Äji tÄre jagannÄtha karilÄ raká¹£aṇa
kÄli ke rÄkhibe, yadi nÄ dibe rÄja-dhana?

 Äji - today; tÄre - him; jagannÄtha - Lord JagannÄtha; karilÄ raká¹£aṇa - protected; kÄli - tomorrow; ke rÄkhibe - who will protect; yadi - if; nÄ dibe - he will not pay; rÄja-dhana - the King's money.


Text

“JagannÄtha has saved him once from death today, but if tomorrow he again does not pay what he owes the treasury, who will give him protection?

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead will certainly protect a devotee who does something sinful accidentally. As the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (9.30-31):

api cet su-durÄcÄro bhajate mÄm ananya-bhÄk
sÄdhur eva sa mantavyaḥ saá¹yag vyavasito hi saḥ
ká¹£ipraá¹ bhavati dharmÄtmÄ Å›aÅ›vac-chÄntiá¹ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijÄnÄ«hi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaÅ›yati

“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 in his determination. He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of KuntÄ«, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.†However, if a devotee or so-called devotee purposefully commits sinful activities continually in the hope that Kṛṣṇa will give him protection, Kṛṣṇa will not protect him. Therefore ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, kÄli ke rÄkhibe, yadi nÄ dibe rÄja-dhana?: “JagannÄtha has saved GopÄ«nÄtha Paá¹­á¹­anÄyaka from being killed by the King today, but if he commits the same offense again, who will give him protection?†ŚrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu thus warns all such foolish devotees that JagannÄtha will not protect them if they continue to commit offenses.