The Glory of the Divine Name and the Purana

Verse 1 (padma.4.25.1)

शौनक उवाच । श्रीपदं विष्णुचरितं सर्वोपद्रवनाशनम् । सर्वपापक्षयकरं दुष्टग्रहनिवारणम् ।

śaunaka uvāca śrīpadaṁ viṣṇucaritaṁ sarvopadravanāśanam sarvapāpakṣayakaraṁ duṣṭagrahanivāraṇam

Shripada, the sacred account of Vishnu's deeds, which destroys every calamity, destroys every sin, and wards off evil planetary influences,

Verse 2 (padma.4.25.2)

विष्णुसान्निध्यदं चैव चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् । यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या चांते याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

viṣṇusānnidhyadaṁ caiva caturvargaphalapradam yaḥ śṛṇoti naro bhaktyā cāṁte yāti harergṛham

and grants the very presence of Vishnu, bestowing the fruit of the four aims of life — whatever man hears it with devotion goes, at the end, to the house of Hari.

Verse 3 (padma.4.25.3)

नामोच्चारणमाहात्म्यं श्रूयते महदद्भुतम् । यदुच्चारणमात्रेण नरो यायात्परं पदम् ।

nāmoccāraṇamāhātmyaṁ śrūyate mahadadbhutam yaduccāraṇamātreṇa naro yāyātparaṁ padam

The glory of the mere utterance of the divine Name is heard to be a great wonder, by which utterance alone a man attains the supreme state.

Verse 4 (padma.4.25.4)

तद्वदस्वाधुना सूत विधानं नामकीर्तने । सूत उवाच । शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि संवादं मोक्षसाधनम् ।

tadvadasvādhunā sūta vidhānaṁ nāmakīrtane sūta uvāca śṛṇu śaunaka vakṣyāmi saṁvādaṁ mokṣasādhanam

"Tell me that now, O Suta — the proper method of glorifying the Name." Suta said: Listen, Shaunaka, I shall relate a dialogue that is itself the means to liberation.

Verse 5 (padma.4.25.5)

नारदः पृष्टवान्पूर्वं कुमारं तद्वदामि ते । एकदा यमुनातीरे निविष्टं शांतमानसम् ।

nāradaḥ pṛṣṭavānpūrvaṁ kumāraṁ tadvadāmi te ekadā yamunātīre niviṣṭaṁ śāṁtamānasam

Formerly Narada asked this of Kumara, Sanatkumara; I tell it to you now. Once, on the bank of the Yamuna, seated there with a tranquil mind —

Verse 6 (padma.4.25.6)

सनत्कुमारं पप्रच्छ नारदो रचिताञ्जलि । श्रुत्वा नानाविधान्धर्मान्धर्मव्यतिकरांस्तथा ।

sanatkumāraṁ papraccha nārado racitāñjali śrutvā nānāvidhāndharmāndharmavyatikarāṁstathā

Narada, his palms joined, having heard of the many dharmas and their confusions, questioned Sanatkumara.

Verse 7 (padma.4.25.7)

श्रीनारद उवाच । योऽसौ भगवता प्रोक्तो धर्मव्यतिकरो नृणाम् । कथं तस्य विनाशः स्यादुच्यतां भगवत्प्रिय ।

śrīnārada uvāca yo'sau bhagavatā prokto dharmavyatikaro nṛṇām kathaṁ tasya vināśaḥ syāducyatāṁ bhagavatpriya

Shri Narada said: "That confusion of dharma among men which has been declared by the Lord — how might its destruction come about? Tell me this, O beloved of the Lord."

Verse 8 (padma.4.25.8)

श्रीसनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु नारद गोविंद प्रिय गोविंदधर्मवित् । यत्पृष्टं लोकनिर्मुक्तिकारणं तमसः परम् ।

śrīsanatkumāra uvāca śṛṇu nārada goviṁda priya goviṁdadharmavit yatpṛṣṭaṁ lokanirmuktikāraṇaṁ tamasaḥ param

Shri Sanatkumara said: "Listen, Narada, beloved of Govinda, knower of Govinda's dharma — what you have asked is the cause of the world's liberation, beyond all darkness."

