Ajamila was trained as a brahmana, but he lost his position as a brahmana by associating with a prostitute, so much so that he forgot all his brahminical activities. Nevertheless, at the end of his life, by chanting the four syllables of the holy name Narayana, he was saved from the gravest danger of falling down. As Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita (2.40), svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: Even a little devotional service can save one from the greatest danger. Devotional service, which begins with chanting the holy name of the Lord, is so powerful that even if a person falls down from the exalted position of a brahmana through sexual indulgence, he can be saved from all calamities if he somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord. This is the extraordinary power of the Lords holy name. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is advised that one not forget the chanting of the holy name even for a moment: satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14].

There are so many dangers in this material world that one may fall down from an exalted position at any time. Yet if one keeps himself always pure and steady by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he will be safe without a doubt. Ajamila did not do this, and therefore he lost all his brahminical qualities by the association of a prostitute. Especially mentioned here is the effect of eating food prepared by a prostitute. Food prepared by an unclean, sinful woman is extremely infectious. Ajamila ate such food, and therefore he became sinful.

Also mentioned here is Ajamilas misuse of his inheritance. Customarily everyone is eligible to inherit his fathers property, and Ajamila also inherited the money of his father. But what did he do with the money? Instead of engaging the money in the service of Krsna, he engaged it in the service of a prostitute. Therefore he was condemned. How did this happen? He was victimized by the prostitutes dangerous, lustful glance.

A chaste and faithful wife will give birth to good sons, who will then offer oblations to their forefathers and thus deliver them if by chance they have fallen into a hellish condition. The very word putra (son) means one who can deliver his forefathers from hell. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed this by His example when He went to Gaya to offer oblations to His forefathers. Even today there is a Visnu temple in Gaya where such oblations are offered at the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. There have been cases where ones father or mother took the body of a ghost at death, and after oblations were offered at the lotus feet of Lord Visnu at Gaya, the father or mother was delivered. However, anyone who becomes a Vaisnava offers oblations to Visnu at every moment, and thus his forefathers are automatically delivered. If one son in the family becomes a Vaisnava, he can deliver fourteen generations of ancestors and fourteen generations of yet unborn descendants. This is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

As sense control is the beginning of pious life, illicit sex is the beginning of sinful life. One should not engage in illicit sex, or sex for any reason except having a child with ones wife. Marriage is meant for begetting children, and in that sense it is a religious institution. Lord Krsna confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita (7.11): dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo smi. I am sex that does not contradict religious principles. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had a devotee named Sivananda Sena, who was a family man. Sivananda used to come with all the devotees every year to see Lord Caitanya in Puri, and he came together with his wife and children. Once he came to see the Lord, and his wife offered her respects. At that time she was pregnant, so Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Sivananda, This time when you get your child, you should give him the name Paramananda dasa. Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew that pregnancy resulted from sex, but He did not condemn sex in this case, as it was conducted according to scriptural injunction.

On the other hand, there is the case of Junior Haridasa. He was a sannyasi, a renunciant, who was an intimate associate of the Lord. Once he merely desired sex and did not actually partake of it, and immediately Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His Paramatma feature, could understand this. The Lord then asked His other associates not to allow Junior Haridasa to come before Him anymore. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Ramananda Raya, and other intimate associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested, Junior Haridasa is Your eternal servant. Somehow or other he has committed this offense, but kindly excuse him. Still, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was firm in this respect and immediately replied, If you like Junior Haridasa so much, better you remain with him, and I will go away. From that moment, nobody ventured again to request Caitanya Mahaprabhu to excuse Junior Haridasa. When Junior Haridasa became hopeless in his efforts to be excused by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he went to Prayag and drowned himself in the confluence of the rivers Yamuna and Ganges. Although Lord Caitanya knew about this incident, after some time He inquired of His associates, Where is Junior Haridasa now?

They replied, Sir, You did not accept him, and so he has committed suicide.

Lord Caitanya said, Yes, very good. This is very good.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sometimes harder than stone and sometimes softer than a flower. That is the behavior of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sivananda was a bona fide grhastha, obeying the rules and regulations of householder life, whereas Junior Haridasa merely desired sex, but because he was in the renounced order of life he was condemned. A sannyasi gives up his family and takes a vow to abstain from sex, but if he again takes to sex he commits a very great sin.

So, Ajamila was victimized by illicit sex with a prostitute. There are many instances throughout the world in which even a purified person falls victim to attraction by a prostitute and spends all his money on her. Prostitute-hunting is so abominable that sex with a prostitute can ruin ones character, destroy ones exalted position, and plunder all ones money. Therefore illicit sex is strictly prohibited. One should be satisfied with his married wife, for even a slight deviation will create havoc. A Krsna conscious grhastha should always remember this. He should always be satisfied with one wife and be peaceful simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Otherwise at any moment he may fall down from his good position, as exemplified by the case of Ajamila.

Considering the abominable character of Ajamila, the Yamadutas were perplexed as to why the Visnudutas had forbidden them to take such a man to Yamaraja for punishment. Since Ajamila had not undergone atonement for his sinful acts, the Yamadutas thought he should be taken to Yamaraja to be purified. Punishment by Yamaraja is a process of purification for the most abominable sinful persons. Therefore the Yamadutas requested the Visnudutas not to obstruct their taking Ajamila to Yamaraja.