mat-kathā-vācakaṁ nityaṁ mat-kathā-śravaṇe ratam |
mat-kathā-prīti-manasaṁ nāhaṁ tyakṣyāmi taṁ naram ||
(Viṣṇu-dharma; Skanda Purāṇa: 2.5.16.53; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 269)
“[Bhagavān:] I never abandon that person who always recounts discussion of me, who engages in hearing discussion of me, or whose mind fosters fondness (prīti) for discussion of me.”
yatra yatra mahīpāla vaiṣṇavī vartate kathā |
tatra tatra harir yāti gaur yathā suta-vatsalā ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 269)
“O Protector of the earth, Hari goes wherever kathā of the Vaiṣṇavas [i.e., discussion of Viṣṇu or Vaiṣṇavas] is present like a cow full of affection for its calf.”
karapatraiś ca phālyante sutīvrair yama-śāsanaiḥ |
nindāṁ kurvanti ye pāpā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām ||
pūjito bhagavān viṣṇur janmāntara-śatair api |
prasīdati na viśvātmā vaiṣṇave cāpamānite ||
(Dvārakā Māhātmya; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.314–15)
“Sinners who engage in defamation of great Vaiṣṇavas are cleaved with very sharp saws by the envoys of Yama. Even if Bhagavān Viṣṇu, the Ātmā of the universe, is worshipped for hundreds of lifetimes, he does not become pleased with one who has dishonored a Vaiṣṇava.”
vaiṣṇavā viṣṇuvat pūjyā mama mānyā viśeṣataḥ |
teṣāṁ kṛte’pamāne’pi vināśo jāyate dhruvam ||
(Skanda Puṛāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.233)
[Yamarāja:] “Vaiṣṇavas are worshippable like Viṣṇu, and they are honorable to me in particular. If they are even dishonored, destruction certainly ensues.”
janma-prabhṛti yat kiñcit sukṛtaṁ samupārjitam |
nāśam āyāti tat sarvaṁ pīḍayed yadi vaiṣṇavān ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.313)
“If one troubles Vaiṣṇavas, then all the sukṛti one has accumulated since birth is destroyed.”
yo hi bhāgavataṁ lokam upahāsaṁ nṛpottama |
karoti tasya naśyanti artha-dharma-yaśaḥ-sutā ||
nindāṁ kurvanti ye mūḍhā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām |
patanti pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ mahā-raurava-saṁjñite ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.310–311)
“O best of kings, the wealth, dharma, glory, and children of one who laughs at a person devoted to Bhagavān are destroyed. Fools who engage in defamation of great Vaiṣṇavas fall into the place known as Mahāraurava along with their forefathers.”
hanti nindati vai dveṣṭi vaiṣṇavān nābhinandati |
krudhyate yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patanāni ṣaṭ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 10.312, Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)
“Striking, defaming, despising, not respectfully greeting, getting angry with, and not being joyful upon seeing Vaiṣṇavas are six causes of falling [into Naraka].”
