Text 19] The History of the Life of Ajamila 33

sddhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah

“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in
devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly
situated.” If one never for a moment forgets Krsna, he is safe even if by
chance he falls down by committing sinful acts.

In the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (2.40) the Lord also says:

nehabhikrama-ndaso ’sti
pratyavayo na vidyate

svalpam apy asya dharmasya
trayate mahato bhayat

‘In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement
on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”

Elsewhere in the Gita (6.40) the Lord says, na hi kalyana-krt kascid
durgatim tata gacchati: “One who performs auspicious activity is never
overcome by evil.” The highest kalydna (auspicious) activity is to sur-
render to Krsna. That is the only path by which to save oneself from fall-
ing down into hellish life. Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati has confirmed
this as follows:

kaivalyam narakdyate tri-dasa-piir akdsa-puspdyate
durdantendriya-kdla-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate

visvam ptirna-sukhdyate vidhi-mahendradis ca kitayate
yat-karunya-kataksa-vaibhavavatam tam gauram eva stumah

The sinful actions of one who has surrendered unto Krsna are compared
to a snake with its poison fangs removed (protkhata-damstrayate). Such
a snake is no longer to be feared. Of course, one should not commit sinful
activities on the strength of having surrendered to Krsna. However, even
if one who has surrendered to Krsna happens to do something sinful be-
cause of his former habits, such sinful actions no longer have a destruc-
tive effect. Therefore one should adhere to the lotus feet of Krsna very
