Anyone, somehow or other, he becomes attracted to Kṛṣṇa, and if he simply says: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is very nice. Kṛṣṇa's qualities are very nice. Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are very nice," he becomes guaranteed, immune from the attack of Yamarāja.
Yamarāja means the . . . according to Vedic literature, there is a superintendent appointed by God who examines the sinful activities of the living entities and punishes him according to the gravity of his sinful life. He is called Yamarāja. And he has got many agents who take the living entity to Yamarāja after death. And when the judgment is given, then he is given a type of body for suffering or so-called enjoyment. But not enjoyment, because most heinous and sinful persons are taken to him.
So here it is said anyone, somehow or other if he has become attracted to Kṛṣṇa by His transcendental qualities and pastime, then what happens?
- na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān
- svapne 'pi paśyanti
- (SB 6.1.19)
The agents of Yamarāja, even in dream, do not come there. Even in dream, not to speak of directly. So you are guaranteed. You are guaranteed.
Then, long, long ago, one friend asked that, "Why do you put these neck beads?" It is guarantee that we shall not be shot down. Just like dog having a belt (collar), it is not shot down by anyone. It is known that he has a master. Similarly, this belt will save us from being shot down by the agents of Yamarāja. They will see, "Oh, here is a devotee. Here is a devotee."
- atra codāharantīmam
- itihāsaṁ purātanam
- dūtānāṁ viṣṇu-yamayoḥ
- saṁvādas taṁ nibodha me
- (SB 6.1.20)
Now, everything requires evidence how one is relieved from the attack of the agents of Yamarāja. He is citing some example from the history. Now here it is said that:
- atra codāharantīmam
- itihāsaṁ purātanam
- (SB 6.1.20)
These Purāṇas . . . in the Vedic literature there are different divisions. The first is four Vedas. Then the Upaniṣads. Then they are summarized in Vedānta. Then they are again explained in Purāṇas. There are eighteen Purāṇas. This Bhāgavata Purāṇam is called Mahā-Purāṇa. The eighteen Purāṇas, they are meant for different kinds of people. There are different kinds of men: some are being conducted by the modes of ignorance—some are being conducted by the modes of passion, some of them are being conducted by the modes of goodness. So for three classes of men there are six Purāṇas each class; therefore eighteen Purāṇas. And this Bhāgavata Purāṇa is for the topmost class of men, who are in goodness. Not only in goodness, but they are devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
So these Purāṇas are explanation of the Vedic system in understandable historical references. Therefore they are called itihāsam. Itihāsam means old history. So itihāsa does not mean this has to be learned chronological with date. Now if you keep a history of millions and trillions of years, it is impossible to keep. Therefore most important incidences in the history, they are picked up, and they are assorted in the Purāṇas.
So Purāṇas means . . . Mahābhārata is also history. You have heard the name of Mahābhārata. Mahā means great, and bhārata, now we call India, foreigners they call India. "India" is not the proper name. The whole planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. Bhārata-varṣa. India is, accidentally, it has come to be named a certain portion of the world, but actually the whole planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. And the history, greater Bhārata-varṣa. Greater Bhārata-varṣa, great Bhārata-varṣa, the history of the world. The Purāṇas are also history of the world, or history of the universe. There are many incidences we have taken from other planets.
So these Mahā-purāṇas, Mahābhārata . . . and the Mahābhārata especially was composed by Vyāsadeva for less-intelligent class of men, one who cannot understand the Vedas. The Vedas are not understood by three classes of men:
- strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ
- trayī na śruti-gocarā
- (SB 1.4.25)
Trayī. Trayī means the Vedas, where three kinds of processes are recommended: karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa means the ritualistic ceremonies; jñāna-kāṇḍa, this philosophical section, just like the Upaniṣad. And upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa, there are many recommendation for worshiping the demigods, ultimately, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So these Vedas are not sometimes understood by three classes of men—strī-śūdra-dvijabandhu, three classes of men: women . . . women and śūdra and dvijabandhu. Dvijabandhu means the friends of the twice-born. The twice-born are three classes of men: brāhmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya. They are twice . . . they are given the chance to take second birth by upanāyana-saṁskāra, by purificatory process of offering the sacred thread. That is second birth. So this second-birth ceremony is offered to the high class of men. Not high class of men by birth, but by quality.