Yama's Teaching: The Vishnu-Devotee Beyond Yama's Reach

Verse 1 (vishnu.3.7.1)

यथावत्कथितं सर्वं यत्पृष्टोऽसि मया द्विज । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं त्वेकं तद्भवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे

yathāvatkathitaṁ sarvaṁ yatpṛṣṭo'si mayā dvija śrotumicchāmyahaṁ tvekaṁ tadbhavān prabravītu me

[Maitreya said:] All that I asked of you, O Brahmin, has been duly told. But one thing more I wish to hear -- may you tell that to me.

Verse 2 (vishnu.3.7.2)

सप्तद्वीपानि पातालवीथ्यश्च सुमहामुने । सप्त लोकाश्च येऽन्तःस्था ब्रह्माण्डस्यास्य सर्वतः

saptadvīpāni pātālavīthyaśca sumahāmune sapta lokāśca ye'ntaḥsthā brahmāṇḍasyāsya sarvataḥ

The seven continents, and the pathways of Patala, O great sage, and the seven worlds that lie within this universe on every side --

Verse 3 (vishnu.3.7.3)

स्थूलैः सूक्ष्मैस्तथासूक्ष्मैः सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरैस्तथा । स्थूलैः स्थूलतरैश्चैतत्सर्वं प्राणिभिरावृतम्

sthūlaiḥ sūkṣmaistathāsūkṣmaiḥ sūkṣmātsūkṣmataraistathā sthūlaiḥ sthūlataraiścaitatsarvaṁ prāṇibhirāvṛtam

all this is filled with living beings -- gross and subtle, subtler than the subtle, and grosser than the gross.

Verse 4 (vishnu.3.7.4)

अङ्गुलस्याष्टभागोऽपि न सोऽस्ति मुनिसत्तम । न सन्ति प्राणिनो यत्र कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनाः

aṅgulasyāṣṭabhāgo'pi na so'sti munisattama na santi prāṇino yatra karmabandhanibandhanāḥ

There is not even an eighth part of a finger's breadth, O best of sages, where living beings bound by the fetters of karma are not to be found.

Verse 5 (vishnu.3.7.5)

सर्वे चैते वशं यान्ति यमस्य भगवन् किल । आयुषोऽन्ते ततो यान्ति यातनास्तत्प्रचोदिताः

sarve caite vaśaṁ yānti yamasya bhagavan kila āyuṣo'nte tato yānti yātanāstatpracoditāḥ

And all of these, O venerable one, indeed come under the sway of Yama; at the end of their span of life, driven on by him, they go to their torments.

Verse 6 (vishnu.3.7.6)

यातनाभ्यः परिभ्रष्टा देवाद्यास्वथ योनिषु । जन्तवः परिवर्तन्ते शास्त्राणामेष निर्णयः

yātanābhyaḥ paribhraṣṭā devādyāsvatha yoniṣu jantavaḥ parivartante śāstrāṇāmeṣa nirṇayaḥ

Freed from those torments, creatures then take rebirth again in wombs beginning with the divine -- this is the conclusion of the scriptures.

Verse 7 (vishnu.3.7.7)

सोऽहमिच्छामि तच्छ्रोतुं यमस्य वशवर्तिनः । न भवन्ति नरा येन तत्कर्म कथयाऽमलम्

so'hamicchāmi tacchrotuṁ yamasya vaśavartinaḥ na bhavanti narā yena tatkarma kathayā'malam

I wish to hear this: by what deed do men not come under the sway of Yama? Tell me that pure action.

Verse 8 (vishnu.3.7.8)

पराशर उवाच । अयमेव मुने प्रश्नो नकुलेन महात्मना । पृष्टः पितामहः प्राह भीष्मो यत्तच्छृणुष्व मे

parāśara uvāca ayameva mune praśno nakulena mahātmanā pṛṣṭaḥ pitāmahaḥ prāha bhīṣmo yattacchṛṇuṣva me

Parashara said: This very question, O sage, was once asked by the great-souled Nakula of the grandsire Bhishma. Hear from me what he then said.

Verse 9 (vishnu.3.7.9)

भीष्म उवाच । पुरा ममागतो वत्स सखा कालिङ्गको द्विजः । मामुवाच स पृष्टो वै मया जातिस्मरो मुनिः

bhīṣma uvāca purā mamāgato vatsa sakhā kāliṅgako dvijaḥ māmuvāca sa pṛṣṭo vai mayā jātismaro muniḥ

Bhishma said: Long ago, my child, a friend of mine, a Brahmin of the Kalinga country, used to come to me; when questioned by me, that sage, who remembered his past births, spoke thus to me.

