The Glory of Krishna's Story and the Marks of a Vaishnava

Verse 1 (padma.4.1.1)

शौनक उवाच । कलौ समागते सूत प्राणिनां केन कर्मणा । उद्धारो वै भवेत्तस्मात्कथयस्व ममाग्रतः ।

śaunaka uvāca kalau samāgate sūta prāṇināṁ kena karmaṇā uddhāro vai bhavettasmātkathayasva mamāgrataḥ

Shaunaka said: O Suta, when the Kali age has come, by what action do beings attain deliverance? Tell me this first.

Verse 2 (padma.4.1.2)

सूत उवाच । साधुसाधु मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुण्यात्मनां वरो भवान् । सर्वेषां च जनानां च शुभवाञ्छो निरंतरम् ।

sūta uvāca sādhusādhu muniśreṣṭha puṇyātmanāṁ varo bhavān sarveṣāṁ ca janānāṁ ca śubhavāñcho niraṁtaram

Suta said: Well said, well said, O best of sages! You are foremost among the virtuous, ever wishing well for all people.

Verse 3 (padma.4.1.3)

एतद्व्यासः पुरा विप्रः सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजितः । पृष्टो जैमिनिना तं स यदाह शृणु वैष्णव ।

etadvyāsaḥ purā vipraḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvapūjitaḥ pṛṣṭo jaimininā taṁ sa yadāha śṛṇu vaiṣṇava

This very question was once asked of Vyasa — that all-knowing, universally honored brahmin — by Jaimini; hear, O Vaishnava, what he said in answer.

Verse 4 (padma.4.1.4)

दंडवत्प्रणिपत्यासौ व्यासं सर्वार्थपारगम् । गुरुं सत्यवतीसूनुं पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवः ।

daṁḍavatpraṇipatyāsau vyāsaṁ sarvārthapāragam guruṁ satyavatīsūnuṁ papraccha munipuṁgavaḥ

Prostrating flat like a rod, that foremost of sages asked this question of his guru Vyasa, son of Satyavati, who had crossed to the far shore of all knowledge.

Verse 5 (padma.4.1.5)

जैमिनिरुवाच । कलौ नृणां भवेत्केन मोक्षो वै कथयस्व मे । अल्पेनापि च पुण्येन मर्त्याश्चाल्पायुषो यतः ।

jaiminiruvāca kalau nṛṇāṁ bhavetkena mokṣo vai kathayasva me alpenāpi ca puṇyena martyāścālpāyuṣo yataḥ

Jaimini said: Tell me by what means men attain liberation in the Kali age — since mortals are short-lived, liberation must come to them even through little merit.

Verse 6 (padma.4.1.6)

व्यास उवाच । साधुसंगाद्भवेद्विप्र शास्त्राणां श्रवणं प्रभो । हरिभक्तिर्भवेत्तस्मात्ततो ज्ञानं ततो गतिः ।

vyāsa uvāca sādhusaṁgādbhavedvipra śāstrāṇāṁ śravaṇaṁ prabho haribhaktirbhavettasmāttato jñānaṁ tato gatiḥ

Vyasa said: O brahmin, from the company of the good comes the hearing of the scriptures, O lord; from that comes devotion to Hari, from that knowledge, and from that the supreme goal.

Verse 7 (padma.4.1.7)

न रोचते कथा भूमौ पापिष्ठाय जनाय वै । वैष्णवी स तु विज्ञेयः पापिष्ठप्रवरो द्विजः ।

na rocate kathā bhūmau pāpiṣṭhāya janāya vai vaiṣṇavī sa tu vijñeyaḥ pāpiṣṭhapravaro dvijaḥ

The Vaishnava tale does not delight the most sinful person on this earth; whoever dislikes it should be known as the very worst of sinful brahmins.

Verse 8 (padma.4.1.8)

श्रीकृष्णस्य कथां श्रुत्वाऽऽनंदी भवति वैष्णवः । असत्यां तां तु यो ब्रूयाज्ज्ञेयः स पापिनां गुरुः ।

śrīkṛṣṇasya kathāṁ śrutvā''naṁdī bhavati vaiṣṇavaḥ asatyāṁ tāṁ tu yo brūyājjñeyaḥ sa pāpināṁ guruḥ

Hearing the story of Shri Krishna, a Vaishnava becomes filled with joy; but whoever calls it false should be known as a teacher among sinners.

