ते यांति नरकान्घोरांन्न तांस्तु गणयेद्धीरः । मूर्खं वा पंडितं वापि ब्राह्मणं केशवप्रियम्
—they go to dreadful hells; the wise should not count them, whether foolish or learned, or even a Brahmin dear to Kesava.
श्वपाकं वा मोचयति नारायणः स्वयं प्रभुः । नारायणात्परो नास्ति पापराशि दवानलः
The Lord Narayana himself liberates even a dog-eater; there is none superior to Narayana, the wildfire of heaps of sin.
कृत्वापि पातकं घोरं कृष्णनाम्ना विमुच्यते । स्वयं नारायणो देवः स्वनाम्नि जगतां गुरुः
Even after committing terrible sin, one is freed by the name of Krishna; Narayana himself, the guru of the worlds, is present in his own name.
आत्मनोऽभ्यधिकां शक्तिं स्थापयामास सुव्रताः । अत्र ये विवदंते वै आयासलघुदर्शनात्
The virtuous established a power greater than their own; those who dispute here, seeing only the ease or difficulty—
फलानां गौरवाच्चापि ते यांति नरकं बहु । तस्माद्धरौ भक्तिमान्स्याद्धरिनामपरायणः
—and the weight of the results, they go to many hells; therefore, one should be devoted to Hari and dedicated to his name.
पूजकं पृष्ठतो रक्षेन्नामिनं वक्षसि प्रभुः । हरिनाममहावज्रं पापपर्वतदारणे
The Lord protects the worshipper from behind and the one who names him at the chest; the great thunderbolt of Hari's name shatters the mountain of sin.
तस्य पादौ तु सफलौ तदर्थं गतिशालिनौ । तावेव धन्यावाख्यातौ यौ तु पूजाकरौ करौ
His feet are fruitful, for they move toward that purpose; those hands alone are called blessed which perform worship.
उत्तमांगमुत्तमांगं तद्धरौ नम्रमेव यत् । सा जिह्वा या हरिं स्तौति तन्मनस्तत्पदानुगम्
That head is the highest which bows to Hari; that tongue is blessed which praises Hari; that mind follows his feet.
तानि लोमानि चोच्यंते यानि तन्नाम्नि चोत्थितम् । कुर्वंति तच्च नेत्रांबु यदच्युतप्रसंगतः
Those hairs stand erect which arise at his name; those tears are shed by the eyes due to the grace of Acyuta.
अहो लोका अतितरां दैवदोषेण वंचिताः । नामोच्चारणमात्रेण मुक्तिदं न भजंति वै
Alas, people are greatly deceived by fate; though the mere utterance of the name grants liberation, they do not seek it.
वंचितास्ते च कलुषाः स्त्रीणां संगप्रसंगतः । प्रतिष्ठंति च लोमानि येषां नो कृष्णशब्दने
Those impure ones are deceived, attached to the company of women; their hairs do not stand erect at the sound of Krishna's name.
ते मूर्खा ह्यकृतात्मानः पुत्रशोकादि विह्वलाः । रुदंति बहुलालापैर्न कृष्णाक्षरकीर्तने
They are fools, unrefined in self, overwhelmed by grief for sons and the like; they weep with many tears, but not in praise of Krishna's syllables.
जिह्वां लब्ध्वापि लोकेऽस्मिन्कृष्णनामजपेन्नहि । लब्ध्वापि मुक्तिसोपानं हेलयैव च्यवंति ते
Even having obtained a tongue in this world, if one does not recite the names of Krishna, then, though having gained the very means to liberation, they fall away from it out of negligence.
तस्माद्यत्नेन वै विष्णुं कर्मयोगेन मानवः । कर्मयोगार्च्चितो विष्णुः प्रसीदत्येव नान्यथा
Therefore, a person should, with effort, worship Vishnu through the yoga of action; for Vishnu, worshipped by the yoga of action, is indeed pleased—never otherwise.
