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Permanent Credit
In the material world there is danger at every step. Even for those who are pure devotees there is the danger of falling down from the standard of purity. However, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.17) Narada Muni assures us,
tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
bhajann apakvo tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim ko vartha apto bhajatam sva-dharmatah The word dharma in this verse means occupational duties. A brahmana, for example, has certain occupational duties. Similarly, a ksatriya has his, and so also do the vaisya and sudra. If a person gives up his occupational duties and takes to Krsna consciousness, strictly following all the rules and regulations, but if due to his immature execution of devotional service he falls down, there is still no loss for him. Whatever he does as service to the Supreme Lord, although it may be a small percentage of his whole life, will remain to his credit. He does not lose it.
On the other hand, one who perfectly executes his occupational duties but fails to worship Krsna ultimately gains nothing. Strictly discharging ones occupational duties means living a life of piety. But suppose through these pious activities you are promoted to the heavenly kingdom. Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that as soon as the effects of your pious activities are finished, you will be forced to return to this planet. Another point: If a person performs pious activities in this life, such as giving in charity, he must return here in the next life to accept the beneficial results of his pious actions. That means he must accept another term of material life. So it is not a sound idea to hope for acquisition of the effects of pious activities.
Unfortunately, even in India people are more inclined to perform pious activities, such as giving in charity, than to take up devotional service to Krsna. They hope that by performing such tapasya, or austerity, they will be elevated at death to a higher standard of material life in the heavenly planets. They also worship demigods for this purpose, or to gain a benediction in this life. Lord Siva, for example, very quickly gives his worshiper material benedictionswhatever his devotee wants. He is very kind. He is known as Asutosa, he who is easily satisfied. For this reason people are fond of worshiping him for material prosperity. But Sri Krsna condemns such worship in the Bhagavad-gita (7.20): kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante nya-devatah. Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto the demigods.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam tells the story of Vrkasura, who sought a terrible benediction from Lord Siva. Vrkasura asked that whoever he would touch upon the head would be destroyed. This is the sort of benediction sought by demons. Ravana and Hiranyakasipu also received such benedictions. They thought that by becoming powerful they could elude death. This is typical demoniac mentality.
None of these demons, however, was saved from death by the benediction received from the demigods. Rather, ultimately they were all killed by the Supreme Lord. It is natures law that everyone here must die. No one who takes birth in the material world can live eternally. The material world is called Martyaloka, meaning that every living entity here is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease. In illusion, people do not see this. They try to adjust their material condition so that they can live perpetually. Modern scientists also aspire to be immortal, in imitation of Hiranyakasipu. This is all foolishness. One should not be afraid of dying, but one should be cautious and ask, What sort of situation will I attain in my next life as a result of my activities?
A devotee is never afraid of death. He simply prays to Krsna, I may die and take birth again repeatedly, as You like. But I only ask that, in whatever condition I may live, by Your mercy I will never forget You. A devotee is not afraid, but he is cautious not to fall down. At the same time, he knows that whatever percentage of devotional service he renders is to his permanent credit. The story of Ajamila is the perfect illustration of that point. We should follow the rules and regulations very strictly, but even if we fall down, there is no loss. That is the statement of Narada Muni quoted above. Even if one takes to Krsna consciousness on the basis of sentiment and executes devotional service for only some time and again returns to material life, whatever service he has rendered is recorded, and one day he will be saved, just as Ajamila was saved.
After the Visnudutas disappeared, Ajamila at first wondered whether he had been dreaming that they had come to release him from the binding ropes of the Yamadutas. When Ajamila was on his deathbed, practically in a coma, he actually saw the Yamadutas and Visnudutas, but it seemed to him that he was just dreaming. When he saw that he was in fact released from the fearsome agents of Yamaraja, he wanted to see the Visnudutas again. They had appeared very splendid. Their bodily features were just like those of Lord Visnu, and they were decorated like Him and carried the four symbols of His potency: the conchshell, lotus, club, and disc. Their bodies shone with a very beautiful luster, and their dress was of golden silk. Therefore Ajamila inquired, Where are those beautiful personalities who released me from the bondage of the Yamadutas?
Ajamila thought, My whole life was full of sinful activities, so how could I be worthy of seeing such great personalities? He concluded, Perhaps in my previous life I did something good, and as a result I have been allowed to see the Visnudutas. In fact, early in life Ajamila had been a faithful servant of Lord Narayana, and as a result he was able to see the Visnudutas. It was the good association Ajamila had been blessed with in his early days that saved him. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.54),
The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moments association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success. In the beginning of his life Ajamila was certainly very pure, and he associated with devotees and brahmanas; because of that pious activity, even though he was fallen he was inspired to name his son Narayana. Certainly this was due to good counsel given from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: I am seated in everyones heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness. The Lord is so kind that if one has ever rendered service to Him, the Lord never forgets him. Thus the Lord, from within, gave Ajamila the inspiration to name his youngest son Narayana so that in affection he would constantly call Narayana! Narayana! and thus be saved from the most fearful and dangerous condition at the time of his death. Such is the mercy of Krsna. Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: by the mercy of the guru and Krsna, one receives the seed of bhakti, devotional service. Watering this seed by the process of hearing and chanting the name of the Lord saves a devotee from the greatest fear.
In our Krsna consciousness movement we therefore change a devotees name to one that reminds him of Visnu. If at the time of death the devotee can remember his own name, such as Krsna dasa or Govinda dasa, he can be saved from the greatest danger. Therefore the change of names at the time of initiation is essential. The Krsna consciousness movement is so meticulous that it gives one a good opportunity to remember Krsna somehow or other.
Remembrance of Krsna at the time of death is generally possible only for persons who have established an intimate relationship with Krsna throughout a lifetime of devotional service. When Ajamila was a young boy he was trained by his father to be completely faithful to the Lord, and until the age of twenty he served Lord Narayana very nicely. Although Ajamila had fallen down from the standard of devotional service to Lord Narayana and forgotten his relationship with Him, Narayana did not forget, and in Ajamilas hour of need He reciprocated His devotees love. Thus Ajamila was given the presence of mind to remember Narayana at the time of death.
Krsna is very appreciative of even a small amount of devotional service. He confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita (2.40),
In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path protects one from the most fearful type of danger. If a person practices even a small amount of devotional service, it can save him from the greatest danger. So why not take to Krsna consciousness? Engage in devotional service always, twenty-four hours a day. Then there is no question of danger. One who has become Krsna conscious is fearless. He knows he is under the protection of Krsna.
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