Shloka 32

Means of Liberation in Kali-yuga: Satsanga, Hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, and the Marks of a Vaiṣṇava

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्णपुरतो ये च दीपं यच्छंति श्रद्धया । परनिंदां न कुर्वंति विज्ञेयास्ते च वैष्णवाः

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇapurato ye ca dīpaṃ yacchaṃti śraddhayā | paraniṃdāṃ na kurvaṃti vijñeyāste ca vaiṣṇavāḥ

Translation

ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯಿಂದ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಸಮ್ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ದೀಪವನ್ನು ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿ, ಪರನಿಂದೆ ಮಾಡದವರು—ಅವರೇ ನಿಜವಾದ ವೈಷ್ಣವರು ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• श्रीकृष्णपुरतः: in front of Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णपुरतः: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरतः (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक-अव्यय); समास-तत्पुरुष: 'श्रीकृष्णस्य पुरतः'

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दीपम्: a lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यच्छन्ति: offer/give
• यच्छन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-अर्थ (with faith)

• परनिन्दाम्: slander of others
• परनिन्दाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास-तत्पुरुष: 'परस्य निन्दा'

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• कुर्वन्ति: do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विज्ञेयाः: are to be known (as)
• विज्ञेयाः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + वि- उपसर्ग + ण्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कृत्य (ण्यत्)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैष्णवाः: Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवाः: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Brahma-khaṇḍa); commonly framed in Padma Purāṇa dialogues as instruction to a listener

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: temple

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: विज्ञेयास्ते = विज्ञेयाः + ते (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + त → स्त)।

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vaiṣṇava

FAQs

What practice does this verse praise as a sign of devotion?

It praises offering a lamp (dīpa) with faith before Śrī Kṛṣṇa, highlighting devotional worship expressed through simple, sincere acts.

How does this verse define a “true Vaiṣṇava”?

A true Vaiṣṇava is characterized by both devotion (faithful worship of Kṛṣṇa) and ethical restraint—specifically, not slandering others (paranindā).

What is the ethical lesson emphasized here?

Devotion is incomplete without right conduct: refraining from criticizing or defaming others is presented as an essential marker of genuine spiritual character.