Verse 10 (vishnu.3.7.10)

तेनाख्यातमिदं चेदमित्थं चैतद्भविष्यति । तथा च तदभूद्वत्स यथोक्तं तेन धीमता

tenākhyātamidaṁ cedamitthaṁ caitadbhaviṣyati tathā ca tadabhūdvatsa yathoktaṁ tena dhīmatā

He told me this and that, saying, 'thus it will come to pass'; and, my child, it happened exactly as that wise one had foretold.

Verse 11 (vishnu.3.7.11)

स पृष्टश्च मया भूयः श्रद्दधानेन वै द्विजः । यद्यदाह न तद्दृष्टमन्यथा हि मया क्वचित्

sa pṛṣṭaśca mayā bhūyaḥ śraddadhānena vai dvijaḥ yadyadāha na taddṛṣṭamanyathā hi mayā kvacit

I questioned that Brahmin again and again with full faith; whatever he said never once turned out otherwise, as far as I saw.

Verse 12 (vishnu.3.7.12)

एकदा तु मया पृष्टं यदेतद्भवतोदितम् । प्राह कालिङ्गको विप्रः स्मृत्वा तस्य मुनेर्वचः

ekadā tu mayā pṛṣṭaṁ yadetadbhavatoditam prāha kāliṅgako vipraḥ smṛtvā tasya munervacaḥ

Once I asked him this very thing which you have now asked; the Brahmin of Kalinga, recalling the words of that other sage, told me this.

Verse 13 (vishnu.3.7.13)

जातिस्मरेण कथितं रहस्यं परमं मम । यमकिंकरयोर्योऽभूत्संवादस्तं ब्रवीमि ते

jātismareṇa kathitaṁ rahasyaṁ paramaṁ mama yamakiṁkarayoryo'bhūtsaṁvādastaṁ bravīmi te

The supreme secret that rememberer of past births told me -- the dialogue that took place between Yama and his servant -- that I shall now tell you.

Verse 14 (vishnu.3.7.14)

कालिङ्ग उवाच । स्वपुरुषमभिवीक्ष्य पाशहस्तं वदति यमः किल तस्य कर्णमूले । परिहर मधुसूदनप्रपन्नान् प्रभुरहमन्यनृणां न वैष्णवानाम्

kāliṅga uvāca svapuruṣamabhivīkṣya pāśahastaṁ vadati yamaḥ kila tasya karṇamūle parihara madhusūdanaprapannān prabhurahamanyanṛṇāṁ na vaiṣṇavānām

The Kalinga Brahmin said: Beholding his own servant, noose in hand, Yama speaks close to his ear: 'Spare those who have taken refuge in Madhusudana; I am lord over other debtors [of Death], but not over the Vaishnavas.'

Verse 15 (vishnu.3.7.15)

अहममरगणार्चितेन धात्रा यम इति लोकहितहिते नियुक्तः । हरिगुरुवशगोऽस्मि न स्वतन्त्रः प्रभवति संयमने ममापि विष्णुः

ahamamaragaṇārcitena dhātrā yama iti lokahitahite niyuktaḥ hariguruvaśago'smi na svatantraḥ prabhavati saṁyamane mamāpi viṣṇuḥ

'I have been appointed to this office of Yama, over the world's welfare and ill-fare, by the Creator worshipped by the gods; yet I am subject to my master Hari -- I am not independent. Even in my act of restraining, Vishnu alone holds power.'

Verse 16 (vishnu.3.7.16)

कटकमुकुटकर्णिकादिभेदैः कनकमभेदमपीष्यते यथैकम् । सुरपशुमनुजादिकल्पनाभिर्हरिरखिलाभिरुदीर्यते तथैकः

kaṭakamukuṭakarṇikādibhedaiḥ kanakamabhedamapīṣyate yathaikam surapaśumanujādikalpanābhirharirakhilābhirudīryate tathaikaḥ

'Just as gold, though called by different names as bracelet, crown, earring and the rest, is understood to be undivided, so too Hari, through all the conceptions of gods, beasts, men and the rest, is proclaimed to be one alone.'

Verse 17 (vishnu.3.7.17)

क्षितिजलपरमाणवोऽनिलान्ते पुनरपि यान्ति यथैकतां धरित्र्याः । सुरपशुमनुजादयस्तथान्ते गुणकलुषेण सनातनेन तेन

kṣitijalaparamāṇavo'nilānte punarapi yānti yathaikatāṁ dharitryāḥ surapaśumanujādayastathānte guṇakaluṣeṇa sanātanena tena

'Just as the atoms of earth and water, at the end, through air, return again to the oneness of earth, so too gods, beasts, and men, at the end, merge into that same eternal principle, tainted by the [three] gunas.'

