Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 82
Sourceपार्वत्युवाच- वैष्णवानां लक्षणं च कीदृशं प्रतिपादितम् । महिमा कीदृशश्चैव वद विश्वेश्वर प्रभो १। महादेव उवाच - विष्णोरयं यतः प्रोक्तो ह्यतो वै वैष्णवो मतः । सर्वस्यादिस्तु विज्ञेयो ब्रह्मारूपधरस्ततः २। यतः सकाशात्संजाता ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । ते वैष्णवास्तु विज्ञेया नैवान्ये तु कदाचन ३। शौचसत्यक्षांतियुक्तो रागद्वेषविवर्जितः । वेदविद्याविचारज्ञो यः स वैष्णव उच्यते ४। अग्निहोत्ररतो नित्यं नित्यं चातिथिपूजकः । पितृभक्तो मातृभक्तः स वै वैष्णव उच्यते ५। दयाधर्मेण संयुक्तस्तथा पापपराङ्मुखः । शंखचक्रांकितोयो वै स वै वैष्णव उच्यते ६। कंठे मालाधरो यस्तु मुखे रामं सदोच्चरेत् । गानं कुर्यात्सदा भक्त्या स नरो वैष्णवः स्मृतः ७। पुराणेषु रता नित्यं यज्ञेषु चरताः सदा । ते नरा वैष्णवा ज्ञेयाः सर्वधर्मेषु संमताः ८। तेषां निंदां प्रकुर्वंति ये नराः पापकारिणः । ते मृतास्तु कुयोनिं वै गच्छंति च पुनः पुनः ९। गोपालनाम्नीं मूर्तिं च येऽर्चयंति द्विजाः सदा । धातुमात्रमयीं कृत्वा चतुर्हस्तां सुशोभिताम् १०। पूजां कुर्वंति ये विप्रास्ते ज्ञेयाः पुण्यभाजिनः । कृत्वा पाषाणजां मूर्तिं कृष्णाख्यां रूपसुंदरीम् ११। पूजां कुर्वंति ये विप्रास्ते ज्ञेयाः पुण्यमूर्त्तयः । शालग्रामशिला यत्र यत्र द्वारवती शिला १२। उभयोः संगमो यत्र मुक्तिस्तत्र न संशयः । मूर्तिं मंत्रेण संस्थाप्य पूजनं क्रियते यदि १३। तदर्चनं कोटिगुणं धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदम् । नवधा तत्र वै भक्तिः कर्तव्या च जनार्दने । अतः पाषाणजा मूर्तिस्तथा धातुमयी त्वया १४। तस्यां भक्तैः प्रकर्त्तव्यं ध्यानं पूजनमेव च । राजोपचारकीं पूजां मूर्तौ तत्र प्रकल्पयेत् १५। सर्वात्मानं स्मरेन्नित्यं भगवंतमधोक्षजम् । दीनानाथैकशरणं लोकानां वृत्तिकारणम् १६। मूर्त्तौ तत्र स्मरेन्नित्यं महापातकनाशनम् । गोपालोऽयं तथा कृष्णो रामोऽयमिति च ब्रुवन् १७। पूजां करोति यः सम्यक्स वै भागवतो नरः । गोकुले तु यथा रूपं धृतं वै केशवेन तु १८। तादृग्रूपं प्रकर्त्तव्यं वैष्णवैर्नरसत्तमैः । आत्मसंतोषणार्थाय स्वरूपं कारयेद्बुधः १९। यतो भक्तिस्तु बहुला जायते नात्र संशयः । शंखचक्रगदादीनि विष्णोश्चैवायुधानि च २०। तस्यां मूर्तौ विशेषेण कर्त्तव्यानि प्रमाणतः । चतुर्भुजां द्विनेत्रां च शंखचक्रगदाधराम् २१। पीतवासः परीधानां शोभमानां गरीयसीम् । वनमालां दधानां तां लसद्वैडूर्यकुंडलाम् २२। मुकुटे मणिसंयुक्तां कौस्तुभोद्भासितां सदा । सौवर्णीं चाथ रौप्यां वा ताम्रजां चाथ पैत्तलीम् २३। कारयेत्परया भक्त्या वैष्णवैर्द्विजसत्तमैः । आगमोक्तैर्वेदमंत्रैः प्रतिष्ठाप्य विशेषतः २४। पश्चाद्वै अर्चनं कार्यं यथाशास्त्रानुसारतः । षोडशोपचारैर्मंत्रैः पूजनं विधिपूर्वकम् २५। पूजिते तु जगन्नाथे सर्वे देवाश्च पूजिताः । अतो येन प्रकारेण पूजनीयो महाप्रभुः २६। अनादिनिधनो देवः शंखचक्रगदाधरः । सर्वं ददाति सर्वेशो वैष्णवान्पुण्यरूपिणः २७। यथा विष्णुस्तथा शर्वो नांतरं वर्त्तते क्वचित् । एवं ज्ञात्वा तु भो देवि ह्युभयोर्मूर्तिकल्पनम् २८। शिवपूजां प्रकुर्वाणो विष्णुनिंदासु