FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.30

निशम्य म्रियमाणस्य मुखतो हरिकीर्तनम् । भर्तुर्नाम महाराज पार्षदा: सहसापतन् ॥ ३० ॥
niśamya mriyamāṇasya
[nishamya mriyamaanasya]
mukhato hari-kīrtanam
[mukhato hari-keertanam]
bhartur nāma mahārāja
[bhartur naama mahaaraaja]
pārṣadāḥ sahasāpatan
[paarshadaah sahasaapatan]
niśamya — hearing mriyamāṇasya — of the dying man mukhataḥ — from the mouth hari-kīrtanam — chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead bhartuḥ nāma — the holy name of their master mahā-rāja — O King pārṣadāḥ — the order carriers of Viṣṇu sahasā — immediately āpatan — arrived.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
niśamya mriyamāṇasya
niśamya
hearing
mriyamāṇasya
of the dying man
mukhato hari-kīrtanam
mukhataḥ
from the mouth
hari-kīrtanam
chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
bhartur nāma mahārāja
bhartuḥ nāma
the holy name of their master
mahā-rāja
O King
pārṣadāḥ sahasāpatan
pārṣadāḥ
the order carriers of Viṣṇu
sahasā
immediately
āpatan
arrived.
My dear King, the order carriers of Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, immediately arrived when they heard the holy name of their master from the mouth of the dying Ajāmila, who had certainly chanted without offense because he had chanted in complete anxiety.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks, hari-kīrtanaṁ niśamyāpatan, katham-bhūtasya bhartur nāma bruvataḥ: the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu came because Ajāmila had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. They did not consider why he was chanting. While chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, Ajāmila was actually thinking of his son, but simply because they heard Ajāmila chanting the Lord’s name, the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, immediately came for Ajāmila’s protection. Hari-kīrtana is actually meant to glorify the holy name, form, pastimes and qualities of the Lord. Ajāmila, however, did not glorify the form, qualities or paraphernalia of the Lord; he simply chanted the holy name. Nevertheless, that chanting was sufficient to cleanse him of all sinful activities. As soon as the Viṣṇudūtas heard their master’s name being chanted, they immediately came. In this regard Śrīla Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha remarks: anena putra-sneham antareṇa prācīnādṛṣṭa-balād udbhūtayā bhaktyā bhagavan-nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ kṛtam iti jñāyate. “Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa because of his excessive attachment to his son. Nevertheless, because of his past good fortune in having rendered devotional service to Nārāyaṇa, he apparently chanted the holy name in full devotional service and without offenses.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! Hearing glorification of the Lord from the mouth of the dying man who uttered the name of their master, the associates of Viṣṇu arrived suddenly. Hearing hari-kīrtana, the associates of Viṣṇu arrived. It came from the mouth of the dying man uttering Viṣṇu’s name.
Hearing their master's name from the dying man, the Viṣṇudūtas instantly arrived — never pausing to question his motive. The holy name acts; it does not interrogate. Even anxiety-driven, unintentional chanting summons the Lord's protection.
Reflection Questions
  • Do I underestimate the holy name because I think my motives are not pure enough?
  • What might happen if I simply chanted now, anxiety and all, without waiting to feel worthy?
📝 My note

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