Yamarāja

Behold, my sons, the glory of chanting the name of Hari — by which even Ajāmila was freed from the noose of death!

We twelve, O servants, know the Bhāgavata dharma — confidential, pure and hard to understand — by knowing which one attains immortality.

Brahmā the self-born, Nārada, Śiva, Sanat-kumāra, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva the son of Vyāsa, and we [myself] —

This much alone — the full chanting of the Lord's qualities, deeds and names — is sufficient to destroy people's sins; for even the sinful Ajāmila, calling out 'Nārāyaṇa' to his son as he lay dying, attained liberation.

Thus reflecting, the wise render loving devotion with their whole being to the infinite Lord. Such persons do not deserve punishment from me; and even if some sin should remain in them, the glorification of the Lord of far-reaching fame destroys that as well.

Those whose tongue never utters the names and qualities of the Lord, whose mind never remembers his lotus feet, and whose head never once bows down to Kṛṣṇa — bring those sinful ones to me, those who have performed no service to Viṣṇu.

The principles of religion, enacted directly by the Lord, are not [truly] known even by the sages, nor by the demigods, nor by the chief Siddhas, the asuras or human beings — how then by the Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas and the rest?

In this world, just this much is held to be the supreme religion for all people: loving devotion to the Lord, practiced through chanting His names and the like.

Bring to me those wicked ones who are perpetually turned away from the honey-nectar of Mukunda's lotus feet — the nectar savored by the possessionless, unattached communities of paramahaṃsas — those whose cravings are bound to household life, the very path to hell.

Those whose purifying tales are sung by the demigods and Siddhas, who are saintly, equal-visioned and surrendered to the Lord — do not approach them. They are guarded by the club of Hari; neither we nor even Time has any power to punish them.

Generally these people of the world do not know this truth; alas, their intelligence is thoroughly bewildered by the Lord's illusory energy. With minds dulled by the honeyed, flowery promises of the three Vedas, they remain engaged in elaborate fire sacrifices.