Garuda Purana

तस्मात्सेवा बुधैः प्रोक्ता भक्तिसाधनभूयसी । ते भक्ता लोकनाथस्य नामकर्मादिकीर्तने ॥ १,२२७.

Therefore, service has been declared by the wise as the foremost means to devotion; those devotees of the Lord of the worlds praise His name, deeds, and so forth.

मुञ्चन्त्यश्रूणि संहर्षाद्ये प्रहृष्टनूरुहाः । जगद्धातुर्महेशस्य दिव्याज्ञाचरणा वयम् ॥ १,२२७.

Those who, out of joy, shed tears and whose hair stands on end, say, 'We are the followers of the divine command of the great Lord, the creator of the world.'

इह नित्यक्रियाः कुर्युः स्निग्धा ये वैष्णवास्तु ते । ब्रह्माक्षरं न शृण्वन्वै तया भगवतेरितम् ॥ १,२२७.

Here, those affectionate Vaiṣṇavas perform their daily duties; but if they do not hear the Brahman syllable, which is the command of the Blessed Lord, it is in vain.

प्रणामपूर्वकं भक्त्या यो वदेद्वैष्णवो हि सः । तद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजनं चानुमोदनम् ॥ १,२२७.

He who, with devotion and preceded by salutation, speaks—he is truly a Vaiṣṇava; his affection for the Lord's devotees is shown by honoring and approving them.

तत्कथाश्रवणे प्रीतिरश्रुनेत्राङ्गविक्रियाः । येन सर्वात्मना विष्णौ भक्त्या भावो निवेशितः ॥ १,२२७.

Delight in hearing His stories, eyes filled with tears, bodily transformations—by these, one knows that devotion to Viṣṇu has been established with one's whole being.

विप्रेभ्यश्च कृतात्मत्वान्महाभागवतो हि सः । विश्वोपकरणं नित्यं तदर्थं सङ्गवर्जनम् । स्वयमभ्यर्चनञ्चैव यो विष्णुञ्चोपजीवति ॥ १,२२७.

Because of self-control, he is a great devotee among the twice-born; always working for the benefit of the world, avoiding unsuitable company, and personally worshipping Viṣṇu.

भक्तिरष्टविधा ह्येषा यस्मिन्म्लेच्छोऽपि वर्तते । स विप्रेन्द्रो मुनिः श्रीमान्स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ १,२२७.

This devotion is of eight kinds; even if a foreigner possesses it, he is the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, a sage, a fortunate one—he attains the highest state.

तस्मै देयं ततो ग्राह्यं स च पूज्यो यथा हरिः । स्मृतः संभाषितो वापि पूजितो वा द्विजोत्तमः । पुनाति भगवद्भक्तश्चण्डालोऽपि यदृच्छया ॥ १,२२७.

To him should gifts be given and from him received; he is to be honored like Hari. Whether remembered, spoken to, or worshipped, even a chance devotee of the Lord, though of low birth, purifies.

दयां कुरु प्रपन्नाय तवास्मीति च यो वदेत् । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दद्यादेतद्व्रतं हरेः ॥ १,२२७.

Show compassion to one who seeks refuge and says, 'I am yours.' This is the vow of Hari: to grant fearlessness to all beings.

मन्त्रजापिसहस्रेभ्यः सर्ववेदान्तपारगः । सर्ववेदान्तवित्कोट्यां विष्णुभक्तो विशिष्यते ॥ १,२२७.

Among thousands who recite mantras and those who have mastered all the Vedāntas, even among millions who know the Vedānta, the devotee of Viṣṇu surpasses them all.

एकान्तिनः स्ववपुषा गच्छन्ति परमं पदम् । एकान्तेन समो विष्णुस्तस्मादेषां परायणः ॥ १,२२७.

Those who are single-minded reach the supreme abode by their own form; for them, Viṣṇu alone is the highest goal, equal to their exclusive devotion.

यस्मादेकान्तिनः प्रोक्तास्तद्भागवतचेतसः । प्रियाणामपि सर्वेषां देवदेवस्य सुप्रियः ॥ १,२२७.

Because they are called single-minded, their hearts are devoted to Him; among all who are dear, they are most beloved to the God of gods.

आपत्स्वपि सदा भस्य भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणा । या प्रीतिरधिका विष्णोर्विषयेष्वनपायिनी ॥ १,२२७.

Even in calamities, unwavering devotion is always praised; the love for Viṣṇu, greater than for any object, never fades.

विष्णुं संस्मरतः सा मे हृदयान्नोपसर्पति । दृढभक्तोऽपि वेदादिसर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगः ॥ १,२२७.

That devotion does not depart from my heart when I remember Viṣṇu; even one who is steadfast in devotion and has mastered all the meanings of the Vedas and other scriptures.

