Bhagvat: 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. 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.
Sri Sukadeva Gosvämi answered: When all the great sages and demigods were disturbed by the extraordinary power of Vrträsura, they had assembled to ask Indra to kill him. Indra, however, being afraid of killing a brähmana, declined their request.
King Indra replied: When I killed Vishvarüpa, I received extensive sinful reactions, but I was favored by the women, land, trees and water, and therefore I was able to divide the sin among them. But now if I kill Vrträsura, another brähmana, how shall I free myself from the sinful reactions?
Sri Sukadeva Gosvämi said: Hearing this, the great sages replied to King Indra, "O King of heaven, all good fortune unto you. Do not fear. We shall perform an ashvamedha sacrifice to release you from any sin you may accrue by killing the brähmana."
The rshis continued: O King Indra, by performing an ashvamedha sacrifice and thereby pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, Lord Näräyana, the supreme controller, one can be relieved even of the sinful reactions for killing the entire world, not to speak of killing a demon like Vrträsura.
TRANSLATION
One who has killed a brähmana, 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 Näräyana. Other sinful persons, such as dog-eaters and chandälas, who are less than shüdras, 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 Näräyana in that way, why should you be afraid? You will be freed even if you kill the entire universe, including the brähmanas, not to speak of killing a disturbing demon like Vrträsura.
PURPORT
It is said in the Brhad-vishnu Puräna:
Also, in the Prema-vivarta by Jagadänanda Pandita it is said:
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.
Nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhim: the Lord's 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-samhitä the following names are given.
A son begotten by a brähmana and born from the womb of a shüdra mother is called a pärashava or nishäda, a hunter accustomed to stealing.
A son begotten by a nishäda in the womb of a shüdra woman is called a pukkasa.
A child begotten by a kshatriya in the womb of the daughter of a shüdra is called an ugra.
A child begotten by a shüdra in the womb of the daughter of a kshatriya is called a kshattä.
A child begotten by a kshatriya in the womb of a lower-class woman is called a shväda, 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 KRSHNA MANTRA.
The Hare Krshna movement offers everyone a chance to be purified, regardless of birth or family.
As confirmed in Srimad-Bhägavatam (2.4.18):
"Kirätas, Hünas, Ändhras, Pulindas, Pulkashas, Äbhiras, 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 Vrträsura even at the risk of brahma-hatyä, the killing of a brähmana, and they guarantee to release him from sinful reactions by performing an ashvamedha-yajna.
Such purposefully devised atonement, however, cannot relieve the performer of sinful acts.
This will be seen from the following verse.
