The Glory of Vaishnavas

Verse 1 (padma.6.68.1)

महेश्वर उवाच- शृणु नारद! वक्ष्यामि वैष्णवानां च लक्षणम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा मुच्यते लोको ब्रहत्यादिपातकात्।

maheśvara uvāca- śṛṇu nārada! vakṣyāmi vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca lakṣaṇam yacchrutvā mucyate loko brahatyādipātakāt

Maheshvara said: Listen, O Narada, I shall tell the mark of the Vaishnavas, hearing which a man is freed from sins such as the killing of a brahmin.

Verse 2 (padma.6.68.2)

तेषां वै लक्षणं यादृक्स्वरूपं यादृशं भवेत्। तादृशं मुनिशार्दूल शृणु त्वं वच्मि साम्प्रतम्।

teṣāṁ vai lakṣaṇaṁ yādṛksvarūpaṁ yādṛśaṁ bhavet tādṛśaṁ muniśārdūla śṛṇu tvaṁ vacmi sāmpratam

Their mark, and their true nature, whatever they may be, O tiger among sages - that I now tell you; listen.

Verse 3 (padma.6.68.3)

विष्णोरयं यतो ह्यासीत्तस्माद्वैष्णव उच्यते। सर्वेषां चैव वर्णानां वैष्णवः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते।

viṣṇorayaṁ yato hyāsīttasmādvaiṣṇava ucyate sarveṣāṁ caiva varṇānāṁ vaiṣṇavaḥ śreṣṭha ucyate

Since he belongs to Vishnu alone, he is called a Vaishnava. Among all the varnas, the Vaishnava is declared the most excellent.

Verse 4 (padma.6.68.4)

येषां पुण्यतमाहारस्तेषां वंशे तु वैष्णवः। क्षमा दया तपः सत्यं येषां वै तिष्ठति द्विज।

yeṣāṁ puṇyatamāhārasteṣāṁ vaṁśe tu vaiṣṇavaḥ kṣamā dayā tapaḥ satyaṁ yeṣāṁ vai tiṣṭhati dvija

In whose lineage the diet is most pure, in that very lineage the Vaishnava is born. O brahmin, those in whom forbearance, compassion, austerity and truth abide,

Verse 5 (padma.6.68.5)

तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण पापं नश्यति तूलवत्। हिंसाधर्माद्विनिर्मुक्ता यस्य विष्णौ स्थितामतिः।

teṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa pāpaṁ naśyati tūlavat hiṁsādharmādvinirmuktā yasya viṣṇau sthitāmatiḥ

by the mere sight of them, sin is destroyed like a wisp of cotton. He whose mind, freed from the doctrine of violence, remains established in Vishnu,

Verse 6 (padma.6.68.6)

शंखचक्रगदापद्मं नित्यं वै धारयेत्तु यः। तुलसीकाष्ठजां मालां कंठे वै धारयेद्यतः।

śaṁkhacakragadāpadmaṁ nityaṁ vai dhārayettu yaḥ tulasīkāṣṭhajāṁ mālāṁ kaṁṭhe vai dhārayedyataḥ

who ever bears the conch, discus, mace and lotus, who wears about his neck a garland made of tulasi wood,

Verse 7 (padma.6.68.7)

तिलकानि द्वादशधा नित्यं वै धारयेद्बुधः। धर्माधर्मं तु जानाति यः स वैष्णव उच्यते।

tilakāni dvādaśadhā nityaṁ vai dhārayedbudhaḥ dharmādharmaṁ tu jānāti yaḥ sa vaiṣṇava ucyate

who, being wise, ever wears the twelve kinds of tilaka, and who knows dharma from adharma - he alone is called a Vaishnava.

Verse 8 (padma.6.68.8)

वेदशास्त्ररतो नित्यं नित्यं वै यज्ञयाजकः। उत्सवांश्च चतुर्विंशत्कुर्वंति च पुनः पुनः।

vedaśāstrarato nityaṁ nityaṁ vai yajñayājakaḥ utsavāṁśca caturviṁśatkurvaṁti ca punaḥ punaḥ

Whoever remains ever absorbed in the Veda and the scriptures, who ever performs sacrifices, and who observes the twenty-four festivals again and again,

Verse 9 (padma.6.68.9)

तेषां कुलं धन्यतमं तेषां वै यश उच्यते। ते वै लोके धन्यतमा जाता भागवता नराः।

teṣāṁ kulaṁ dhanyatamaṁ teṣāṁ vai yaśa ucyate te vai loke dhanyatamā jātā bhāgavatā narāḥ

their lineage is the most blessed, and their fame alone is proclaimed. They are the most blessed in this world, those men who are born as Bhagavatas [devotees of the Lord].

Verse 10 (padma.6.68.10)

एक एव कुले यस्य जातो भागवतो नरः। तत्कुलं तारितं तेन भूयोभूयश्च वाडव ।

eka eva kule yasya jāto bhāgavato naraḥ tatkulaṁ tāritaṁ tena bhūyobhūyaśca vāḍava

O brahmin, in whichever lineage even a single Bhagavata man is born, by him that lineage is delivered, again and again.