तत्परः । रौरवेषु नरकेषु वसते नात्र संशयः २९। अहं विष्णुरहं रुद्रो ह्यहं ब्रह्मा पितामहः । सर्वभूतेषु सततं संवसामि पुनः पुनः ३०। पार्वत्युवाच- के दासा वैष्णवाः के तु के भक्ता भुवि कीर्तिताः । तेषां वै लक्षणं ब्रूहि यथार्थं वै महेश्वर ३१। महादेव उवाच- शूद्रा भवंति वै दासा वैष्णवा नारदादयः । प्रह्लादश्चांबरीषाद्या भक्तास्ते नगनंदिनि ३२। ब्रह्मक्रियारतो नित्यं वेदवेदांगपाठकः । शंखचक्रांकितो यस्तु स वै वैष्णव उच्यते ३३। द्विजसेवारतो नित्यं नित्यं विष्णुप्रपूजकः । शृणोति बहुधा चैव पुराणं वेदसंमितम् ३४। स शूद्रो हरिदासस्तु इत्युक्तो नगनंदिनि । पंचवर्षत्वमाश्रित्य कृता भक्तिरनेकधा ३५। स वै भक्त इति प्रोक्तः सर्वसाधुषु संमतः । ध्रुवादयस्ते विज्ञेया अंबरीषादयश्च ये ३६। भक्ताश्च मुनिभिः प्रोक्ताः सर्वकालेषु भामिनि । कलौ धन्यतमाः शूद्रा विष्णुध्यानपरायणाः ३७। इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा यांति विष्णोः सनातनम् । शंखचक्रांकितो यस्तु विष्णुभक्तिप्रकारकः ३८। चतुर्विधमहोत्साहकर्त्ता चैव विशेषतः । स शूद्रो विष्णुदासस्तु यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् ३९। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे दासवैष्णवानां महिमानाम द्व्यशीतितमोऽध्यायः ८२।
pārvatyuvāca- vaiṣṇavānāṃ lakṣaṇaṃ ca kīdṛśaṃ pratipāditam | mahimā kīdṛśaścaiva vada viśveśvara prabho 1| mahādeva uvāca - viṣṇorayaṃ yataḥ prokto hyato vai vaiṣṇavo mataḥ | sarvasyādistu vijñeyo brahmārūpadharastataḥ 2| yataḥ sakāśātsaṃjātā brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | te vaiṣṇavāstu vijñeyā naivānye tu kadācana 3| śaucasatyakṣāṃtiyukto rāgadveṣavivarjitaḥ | vedavidyāvicārajño yaḥ sa vaiṣṇava ucyate 4| agnihotrarato nityaṃ nityaṃ cātithipūjakaḥ | pitṛbhakto mātṛbhaktaḥ sa vai vaiṣṇava ucyate 5| dayādharmeṇa saṃyuktastathā pāpaparāṅmukhaḥ | śaṃkhacakrāṃkitoyo vai sa vai vaiṣṇava ucyate 6| kaṃṭhe mālādharo yastu mukhe rāmaṃ sadoccaret | gānaṃ kuryātsadā bhaktyā sa naro vaiṣṇavaḥ smṛtaḥ 7| purāṇeṣu ratā nityaṃ yajñeṣu caratāḥ sadā | te narā vaiṣṇavā jñeyāḥ sarvadharmeṣu saṃmatāḥ 8| teṣāṃ niṃdāṃ prakurvaṃti ye narāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ | te mṛtāstu kuyoniṃ vai gacchaṃti ca punaḥ punaḥ 9| gopālanāmnīṃ mūrtiṃ ca ye'rcayaṃti dvijāḥ sadā | dhātumātramayīṃ kṛtvā caturhastāṃ suśobhitām 10| pūjāṃ kurvaṃti ye viprāste jñeyāḥ puṇyabhājinaḥ | kṛtvā pāṣāṇajāṃ mūrtiṃ kṛṣṇākhyāṃ rūpasuṃdarīm 11| pūjāṃ kurvaṃti ye viprāste jñeyāḥ puṇyamūrttayaḥ | śālagrāmaśilā yatra yatra dvāravatī śilā 12| ubhayoḥ saṃgamo yatra muktistatra na saṃśayaḥ | mūrtiṃ maṃtreṇa saṃsthāpya pūjanaṃ kriyate yadi 13| tadarcanaṃ koṭiguṇaṃ dharmakāmārthamokṣadam | navadhā tatra vai bhaktiḥ kartavyā ca janārdane | ataḥ pāṣāṇajā mūrtistathā dhātumayī tvayā 14| tasyāṃ bhaktaiḥ prakarttavyaṃ dhyānaṃ pūjanameva ca | rājopacārakīṃ pūjāṃ mūrtau tatra