Verse 9 (padma.4.1.9)

यस्मिन्यस्मिन्स्थले विप्र कृष्णस्य वर्तते कथा । तस्मात्तस्माज्जगन्नाथो याति त्यक्त्वा न कर्हिचित् ।

yasminyasminsthale vipra kṛṣṇasya vartate kathā tasmāttasmājjagannātho yāti tyaktvā na karhicit

O brahmin, in whatever place the story of Krishna is told, from that very place the Lord of the universe never departs.

Verse 10 (padma.4.1.10)

कृष्णस्य यः कथारंभे कुर्याद्विघ्नं नराधमः । नरकान्निष्कृतिर्नास्ति मन्वंतरशतावधि ।

kṛṣṇasya yaḥ kathāraṁbhe kuryādvighnaṁ narādhamaḥ narakānniṣkṛtirnāsti manvaṁtaraśatāvadhi

That basest of men who creates an obstacle at the very start of Krishna's story finds no release from hell for a hundred manvantaras.

Verse 11 (padma.4.1.11)

ये पुराणकथां श्रुत्वा निंदंत्युपहसंति वै । तेषां करस्था नरका बहुक्लेशकराः सदा ।

ye purāṇakathāṁ śrutvā niṁdaṁtyupahasaṁti vai teṣāṁ karasthā narakā bahukleśakarāḥ sadā

Those who, having heard the Puranic story, revile and mock it — many hells full of great suffering are ever at their hand.

Verse 12 (padma.4.1.12)

जन्मांतरार्जितं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति । श्रीकृष्णचरितं यो वै श्रोतुमिच्छां करोत्यपि ।

janmāṁtarārjitaṁ pāpaṁ tatkṣaṇādeva naśyati śrīkṛṣṇacaritaṁ yo vai śrotumicchāṁ karotyapi

The sin gathered across other births is destroyed that very instant for one who merely forms the wish to hear the deeds of Shri Krishna.

Verse 13 (padma.4.1.13)

भक्त्या यो वै नरः कुर्यात्श्रीकृष्णचरितं तथा । न जाने श्रवणे तस्य का गतिर्वा भविष्यति ।

bhaktyā yo vai naraḥ kuryātśrīkṛṣṇacaritaṁ tathā na jāne śravaṇe tasya kā gatirvā bhaviṣyati

As for the man who with devotion actually hears the deeds of Shri Krishna — what destiny will come to him from that hearing, I do not know.

Verse 14 (padma.4.1.14)

ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं अकालमरणं तथा । सुरापानं तथास्तेयं सर्वं नश्यति पापिनः ।

brahmahatyādikaṁ pāpaṁ akālamaraṇaṁ tathā surāpānaṁ tathāsteyaṁ sarvaṁ naśyati pāpinaḥ

The sin of killing a brahmin and the like, untimely death, drinking liquor, and theft — all of this is destroyed for the sinner by that hearing.

Verse 15 (padma.4.1.15)

पापं कृत्वा तु यो मर्त्यः पश्चात्पापं निवर्तयेत् । तस्य पापं व्रजेन्नाशमग्निना तूलराशिवत् ।

pāpaṁ kṛtvā tu yo martyaḥ paścātpāpaṁ nivartayet tasya pāpaṁ vrajennāśamagninā tūlarāśivat

But the mortal who, having committed sin, afterward turns away from sin — his sin is consumed like a heap of cotton cast into fire.

Verse 16 (padma.4.1.16)

श्रीकृष्णचरितं विप्र तिष्ठेद्वै पुस्तकं गृहे । तस्य गृहसमीपं हि नायांति यमकिंकराः ।

śrīkṛṣṇacaritaṁ vipra tiṣṭhedvai pustakaṁ gṛhe tasya gṛhasamīpaṁ hi nāyāṁti yamakiṁkarāḥ

O brahmin, in whose house the book of Shri Krishna's deeds abides, near that house the servants of Yama do not come.

