परस्वं ब्राह्मणद्रव्यं पश्यंति विषवच्च ये । हरिनैवेद्यं येऽश्नन्ति विज्ञेया वैष्णवा जनाः
Those who regard another's wealth or a Brahmin's property as poison, and those who eat food offered to Hari, are to be known as Vaishnavas.
वेदशास्त्रानुरक्ता ये तुलसीवनपालकाः । राधाष्टमीव्रतरता विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः
Those who are devoted to the Vedas and scriptures, who protect tulasi groves, and who are devoted to the vow of Radhashtami, are to be known as Vaishnavas.
श्रीकृष्णपुरतो ये च दीपं यच्छंति श्रद्धया । परनिंदां न कुर्वंति विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः
Those who, with faith, offer a lamp before Shri Krishna and do not engage in slander of others—know that they are Vaishnavas.
सूत उवाच- पृष्टो जैमिनिना व्यास इत्युक्तः स यथाक्रमम् । मयेदं कथ्यते ब्रह्मन्यत्प्रसंगाद्गुरोः श्रुतम्
Suta said: Questioned by Jaimini, Vyasa replied in due order; what I narrate here, I have heard from my teacher in connection with Brahman.
अध्यायं श्रद्धया युक्तं ये शृण्वंति नरोत्तमाः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्ता यांति विष्णोः परं पदम्
Those excellent people who listen to the chapter with faith become free from all sins and attain the supreme abode of Vishnu.
सूत उवाच- शृणु शौनक वक्ष्यामि चान्यधर्म्मं पुरातनम् । व्यासजैमिनिसंवादं श्रोतॄणां पापनाशनम्
Suta said: Listen, Shaunaka, I will speak of another ancient dharma—the dialogue between Vyasa and Jaimini, which destroys the sins of listeners.
जैमिनिरुवाच- कर्म्मणा हि गुरो केन मंदिरं जगतीपतेः । याति तत्कथयस्वाद्य नरः पापी च मे प्रभो
Jaimini said: By what action, O Guru, does a person, even a sinner, reach the temple of the Lord of the world? Please tell me this, O Master.
व्यास उवाच- श्रीकृष्णमंदिरे यो वै लेपनं कुरुते नरः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः श्रांतो याति हरेर्गृहम्
Vyasa said: Whoever applies plaster in the temple of Shri Krishna, freed from all sins and exhausted, reaches the house of Hari.
यश्चांबुलेपनं कुर्यात्संक्षेपाच्छृणु जैमिने । तस्यपुण्यमहं वच्मि मंदिरे जगतीपतेः
And whoever applies clay, listen briefly, O Jaimini; I will tell you the merit of such a person in the temple of the Lord of the world.
तत्र यावंति पश्यंति रजांसि च द्विजोत्तम । तावत्कल्पसहस्राणि स वसेद्विष्णुमंदिरे
O best of twice-born, for as many dust particles as one sees there, so many thousands of aeons does he reside in Vishnu's temple.
पुरासीद्दंडको नाम्ना चौरो लोकभयप्रदः । ब्रह्मस्वहारी मित्रघ्नो युगे द्वापरसंज्ञके
Once, there was a thief named Dandaka, who terrified the world; he stole Brahmin property and killed friends in the era called Dvapara.
असत्यभाषी क्रूरश्च परस्त्रीगमने रतः । गोमांसाशी सुरापश्च पाखंडजनसंगभाक्
He spoke falsehoods, was cruel, indulged in relations with others' wives, ate beef, drank liquor, and associated with heretics.
वृत्तिच्छेदी द्विजातीनां न्यासापहारकस्तथा । शरणागतहंता च वेश्याविभ्रमलोलुपः
He disrupted the livelihood of Brahmins, stole deposits, killed those who sought refuge, and was infatuated with prostitutes.
एकदा स द्विजश्रेष्ठ कस्यचिद्विष्णुमंदिरम् । जगाम हरणार्थाय विष्णोर्द्रव्यं स मूढधीः
Once, O best of Brahmins, with a deluded mind, he went to a Vishnu temple intending to steal the property of Vishnu.
