From śas-dhātu the word has come, śāsanam. There are many other words. From śas-dhātu is śāstra. And from śas-dhātu, śastra. From śas-dhātu, śāsanam. The Sanskrit words are coined from the dhātu verb. So śas-dhātu means ruling. So there is ruling. You cannot think that you are independent. There is government. If you disobey the ruling, as the government has got police department . . . And if you are still disobedient there will be military department. You cannot disobey the rulings of the government. Similarly, this government, God's government, there are so many things—government officers, departments, rulings. Don't think that there was a chunk and immediately there was . . . Nonsense. It is not chunk. (laughs) It is regular government. Just like we have here a small place. Hawaii, you have got so many government officers, rulers. And do you think such a vast cosmic manifestation there is no ruling? Just see how poor thought. There is ruling. Don't think all of a sudden that . . . Any sane man can understand that things are being carried systematically—the seasonal changes, the seasonal fruits and flowers, the sunrise, the moonrise, the birth, death, old age, disease—everything systematically going on. And they are happening by chance? Why by chance one does not live forever? There is no such chance, sir. There is ruling. You cannot say, "Now here is a chance the man has not died." Where is that chance? Why do you speak of nonsense chance? It is not chance; it is ruling. You must die. However you utopianly say, "Now we shall live." Oh, that is not . . . There is ruling.
So the Yamarāja is in charge of ruling of the sinful persons. Dharmasya śāsanam. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the laws of God. It is not a sentiment, faith, "I believe." You believe or not believe, what does it matter? You believe or not believe in the government laws—it must carry on.