Verse 9 (padma.4.25.9)

सर्वाचारविवर्जिताः शठधियो व्रात्या जगद्वञ्चकाः । दंभाहंकृतिपानपैशुनपराः पापाश्च ये निष्ठुराः ।

sarvācāravivarjitāḥ śaṭhadhiyo vrātyā jagadvañcakāḥ daṁbhāhaṁkṛtipānapaiśunaparāḥ pāpāśca ye niṣṭhurāḥ

"Those devoid of all right conduct, deceitful of mind, outcastes, deceivers of the world, given to pride, arrogance, drink, and slander, sinful and cruel,"

Verse 10 (padma.4.25.10)

ये चान्ये धनदारपुत्रनिरताः सर्वेऽधमास्तेऽपि हि । श्रीगोविंदपदारविंदशरणाः शुद्धा भवंति द्विज ।

ye cānye dhanadāraputraniratāḥ sarve'dhamāste'pi hi śrīgoviṁdapadāraviṁdaśaraṇāḥ śuddhā bhavaṁti dvija

"— and others too, devoted only to wealth, wife and children — all these basest of men, O Brahmin, become pure by taking refuge at the lotus feet of Shri Govinda."

Verse 11 (padma.4.25.11)

तमपि देवकरं करुणाकरस्थविरजंगममुक्तिकरं परम् । अतिचरंत्यपराधपरा जना य इह तान्वपति ध्रुवनाम हि ।

tamapi devakaraṁ karuṇākarasthavirajaṁgamamuktikaraṁ param aticaraṁtyaparādhaparā janā ya iha tānvapati dhruvanāma hi

"Even that supreme giver of liberation, that fount of compassion, ancient, present in all that moves and does not move — those who here are bent upon offense against Him, even they are surely carried across by that eternal Name."

Verse 12 (padma.4.25.12)

सर्वापराधकृदपि मुच्यते हरिसंश्रयः । हरेरप्यपराधान्यः कुर्याद्द्विपदपांसनः ।

sarvāparādhakṛdapi mucyate harisaṁśrayaḥ harerapyaparādhānyaḥ kuryāddvipadapāṁsanaḥ

"One guilty of every offense is still freed by taking refuge in Hari. But whoever commits an offense against Hari himself, dishonoring one of his human devotees —"

Verse 13 (padma.4.25.13)

नामाश्रयः कदाचित्स्यात्तरत्येव स नामतः । नाम्नो हि सर्वसुहृदो ह्यपराधात्पतत्यधः ।

nāmāśrayaḥ kadācitsyāttaratyeva sa nāmataḥ nāmno hi sarvasuhṛdo hyaparādhātpatatyadhaḥ

"— if he ever still takes refuge in the Name, he crosses over by the Name alone. But an offense against the Name, friend to all, causes a man to fall."

Verse 14 (padma.4.25.14)

श्रीनारद उवाच । के तेऽपराधा विप्रेंद्र नाम्नो भगवतः कृताः । विनिघ्नंति नृणां कृत्यं प्राकृतं ह्यानयंति च ।

śrīnārada uvāca ke te'parādhā vipreṁdra nāmno bhagavataḥ kṛtāḥ vinighnaṁti nṛṇāṁ kṛtyaṁ prākṛtaṁ hyānayaṁti ca

Shri Narada said: "O lord among Brahmins, what are those offenses against the Lord's Name which destroy men's merit, and bring them into a worldly, base nature?"

Verse 15 (padma.4.25.15)

श्रीसनत्कुमार उवाच । सतां निंदा नाम्नः परममपराधं वितनुते । यतः ख्यातिं यांतं कथमु सहते तद्विगर्हाम् । शुभस्य* श्रीविष्णोर्य इह गुणनामादिसकलं । धियाभिन्नं पश्येत्स खलु हरिनामाहितकरः ।

śrīsanatkumāra uvāca satāṁ niṁdā nāmnaḥ paramamaparādhaṁ vitanute yataḥ khyātiṁ yāṁtaṁ kathamu sahate tadvigarhām śubhasya* śrīviṣṇorya iha guṇanāmādisakalaṁ dhiyābhinnaṁ paśyetsa khalu harināmāhitakaraḥ

Shri Sanatkumara said: "Reviling the saints is the supreme offense against the Name — for how could one who has attained true renown ever tolerate their disparagement? Whoever, in this world, regards the qualities, name, and everything of the auspicious Shri Vishnu as separate in his understanding — that is, sees a division where none exists — he is indeed one who does harm to the Name of Hari."