अथ द्वारि प्रविश्यासावंघ्रिः कर्द्दमसंयुतः । प्रोच्छितः सकलं निम्ने भूमौ देवगृहस्य च
Then, entering the door, his feet covered in mud, he scraped all the dirt from the floor of the divine house.
तेनैव कर्म्मणा भूमिर्निम्नरिक्ता बभूव ह । लोहस्य च शलाकाभ्यां मुद्घाट्यत्वररंमुदा
By that act, the ground became hollow and empty; with iron rods, he joyfully pried it open.
प्रविवेश हरेर्गेहं वितानवरशोभितम् । रत्नकांचनदीपाढ्यं परिध्वस्त महत्तमम्
He entered Hari's house, adorned with splendid canopies, filled with gems and golden lamps, and magnificently decorated.
नानापुष्पसुगंधाढ्यं नानापात्रसमाकुलम् । सुवासितस्य तैलस्य गंधेन परिपूरितम्
It was rich with the fragrance of various flowers, crowded with various vessels, and permeated by the scent of perfumed oil.
अनेनहारकेणाथ पर्य्यंके सुमनोहरे । शायितो राधया सार्द्धं दृष्टः पीतांबरोऽच्युतः
Then, the thief was seen lying on a most delightful couch with Radha, and Achyuta, clad in yellow garments, was present.
प्रणम्य राधिकानाथं निष्पापः सोऽभवत्तदा । नेष्याम्यथ न नेष्यामि अनेन किं भवेन्मम
Having bowed to the Lord of Radha, he became sinless at that moment; 'Shall I take or not take? What will come to me from this?'
सेवां कर्त्तुमशक्तोऽहं यतश्चौरोऽस्मि सर्वदा । द्रव्येण कार्यमस्तीति तन्नेतुं कृतवान्मनः
I am unable to serve, for I am always a thief; yet, there is a task to be done with wealth, so I resolved to take it.
पातयित्वांशुकं भूमौ कौशेयं कमलापतेः । बबंध वस्तुजातं च पाणौ कृत्वा सकंपितः
Having dropped the silk cloth of the Lotus Lord on the ground, he tied up the valuables, trembling, and held them in his hand.
विष्णोर्मायापतेश्चाथ तानि सर्वाणि जैमिने । कृत्वा शब्दं सुघोरं च पतितान्यथ तानि वै
Then, O Jaimini, by the power of Vishnu's maya, all those things made a terrible sound and fell down.
परित्यज्य सुनिद्रां च धावंत इति किन्वहो । आगता बहुशो लोकाश्चोरो द्रव्यं जवेन च
Abandoning deep sleep, people rushed out, saying, 'What is this?' Many gathered, and the thief fled swiftly with the goods.
त्यक्त्वा धनं च चौरोऽपि त्रस्तः किंचिज्जगाम ह । दंशितः कालसर्पेण मृतोऽसौ गतकिल्बिषः
Even the thief, terrified, left the wealth and went a little way; bitten by the serpent of time, he died, freed from sin.
यमाज्ञया तस्य दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः । आगतास्तं समानेतुं दंष्ट्रिणश्चर्मवाससः
By Yama's command, his messengers, holding nooses and clubs, arrived to bring him; they were fanged and clothed in hides.
बबंधुश्चर्मपाशेन निन्युर्दुर्गमवर्त्मना । दृष्ट्वा तं शमनः क्रुद्धः पप्रच्छ सचिवं प्रति
They bound him with a hide noose and led him along a difficult path; seeing him, the angry Lord of Death questioned his minister.
यम उवाच- अनेन किं कृतं कर्म पापं वा पुण्यमेव वा । समूलं वद हे प्राज्ञ चित्रगुप्त ममाग्रतः
Yama said: What deeds has he done, whether sinful or virtuous? Speak fully, O wise one, O Citragupta, before me.
चित्रगुप्त उवाच- सृष्टानि यानि पापानि विधात्रा पृथिवीतले । कृतान्यनेन मूढेन सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्
Citragupta said: All the sins created by the Creator on earth have been committed by this fool; this is the truth I declare.
किंत्वाकर्णय लोकेश सुकृतं चास्य वर्त्तते । मन्येऽहं यमुनाभ्रातः सर्वपापविलोपि तत्
But listen, Lord of the world, he also has some merit; I think, O brother of Yamuna, it destroys all sin.