prakalpayet 15| sarvātmānaṃ smarennityaṃ bhagavaṃtamadhokṣajam | dīnānāthaikaśaraṇaṃ lokānāṃ vṛttikāraṇam 16| mūrttau tatra smarennityaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam | gopālo'yaṃ tathā kṛṣṇo rāmo'yamiti ca bruvan 17| pūjāṃ karoti yaḥ samyaksa vai bhāgavato naraḥ | gokule tu yathā rūpaṃ dhṛtaṃ vai keśavena tu 18| tādṛgrūpaṃ prakarttavyaṃ vaiṣṇavairnarasattamaiḥ | ātmasaṃtoṣaṇārthāya svarūpaṃ kārayedbudhaḥ 19| yato bhaktistu bahulā jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ | śaṃkhacakragadādīni viṣṇoścaivāyudhāni ca 20| tasyāṃ mūrtau viśeṣeṇa karttavyāni pramāṇataḥ | caturbhujāṃ dvinetrāṃ ca śaṃkhacakragadādharām 21| pītavāsaḥ parīdhānāṃ śobhamānāṃ garīyasīm | vanamālāṃ dadhānāṃ tāṃ lasadvaiḍūryakuṃḍalām 22| mukuṭe maṇisaṃyuktāṃ kaustubhodbhāsitāṃ sadā | sauvarṇīṃ cātha raupyāṃ vā tāmrajāṃ cātha paittalīm 23| kārayetparayā bhaktyā vaiṣṇavairdvijasattamaiḥ | āgamoktairvedamaṃtraiḥ pratiṣṭhāpya viśeṣataḥ 24| paścādvai arcanaṃ kāryaṃ yathāśāstrānusārataḥ | ṣoḍaśopacārairmaṃtraiḥ pūjanaṃ vidhipūrvakam 25| pūjite tu jagannāthe sarve devāśca pūjitāḥ | ato yena prakāreṇa pūjanīyo mahāprabhuḥ 26| anādinidhano devaḥ śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ | sarvaṃ dadāti sarveśo vaiṣṇavānpuṇyarūpiṇaḥ 27| yathā viṣṇustathā śarvo nāṃtaraṃ varttate kvacit | evaṃ jñātvā tu bho devi hyubhayormūrtikalpanam 28| śivapūjāṃ prakurvāṇo viṣṇuniṃdāsu tatparaḥ | rauraveṣu narakeṣu vasate nātra saṃśayaḥ 29| ahaṃ viṣṇurahaṃ rudro hyahaṃ brahmā pitāmahaḥ | sarvabhūteṣu satataṃ saṃvasāmi punaḥ punaḥ 30| pārvatyuvāca- ke dāsā vaiṣṇavāḥ ke tu ke bhaktā bhuvi kīrtitāḥ | teṣāṃ vai lakṣaṇaṃ brūhi yathārthaṃ vai maheśvara 31| mahādeva uvāca- śūdrā bhavaṃti vai dāsā vaiṣṇavā nāradādayaḥ | prahlādaścāṃbarīṣādyā bhaktāste naganaṃdini 32| brahmakriyārato nityaṃ vedavedāṃgapāṭhakaḥ | śaṃkhacakrāṃkito yastu sa vai vaiṣṇava ucyate 33| dvijasevārato nityaṃ nityaṃ viṣṇuprapūjakaḥ | śṛṇoti bahudhā caiva purāṇaṃ vedasaṃmitam 34| sa śūdro haridāsastu ityukto naganaṃdini | paṃcavarṣatvamāśritya kṛtā bhaktiranekadhā 35| sa vai bhakta iti proktaḥ sarvasādhuṣu saṃmataḥ | dhruvādayaste vijñeyā aṃbarīṣādayaśca ye 36| bhaktāśca munibhiḥ proktāḥ sarvakāleṣu bhāmini | kalau dhanyatamāḥ śūdrā viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇāḥ 37| ihaloke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yāṃti viṣṇoḥ sanātanam | śaṃkhacakrāṃkito yastu viṣṇubhaktiprakārakaḥ 38| caturvidhamahotsāhakarttā caiva viśeṣataḥ | sa śūdro viṣṇudāsastu yathādṛṣṭaṃ yathāśrutam 39| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāmaheśvarasaṃvāde dāsavaiṣṇavānāṃ mahimānāma dvyaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ 82|