Verse 18 (vishnu.3.7.18)

हरिममरगणार्चिताङ्घ्रिपद्मं प्रणमति यः परमार्थतो हि मर्त्यः । तमपगतसमस्तपापबन्धं व्रज परिहृत्य यथाग्निमाज्यसिक्तम्

harimamaragaṇārcitāṅghripadmaṁ praṇamati yaḥ paramārthato hi martyaḥ tamapagatasamastapāpabandhaṁ vraja parihṛtya yathāgnimājyasiktam

'Whatever mortal bows, in true and ultimate devotion, to Hari's lotus feet, worshipped by the host of gods -- avoid that man, all his bonds of sin now gone, just as you would a fire fed with clarified butter.'

Verse 19 (vishnu.3.7.19)

इति यमवचनं निशम्य पाशी यमपुरुषस्तमुवाच धर्मराजम् । कथय मम विभो समस्तधातुर्भवति हरेः खलु यादृशोऽस्य भक्तः

iti yamavacanaṁ niśamya pāśī yamapuruṣastamuvāca dharmarājam kathaya mama vibho samastadhāturbhavati hareḥ khalu yādṛśo'sya bhaktaḥ

Having heard these words of Yama, the noose-bearing servant of Yama said to that King of Dharma: 'Tell me, O lord, ordainer of all things, what manner of man is a devotee of Hari.'

Verse 20 (vishnu.3.7.20)

यम उवाच । न चलति निजवर्णधर्मतो यः सममतिरात्मसुहृद्विपक्षपक्षे । न हरति न च हन्ति किंचिदुच्चैः सितमनसं तमवैहि विष्णुभक्तम्

yama uvāca na calati nijavarṇadharmato yaḥ samamatirātmasuhṛdvipakṣapakṣe na harati na ca hanti kiṁciduccaiḥ sitamanasaṁ tamavaihi viṣṇubhaktam

Yama said: He who does not stray from the duty of his own station, who is equal-minded toward friend and foe alike, who steals nothing and harms no one, of pure and bright mind -- know him to be a devotee of Vishnu.

Verse 21 (vishnu.3.7.21)

कलिकलुषमलेन यस्य नात्मा विमलमतेर्मलिनीकृतोऽस्तमोहे । मनसि कृतजनार्दनं मनुष्यं सततमवैहि हरेरतीव भक्तम्

kalikaluṣamalena yasya nātmā vimalamatermalinīkṛto'stamohe manasi kṛtajanārdanaṁ manuṣyaṁ satatamavaihi hareratīva bhaktam

He whose pure understanding is never sullied by the taint of Kali, whose delusion is at an end, who has fixed Janardana in his mind -- know that man to be an exceedingly devoted follower of Hari.

Verse 22 (vishnu.3.7.22)

कनकमपि रहस्यवेक्ष्य बुद्ध्या तृणमिव यः समवैति वै परस्वम् । भवति च भगवत्यनन्यचेताः पुरुषवरं तमवैहि विष्णुभक्तम्

kanakamapi rahasyavekṣya buddhyā tṛṇamiva yaḥ samavaiti vai parasvam bhavati ca bhagavatyananyacetāḥ puruṣavaraṁ tamavaihi viṣṇubhaktam

He who, seeing gold even in private, regards another's wealth, by his own judgment, as no more than a blade of grass, and whose mind is fixed on the Lord alone -- know that best of men to be a devotee of Vishnu.

Verse 23 (vishnu.3.7.23)

स्फटिकगिरिशिलामलः क्व विष्णुर्मनसि नृणां क्व च मत्सरादिदोषः । न हि तुहिनमयूखरश्मिपुञ्जे भवति हुताशनदीप्तिजः प्रतापः

sphaṭikagiriśilāmalaḥ kva viṣṇurmanasi nṛṇāṁ kva ca matsarādidoṣaḥ na hi tuhinamayūkharaśmipuñje bhavati hutāśanadīptijaḥ pratāpaḥ

Where Vishnu, pure as crystal-mountain rock, dwells in the minds of men, how can the faults of envy and the rest remain there? For in a mass of the cool moon's rays, there is never the heat born of a blazing fire.