Verse 11 (padma.6.68.11)

अण्डजा उद्भिजाश्चैव ये जरायुज योनयः। ते तु सर्वेऽपि विज्ञेयाः शंखचक्रगदाधराः।

aṇḍajā udbhijāścaiva ye jarāyuja yonayaḥ te tu sarve'pi vijñeyāḥ śaṁkhacakragadādharāḥ

Whatever beings there are, born from eggs, from the earth, or from the womb, all of them too should be known [as equal to] the bearers of the conch, discus and mace,

Verse 12 (padma.6.68.12)

येषां दर्शनमात्रेण ब्रह्महा शुद्ध्यते सदा। किन्तु वक्ष्यामि देवर्षे तेभ्यो धन्यतमा भुवि।

yeṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa brahmahā śuddhyate sadā kintu vakṣyāmi devarṣe tebhyo dhanyatamā bhuvi

by the mere sight of whom even a killer of a brahmin ever becomes purified. But, O divine sage, I shall tell you of those even more blessed upon the earth than these.

Verse 13 (padma.6.68.13)

वैष्णवा ये तु दृश्यन्ते भुवनेऽस्मिन्महामुने। ते वै विष्णुसमाश्चैव ज्ञातव्यास्तत्वकोविदैः।

vaiṣṇavā ye tu dṛśyante bhuvane'sminmahāmune te vai viṣṇusamāścaiva jñātavyāstatvakovidaiḥ

O great sage, whatever Vaishnavas are seen in this world, they are equal to Vishnu himself - so it should be understood by those who know the truth.

Verse 14 (padma.6.68.14)

कलौ धन्यतमा लोके श्रुता मे नात्र संशयः। विष्णोः पूजा कृता तेन सर्वेषां पूजनं कृतम्।

kalau dhanyatamā loke śrutā me nātra saṁśayaḥ viṣṇoḥ pūjā kṛtā tena sarveṣāṁ pūjanaṁ kṛtam

I have heard that in the Kali age those alone are the most blessed in this world - of this there is no doubt. When Vishnu is worshipped by them, it is reckoned that all have been worshipped.

Verse 15 (padma.6.68.15)

महादानं कृतं तेन पूजिता येन वैष्णवाः। फलं पत्रं तथा शाकमन्नं वा वस्त्रमेव च।

mahādānaṁ kṛtaṁ tena pūjitā yena vaiṣṇavāḥ phalaṁ patraṁ tathā śākamannaṁ vā vastrameva ca

Whoever has worshipped the Vaishnavas is reckoned to have performed a great gift. Fruit, leaf, greens, food, or even garments -

Verse 16 (padma.6.68.16)

वैष्णवेभ्यः प्रयच्छन्ति ते धन्या भुवि सर्वदा। अर्चितो वैष्णवो यैस्तु सर्वेषां चैव पूजनम्।

vaiṣṇavebhyaḥ prayacchanti te dhanyā bhuvi sarvadā arcito vaiṣṇavo yaistu sarveṣāṁ caiva pūjanam

those who offer these to the Vaishnavas are ever blessed upon this earth. Those people who have worshipped a Vaishnava have thereby worshipped all,

Verse 17 (padma.6.68.17)

कृतं यैरर्चितो विष्णुस्ते वै धन्यतमा मताः। तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण शुद्ध्यते पातकान्नरः।

kṛtaṁ yairarcito viṣṇuste vai dhanyatamā matāḥ teṣāṁ darśanamātreṇa śuddhyate pātakānnaraḥ

those who have worshipped Vishnu are held to be the most blessed of all. By the mere sight of them, a man is purified of his sins.

Verse 18 (padma.6.68.18)

किमन्यद्बहुनोक्तेन भूयोभूयश्च वाडव। अतो वै दर्शनं तेषां स्पर्शने सुखदायकम्।

kimanyadbahunoktena bhūyobhūyaśca vāḍava ato vai darśanaṁ teṣāṁ sparśane sukhadāyakam

O brahmin, what use is there in saying more, again and again - therefore the sight and touch of them is a source of joy.

Verse 19 (padma.6.68.19)

यथा विष्णुस्तथा चायं नान्तरं वर्तते क्वचित्। इति ज्ञात्वा तु भो वत्स सर्वदा पूजयेद्बुधः।

yathā viṣṇustathā cāyaṁ nāntaraṁ vartate kvacit iti jñātvā tu bho vatsa sarvadā pūjayedbudhaḥ

As Vishnu is, so too is this [Vaishnava] - between them there is nowhere any difference. O child, knowing this, the wise should ever worship them.

Verse 20 (padma.6.68.20)

एक एव तु यैर्विप्रो वैष्णवो भुवि भोज्यते। सहस्रं भोजितं तेन द्विजानां नात्र संशयः।

eka eva tu yairvipro vaiṣṇavo bhuvi bhojyate sahasraṁ bhojitaṁ tena dvijānāṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ

O child, those who feed even a single Vaishnava brahmin upon this earth are reckoned to have fed a thousand brahmins - of this there is no doubt.