Text 40] The History of the Life of Ajamila 55

TRANSLATION

What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual
candidates for punishment? Are all karmis engaged in fruitive ac-
tivities punishable, or only some of them?

PURPORT

One who has the power to punish others should not punish everyone.
There are innumerable living entities, the majority of whom are in the
spiritual world and are nitya-mukta, everlastingly liberated. There is no
question of judging these liberated living beings. Only a small fraction of
the living entities, perhaps one fourth, are in the material world. And the
major portion of the living entities in the material world—8,000,000 of
the 8,400,000 forms of life—are lower than human beings. They are not
punishable, for under the laws of material nature they are automatically
evolving. Human beings, who are advanced in consciousness, are respon-
sible, but not all of them are punishable. Those engaged in advanced
pious activities are beyond punishment. Only those who engage in sinful
activities are punishable. Therefore the Visnuditas particularly inquired
about who is punishable and why Yamaraja has been designated to dis-
criminate between who is punishable and who is not. How is one to be
judged? What is the basic principle of authority? These are the questions
raised by the Visnuditas.

TEXT 40
FAGH KB
Vanfiredn «oat | attra: |
Iq ANTAT: TIATHT UT BIA voll

yamadita ticuh
veda-pranihito dharmo
hy adharmas tad-viparyayah
vedo narayanah sdksat
svayambhir iti Susruma

yamaditah ticuh—the order carriers of Yamaraja said; veda—by the
four Vedas (Séma, Yajur, Rg and Atharva); pranihitah—prescribed;