Verse 24 (vishnu.3.7.24)

विमलमतिरमत्सरः प्रशान्तः शुचिचरितोऽखिलसत्त्वमित्रभूतः । प्रियहितवचनोऽस्तमानमायो वसति सदा हृदि तस्य वासुदेवः

vimalamatiramatsaraḥ praśāntaḥ śucicarito'khilasattvamitrabhūtaḥ priyahitavacano'stamānamāyo vasati sadā hṛdi tasya vāsudevaḥ

In him whose mind is pure, free of envy, tranquil, of pure conduct, a friend to all beings, whose speech is pleasant and beneficial, and whose pride and deceit are gone -- in his heart Vasudeva ever dwells.

Verse 25 (vishnu.3.7.25)

वसति हृदि सनातने च तस्मिन् भवति पुमाञ्जगतोऽस्य सौम्यरूपः । क्षितिरसमतिरम्यमात्मनोऽन्तः कथयति चारुतयैव शालपोतः

vasati hṛdi sanātane ca tasmin bhavati pumāñjagato'sya saumyarūpaḥ kṣitirasamatiramyamātmano'ntaḥ kathayati cārutayaiva śālapotaḥ

When that eternal Lord dwells in the heart, a man becomes gentle in form to this world -- just as the exceedingly delightful essence within the earth reveals itself through the very loveliness of a young Shala tree.

Verse 26 (vishnu.3.7.26)

यमनियमविधूतकल्मषाणामनुदिनमच्युतसक्तमानसानाम् । अपगतमदमानमत्सराणां व्रज भट दूरतरेण मानवानाम्

yamaniyamavidhūtakalmaṣāṇāmanudinamacyutasaktamānasānām apagatamadamānamatsarāṇāṁ vraja bhaṭa dūratareṇa mānavānām

From men whose impurities have been shaken off by the observance of yama and niyama, whose minds are day after day attached to Achyuta, and whose pride, arrogance, and envy have departed -- from such men, O servant, keep far away.

Verse 27 (vishnu.3.7.27)

हृदि यदि भगवाननादिरास्ते हरिरसिशङ्खगदाधरोऽव्ययात्मा । तदघमघविघातकर्तृभिन्नं भवति कथं सति चान्धकारमर्के

hṛdi yadi bhagavānanādirāste harirasiśaṅkhagadādharo'vyayātmā tadaghamaghavighātakartṛbhinnaṁ bhavati kathaṁ sati cāndhakāramarke

If the beginningless, imperishable Lord Hari, bearer of sword, conch, and mace, dwells in the heart, how then can sin -- the destroyer of merit -- remain there, any more than darkness can remain in the presence of the sun?

Verse 28 (vishnu.3.7.28)

हरति परधनं निहन्ति जन्तून् वदति तथानृतनिष्ठुराणि यश्च । अशुभजनितदुर्मदस्य पुंसः कलुषमतेर्हृदि तस्य नास्त्यनन्तः

harati paradhanaṁ nihanti jantūn vadati tathānṛtaniṣṭhurāṇi yaśca aśubhajanitadurmadasya puṁsaḥ kaluṣamaterhṛdi tasya nāstyanantaḥ

He who steals another's wealth, kills living beings, and speaks falsehood and harsh words -- in the heart of such a man, of impure mind, born of ill-conceived arrogance, Ananta does not dwell.

Verse 29 (vishnu.3.7.29)

न सहति परसम्पदं विनिन्दां कलुषमतिः कुरुते सतामसाधुः । न यजति न ददाति यश्च सन्तं मनसि न तस्य जनार्दनोऽधमस्य

na sahati parasampadaṁ vinindāṁ kaluṣamatiḥ kurute satāmasādhuḥ na yajati na dadāti yaśca santaṁ manasi na tasya janārdano'dhamasya

He who cannot bear another's prosperity, whose impure mind slanders the virtuous, that unrighteous man; he who neither sacrifices nor gives to the good -- in the mind of such a base man Janardana does not dwell.

Verse 30 (vishnu.3.7.30)

परमसुहृदि बान्धवे कलत्रे सुततनयापितृमातृभृत्यवर्गे । शठमतिरुपयाति योऽर्थतृष्णां तमधमचेष्टमवैहि नास्य भक्तम्

paramasuhṛdi bāndhave kalatre sutatanayāpitṛmātṛbhṛtyavarge śaṭhamatirupayāti yo'rthatṛṣṇāṁ tamadhamaceṣṭamavaihi nāsya bhaktam

He whose deceitful mind, even toward his dearest friend, kinsman, wife, children, parents, or servants, gives way to greed for wealth -- know that man of base conduct not to be his devotee.