English translation
Pārvatī said :
1. O lord of the universe, O master, tell what are said to be the characteristics of Viṣṇu ’s devotees, and what is their importance.
Mahādeva said :
2-9. Since he belongs to Viṣṇu, he is looked upon as a follower (or devotee) of Viṣṇu. Brahmā should be known as the source of all and as one who has taken up a form. From him brāhmaṇas , masters of the Vedas , are born. They should be known as Viṣṇu’s devotees and never the others. He who possesses purity, truth, forgiveness, who is free from attachment and hatred, who knows the ideas contained in the Vedic lore, is known as a devotee of Viṣṇu. He who is always engaged in keeping the sacred fire, who always honours his guests, who is devoted to his father and mother, is called a devotee of Viṣṇu. He who is having the virtue of compassion, who is averse to sins, who is marked with a conch and a disc, is called Viṣṇu’s devotee. He who wears a garland round his neck, who always utters (the name of) Rāma with his mouth, who would always devotedly sing (Viṣṇu’s praise), is said to be Viṣṇu’s devotee. Those men who are always devoted to the Purāṇas , who are always engaged in (performing) sacrifices, should be known to be Viṣṇu’s devotees, and are dear to all sects. Those sinful men who censure them, repeatedly go to (i.e. are born in) bad stocks after their death.
10-17. Those brāhmaṇas who always honour the image named Gopāla , fashioning it from a metal only with four hands, and well decorated, worship it, are known to enjoy religious merit. Those brāhmaṇas who after having fashioned an image (of Viṣṇu) from stone and called Kṛṣṇa and beautiful in form, worship it, should be known to be of meritorious forms. Where there is the Śālagrāma stone, where there is the stone from Dvārakā , or where there is the combination of these two, there is salvation. There is no doubt about this. If after installing the image with (i.e. to the accompaniment of) a hymn, one worships it, then that worship gives a crore-fold merit. It leads to religious merit, acquisition of worldly prosperity, satisfaction of sensual desires and salvation. Devotion of nine kinds [1] should be shown for Viṣṇu. Therefore, you should make the image of stone or metal. Devotees should meditate upon it and worship it. A devotee should offer to the image worship with kingly attendance. One should always remember lord Viṣṇu, the soul of all, the only refuge of the helpless and the poor, and the cause of the existence of the worlds. One should always remember (Viṣṇu), destroyer of great sins, (as present) in that image and say ‘This is Gopāla, so also Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma.’
