Yamaraja Instructs His Servants
Perplexed by their defeat, the Yamadutas returned to Yamaraja, the cosmic judge, to understand the higher principles they had witnessed. Yamaraja received them without anger and used the incident as a teaching moment. He affirmed that he governs under the Supreme Lord's authority and that his servants must recognize the Lord's devotees and the sanctity of the holy name.
Yamaraja outlined the hierarchy of spiritual authority: above all is the Supreme Lord; below Him are His direct agents, including the Vishnudutas; only then do the demigods and administrators of karma execute their duties. When the Lord's protection is invoked—especially through sincere chanting—ordinary jurisdiction is overruled. This clarification reshaped the Yamadutas' understanding of justice, aligning it with devotion-centered mercy.
He further explained the qualities of those who become exempt from punitive measures: devotees engaged in hearing, chanting, remembering, and serving the Lord with sincerity. Such practitioners, even if imperfect, are progressing toward purification and fall under divine care. Yamaraja urged his servants to avoid offenses toward devotees and to recognize that bhakti purifies more effectively than fear of punishment.
Yamaraja's discourse also detailed the dangers of offenses against the holy name, highlighting that deliberate sinning on the strength of chanting constitutes a grave barrier. He encouraged reverence for scriptures, saints, and the Lord's names, asserting that humility and sincerity unlock the name's full power. Through this guidance, the Yamadutas' role evolved from mechanical enforcers to discerning agents aware of devotional exceptions.
The chapter ends with the Yamadutas enlightened and respectful toward the path of bhakti. Ajamil's case becomes a precedent within cosmic administration: where genuine connection to the Lord's name exists, mercy supersedes retribution. This teaching reverberates as a call for all beings to honor the holy name and seek sincere devotional refuge.