Verse 31 (vishnu.3.7.31)

अशुभमतिरसत्प्रवृत्तिसक्तः सततमनार्यविशालसङ्गमत्तः । अनुदिनकृतपापबन्धयत्नः पुरुषपशुर्न हि वासुदेवभक्तः

aśubhamatirasatpravṛttisaktaḥ satatamanāryaviśālasaṅgamattaḥ anudinakṛtapāpabandhayatnaḥ puruṣapaśurna hi vāsudevabhaktaḥ

He of impure mind, attached to unrighteous conduct, ever intoxicated with the wide company of the base, striving day after day to bind himself with sin -- such a man-beast is no devotee of Vasudeva.

Verse 32 (vishnu.3.7.32)

सकलमिदमहं च वासुदेवः परमपुमान् परमेश्वरः स एकः । इति मतिरमला भवत्यनन्ते हृदयगते व्रज तान् विहाय दूरात्

sakalamidamahaṁ ca vāsudevaḥ paramapumān parameśvaraḥ sa ekaḥ iti matiramalā bhavatyanante hṛdayagate vraja tān vihāya dūrāt

'All this, and I myself, are Vasudeva alone -- he, the one Supreme Person, the Supreme Lord' -- when such a pure conviction arises toward the Infinite dwelling in the heart, then go far away, leaving such a one alone.

Verse 33 (vishnu.3.7.33)

कमलनयन वासुदेव विष्णो धरणिधराच्युत शङ्खचक्रपाणे । भव शरणमितीरयन्ति ये वै त्यज भट दूरतरेण तानपापान्

kamalanayana vāsudeva viṣṇo dharaṇidharācyuta śaṅkhacakrapāṇe bhava śaraṇamitīrayanti ye vai tyaja bhaṭa dūratareṇa tānapāpān

'O lotus-eyed Vasudeva, Vishnu, bearer of the earth, imperishable one, holder of conch and discus, be my refuge' -- those who speak thus, O servant, avoid such sinless ones from far away.

Verse 34 (vishnu.3.7.34)

वसति मनसि यस्य सोऽव्ययात्मा पुरुषवरस्य न तस्य दृष्टिपाते । तव गतिरथवा ममास्ति चक्र प्रतिहतवीर्यबलस्य सोऽन्यलोक्यः

vasati manasi yasya so'vyayātmā puruṣavarasya na tasya dṛṣṭipāte tava gatirathavā mamāsti cakra pratihatavīryabalasya so'nyalokyaḥ

He in whose mind that imperishable, supreme Being dwells -- upon him neither your gaze nor mine has any power; his strength and might are unopposed -- he belongs to another world altogether.

Verse 35 (vishnu.3.7.35)

कालिङ्ग उवाच । इति निजभटशासनाय देवो रवितनयः स किलाह धर्मराजः । मम कथितमिदं च तेन तुभ्यं कुरुवर सम्यगिदं मयापि चोक्तम्

kāliṅga uvāca iti nijabhaṭaśāsanāya devo ravitanayaḥ sa kilāha dharmarājaḥ mama kathitamidaṁ ca tena tubhyaṁ kuruvara samyagidaṁ mayāpi coktam

The Kalinga Brahmin said: Thus, to instruct his own servant, did the god Dharmaraja, son of the Sun, speak. This was told to me by him, O best of the Kurus, and this same thing I have now duly told to you.

Verse 36 (vishnu.3.7.36)

भीष्म उवाच । नकुलैतन्ममाख्यातं पूर्वं तेन द्विजन्मना । कलिङ्गदेशादभ्येत्य प्रीयता सुमहात्मना

bhīṣma uvāca nakulaitanmamākhyātaṁ pūrvaṁ tena dvijanmanā kaliṅgadeśādabhyetya prīyatā sumahātmanā

Bhishma said: O Nakula, this was told to me long ago by that great-souled Brahmin who had come from the land of Kalinga, out of his affection for me.

Verse 37 (vishnu.3.7.37)

मयाप्येतद्यथान्यायं सम्यग्वत्स तवोदितम् । यथा विष्णुमृते नान्यत्त्राणं संसारसागरे

mayāpyetadyathānyāyaṁ samyagvatsa tavoditam yathā viṣṇumṛte nānyattrāṇaṁ saṁsārasāgare

And I too, my child, have now duly told you this exactly as it should be told -- that apart from Vishnu, there is no other refuge in the ocean of transmigration.

Verse 38 (vishnu.3.7.38)

किंकरा दण्डपाशौ वा न यमो न च यातना । समर्थास्तस्य यस्यात्मा केशवालम्बनः सदा

kiṁkarā daṇḍapāśau vā na yamo na ca yātanā samarthāstasya yasyātmā keśavālambanaḥ sadā

Neither servants, nor rod, nor noose, nor Yama, nor any torment has power over him whose very soul ever rests upon Keshava.