The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

1. О great sage, all the ancillaries of the Yoga have been recounted by you. Now once again, О ominiscient one, what I ask may be narrated to me.

2-3. It has been mentioned by you that Yoga is realised only by the devotees. That person with whom the lord of all is pleased has perpetual devotional feelings. О omniscient sage, О ocean of mercy, kindly recount to me how Janardana, the lord of Devas, the lord of all, is satisfied (and becomes gracious).

4. О Brahmana, if you desire to attain liberation from sarhsdra worship (with your heart and soul) the great lord Narayana whose body is constituted of existence (sat), consciousness (icit) and Bliss (dnanda).

5. The enemies do not molest him; the planets do not affect him adversely; the Rak?asas do not look at the man devoted to Vishnu.

6. He whose devotion to Janardana, the lord of Devas, is firm and unswerving, realises all welfare and happiness. Hence, those who are devotees are superior to all.

7. Those two legs which proceed towards the abode (temple) of Vishnu are fruitful. Those two hands which are engaged in the worship of Vishnu should be known as the most fruitful.

8. Those two eyes of men which perceive Janardana are the most fhiitful; that tongue which is engaged in (repeating the) names of Hari is mentioned by good people (as the real tongue).

9. With upraised arm it is emphatically proclaimed that it is the truth, (and nothing but) the truth again, that there is no entity equal to the spiritual preceptor and there is no other God who is geater than Kefava.

10. I am speaking the truth. I am telling you the most wholesome thing. I am repeating the essence again and again. In this world which is vain and worthless, the only true thing is Hari’s worship.

11. Be supremely happy by cutting off with the axe of devotion to Hari, the extremely strong entangled noose of worldly existence which causes great delusion.

12. That mind which is attached to Vishnu, that speech which is absorbed in him (i.e. Vishnu) and those ears which are filled with the essence of his stories — all these are honoured in the world.

13. О Narada, worship continuously the imperishable Bliss that is devoid of the three forms of Avasthds (states), the lord who is stationed in the middle of AkaSa (the firmament).

14. О leading sage, it is not at all possible to see or point out his abode or form to persons who are not self-possessed.

15-18. When he remains endowed with the (external) Karanas (sense-organs and organs of activity), the eternal immanent soul is called jUgrat (in the waking state). When he moves about, out of his own will and is endowed with all the internal Karovas (senses) the Atman is called Dreaming, when he is not in deep slumber. When he has neither the external Karanas nor the internal Karanas, when the Atman is devoid of form, when he is freed from both merits and sins, when he has the form of Bliss, when the lord is devoid of all conditioning factors, when he is without attributes, the lord identical with the great Brahman, is sung about as Sujupta (sunk in slumber).

19. О leading Brahmana this universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is merely the product of imagination. It is as unsteady as the lightning. Hence worship Janardana.

20. The lord of the worlds is pleased with only that person who practises non-violence, truthfulness, celibacy and Aparigraha (Abstention from accepting monetary gifts or non-possession of property).

21. If a person is endowed with the quality of mercy towards all living beings, is engaged in the worship of Brahma- nas, the lord of the universe, the suppressor of demons Madhu and Kaitabha, is pleased with him.

22. If a person takes delight in the stories of the good, if he narrates the stories of the good, if he associates with saintly persons and if he is devoid of egotism, the lord of goddess Lakshmi (i.e. Vishnu) is pleased with him.

The three states are waking, dreaming, and sound sleep. These states are described in W 15-18 below.

23. On the occasions of hunger, thirst and commission of blunders, if anyone always repeats the names of Vishnu incessantly, Vishnu becomes pleased with him.

24. If a woman loves her husband like her own Pranas (vital breath), if she is engaged in the worship of her husband, О sage, the lord of the universe becomes pleased with her and bestows his own region on her.

25. Keshava is satisfied and delighted with those who are devoid of jealousy and egotism and those who are engaged in the worship of Devas.

26. Hence, О celestial sage, listen. Always worship Hari. Do not be egotistic and arrogant in vain, due to the prosperity and glory that are as unsteady as the lightning.

27. The body is in contact with death; the life is very fickle; wealth is always liable to be affected (confiscated) by kings and others; riches are transitory.

28. Don’t you see, О celestial sage, half the span of life is wasted in sleep? How much of life is lost in such activities as taking food, etc.!

29. How much of life is wasted in vain in infancy and old age! How much (is Spent) by way of enjoyment of pleasures of the sensuous objects. When will he then perform holy rites?

30. The worship of Acyuta may not be possible in childhood or in the old age. Hence, you perform the holy rites during the period of youth itself, refraining from egotistic feelings.

31. О sage, do not suffer destruction by being submerged in the deep cavity of worldly existence. The body is the abode of ruination (and death), the greatest receptacle of adversities.

32. The body (which is supposed to be the seat of enjoyment) is much defiled by feces and other impurities. Why should a man commit sins in vain by mistaking it to be permanent?

33. No faith or belief should be placed in this worldly existence that is worthless, that is accompanied by various kinds of miseries, and that is definitely rendered more disorderly through death.

34-35. Hence О leading Brahmana, listen. What I am telling you is the truth. In order to prevent the recurrence of the advent of body in the next birth, eschew false prestige and covetousness, be devoid of lust and fury and continuously worship Vishnu. For the birth as a human being is extremely difficult to get.

36. О excellent one, human birth is somehow achieved with great difficulty by one who has wandered through thousands and crores of births as an immobile being, etc.

37. Even there, О excellent one, the inclination of the intellect towards the (worship, etc. of) deities, charitable gifts and enjoyment of pleasures is the fruit of austerities performed by men in the course of previous births.

