि भक्तेषु न गम्यतामिति ।

स्वकीय भृत्यान् अशिशिक्षदुच्चकै:

स देव वातालय नाथ पाहिमाम् ॥११॥

sva kinkaraavedana shankitO yama:

tvadanghri bhakteShu na gamyataamiti |

svakiiya bhR^ityaan ashishiksha duchchakai:

sa deva vaataalaya naatha paahimaam || 11 ||

-------Sri Krishnarpanam------