ಅಜಾಮಿಲೋಪಾಖ್ಯಾನಂ

Click here for a brief introduction to the author of Narayaneeyam from which this piece has been reproduced

ಅಜಾಮಿಲೋಪಾಖ್ಯಾನಂ

    ದಶಕಂ ೨೨

ಅಜಾಮಿಲೋ ನಾಮ ಮಹೀಸುರಃ ಪುರಾ

ಚರನ್ ವಿಭೋ ! ಧರ್ಮಪಥಾನ್ ಗೃಹಾಶ್ರಮೀ |

ಗುರೋರ್ಗಿರಾ ಕಾನನಮೇತ್ಯ ದೃಷ್ಟವಾನ್

ಸುಧೃಷ್ಟಶೀಲಾಂ ಕುಲಟಾಂ ಮದಾಕುಲಾಂ ||  ೧||

O Lord ! Once upon a time there was a Brahmin known as Ajamila who was a householder living a life of virtue. On one occasion, at the instance of his father, he went into the forest where he came across a woman of easy virtue who was intoxicated by drinks and was impudent.

ಸ್ವತಃ ಪ್ರಶಾಂತೋಽಪಿ ತದಾಹೃತಾಶಯಃ

ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮಮುತ್ಸೃಜ್ಯ ತಯಾ ಸಮಾರಮನ್ |

ಅಧರ್ಮಕಾರೀ ದಶಮೀ ಭವನ್ ಪುನ-

ರ್ದಧೌ ಭವನ್ನಾಮಯುತೇ ಸುತೇ ರತಿಂ || ೨||

Though inherently calm and peaceful, his heart was stolen by the woman and he enjoyed her company leaving his own duties as a householder and engaged himself in sinful activities. In course of time he became old when he dearly loved the youngest of his sons bearing your name ( ‘Naryayana’).

ಸ ಮೃತ್ಯುಕಾಲೇ ಯಮರಾಜಕಿಂಕರಾನ್

ಭಯಂಕರ್ರಾಂಸ್ತ್ರೀನಭಿಲಕ್ಷಯನ್ ಭಿಯಾ |

ಪುರಾ ಮನಾಕ್ ತ್ವತ್ಸ್ಮೃತಿವಾಸನಾಬಲಾತ್

ಜುಹಾವ ನಾರಾಯಣನಾಮಕಂ ಸುತಂ  || ೩||

On his death bed he was frightened by three of the fierce-looking

orderlies of Yama who had come to take him. Because of the force of his past impressions of remembering You, he called out to his son whose name was Narayana.

ದುರಾಶಯಸ್ಯಾಪಿ ತದಾಸ್ಯನಿರ್ಗತ-

ತ್ವದೀಯನಾಮಾಕ್ಷರಮಾತ್ರವೈಭವಾತ್ |

ಪುರೋಽಭಿಪೇತುರ್ಭವದೀಯಪಾರ್ಷದಾಃ

ಚತುರ್ಭುಜಾಃ ಪೀತಪಟಾ ಮನೋರಮಾಃ || ೪||

Though his thoughts were not pure, because of the power of Your name alone which issued forth from his mouth, Your own attendants with four hands, wearing robes of yellow colour and very handsome,  appeared before him.

ಅಮುಂ ಚ ಸಂಪಾಶ್ಯ ವಿಕರ್ಷತೋ ಭಟಾನ್

ವಿಮುಂಚತೇತ್ಯಾರುರುಧುರ್ಬಲಾದಮೀ  |

ನಿವಾರಿತಾಸ್ತೇ ಚ ಭವಜ್ಜನೈಸ್ತದಾ

ತದೀಯಪಾಪಂ ನಿಖಿಲಂ ನ್ಯವೇದಯನ್ || ೫||

They commanded the orderlies of Yama to release Ajamila who was bound with ropes and was being dragged. They forcibly prevented the men of Yama from taking Ajamila.  Yama’s men 

then recounted to Your men all the sins Ajamila had committed.

