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TEXTS 89
brahma-ha pitr-ha go-ghno
matr-hacarya-haghavan
svadah pulkasako vapi
suddhyeran yasya kirtanat
tam asvamedhena maha-makhena
sraddhanvito smabhir anusthitena
hatvapi sabrahma-caracaram tvam
na lipyase kim khala-nigrahena
SYNONYMS
brahma-haa person who has killed a brahmana; pitr-haa person who has killed his father; go-ghnaha person who has killed a cow; matr-haa person who has killed his mother; acarya-haa person who has killed his spiritual master; agha-vansuch a sinful person; sva-adaha dog-eater; pulkasakaha candala, one who is less than a sudra; vaor; apieven; suddhyeranmay be purified; yasyaof whom (Lord Narayana); kirtanatfrom chanting the holy name; tamHim; asvamedhenaby the asvamedha sacrifice; maha-makhenathe topmost of all sacrifices; sraddha-anvitahendowed with faith; asmabhihby us; anusthitenaconducted or managed; hatvakilling; apieven; sa-brahma-cara-acaramall the living entities, including the brahmanas; tvamyou; nanot; lipyaseare contaminated; kimwhat then; khala-nigrahenaby killing one disturbing demon.
TRANSLATION
One who has killed a brahmana, one who has killed a cow or one who has killed his father, mother or spiritual master can be immediately freed from all sinful reactions simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Narayana. Other sinful persons, such as dog-eaters and candalas, who are less than sudras, can also be freed in this way. But you are a devotee, and we shall help you by performing the great horse sacrifice. If you please Lord Narayana in that way, why should you be afraid? You will be freed even if you kill the entire universe, including the brahmanas, not to speak of killing a disturbing demon like Vrtrasura.
PURPORT
This means that by once chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can be freed from the reactions of more sins that he can even imagine performing. The holy name is so spiritually potent that simply by chanting the holy name one can be freed from the reactions to all sinful activities. What, then, is to be said of those who chant the holy name regularly or worship the Deity regularly? For such purified devotees, freedom from sinful reaction is certainly assured. This does not mean, however, that one should intentionally commit sinful acts and think himself free from the reactions because he is chanting the holy name. Such a mentality is a most abominable offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih: the Lords holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned.
These verses name the performers of various sinful deeds. In the Manu-samhita the following names are given. A son begotten by a brahmana and born from the womb of a sudra mother is called a parasava or nisada, a hunter accustomed to stealing. A son begotten by a nisada in the womb of a sudra woman is called a pukkasa. A child begotten by a ksatriya in the womb of the daughter of a sudra is called an ugra. A child begotten by a sudra in the womb of the daughter of a ksatriya is called a ksatta. A child begotten by a ksatriya in the womb of a lower-class woman is called a svada, or dog-eater. All such offspring are considered extremely sinful, but the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so strong that all of them can be purified simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.
The Hare Krsna movement offers everyone a chance to be purified, regardless of birth or family. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):
Kiratas, Hunas, Andhras, Pulindas, Pulkasas, Abhiras, Sumbhas, Yavanas, members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. Even such sinful persons can certainly all be purified if they chant the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee.
Herein the sages encourage King Indra to kill Vrtrasura even at the risk of brahma-hatya, the killing of a brahmana, and they guarantee to release him from sinful reactions by performing an asvamedha-yajna. Such purposefully devised atonement, however, cannot relieve the performer of sinful acts. This will be seen from the following verse.
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