तीर्थादप्यधिकं तीर्थं विष्णोर्भजनमुच्यते । सर्वेषां खलु तीर्थानां स्नानपानावगाहनैः
The worship of Vishnu is said to be a holy place greater than any holy place; for whatever result a mortal gains from bathing, drinking, or immersing in all holy places,
यत्फलं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्फलं कृष्णसेवनात् । यजंते कर्मयोगेन धन्या एव नरा हरिम्
that very result is obtained by serving Krishna; truly blessed are those men who worship Hari through the yoga of action.
तस्माद्भजध्वं मुनयः कृष्णं परममंगलम्
Therefore, O sages, worship Krishna, the supreme source of auspiciousness.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे विष्णुभक्तिप्रशंसनं नाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fiftieth chapter named 'The Praise of Devotion to Vishnu' in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
ऋषय ऊचु- कर्मयोगः कथं सूत येन चाराधितो हरिः । प्रसीदति महाभाग वद नो वदतां वर
The sages said: O Sūta, how is the yoga of action performed, by which Hari is worshipped and becomes pleased? O most fortunate one, tell us, best of speakers.
येनासौ भगवानीशः समाराध्यो मुमुक्षुभिः । तद्वदाखिललोकानां रक्षणं धर्मसंग्रहम्
By which means is that Lord, the Blessed One, to be properly worshipped by those seeking liberation? Tell that for the protection of all worlds and the collection of dharma.
तं कर्मयोगं वद नः सूत मूर्तिमयस्तु यः । इति शुश्रूषवो विप्रा भवदग्रे व्यवस्थिताः
O Sūta, tell us of that yoga of action, which is embodied in form; thus, eager to hear, the Brahmins stand before you.
सूत उवाच- एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । ऋषिभिरग्निसंकाशैर्व्यासस्तानाह तच्छृणु
Sūta said: In the same way, long ago, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, was asked by sages shining like fire; Vyāsa spoke to them—listen to that.
व्यास उवाच- शृणुध्वंमृषयः सर्वे वक्ष्यमाणं सनातनम् । कर्मयोगं ब्राह्मणानामात्यंतिकफलप्रदम्
Vyāsa said: O sages, all of you listen to what I am about to declare—the eternal yoga of action for Brahmins, which bestows the highest fruit.
आम्नायसिद्धमखिलं ब्राह्मणार्थं प्रदर्शितम् । ऋषीणां शृण्वतां पूर्वं मनुराह प्रजापतिः
All that is established in the tradition and shown for the sake of Brahmins, Prajāpati Manu formerly spoke to the listening sages.
सर्वव्याधिहरं पुण्यमृषिसंघैर्निषेवितम् । समाहितधियो यूयं शृणुध्वं गदतो मम
It removes all diseases, is meritorious, and practiced by groups of sages; you, whose minds are composed, listen as I speak.
कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमः । गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः
Having undergone the initiation ceremony, the best of twice-born should study the Vedas in the eighth month from conception, or in the eighth year, according to the rule stated in his own sūtra.
दंडी च मेखली सूत्री कृष्णाजिनधरो मुनिः । भिक्षाहारो गुरुहितो वीक्ष्यमाणो गुरोर्मुखम्
Carrying a staff, a girdle, a sacred thread, and wearing a black antelope skin, the sage should live on alms, devoted to the teacher, and gaze upon the teacher’s face.
कार्पासमुपवीतार्थं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा । ब्राह्मणानां त्रिवृत्सूत्रं कौशं वा वस्त्रमेव वा
The threefold sacred thread, made of cotton or cloth, was formerly created by Brahmā for the sake of the sacred thread ceremony for Brahmins.
सदोपवीती चैव स्यात्सदाबद्ध शिखो द्विजः । अन्यथा यत्कृतं कर्म्म तद्भवत्ययथाकृतम्
A twice-born should always wear the sacred thread and always keep the topknot tied; otherwise, whatever action is performed becomes fruitless.
वसेदविकृतं वासः कार्पासं वा कषायकम् । तदेव परिधानीयं शुक्लं तांतवमुत्तमम्
He should wear unaltered garments, or a cotton dyed cloth; that alone should be worn—white and of the best woven fabric.