Verse 16 (padma.4.25.16)

*[कहीं ।(शिवस्य)] । गुरोरवज्ञा श्रुतिशास्त्रनिंदनं तथार्थवादो हरिनाम्नि कल्पनम् । नामापराधस्य हि पापबुद्धिर्न विद्यते तस्य यमैर्हि शुद्धिः ।

*[kahīṁ (śivasya)] guroravajñā śrutiśāstraniṁdanaṁ tathārthavādo harināmni kalpanam nāmāparādhasya hi pāpabuddhirna vidyate tasya yamairhi śuddhiḥ

"Disrespecting one's guru, reviling the Vedic scriptures, treating the glory of Hari's Name as mere exaggeration — for one who thus offends against the Name, his sinful mindset does not vanish, and purification does not come to him even through ordinary penances."

Verse 17 (padma.4.25.17)

धर्मव्रतत्याग हुतादि सर्वशुभक्रिया साम्यमपि प्रमादः । अश्रद्दधानो विमुखोऽप्यशृण्वन्यश्चोपदेशः शिवनामापराधः ।

dharmavratatyāga hutādi sarvaśubhakriyā sāmyamapi pramādaḥ aśraddadhāno vimukho'pyaśṛṇvanyaścopadeśaḥ śivanāmāparādhaḥ

"To regard giving up dharma, vows, sacrifice, and every other pious act as equal to chanting the Name is itself a lapse; likewise, instructing one who lacks faith, who is averse, or who will not listen, is also an offense against the Name."

Verse 18 (padma.4.25.18)

श्रुत्वापि नाममाहात्म्यं यः प्रीतिरहितोऽधमः । अहं ममादि परमो नाम्नि सोऽप्यपराधकृत् ।

śrutvāpi nāmamāhātmyaṁ yaḥ prītirahito'dhamaḥ ahaṁ mamādi paramo nāmni so'pyaparādhakṛt

"Whatever base person, even having heard the glory of the Name, remains without love for it, absorbed still in 'I' and 'mine,' he too is an offender against the Name."

Verse 19 (padma.4.25.19)

एवं नारद शंकरेण कृपया मह्यं मुनीनां परं । प्रोक्तं नामसुखावहं भगवतो वर्ज्यं सदा यत्नतः । ये ज्ञात्वापि न वर्जयंति सहसा नाम्नोऽपराधान्दश । क्रुद्धा मातरमप्यभोजनपराः खिद्यंति ते बालवत् ।

evaṁ nārada śaṁkareṇa kṛpayā mahyaṁ munīnāṁ paraṁ proktaṁ nāmasukhāvahaṁ bhagavato varjyaṁ sadā yatnataḥ ye jñātvāpi na varjayaṁti sahasā nāmno'parādhāndaśa kruddhā mātaramapyabhojanaparāḥ khidyaṁti te bālavat

"Thus, Narada, Shankara out of compassion told me this supreme secret for the sages' good — that which brings the joy of the Name, and which must always be diligently avoided. Whoever, even knowing them, does not at once cast off these ten offenses against the Name, torments himself, like a child before an angry mother who has stopped eating."

Verse 20 (padma.4.25.20)

अपराधविमुक्तो हि नाम्नि जप्तं सदा चर । नाम्नैव तव देवर्षे सर्वं सेत्स्यति नान्यतः ।

aparādhavimukto hi nāmni japtaṁ sadā cara nāmnaiva tava devarṣe sarvaṁ setsyati nānyataḥ

"Freed from offense, one should remain always devoted to chanting the Name. O divine sage, everything of yours shall be accomplished by the Name alone, never by any other means."

Verse 21 (padma.4.25.21)

श्रीनारद उवाच । सनत्कुमार प्रिय साहसानां विवेकवैराग्यविवर्जितानाम् । देहप्रियार्थात्मपरायणानां मुक्तापराधाः प्रभवंति नः कथम् ।

śrīnārada uvāca sanatkumāra priya sāhasānāṁ vivekavairāgyavivarjitānām dehapriyārthātmaparāyaṇānāṁ muktāparādhāḥ prabhavaṁti naḥ katham

Shri Narada said: "O dear Sanatkumara, for the reckless, devoid of discernment and detachment, given over to bodily pleasure and self-interest — how can freedom from offense arise for such as we?"

