Qualities of a Vaishnava

The Twenty-six Qualities of a Vaiṣṇava

৩.২৫

সেই সব গুণ হয ৱৈষ্ণৱ-লক্ষণ্ 

সব কহা না যায, করি দিগ্-দরশন. 

কৃপালূ, অকৃত-দ্রোহ, সত্য-সার, সম নির্দোষ, 

ৱদান্য, মৃদু, শুচি, অকিঞ্চন. 

সর্ৱোপকারক, শান্ত, কৃষ্ণৈক-শরণ অকাম, 

অনিহ, স্থির, ৱিজিত-ষড্-গুণ. মিত-ভুক্, 

অপ্রমত্ত, মানদ, অমানি

গম্ভির, করুণ, মৈত্র, কৱি, দক্ষ, মনুই.

3.25

sei saba guṇa haya vaiṣṇava-lakṣaṇ 

saba kahā nā yāya, kari dig-daraśana. 

kṛpālū, akṛta-droha, satya-sāra, sama 

nirdoṣa, vadānya, mṛdu, śuci, akiñcana. 

sarvopakāraka, śānta, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa 

akāma, aniha, sthira, vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa. 

mita-bhuk, apramatta, mānada, amāni

gambhira, karuṇa, maitra, kavi, dakṣa, manui. 

All these transcendental qualities are the characteristics of pure Vaiṣṇavas:

They cannot be fully explained, but I shall try to point out some of the important

qualities:

Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless,

magnanimous, mild, and clean. They are without material possessions, and they

perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Kṛṣṇa,

and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in

devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities: lust, anger,

greed, pride, illusion, and envy. They eat only as much as required, and are

sober. They are respectful, grave, compassionate, and without false prestige.

They are friendly, poetic, expert, and silent, that is they do not speak

whimsically. (Cc. Madhya 22.77-80) 

Vaiṣṇavas see With Equal Vision

३.२६

विद्या-विनय-सम्पन्ने 

ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि 

शुनि चैव श्व-पाके च 

पण्डिताः सम-दर्शिनः

3.26

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne 

brāhmaṇe gavi hasten 

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca 

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

The learned devotee sees with equal vision (by dint of true knowledge) the

brāhmaṇa, the cow, the elephant, the dog, and the outcaste.
(Bhagavad-gītā 5.18)

३.२७

महत्-सेवां द्वारम् आहुर् विमुक्तेस् 

तमो-द्वारं योषितां सङ्गि-सङ्गम् 

महान्तस् ते सम-चित्ताः प्रशान्ता 

विमन्यवः सुहृदः साधवो ये

3.27

mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes 

tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam 

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā 

vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye

Service to mahātmās opens the door to liberation. The path to hell is wide open

for those who associate with people fond of women and sex. The great devotees

are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living being and

another. They are peaceful, and are fully engaged in devotional service. They

are devoid of anger and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not

behave in any abominable way. Such persons are known as mahātmās. (Bhāg.

5.5.2)

३.२८

ये वा मयीशे कृत-सौहृदार्था जनेषु देहम्भर-वार्तिकेशु

ग्र्हेशु जायात्मज-रातिमत्सु न प्रीति-युक्ता यावद्- अर्थाश् च लोके

3.28

ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeśu

grheśu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad- arthāś ca loke

Those who are interested in reviving their Kṛṣṇa consciousness and increasing

their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Kṛṣṇa.

They are not interested in mingling with those who are busy maintaining their

bodies by eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. They are not attached to their

homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives,

children, friends, or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the

execution of their duties. Such persons are interested in collecting only enough

money to keep their body and soul together These are the characteristics of a

devotee. (Bhāg. 5.5.3)

The Lord is Conquered by Devotion

३.२९

अहं भक्त-पराधिनो 

ह्य् अस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज 

साधुभिर् ग्रस्त-हृदयो 

भक्तैर् भक्त-जन- प्रियः

3.29

ahaṁ bhakta-parādhino 

hy asvatantra iva diva 

sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo 

bhaktair bhakta-jana- priyaḥ

I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not

independent. I sit within the core of their heart. What to speak of My devotees

even those who are devotees of my devotees are very dear to Me. (Bhāg. 9.4.63)

३.३०

साधवो हृदयं मह्यं साधूनां हृदयं त्व् अहम्

मद्-अन्यत् ते न जानन्ति नाहं तेभ्यो मनाग् अपि

3.30

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham

mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api

My pure devotees are always in my heart, and I am always in their heart. My

devotees know nothing but Me, and I know nothing but them. (Bhāg. 9.4.68)

A Vaiṣṇava is Supremely Merciful

३.३१

भवद्-विधा भागवतास् तिर्थ-भूताः स्वयं विभो

तीर्थी-कुर्वन्ति तिर्थानि स्वान्तः-स्थेन गदाभृता

3.31

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās tirtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho

tīrthī-kurvanti tirthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā 

Devotees are themselves the highest places of pilgrimage, capable of giving

benediction to all, for they always carry the

Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, within their

heart. Thus they purify the holy places of pilgrimage as well as those who visit

such places. (Bhāg. 1.13.10)

