The Glory of Gopichandana

Verse 1 (padma.6.29.1)

महादेव उवाच ।अथान्यत्संप्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु देवर्षिसत्तम । गोपीचंदनमाहात्म्यं यथादृष्टं श्रुतं मया

mahādeva uvāca athānyatsaṁpravakṣyāmi śṛṇu devarṣisattama gopīcaṁdanamāhātmyaṁ yathādṛṣṭaṁ śrutaṁ mayā

Mahadeva said: Now I shall tell you something else, listen, O best of divine sages — the glory of Gopichandana, as it has been seen and heard by me.

Verse 2 (padma.6.29.2)

ब्राह्मणो वाथ वैश्यो वा शूद्रो वाप्यथवा द्विजः । गोपीचंदनलिप्तांगो मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

brāhmaṇo vātha vaiśyo vā śūdro vāpyathavā dvijaḥ gopīcaṁdanaliptāṁgo mucyate brahmahatyayā

Whether a brahmin, a vaishya, or even a shudra, or a twice-born, whoever's body is anointed with Gopichandana is freed even from the sin of killing a brahmin.

Verse 3 (padma.6.29.3)

तिलकं कुरुते यस्तु गोपीचंदनसंभवम् । मद्यपानादिदोषैस्तु मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

tilakaṁ kurute yastu gopīcaṁdanasaṁbhavam madyapānādidoṣaistu mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Whoever applies a tilaka made of Gopichandana is freed, without doubt, even from the faults of drinking liquor and the like.

Verse 4 (padma.6.29.4)

गोपीचंदनलिप्तांगो वैष्णवो विष्णुतत्परः । सर्वदोषैः प्रमुच्येत यथा गंगांभसा पुनः

gopīcaṁdanaliptāṁgo vaiṣṇavo viṣṇutatparaḥ sarvadoṣaiḥ pramucyeta yathā gaṁgāṁbhasā punaḥ

A Vaishnava, devoted to Vishnu, whose body is anointed with Gopichandana, becomes freed from all faults, just as one is purified again by Ganga's water.

Verse 5 (padma.6.29.5)

ब्रह्महा मद्यपानी च स्वर्णस्तेयी तथैव च । गुरुतल्पगमो वाथ शूद्रो वाप्यथ वै द्विजः

brahmahā madyapānī ca svarṇasteyī tathaiva ca gurutalpagamo vātha śūdro vāpyatha vai dvijaḥ

A killer of a brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief of gold, one who defiles his guru's bed, whether a shudra or a twice-born —

Verse 6 (padma.6.29.6)

स सद्यो मुच्यते पापादाजन्मशतकारणात् । द्वादशतिलकं प्रोक्तं सर्वेषां वै विशेषतः

sa sadyo mucyate pāpādājanmaśatakāraṇāt dvādaśatilakaṁ proktaṁ sarveṣāṁ vai viśeṣataḥ

is instantly freed from sin, even sin accumulated over a hundred births. The twelve tilaka marks are declared specifically for all —

Verse 7 (padma.6.29.7)

वैष्णवानां ब्राह्मणानां कर्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छताम् । दंडाकारं ललाटे स्यात्पद्माकारं तु वक्षसि

vaiṣṇavānāṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ kartavyaṁ bhūtimicchatām daṁḍākāraṁ lalāṭe syātpadmākāraṁ tu vakṣasi

to be worn by Vaishnavas and brahmins desiring their own welfare: a staff-shape upon the forehead, a lotus-shape upon the chest,

Verse 8 (padma.6.29.8)

वेणुपत्रनिभं बाहुमूलेऽन्यद्दीपकाकृति । उच्चैश्चक्राणि चत्वारि बाहुमूले तु दक्षिणे

veṇupatranibhaṁ bāhumūle'nyaddīpakākṛti uccaiścakrāṇi catvāri bāhumūle tu dakṣiṇe

resembling a bamboo leaf at the root of the arm, another shaped like a lamp; four discs, held high, at the root of the right arm,

Verse 9 (padma.6.29.9)

नाममुद्राद्वयं नीचैः शंखमेकं तयोरपि । मध्ये ततः पार्श्वयोस्तु द्वे द्वे पद्मे च धारयेत्

nāmamudrādvayaṁ nīcaiḥ śaṁkhamekaṁ tayorapi madhye tataḥ pārśvayostu dve dve padme ca dhārayet

two name-seals below, and one conch between them; then, on both sides, one should bear two lotuses each.