Verse 17 (padma.4.1.17)

जैमिनिरुवाच । वदंति वैष्णवान्कांश्च वांच्छा ब्रूहि गुरो मम । इदानीं तान्समाज्ञातुं तेषां माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।

jaiminiruvāca vadaṁti vaiṣṇavānkāṁśca vāṁcchā brūhi guro mama idānīṁ tānsamājñātuṁ teṣāṁ māhātmyamuttamam

Jaimini said: Whom do they call Vaishnavas? Tell me, O guru — it is now my wish to know them and their supreme greatness.

Verse 18 (padma.4.1.18)

व्यास उवाच । यो नरो मस्तके भक्त्या वैष्णवांघ्रिजलं द्विज । करोति सेचनं पापी तीर्थस्नानेन तस्य किम् ।

vyāsa uvāca yo naro mastake bhaktyā vaiṣṇavāṁghrijalaṁ dvija karoti secanaṁ pāpī tīrthasnānena tasya kim

Vyasa said: O brahmin, the man — even a sinner — who with devotion sprinkles upon his head the water that has washed a Vaishnava's feet, what need has he of bathing at sacred fords?

Verse 19 (padma.4.1.19)

साधुसंगं तु यः कुर्य्यात्क्षणं वार्द्धक्षणं द्विज । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि ब्रह्महत्यामुखानि च ।

sādhusaṁgaṁ tu yaḥ kuryyātkṣaṇaṁ vārddhakṣaṇaṁ dvija tasya naśyaṁti pāpāni brahmahatyāmukhāni ca

O brahmin, whoever keeps the company of the good even for a moment, or half a moment — his sins, beginning with the killing of a brahmin, are destroyed.

Verse 20 (padma.4.1.20)

यत्रयत्र कुले चैव एको भवति वैष्णवः । कुलं तस्य यदा पापैर्युक्तं तन्मोक्षगामि वै ।

yatrayatra kule caiva eko bhavati vaiṣṇavaḥ kulaṁ tasya yadā pāpairyuktaṁ tanmokṣagāmi vai

In whatever family even a single Vaishnava is born, that family — even if bound by sins — surely attains liberation.

Verse 21 (padma.4.1.21)

हिंसादंभकामक्रोधैर्वर्जिताश्चैव ये नराः । लोभमोहपरित्यक्ता ज्ञेयास्ते वैष्णवा द्विज ।

hiṁsādaṁbhakāmakrodhairvarjitāścaiva ye narāḥ lobhamohaparityaktā jñeyāste vaiṣṇavā dvija

O brahmin, those men who are free of violence, hypocrisy, lust, and anger, and who have abandoned greed and delusion, are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 22 (padma.4.1.22)

पितृभक्ता दयायुक्ताः सर्वप्राणिहिते रताः । अमत्सरा वैष्णवा ये विज्ञेयाः सत्यभाषिणः ।

pitṛbhaktā dayāyuktāḥ sarvaprāṇihite ratāḥ amatsarā vaiṣṇavā ye vijñeyāḥ satyabhāṣiṇaḥ

Those devoted to their ancestors, full of compassion, devoted to the welfare of all beings, free of envy, and truthful in speech, are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 23 (padma.4.1.23)

विप्रभक्तिरता ये च परस्त्रीषु नपुंसकाः । एकादशीव्रतरता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

viprabhaktiratā ye ca parastrīṣu napuṁsakāḥ ekādaśīvrataratā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

Those devoted to serving brahmins, who are as eunuchs toward other men's wives, and devoted to the Ekadashi vow — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 24 (padma.4.1.24)

गायंति हरिनामानि तुलसीमाल्यधारकाः । हर्यंघ्रिसलिलैः सिक्ता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

gāyaṁti harināmāni tulasīmālyadhārakāḥ haryaṁghrisalilaiḥ siktā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

Those who sing the names of Hari, wear garlands of tulasi, and are sprinkled with the water that has washed Hari's feet — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 25 (padma.4.1.25)

श्रोत्रयोर्मस्तके येषां तुलस्याः पर्णमुत्तमम् । कर्हिचिद्दृश्यते विप्र विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

śrotrayormastake yeṣāṁ tulasyāḥ parṇamuttamam karhiciddṛśyate vipra vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

O brahmin, those upon whose ears or head a fine tulasi leaf is at any time seen — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 26 (padma.4.1.26)