३.३२

यन्-नामं-श्रुति-मात्रेण पुमान् भवति निर्मलः

तस्य तीर्थ-पदः किं वा दासानाम् अवशिष्यते

3.32

yan-nāmaṁ-śruti-mātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ

tasya tīrtha-padaḥ kiṁ vā dāsānām avaśiṣyate 

If simply by hearing Śrī Kṛṣṇa's holy name one becomes supremely purified,

who can imagine the purifying power of chose who are constantly engaged in

service to His lotus feet? What is impossible for such persons? (Bhāg. 9.5.16)

The Glories of the Vaiṣṇavas

३.३३

स्व धर्म-निष्ठः शत-जन्मभिः पुमान्

विरिञ्चताम् एति ततः परं हि माम् 

अव्याकृतं भागवतो ऽथ वैष्णवं 

पदं यथाहं विबुधाः कलात्यये

3.33

sva dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān

viriñcatām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām 

avyākṛtaṁ bhāgavato 'tha vaiṣṇavaṁ 

padaṁ yathāhaṁ vibudhāḥ kalātyaye

One who perfectly follows his duty in varṇāśrama- dharma for one hundred

births can attain the position of Brahmā. One who is more qualified can attain

the position of Śiva. A Vaiṣṇava, however, is immediately promoted to the

spiritual planets far beyond even my abode. That transcendental position is so

difficult to realize that I, Lord Śiva, and the other gods can attain those spiritual

planets only after the ultimate annihilation of the material world. (Bhāg.

4.24.29)

৩.৩৪

নযন ভরিযা দেখ দাসের প্রভাব 

হেন দাস্যভাবে কৃষ্ণে কর অনুরাগ

অল্প হেন না মানিহ "কৃষ্ণ-দাস" নাম 

অল্প-ভাগ্যে দাস নাহি করে ভগবান্ 

দাস-নামে ব্রহ্মা-শিব হরিষ-অন্তর 

ধরণী-ধরেন্দ্র চাহে দাস অধিকার

3.34

nayana bhariyā dekha dāsera prabhāva 

hena dāsyabhāve kṛṣṇe kara anurāga

alpa hena nā māniha "kṛṣṇa-dāsa" nāma 

alpa-bhāgye dāsa nāhi kare bhagavān 

dāsa-nāme brahmā-śiva hariṣa-antara 

dharaṇī-dharendra cāhe dāsa adhikāra

[Lord Caitanya said] Just see the influence of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. With such a

mentality of service, cultivate a deep attachment to Kṛṣṇa. If, however, you are

devoid of a service attitude and do not wish to call yourself "Kṛṣṇa-dāsa," you

will be most unfortunate: the Lord will never accept you as His servant. Brahmā

and Śiva, although they are the masters of the universe, take endless delight in

the name "Kṛṣṇa-dāsa" and pray for the qualification to become servants of

Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (Cb. Madhya 23.463-464, 472)

3.35

কীট জন্ম হৌ যথা তূযা দাস

বহির্-মুখ ব্রহ্ম-জন্মে নাহি আশ

kīṭa janma hau yathā tūyā dāsa

bahir-mukha brahma-janme nāhi āśa

Let me take birth as a worm as Your servant. O Kṛṣṇa, I would forsake a birth

as Brahmā, if that birth was devoid of Your service. (Śaraṇāgati, Bhaktivinode Ṭhākura)

The Glories of the Servants of the Vaiṣṇavas

३.३६

मज् जन्मनः फलम् इदं मधु-कैटभारे मत् प्रार्थनीय मद् अनुग्रह एष एब

त्बद् भृत्य-भृत्य-परिचारक-भृत्य-भृत्य भृत्यस्य-भृत्यम् इति मां स्मर लोकनाथ

3.36

maj janmanaḥ phalam idaṁ madhu-kaiṭabhāre 

mat prārthanīya mad anugraha eṣa eva

tvad bhṛtya-bhṛtya-paricāraka-bhṛtya-bhṛtya 

bhṛtyasya-bhṛtyam iti māṁ smara lokanātha 

O Supreme Lord of all, slayer of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha! Please be

merciful to me and grant my prayer that You may remember me as a servant of

Your servant's servant, a servant of such a servant of Your servant's servant, a

servant of a servant of Your servant's servant, and a servant of Your servant's

servant servant.

[Note: Śrīla Prabhupāda often alluded to this verse in his lectures by

stressing that a Vaiṣṇava aspires to become the servant of the servant of the

servant of the Lord one thousand times removed.]

 Further Glories of Vaiṣṇavas

३.३७

साधूनां सम-चित्तानां सुतरां मत्- कृतात्मनाम्

दर्शनान् नो भबेद् बन्धः पुंसो ऽक्ष्णोः सबितुर् यथा

3.37

sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ sutarāṁ mat- kṛtātmanām

darśanān no bhaved bandhaḥ puṁso 'kṣṇoḥ savitur yathā

When one is face to face with the Sun, there is no longer darkness for one's

eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sādhu who is fully determined

and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, one will no

longer be subject to material bondage. (Bhāg. 10.10.41)

३.३८

न ह्य् अम्-मयानि तीर्थानि न देबा मृच्-छिला- मयाः

ते पुनत्य् उरु-कालेन दर्शनाद् एब साधबः

3.38

na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devā mṛc-chilā- mayāḥ

te punaty uru-kālena darśanād eva sādhavaḥ 

Water alone does not make a sacred place holy. Nor is it earth nor clay that

composes the form of the Deity. The waters of the Ganges, visits to holy places,

and the worship of the Śālagrāma-śīla purify one only after a long time, but

saints like you purify instantly by their very sight. (Bhāg. 10.84.11)