Verse 22 (padma.4.25.22)

श्रीसनत्कुमार उवाच । जाते नामापराधे तु प्रमादे तु कथंचन । सदा संकीर्तयन्नाम तदेकशरणो भवेत् ।

śrīsanatkumāra uvāca jāte nāmāparādhe tu pramāde tu kathaṁcana sadā saṁkīrtayannāma tadekaśaraṇo bhavet

Shri Sanatkumara said: "If through some lapse an offense against the Name should somehow occur, one should still continue always chanting the Name, taking it as one's sole refuge."

Verse 23 (padma.4.25.23)

नामापराधयुक्तानां नामान्येव हरंत्यघम् । अविश्रांति प्रयुक्तानि तान्येवार्थ कराणि यत् ।

nāmāparādhayuktānāṁ nāmānyeva haraṁtyagham aviśrāṁti prayuktāni tānyevārtha karāṇi yat

"Even for those laden with offenses against the Name, it is the Name itself that removes that very sin — the Names, chanted without ceasing, themselves become the means of fulfillment."

Verse 24 (padma.4.25.24)

नामैकं यस्य चिह्नं स्मरणपथगतं श्रोत्रमूलं गतं वा । शुद्धं वाऽशुद्धवर्णं व्यवहितरहितं तारयत्येव सत्यम् । तच्चेद्देहद्रविणजनितालोभपाखण्ड मध्ये । निक्षिप्तं स्यान्न फलजनकं शीघ्रमेवात्र विप्र ।

nāmaikaṁ yasya cihnaṁ smaraṇapathagataṁ śrotramūlaṁ gataṁ vā śuddhaṁ vā'śuddhavarṇaṁ vyavahitarahitaṁ tārayatyeva satyam tacceddehadraviṇajanitālobhapākhaṇḍa madhye nikṣiptaṁ syānna phalajanakaṁ śīghramevātra vipra

"Whoever bears even this one Name as his mark — whether it has entered the path of memory, or merely reached the base of the ear, whether uttered purely or impurely, so long as it is unbroken — it truly delivers him, this is certain. But if it is set amid the greed born of body and wealth, and amid hypocrisy, then, O Brahmin, it does not bear its fruit quickly here."

Verse 25 (padma.4.25.25)

इदं रहस्यं परमं पुरा नारद शंकरात् । श्रुतं सर्वाशुभहरमपराधनिवारकम् ।

idaṁ rahasyaṁ paramaṁ purā nārada śaṁkarāt śrutaṁ sarvāśubhaharamaparādhanivārakam

This supreme secret was formerly heard by Narada from Shankara — that which destroys all inauspiciousness and wards off every offense.

Verse 26 (padma.4.25.26)

विदुर्विष्ण्वभिधानं ये ह्यपराधपरा नराः । तेषामपि भवेन्मुक्तिः पठनादेव नारद ।

vidurviṣṇvabhidhānaṁ ye hyaparādhaparā narāḥ teṣāmapi bhavenmuktiḥ paṭhanādeva nārada

Whatever men, even while given to offense, come to know this teaching on Vishnu's Name, O Narada, for them too liberation comes from the mere recitation of it.

Verse 27 (padma.4.25.27)

नाम्नो माहात्म्यमखिलं पुराणे परिगीयते । ततः पुराणमखिलं श्रोतुमर्हसि मानद ।

nāmno māhātmyamakhilaṁ purāṇe parigīyate tataḥ purāṇamakhilaṁ śrotumarhasi mānada

The entire glory of the Name is sung throughout this Purana; therefore, O giver of honor, you ought to hear the whole of the Purana.

Verse 28 (padma.4.25.28)

पुराणश्रवणे श्रद्धा यस्य स्याद्भ्रातरन्वहम् । तस्य साक्षात्प्रसन्नः स्याच्छिवो विष्णुश्च सानुगः ।

purāṇaśravaṇe śraddhā yasya syādbhrātaranvaham tasya sākṣātprasannaḥ syācchivo viṣṇuśca sānugaḥ

O brother, whoever has faith, day after day, in hearing the Purana — for him Shiva and Vishnu, together with their attendants, become directly pleased.

Verse 29 (padma.4.25.29)

यत्स्नात्वा पुष्करे तीर्थे प्रयागे सिंधुसंगमे । तत्फलं द्विगुणं तस्य श्रद्धया वै शृणोति यः ।

yatsnātvā puṣkare tīrthe prayāge siṁdhusaṁgame tatphalaṁ dviguṇaṁ tasya śraddhayā vai śṛṇoti yaḥ

Whatever fruit is obtained by bathing at the sacred waters of Pushkara, or at Prayaga, or at a river's confluence with the ocean — double that fruit belongs to whoever hears this with faith.

