In the previous verse it has been discussed, na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt. Nobody can. . . (child making sounds; mother takes out) Just like this child. He wants to do something. (laughter) He does not know that he is doing something nonsense. Similarly, the child's father also, he wants to do something, although it is nonsense. Therefore here it is mentioned, na hi kaścit, "Anyone," kṣaṇam api, "even for a moment," na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma (BG 3.5), "he must do something." This is the tendency. How? Kāryate hy avaśaḥ. Avaśaḥ means being forced. He has no control. He must do something, and he has no control over it. So why no control? No control means he is controlled by somebody else. He is not in his own control. And what is that controller? Guṇaiḥ svābhāvikair balāt (SB 6.1.53). He has infected some type of material modes of nature and he has to act accordingly. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. The similar verse is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).
So we are under the control of the modes of material nature. Now, the next verse says, eṣa prakṛti-saṅgena. Eṣa means all these living entities. In this way, on account of association with this material nature. . . Prakṛti-saṅgena puruṣasya viparyayaḥ. Puruṣasya means the living entities; viparyayaḥ, entanglement. Āsīt: "In this way he is involved." Sa eva na cirād īśa-saṅgād vilīyate. So he is involved in this way, but if he associates with īśa, the Supreme Lord, then na cirād, very soon, all these things, entanglement, can be finished. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). One who is entangled with these modes of material nature, it is very difficult to come out of it. But mām eva ye prapadyante: "Anyone who takes My shelter, he can get out." And practically you have got all experience that our regulative principle is very difficult to give it up, but those who have become devotee, they have easily given up. That is also confirmed in another place, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If we engage ourself in devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, janaty āśu vairāgyam, then very soon he become detached to these material activities. Vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. These two things required: knowledge and detachment. Knowledge means that "I am not this body," and detachment means "I am not this body; therefore I have nothing to do with this material world."
(break) . . .of Yamarāja, came to take him to Yamarāja. In the meantime, because he uttered the name of Nārāyaṇa, the order carriers of Nārāyaṇa also came there. So while the Yamadūtas were dragging this Ajāmila to take him to Yamarāja, the Nārāyaṇadūtas warned, "Don't touch him." So Yamadūtas complained that "This man was very sinful. We must take him to Yamarāja." But the Nārāyaṇadūtas said, "No, you cannot take, because he has uttered the holy name of Nārāyaṇa." So the discussion was going on, "Now who will take him?" In the meantime the Nārāyaṇadutas challenged the Yamadūtas that "Do you know the principle of religion?" And so they were explaining.
Now, these Yamadūtas explained about the past life of Ajāmila. His past life is described in this way, ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ (SB 6.1.56): "This man, Ajāmila, was formerly was a very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa." Śruta. Śruta means Vedic knowledge, and sampannaḥ means accomplished. So ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. "And very well behaved, properly situated in his position," dhṛta-vrata, "and avowedly following the regulative principles." So he was learned, he was well behaved, and he was avowedly, strictly following the regulative principles. Mṛduḥ. Mṛdu means very gentle. Dāntaḥ: he had control over his senses. Satya-vāṅ: he was very truthful. Mantra vit śuciḥ: and he knew all the Vedic mantras and was very clean. Then gurv-agny-atithi-vṛddhānām. Guru, spiritual master; agni, sacrificial fire; vṛddhā, aged person; and atithi. . . Atithi means guest without invitation. This is the Vedic culture, that these men should be well received. Guru means spiritual master; agni, fire; atithi. . . Atithi. Atithi means without any fixed-up invitation if somebody comes at your place. And old men, they should be respectful.
Not very long ago, when we were young men, say thirty years old, that time we have seen that a young man would not smoke before an old man. This was the etiquette. Now they have all forgotten this cultural civilization. They have no respect for old men. And the time is coming when old men will be killed as mercy?
Brahmānanda: Mercy killing.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Mercy killing. Sarva-bhūta-suhṛdam. Not only these particular persons, but he was friendly to all living entities, sarva-bhūta-suhṛdam. Sādhu, very honest devotee, sādhu. And mita-vāg: did not speak more than required. This is also good qualification: don't talk nonsense. Unless you are required to speak, don't speak. This is also another good feature. Mita-vāg anasūyakaḥ: and not envious to anyone. These were his qualification when he was young man. Up to the age of, say, twenty, he was like this.