Constant chanting of Krishna's holy names frees even the most fallen soul from karma's grip and purifies the mind.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.45 Māgha-melā — January 29, 1971, Prayāga 710129SB-PRAYAGA [31:18 Minutes] SB-06.02.45_710129SB-PRAYAGA Devotee: [introducing recording] Morning lecture, 29th January, 1971, Māgha-melā, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. [break] Prabhupāda: [maṅgalācaraṇa prayers] ...cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ ["I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance."] śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam ["When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?"] he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te ["O my dear Kṛṣṇa, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṇī. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."] tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgī rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye ["I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa."] vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ ["I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls."] śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda ["I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion."] hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare ["My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service."] evaṁ sa viplāvita-sarva-dharmā dāsyāḥ patiḥ patito garhya-karmaṇā nipātyamāno niraye hata-vrataḥ sadyo vimukto bhagavan-nāma gṛhṇan [SB 6.2.45] [Sanskrit] Here Śrīdhara Swami gives his comments that the whole situation of Ajāmila for falling down from the standard of pure brāhmaṇism was due to his becoming a husband of illicit wife, or a prostitute.
That is the commentation. So in the society, prostitution is so dangerous. It is clearly stated here that, nipātyamāno niraye hata-vrataḥ dāsyāḥ patiḥ patito garhya-karmaṇā [SB 6.2.45] Dāsyāḥ patiḥ means one who is husband of a prostitute or one who keeps a prostitute. And to keep a prostitute means garhya-karma. Garhya means abominance, and karma means activities.
As soon as one associates with a prostitute, immediately he becomes addicted to abominable activities, and that is the beginning of falldown. According to this formula, the system of arranged marriage of the boys and the girls is recommended, although that is not the guarantee; real thing is association. But still, when the boys and girls are grown, up it is a custom in Hindu society to get them married so that they may not fall prey to the prostitute or illicit sex life. That is very dangerous, such falling down. That is clearly stated here. Śrīdhara Swami says, [Sanskrit] Sva-dāra.
Sva means calm; dāra means wife. So there is regulative principles how to remain husband and wife peacefully. So Ajāmila broke those regulative principles; therefore he fell down from the standard of a real brāhmaṇa. But still, sadyo vimukto bhagavan-nāma gṛhṇan. Although he was so much in abominable condition, still offenseless chanting of the holy name of God is so powerful that he also became relieved from the hellish condition of life. nātaḥ paraṁ karma-nibandha-kṛntanaṁ mumukṣatāṁ tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt na yat punaḥ karmasu sajjate mano rajas-tamobhyāṁ kalilaṁ tato 'nyathā [SB 6.2.46] [Sanskrit] The conclusion is that in order to counteract all our sinful activities on account of fruitive activities, karma-nibandha, mumukṣatāṁ tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt. Actually, those who want to get a relief from the entanglement of fruitive activities, for them there is no other better way than the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended that, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc. Ādi 17.21] So long you are in this material world, it is very difficult to avoid karma-nibandha. Willingly or unwillingly, we shall be entangled in karma-nibandha, or the resultant action of our activities, and therefore sometimes we may commit actions which are abominable and become subjected to the resultant action. So here it is recommended that nātaḥ paraṁ karma-nibandha-kṛntanaṁ mumukṣatāṁ. So mumukṣatāṁ, those who are desirous of getting salvation, or liberation, for them this is the best way. What is that best way?
Tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt. Tīrtha-pada. Just like here is tīrtha, Prayāga. Tīrtha-pada means the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, where thousands of tīrthas are there. Mahat-padam, tīrtha-padam: these are the terms which are used in connection with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Another tīrtha-pada means the lotus feet where great saintly persons take shelter. So tīrtha-pada, uttamaśloka—all these terms are applicable to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the conclusion is, the best way of getting out of the clutches of material existence is to tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt. Anu. Anu means always; kīrtanaṁ, chanting.