38. Who can be more stupid than he who after attaining the rare human life (i.e. birth as a human being) does not worship Hari even once? He is insentient and of sluggish intellect.

39. Where is the sense of discrimination in those bloody fools who do not worship Hari even after attaining the human birth?

40. The lord of the universe, if propitiated, grants the desired benefits. О Brahmana which person who is being scorched by the fire of worldly existence, shall not worship him?

41. О excellent sage, even a Candala who is a devotee of Vishnu, is superior to a Brahmana. Even a Brahmana devoid of devotion to Vishnu is the worst king of Candala (who cooks dog’s flesh for food).

42. Hence, one should eschew lust and other (base emotions) and worship the unchanging Hari. If he is pleased everything is pleased, since Hari is omnipresent.

43. Just as all other foot-prints get merged in the big foot-print of an elephant so also the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings gets merged in Vishnu alone.

44. Just as the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is pervaded by the firmament, so also it is pervaded by Hari.

45. Death of men is due to birth, and death is the cause of the subsequent birth. Know, that both of them are near at hand and their destruction is brought only by service to Hari.

46. If meditated upon» remembered» worshipped or bowed-to, Janardana severs the bondage of worldly existence who then would not worship him?

47. О Brahmanical sage, by the mere utterance of his names, great sins are destroyed; on worshipping him a man attains salvation.

48. Still, О Brahmana, it is surprising; it is astonishing l It is simply astounding that all people undergo the sufferings of recurring worldly existence even when the name of Hari is present.

49. О ascetic, I shall aver you the truth again and again. As one is being led by the soldiers of Yama, one is incapable of achieving Dharma.

50. If one wishes for salvation, one should worship Vishnu as long as there is no defect in the sense organs and as long as no sickness harasses one.

51. Mrtyu (the God of Death) is present near the creature from the very moment of its coming out of its mother’s womb. Hence, one should be engaged in Dharma.

52. Alas! It is a pity. Ah! How pitiful it is! It is a pity that even after realising that the body is perishable, he (the worldly-minded man) does not perform holy rites.

53. Raising up the arm it is proclaimed:...“It is truth. It is the truth, that after eschewing religious hypocrisy and arrogance, one should worship Vasudeva”.

54. О Narada, I raise my arm and repeatedly proclaim what is beneficial. Eschewing completely envy and false-hood, Vishnu should be worshipped with heart and Soul.

55. The root of mental distress is anger. It is wrath which binds one to the worldly existence. Fury causes destruction of Dharma. Hence, one should avoid it.

56. The birth has its root in lust; lust is the cause of sin; lust causes the destruction of fame. Hence, one shall shun it.

57. It is remembered that malicious spite is the cause of all sorts of miseries; it is the way (lit. cause) of attainment of hell. Hence, one should eschew that also.

58. The cause of bondage and liberation of men is their mind itself. Hence, one should be happy after dedicating it to the Supreme Atman.

59. О the dare-devilry of men! О the fool-hardiness of men! О the mindless arrogance of the people. Even when Vishnu, the lord of the universe, is present, those haughty fellows do not worship him.

60. Without propitiating Acyuta, the lord of all worlds» the creator of everything, how do they who are submerged in the ocean of worldly existence, cross the same?

61. I solemnly assert the truth repeatedly that all ailments perish, thanks to the medicine in the form of uttering the Names of the Lord like Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda.

62. “O Narayana, О Jagannatha, О Vasudeva, О Janardana.” Those who continuously utter these names of God are honoured everywhere.

63. О leading sage, seek refuge in that deity whose prowess, Brahma and other deities have not understood even till to-day.

64. Alas, the foolishness of the wicked-minded ones! Alas, the stupidity! О the idioticness (of people), О Narada, they do not know that Vishnu is stationed in the lotus of the heart (and nowhere else).

65. О leading sage, listen to what I repeatedly say. Hari is delighted with those who possess faith. He is not pleased with or enamoured of riches or kinsmen.

66. О excellent one, in every birth, men endowed with devotion to Vishnu, shall possess the good fortune of having plenty of kinsmen, riches and sons.

67. This body is the root of sins. It is engaged in sinful activities. On realising this, Janardana should always be worshipped.

68. There is no doubt at all in this, that those who are engaged in the worship of Hari, shall be blessed with many sons, friends, womenfolk, etc. as well as all riches.

69. He who is desirous of attaining happiness here and hereafter, shall worship Hari continuously. He who is desirous of unhappiness here and hereafter may engage himself in censuring others.

70. Fie upon the life of those who are devoid of devotion to Janardana, the lord of Devas. Again and again fie upon that wealth (which is not donated in the charitable gift to the deserving persons).

mine of sins, the body that does not bow down to Vi^iu, the destroyer of Karmans.

72. If anyone hoards and preserves wealth that has not been distributed among deserving persons, know that it is certainly like that wealth which is preserved by a thief in the world.

73. Those who are proud and arrogant due to the wealth that is as unsteady as lightning, and that is momentary do not propitiate the lord of the universe, the deity who separates the Jiva from its bonds of Sarhsara.

74. The creation is said to be of two kinds as differentiated by the Divine and Demoniac. That creation which is endowed with devotion to Hari is the Divine one. That which is devoid of it is considered to be demoniac.

75. Hence, О leading Brahmana, listen. Those who are absorbed in devotion to Hari are the excellent ones and are well known everywhere since Bhakti is extremely rare.

76. Keshava is delighted with those persons who are devoid of envy, are engaged in the protection of the Brahmanas and are devoid of lust and other base emotions.

77. Those who are engaged in serving Vishnu by sweeping (the premises of the temple) and other activities and those who are eager to bestow charitable gifts on the deserving persons attain the greatest region.

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