Verse 30 (padma.4.25.30)

ये पठंति पुराणानि शृण्वंति च समाहिताः । प्रत्यक्षरं लभंत्येते कपिलादानजं फलम् ।

ye paṭhaṁti purāṇāni śṛṇvaṁti ca samāhitāḥ pratyakṣaraṁ labhaṁtyete kapilādānajaṁ phalam

Those who attentively recite or hear the Puranas obtain, for every syllable, a fruit equal to the gift of a Kapila cow.

Verse 31 (padma.4.25.31)

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं धनार्थी लभते धनम् । विद्यार्थी लभते विद्यां मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमाप्नुयात् ।

aputro labhate putraṁ dhanārthī labhate dhanam vidyārthī labhate vidyāṁ mokṣārthī mokṣamāpnuyāt

The sonless obtain a son, the one who desires wealth obtains wealth, the one who desires knowledge obtains knowledge, and the one who desires liberation attains liberation.

Verse 32 (padma.4.25.32)

ये शृण्वंति पुराणानि कोटिजन्मार्जितं खलु । पापजालं तु ते हत्वा गच्छंति हरिमंदिरम् ।

ye śṛṇvaṁti purāṇāni koṭijanmārjitaṁ khalu pāpajālaṁ tu te hatvā gacchaṁti harimaṁdiram

Those who hear the Puranas destroy the web of sin accumulated over a hundred million births, and go to the temple of Hari.

Verse 33 (padma.4.25.33)

पुराणवाचकं विप्रं पूजयेद्भक्तिभावतः । गोभूहिरण्यवस्त्रैश्च गंधपुष्पादिभिर्मुने ।

purāṇavācakaṁ vipraṁ pūjayedbhaktibhāvataḥ gobhūhiraṇyavastraiśca gaṁdhapuṣpādibhirmune

O sage, one should honor with devotion the Brahmin who recites the Purana, with a cow, land, gold, garments, fragrance and flowers and the like.

Verse 34 (padma.4.25.34)

कांस्यैर्विनिर्मितं पात्रं जलपात्रं मुदान्वितः । कर्णकुंडलकं चैव मुद्रिकां स्वर्णनिर्मिताम् ।

kāṁsyairvinirmitaṁ pātraṁ jalapātraṁ mudānvitaḥ karṇakuṁḍalakaṁ caiva mudrikāṁ svarṇanirmitām

A vessel made of bronze, a water-vessel given joyfully, ear-rings, and a ring made of gold,

Verse 35 (padma.4.25.35)

आसनं तु तथा दद्यात्पुष्पमाल्यं तपोधन । वित्तशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत दानं हीनफलं यतः ।

āsanaṁ tu tathā dadyātpuṣpamālyaṁ tapodhana vittaśāṭhyaṁ na kurvīta dānaṁ hīnaphalaṁ yataḥ

— and a seat too should be given, O ascetic, together with a garland of flowers. One should not be miserly with wealth in this, for a grudging gift bears a diminished fruit.

Verse 36 (padma.4.25.36)

पुराणं वाचयेद्विप्र सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये । सुवर्णं रजतं वस्त्रं पुष्पमाल्यं तु चंदनम् ।

purāṇaṁ vācayedvipra sarvakāmārthasiddhaye suvarṇaṁ rajataṁ vastraṁ puṣpamālyaṁ tu caṁdanam

For the fulfillment of every desire, a Brahmin should recite the Purana; gold, silver, cloth, a garland of flowers, and sandal-paste —

Verse 37 (padma.4.25.37)

दद्याद्यो पुस्तकं भक्त्या सगच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम् । कुर्वंति विधिनानेन संपूर्णं पुस्तकं च ये । तेषां नामानि लिंपेत चित्रगुप्तोऽर्चनाद्द्विज ।

dadyādyo pustakaṁ bhaktyā sagaccheddharimaṁdiram kurvaṁti vidhinānena saṁpūrṇaṁ pustakaṁ ca ye teṣāṁ nāmāni liṁpeta citragupto'rcanāddvija

— whoever gives, along with the book itself, with devotion, goes to the temple of Hari. Whoever completes an entire manuscript according to this rite — their names, O Brahmin, Chitragupta records, through the merit of this worship.