Verse 10 (padma.6.29.10)

वामेऽपि चतुरः शंखान्नाममुद्रे च पूर्ववत् । चक्रमेकंगदे द्वे द्वे तयोरिति विभेदतः

vāme'pi caturaḥ śaṁkhānnāmamudre ca pūrvavat cakramekaṁgade dve dve tayoriti vibhedataḥ

On the left too, four conches, and name-seals as before; one discus, two maces on each side — thus distinguishing them.

Verse 11 (padma.6.29.11)

ललाटे च गदामेकां नाममुद्रां तथा हृदि । त्रीणित्रीणि विचित्राणि मध्ये शाखावुभावुभौ

lalāṭe ca gadāmekāṁ nāmamudrāṁ tathā hṛdi trīṇitrīṇi vicitrāṇi madhye śākhāvubhāvubhau

On the forehead, one mace, and a name-seal on the heart as well; in the middle, three wondrous marks each, and two branch-marks on both sides.

Verse 12 (padma.6.29.12)

हृदि पार्श्वे स्तनादूर्ध्वं गदापद्मानि बाहुवत् । त्रीणि चत्वारि चक्राणि कर्णमूले द्वयोरधः

hṛdi pārśve stanādūrdhvaṁ gadāpadmāni bāhuvat trīṇi catvāri cakrāṇi karṇamūle dvayoradhaḥ

On the sides of the heart, above the breast, maces and lotuses like on the arms; three, four discs, below the root of both ears,

Verse 13 (padma.6.29.13)

एकमेकं तदन्येषु तिलकेषु च धारयेत् । संप्रदायजमुद्रां तु धार्या शिष्टानुसारतः

ekamekaṁ tadanyeṣu tilakeṣu ca dhārayet saṁpradāyajamudrāṁ tu dhāryā śiṣṭānusārataḥ

one each should be borne on the remaining tilaka-marks. The seal proper to one's own tradition should be worn according to the teaching of the learned.

Verse 14 (padma.6.29.14)

यथारुच्यथवा धार्या न तत्र नियमा यतः । आचांडालाद्विशुद्ध्यंति तिलकस्यैव धारणात्

yathārucyathavā dhāryā na tatra niyamā yataḥ ācāṁḍālādviśuddhyaṁti tilakasyaiva dhāraṇāt

Or it may be worn as one pleases — there is no fixed rule about it, since by the mere bearing of the tilaka even one as low as an outcaste is purified.

Verse 15 (padma.6.29.15)

चांडालादधिकं मन्ये वैष्णवानां हि निंदकम् । स च विष्णुसमो ज्ञेयो नात्र कार्या विचारणा

cāṁḍālādadhikaṁ manye vaiṣṇavānāṁ hi niṁdakam sa ca viṣṇusamo jñeyo nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

I consider one who reviles the Vaishnavas worse than an outcaste; he should be known as equal to Vishnu himself — there should be no debate about this.

Verse 16 (padma.6.29.16)

वैष्णवो ब्राह्मणो यस्तु विष्णुध्यानेषु तत्परः । नांतरस्तस्य वै ज्ञेयः स वै विष्णुर्भवेदिह

vaiṣṇavo brāhmaṇo yastu viṣṇudhyāneṣu tatparaḥ nāṁtarastasya vai jñeyaḥ sa vai viṣṇurbhavediha

Whatever brahmin is a Vaishnava, devoted to meditation on Vishnu — no difference should be seen in him; he himself becomes Vishnu here.

Verse 17 (padma.6.29.17)

शंखचक्रधरो विप्रो वेदाध्ययनतत्परः । स वै नारायण इति वेदे चैव तु पठ्यते

śaṁkhacakradharo vipro vedādhyayanatatparaḥ sa vai nārāyaṇa iti vede caiva tu paṭhyate

A brahmin who bears the conch and discus, devoted to the study of the Veda — he is indeed called 'Narayana,' as is even recited in the Veda.

