Although Ajāmila continued to do bad activities after chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, the results of all his bad activities were like a burnt rope. Nothing can be bound by a rope which has been burned. So, all of Ajāmila’s activities were burnt without him having to suffer the results. Who can see this? The devotees can see this. But the general people cannot see this. They will see that Ajāmila is continuing to perform sinful activities. If someone is engaged in performing nonsense, but yet if he is taking the name of Kṛṣṇa with devotion, then you should think that he is really a sādhu—even if he is still involved in sinful activities—because all his sins and unwanted tendencies have been burnt. You should see him as a sādhu because after some days he quickly becomes righteous. Kṛṣṇa declares, “My devotees can never be vanquished.” So, if a devotee is chanting and remembering, but by weakness he has entered family life, then we should not criticize him. But, don’t have the association of that kind of a bhakta—never. Be like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But don’t criticize. If he has not insulted Guru and Vaiṣṇavas, then very soon he will quickly come out of his entanglement.
June 15, 1998 Oakland