यो न सर्वेश्वरे भक्तस्तं विद्यात्पुरुषाधमम् । नाधीतवेदशास्त्रोऽपि न कृतोऽध्वरसम्भवः । यो भक्तिं वहते विष्णौ तेन सर्वं कृतं भवेत् ॥ १,२२७.

One who is not devoted to the Lord of all should be known as the lowest of men; even if he has not studied the Vedas or scriptures, nor performed Vedic rituals, if he bears devotion to Viṣṇu, all is accomplished by him.

यज्वानः क्रतुमुख्यानां वेदानां पारगा अपि । न तां यान्ति गतिं भक्ता यां यान्ति मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ १,२२७.

Those who perform sacrifices, even the foremost of rituals, and those who have mastered the Vedas, do not attain that state which devoted sages reach.

यः कश्चिद्वैष्णवो लोके मिथ्याचारोऽप्यनाश्रमी । पुनाति सकलांल्लोकान्सहस्रांशुरिवोदितः ॥ १,२२७.

Any Vaiṣṇava in the world, even if his conduct is false or he is outside the āśramas, purifies all the worlds like the sun when it rises.

ये नृशंसा दुरात्मानः पापाचररतास्तथा । तेऽपि यान्ति परं स्थानं नारायणपरायणाः ॥ १,२२७.

Even those who are cruel, wicked, and delight in sinful acts, if they are devoted to Nārāyaṇa, they too attain the supreme abode.

दृढा जनार्दने भक्तिर्यदैवाव्यभिचारिणी । तदा कियत्स्वर्गसुखं सैव निर्वाणहेतुका ॥ १,२२७.

When there is firm, unwavering devotion to Janārdana, then, O best of twice-born, whatever happiness is in heaven, that very devotion becomes the cause of liberation.

भ्राम्यतां तत्र संसारे नराणां कुर्मदुर्गमे । हस्तावलम्बने ह्येकं येन तुष्येज्जनार्दनः । न शृणोति गुणान्दिव्यान्देवदेवस्य चक्रिणः । स मरो बधिरो ज्ञेयः सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः ॥ १,२२७.

For those wandering in this world, difficult to cross like a tortoise's path, the only support is that which pleases Janārdana; one who does not listen to the divine qualities of the Lord of gods, the wielder of the discus, should be known as dead, deaf, and excluded from all dharma.

नाम्नि संकीर्तिते विष्णोर्यस्य पुंसो न जायते । शरीरं पुलकोद्भासि तद्भवेत्कुणपोपमम् ॥ १,२२७.

If, when Viṣṇu's name is chanted, a person does not experience bodily thrill, his body is like a corpse.

यस्मिन्भक्तिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठ मुक्तिरप्यचिराद्भवेत् । निविष्टमनसां पुंसां सर्वथा वृजिनक्षयः ॥ १,२२७.

O best of twice-born, in whom there is devotion, even liberation comes quickly; for those whose minds are fixed, all sin is destroyed in every way.

स्वपुरुषमभिवीक्ष्य पाशहस्तं वदति यमः किल तस्य कर्णमूले । परिहर मधुसूदनप्रापन्नन्प्रभुरहमन्यनृणां न वैष्णवानाम् ॥ १,२२७.

When Yama sees his own servant holding the noose, he says at that person's ear: 'Avoid those who have sought refuge in Madhusūdana; I am the lord over others, but not over Vaiṣṇavas.'

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् । साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यगव्यवसितो हि सः ॥ १,२२७.

Even if one of very bad conduct worships me with exclusive devotion, he must be regarded as righteous, for he is rightly resolved.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं स गच्छति । विप्रेन्द्र प्रतिजानीहि विष्णुभक्तो न नश्यति ॥ १,२२७.

He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace; O best of Brāhmaṇas, know for certain that a devotee of Viṣṇu never perishes.

धर्मार्थकामः किं तस्य मुक्तिस्तस्य करे स्थिता । समस्तजगतां मूलं यस्य भक्तिः स्थिरा हरौ ॥ १,२२७.

What need has he for dharma, wealth, or desire? Liberation is in his hand, for whose steadfast devotion is in Hari, the root of all worlds.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी हरेर्माया दुरत्यया । तमेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ १,२२७.

This divine power of Hari, composed of the guṇas, is hard to cross; but those who take refuge in Him alone cross over this māyā.

किं यज्ञाराधने पुंसा शिष्यते हरिमेधसाम् । भक्त्यैवाराध्यते विष्णुर्नान्यत्तत्रोपकारकम् ॥ १,२२७.

What remains for a person in the worship of sacrifices dedicated to Hari? Vishnu is worshipped solely by devotion; nothing else is helpful in that regard.

न दानैर्विविधैर्दत्तैः पुष्पैर्नैवानुलेपनैः । तोषमेति महात्मासौ यथा भक्त्या जनार्दनः ॥ १,२२७.

Not by various gifts, nor by offerings of flowers or ointments, does the great soul Janardana become satisfied as he does by devotion.