Verse 18 (padma.6.29.18)

तप्तचक्रधरो विप्रः पंक्तिपावनपावनः । तस्य भक्तियुतो ब्रह्मन्महापापैः प्रमुच्यते

taptacakradharo vipraḥ paṁktipāvanapāvanaḥ tasya bhaktiyuto brahmanmahāpāpaiḥ pramucyate

A brahmin who bears a heated, branded discus purifies even the row of diners he sits among; O brahmin, one devoted to him is freed from great sins.

Verse 19 (padma.6.29.19)

तुलसीपत्रमालां वा तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवाम् । धृत्वा वै ब्राह्मणो भूयान्मुक्तिभागी न संशयः

tulasīpatramālāṁ vā tulasīkāṣṭhasaṁbhavām dhṛtvā vai brāhmaṇo bhūyānmuktibhāgī na saṁśayaḥ

Whatever brahmin wears a garland of Tulsi leaves, or one made of Tulsi wood, becomes, without doubt, a sharer in liberation.

Verse 20 (padma.6.29.20)

विष्णुरूपो यतो विप्रो वैष्णवः स इह स्मृतः । पंचत्वे यस्य तिलकं गोपीचंदनसंभवम्

viṣṇurūpo yato vipro vaiṣṇavaḥ sa iha smṛtaḥ paṁcatve yasya tilakaṁ gopīcaṁdanasaṁbhavam

Since the brahmin thus becomes Vishnu's own form, he is called a Vaishnava here; whoever has the tilaka made of Gopichandana upon him at the moment of death,

Verse 21 (padma.6.29.21)

विमानं स समारुह्य याति विष्णोः परं पदम् । कलौ नारद वक्ष्यामि तिलकं गोपिचंदनम्

vimānaṁ sa samāruhya yāti viṣṇoḥ paraṁ padam kalau nārada vakṣyāmi tilakaṁ gopicaṁdanam

mounting a celestial car, attains Vishnu's supreme abode. O Narada, in the Kali age I shall tell of the tilaka of Gopichandana —

Verse 22 (padma.6.29.22)

ये कुर्वंति नरश्रेष्ठा न तेषां दुर्गतिः क्वचित् । शंखं चैव तथा चक्रं दक्षिणे चापि सव्यके

ye kurvaṁti naraśreṣṭhā na teṣāṁ durgatiḥ kvacit śaṁkhaṁ caiva tathā cakraṁ dakṣiṇe cāpi savyake

those excellent men who apply it never fall into misfortune. The conch and the discus too, on both the right and left hands,

Verse 23 (padma.6.29.23)

हस्ते धृत्वा विशेषेण महापापैः प्रमुच्यते । मद्यपानरता ये च ये च स्त्रीबालघातकाः

haste dhṛtvā viśeṣeṇa mahāpāpaiḥ pramucyate madyapānaratā ye ca ye ca strībālaghātakāḥ

borne especially upon the hand, one is freed from great sins. Those who are devoted to drinking liquor, and those who are killers of women and children,

Verse 24 (padma.6.29.24)

अगम्यागमका ये वै दृश्यंते भुवि वाडव । भक्तानां दर्शनादेव मुक्तिस्तेषां न संशयः

agamyāgamakā ye vai dṛśyaṁte bhuvi vāḍava bhaktānāṁ darśanādeva muktisteṣāṁ na saṁśayaḥ

O best of brahmins, those seen upon this earth entering forbidden unions — by the mere sight of devotees, their liberation is certain, without doubt.

Verse 25 (padma.6.29.25)

संसारे तुच्छसारेस्मिन्कुतो वै वैष्णवा जनाः । अहं हि वैष्णवो जातो विष्णोर्भक्तिप्रसादतः

saṁsāre tucchasāresminkuto vai vaiṣṇavā janāḥ ahaṁ hi vaiṣṇavo jāto viṣṇorbhaktiprasādataḥ

In this insubstantial round of existence, whence indeed do Vaishnava people come? I myself became a Vaishnava only through the grace of devotion to Vishnu.

Verse 26 (padma.6.29.26)

काश्यां निवसतां ह्यत्र रामरामेति संजपन् । तेन पुण्यादियोगेन शिवो वै नात्र संशयः

kāśyāṁ nivasatāṁ hyatra rāmarāmeti saṁjapan tena puṇyādiyogena śivo vai nātra saṁśayaḥ

For those who dwell here in Kashi, constantly reciting 'Rama, Rama' — through that very merit and discipline, without doubt, they themselves become one with Shiva.