ಭವಂತು ಪಾಪಾನಿ ಕಥಂ ತು ನಿಷ್ಕೃತೇ

ಕೃತೇಽಪಿ ಭೋ! ದಂಡನಮಸ್ತಿ ಪಂಡಿತಾಃ |

ನ ನಿಷ್ಕೃತಿಃ ಕಿಂ ವಿದಿತಾ ಭವಾದೃಶಾ-

ಮಿತಿ ಪ್ರಭೋ! ತ್ವತ್ಪುರುಷಾ ಬಭಾಷಿರೇ || ೬||

O Lord ! Your men told the men of Yama “ You are all wise men. Don’t you know that there is no punishment when the sinner atones for his sins.  Don’t people like you know what the atonement is for one’s sins?”

ಶ್ರುತಿಸ್ಮೃತಿಭ್ಯಾಂ ವಿಹಿತಾ ವ್ರತಾದಯಃ

ಪುನಂತಿ ಪಾಪಂ ನ ಲುನಂತಿ ವಾಸನಾಂ |

ಅನಂತಸೇವಾ ತು ನಿಕೃಂತತಿ ದ್ವಯೀ-

ಮಿತಿ ಪ್ರಭೋ ! ತ್ವತ್ಪುರುಷಾ ಬಭಾಷಿರೇ || ೭||

O Lord ! Your attendants told the men of Yama  “The rites prescribed in the Vedas and the smritis only absolve one of one’s sins but they do not erase the underlying vasanas (impressions).  But service and devotion at the feet of Ananta (Lord Mahavishnu) destroys both the sins and the vasanas”

ಅನೇನ ಭೋ ಜನ್ಮಸಹಸ್ರಕೋಟಿಭಿಃ

ಕೃತೇಷು ಪಾಪೇಷ್ವಪಿ ನಿಷ್ಕೃತಿಃ ಕೃತಾ

ಯದಗ್ರಹೀನ್ನಾಮ ಭಯಾಕುಲೋ ಹರೇ-

ರಿತಿ ಪ್ರಭೋ ! ತ್ವತ್ಪುರುಷಾ ಬಭಾಷಿರೇ || ೮||

O Lord ! Your attendants told the men of Yama “ This man has atoned for all his sins committed in one thousand crore births because he, in the grip of fear,  uttered the name of Hari “

ನೃಣಾಮಬುಧ್ಯಾಪಿ ಮುಕುಂದಕೀರ್ತನಂ

ದಹತ್ಯಘೌಘಾನ್ ಮಹಿಮಾಸ್ಯ ತಾದೃಶಃ |

ಯಥಾಗ್ನಿರೇಧಾಂಸಿ ಯಥೌಷಧಂ ಗದಾ-

ನಿತಿ ಪ್ರಭೋ ! ತ್ವತ್ಪುರುಷಾ ಬಭಾಷಿರೇ || ೯||

O Lord ! Your attendants told the men of Yama “ Even unwittingly uttering the name of  Mukunda frees men from all the sins they might have committed. That is the greatness of His name.  It is like fire burning wood and medicine curing diseases irrespective of whether they are taken  intentionally or unwittingly.

ಇತೀರಿತೈರ್ಯಾಮ್ಯಭಟೈರಪಾಸೃತೇ

ಭವದ್ಭಟಾನಾಂಚ ಗಣೇ ತಿರೋಹಿತೇ |

ಭವತ್ಸ್ಮೃತಿಂ ಕಂಚನ ಕಾಲಮಾಚರನ್

ಭವತ್ಪದಂ ಪ್ರಾಪಿ ಭವದ್ಭಟೈರಸೌ  || ೧೦||

When the men of Yama, thus told, left the place  and   your attendants also disappeared, Ajamila spent the remaining years of his life remembering You and then he was taken to your abode by your attendants.

ಸ್ವಕಿಂಕರಾವೇದನಶಂಕಿತೋ ಯಮ-

ಸ್ತ್ವದಂಘ್ರಿಭಕ್ತೇಷು ನ ಗಮ್ಯತಾಮಿತಿ |

ಸ್ವಕೀಯಭೃತ್ಯಾನಶಿಶಿಕ್ಷದುಚ್ಚಕೈಃ

ಸ ದೇವ ವಾತಾಲಯ ನಾಥ ಪಾಹಿ ಮಾಂ || ೧೧||

Yama to whom his orderlies reported the incident became cautious and strictly ordered his men not to go near your devotees.  O Lord of Guruvayoor! save me (from my afflictions).