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According to the Chaitanya Charitamrita, a true Vaishnava has to have the following 26 qualities:

  1. He is very kind to everyone
  2. He does not make anyone his enemy
  3. He is truthful
  4. He is equal to everyone
  5. No one can find any fault in him
  6. He is magnanimous
  7. He is mild
  8. He is always clean
  9. He is without possessions
  10. He works for everyone's benefit
  11. He is very peaceful
  12. He is always surrendered to Krishna/Vishnu
  13. He has no material desires
  14. He is very meek
  15. He is steady
  16. He controls his senses
  17. He does not eat more than required
  18. He is not influenced by the Lord's illusory energy
  19. He offers respect to everyone
  20. He does not desire any respect for himself
  21. He is very grave
  22. He is merciful
  23. He is friendly
  24. He is poetic
  25. He is expert
  26. He is silent

Are there any other scriptures that talk about the qualities of a true Vaishnava? What about Vaishnava saints and acharyas? What do they say regarding this?

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    BTW nice qualities. But some think that "he who considers Vishnu supreme is a Vaishnava". Now, this property or quality is not listed here and its nice to see that – Rickross Aug 20 '17 at 17:34
  • Check this out. – DirghaChintayanti Aug 20 '17 at 19:32
  • @LakshmiNarayanan Yeah it was my own question –  Aug 20 '17 at 19:33
  • yes, I am aware. Thought you may not have recalled it. – DirghaChintayanti Aug 20 '17 at 19:34
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    @Rickross, strong words there.. maybe you didn't read item no.12. All of us are humans, and by that nature, we have faults, we are not perfect. In the journey to become perfect, we need to be devoted to someone who is perfect, our ishta-devata, who we believe as the supreme. I see absolutely nothing wrong with each sect claiming their ishta-devata is supreme, nor with each sect claiming that other sects are wrong. It is this devotion which will slowly erode our faults. If someone claiming Shiva is supreme has a fault, is that a fault of Shiva ? – ram Aug 20 '17 at 23:41
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    @Rickross, considering one's ishta-devata to be supreme, is a necessary but not sufficient condition to be called a '-ite', whether Brahma-ite, Shaiv-ite, Indra-ite. So you can call them incomplete (if you know that they lack other atma-gunas), but not fools. It is true that people claim to be Shaktha, or Ganapathya, but don't exactly follow ALL the shastras. If that was the yardstick, there may only be 10 such people in the whole world. I understand your frustration that people who are not following all shastras of their ishta-devata are demeaning other devatas, but that is human nature. – ram Aug 21 '17 at 00:02
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    It is absolutely correct to think that Lord Vishnu is the Supreme Lord. It is said in the Bhagavatam 10.89.14 https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/10/89/14-17 "Amazed upon hearing Bhṛgu’s account, the sages were freed from all doubts and became convinced that Viṣṇu is the greatest Lord." Also in the Bhagavatam 12.13.16 https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/12/13/16 it is said about Lord Vishnu: "Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities". There are many of such verses in the scriptures where it is said that Vishnu is the Supreme and no one is to be compared with Him. – brahma jijnasa Aug 21 '17 at 03:01
  • maybe you didn't read item no.12 ..Why do u think that i have not? I did read that.. It is talking about total surrender to ur Ishta Devata. That is the nature of a true devotee. But it is not saying u have to consider ur Ishta as the supreme. Actually there is no scripture which define say Shaivite as " I'm a Shaivite because i consider Shiva as supreme" . That's bogus. @ram – Rickross Aug 21 '17 at 05:05
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    @Rickross, there is a difference between "I'm a Shaivite because I consider Shiva as supreme", and "I'm a Shaivite SIMPLY because I consider Shiva as supreme".. considering ishta devata as supreme is necessary, but not sufficient. It's like saying "I'm Indian because I pledge allegiance to India".. pledging allegiance is necessary, but not sufficient, one must also be born in India to be considered Indian (at least for high political posts). Similarly, one must also follow tenets laid down by ishta devata to be FULLY considered as a follower. – ram Aug 21 '17 at 14:51
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    @brahmajijnasa, kaishika mahatmyam in varaha purana also says the same in the last of 18 vows that nambaduvaan makes in presence of brahma rakshas. But there will be other parts of other scriptures that extol their own devatas. People will believe what is up to their personal tastes, and that is fine, that is the whole point of 'