Who are you?
Ajamila asked on his deathbed
Yama’s messengers!
Those creatures answered him
Why are you carrying me?
Heaven!
I haven’t done anything to deserve heaven.
You chanted the name of Lord.
No, I didn’t.
Didn’t you called Narayana just before dying?
Oh! But ‘Narayana’ is the name
Of my good-for-nothing son
Ajamila explained
You’re making some mistake
Ajamila challenged messengers again
They stopped midway between earth and heaven
And made a call to Yama
Yama as usual was busy so he put them on hold
In the meantime, Ajamila spoke
If you drop me from right here
I will happily land in hell
They asked him
When everyone is bribing the gods
Why don’t you want to go heaven?
All my life I haven’t done
A single thing scriptures told me to do
Rather I had been a thief, drunkard, liar and
Had sexual liaisons with a prostitute
Never did anything for anybody
Remained selfish throughout my life
Still my friends loved me and didn’t bother to change me
I didn’t remember calling Narayana
That was me calling
My son Narayana for some water
They tried to persuade him
You would have riches of life in heaven.
Riches never satisfied my hunger on earth
Why would I need them again?
They tried one last time
You can live close to Lord
Ajamila asked
Will I find my friends in the heaven