पाखंडसंगरहिता विप्रद्वेषविवर्जिताः । सिंचेयुस्तुलसीं ये च ज्ञातव्या वैष्णवा नराः ।

pākhaṁḍasaṁgarahitā vipradveṣavivarjitāḥ siṁceyustulasīṁ ye ca jñātavyā vaiṣṇavā narāḥ

Men who are free from the company of the impious, free from hostility toward brahmins, and who water the tulasi plant, are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 27 (padma.4.1.27)

पूजयंति हरिं ये च तुलस्या चार्चयंति ये । कन्यादानरता ये च ये वै ह्यतिथिपूजकाः ।

pūjayaṁti hariṁ ye ca tulasyā cārcayaṁti ye kanyādānaratā ye ca ye vai hyatithipūjakāḥ

Those who worship Hari, who honor him with tulasi, who take delight in the gift of a daughter in marriage, and who honor guests —

Verse 28 (padma.4.1.28)

शृण्वंति विष्णुचरितं विज्ञेया वैष्णवा नराः । यस्य गृहे सुप्रतिष्ठेत्शालग्रामशिलापि च ।

śṛṇvaṁti viṣṇucaritaṁ vijñeyā vaiṣṇavā narāḥ yasya gṛhe supratiṣṭhetśālagrāmaśilāpi ca

who listen to the deeds of Vishnu — such men are to be known as Vaishnavas; and he in whose house a shalagrama stone is well established,

Verse 29 (padma.4.1.29)

मार्जयंति हरेः स्थानं पितृयज्ञप्रवर्तकाः । जने दीने दयायुक्ता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

mārjayaṁti hareḥ sthānaṁ pitṛyajñapravartakāḥ jane dīne dayāyuktā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

who cleanse the place of Hari, who carry forward the offerings to the ancestors, and who are full of compassion toward the wretched — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 30 (padma.4.1.30)

परस्वं ब्राह्मणद्रव्यं पश्यंति विषवच्च ये । हरिनैवेद्यं येऽश्नन्ति विज्ञेया वैष्णवा जनाः ।

parasvaṁ brāhmaṇadravyaṁ paśyaṁti viṣavacca ye harinaivedyaṁ ye'śnanti vijñeyā vaiṣṇavā janāḥ

Those who regard another's wealth, and a brahmin's property especially, as poison, and who eat only food that has first been offered to Hari — such people are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 31 (padma.4.1.31)

वेदशास्त्रानुरक्ता ये तुलसीवनपालकाः । राधाष्टमीव्रतरता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

vedaśāstrānuraktā ye tulasīvanapālakāḥ rādhāṣṭamīvrataratā vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

Those devoted to the Vedas and scriptures, who guard groves of tulasi, and who are devoted to the Radhashtami vow — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 32 (padma.4.1.32)

श्रीकृष्णपुरतो ये च दीपं यच्छंति श्रद्धया । परनिंदां न कुर्वंति विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः ।

śrīkṛṣṇapurato ye ca dīpaṁ yacchaṁti śraddhayā paraniṁdāṁ na kurvaṁti vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

Those who with faith offer a lamp before Shri Krishna, and who do not speak ill of others — they too are to be known as Vaishnavas.

Verse 33 (padma.4.1.33)

सूत उवाच । पृष्टो जैमिनिना व्यास इत्युक्तः स यथाक्रमम् । मयेदं कथ्यते ब्रह्मन्यत्प्रसंगाद्गुरोः श्रुतम् ।

sūta uvāca pṛṣṭo jaimininā vyāsa ityuktaḥ sa yathākramam mayedaṁ kathyate brahmanyatprasaṁgādguroḥ śrutam

Suta said: Thus questioned by Jaimini, Vyasa spoke in due order; O brahmin, I have told you this exactly as I once heard it from my own guru in that same context.

Verse 34 (padma.4.1.34)

अध्यायं श्रद्धया युक्तं ये शृण्वंति नरोत्तमाः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ता यांति विष्णोः परं पदम् ।

adhyāyaṁ śraddhayā yuktaṁ ye śṛṇvaṁti narottamāḥ sarvapāpavinirmuktā yāṁti viṣṇoḥ paraṁ padam

Those best of men who hear this chapter with faith are freed from all sin and attain the supreme abode of Vishnu.