(The Vishnudutas save Ajamila from the Yamadutas—click to enlarge)
Prabhupāda: So the devotees are protected by the Viṣṇudūtas always, constantly. They are invisibly wandering all over the universe. We may see or not see, because we cannot see spiritual body with these material eyes. So even we do not see, the Viṣṇudūta is always protecting the devotees from the enemies.
As I have explained yesterday, devotees will have enemies. Kṛṣṇa had enemies. This world is such: envious. Ordinarily, they are envious. The whole world is full of enviousness. Even the greatest personalities like Indra, he is also envious. If somebody is undergoing great austerities, the Indra becomes envious. Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was meditating by the yoga process. Immediately Indra became disturbed, "Oh, this man is practicing so much severe austerities. He may capture my post some day. So this man must be curbed down immediately." Just like in political party, everyone is thinking, "Oh, this man is becoming greater than me. So he should be curbed down, he should be checked. Otherwise, some day he may occupy my ministership." This is the position of the world. Everyone is envious.
So the devotees have, I mean to say, enemies. But the Viṣṇudūta protects, as Kṛṣṇa says, that kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31): "My dear Arjuna, you can declare on My behalf that a devotee will never be... A pure devotee." Always remember—a pure devotee. Devotee means a pure devotee. Contaminated devotee is different. Dvidha-bhakta and śuddha-bhakta. Those who are contaminated with material desires, with fruitive activities and mental speculation, they are contaminated devotees. They are not pure devotees. Pure devotees means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), no material desire, no action and fruitive activities, no mental speculation. So he is pure devotee.
So that pure devotee in transcendental position is always protected by the Lord. And His Viṣṇudūta is wandering everywhere. Just like Ajāmila. As soon as he was arrested by the Yamadūtas, immediately they approached. So as there are different police department—military police department, civil police department—similarly, there is transcendental police department. Don't be afraid. Yes. Here it is stated. So simply we have to be sincere devotee, and all protection will be given by Kṛṣṇa.
So rakṣanti bhakti, tad-bhaktimataḥ parebhyo mattaś ca. Now, Yamarāja says mattaś ca. Not only from the enemies, but mattaḥ, means "My men," the Yamadūtas. Because they were surprised. The Yamadūtas were surprised, "How is that? Some four-handed, very good looking persons came and checked our duty." So therefore Yamarāja said that "The devotees are protected from the Yamadūtas, by the men of Yamarāja." Mattaś ca, martyān atha sarvataś ca. Therefore a devotee has nothing to fear. He is protected from the attack of enemies, from the attack of Yamadūtas. How is that? There are many hundreds and thousands of instances—Prahlāda Mahārāja, Haridāsa Ṭhākura...
But don't think that a devotee will not have enemies. A devotee may have anything. Oh, he may be attacked by enemies. He may be attacked with severe type of diseases and so many things. But he will be protected. That is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee is neglected. That is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, that people may discover so many antibiotics or antiseptics for giving protection, or "anti" measures, but unless he is given protection by Kṛṣṇa, all those "anti" devices will not protect, help him. That is certain.
Therefore we should take protection only of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, our all protective measures will fail. Rāvaṇa... when Rāvaṇa was attacked by Rāmacandra... he was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, so he began to pray. Because life and death question, he was praying to Lord Śiva, "Please save me. I have served you so much." Rāvaṇa was so great devotee of Lord Śiva that he sometimes cut his head and offered to Lord Śiva. So... and Śiva was thinking very deeply what to do.
And Pārvatī was requesting that, "Your such a great devotee, he is in danger, and he is asking your help, and you are sitting idly? You are doing nothing? How is that?" Lord Śiva replied that, "It is not possible to protect him. It is not possible for me." So as a woman, sympathetic, she came out, and that, "If you cannot protect, then I shall go and protect Rāvaṇa." But she also could not protect. Therefore there is a... it is a verse, māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke: "If Kṛṣṇa desires to kill somebody, nobody can protect." And rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke: "And if Kṛṣṇa protects somebody, nobody can kill." This is the process.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971)
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