18-30. He who worships (the lord) properly, is a man of the lord. The best men, the followers of Viṣṇu, should fashion the form (of the image) like that as was taken up by Keśava (i.e. Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu) in Gokula . A wise man should fashion his form for self-gratification. By (doing) this, ample devotion is produced. There is no doubt about this. In that image should be fashioned especially a conch, a disc, a mace and (other) weapons of Viṣṇu according to (proper) measure. One should get fashioned an image having four arms, two eyes, holding a conch, a disc and a mace, wearing a yellow garment, beautiful, very large, wearing a garland of wood-flowers, and with bright ear-rings of lapis lazuli, having gems on the crown, and always shining with Kaustubha . (It should be) of gold, silver, copper or brass. (He should) get it installed especially by best brāhmaṇas with Vedic hymns as given in the sacred texts. After that it should be worshipped according to the (injunctions in) holy texts. The worship should be duly offered with hymns and in sixteen ways [2] of doing homage. When Viṣṇu is worshipped, all deities are worshipped. Therefore, the great lord should be worshipped in this way. The god without beginning and end, holding a conch, a disc, a mace, and the lord of all gives everything to his followers, of the nature of merit. As is Viṣṇu, so is Śiva . There is absolutely no difference between the two. O goddess, knowing like this, the fashioning of the images of both should be done. There is no doubt that he who worships Śiva and is given to censuring Viṣṇu, lives in the Raurava hell. I am Viṣṇu, I am Rudra , I am Brahmā, the grandsire. I repeatedly and constantly live in all beings.
Pārvatī said :
31. O Maheśvara , tell me properly about the characteristics of those who are said to be the servants and followers and devotees of Viṣṇu?
Mahādeva said :
32-39. Śūdras are his servants, Nārada and others are his followers, and O daughter of the ( Himālaya ) Mountain, Prahlāda , Ambarīṣa and others are his devotees. He who is always engaged in a rite in honour of the Supreme Being, who recites the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas , and has the marks of a conch and a disc is said to be a Vaiṣṇava . That śūdra who is always engaged in serving brāhmaṇas, who always worships Viṣṇu, and listens generally to the Purāṇas that are acceptable to the Vedas, is said to be Viṣṇu’s servant, O daughter of the (Himālaya) Mountain. He who resorts to (i.e. looks upon himself as a child of) five years and is devoted in many ways, is called Viṣṇu’s devotee, and is approved of among (i.e. by) all good men. O you beautiful young lady, Dhruva and others, so also Ambarīṣa and others are said to be devotees of all times by the sages. In the Kali age śūdras very much devoted to meditation on Viṣṇu, are most blessed. They enjoy happiness in this world, and go to the eternal (position) of Viṣṇu. That śūdra who has the marks of a conch and a disc, and who is devoted to Viṣṇu, and who celebrates especially the four festivals, is the servant of Viṣṇu, as it is seen and heard.
[1]: [1] : Navadhā Bhakti—Listening to the praise of Viṣṇu, narration of his virtues, remembering him, serving his feet, worshipping him, saluting him, servitude to him, his friendship, and offering oneself to him.
[2]: [2] : Ṣoḍaśopacāra—Sixteen ways of doing homage to a deity etc: Offering a seat, reception, offering water for washing feet, for rinsing the month, respectful offering, giving water for sipping, madhuparka, bath, garments, ornaments, sandal, flowers, incense, lamp, eatables, salutation.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44658, revision 336511 (2022-04-23T11:22:11Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365660.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.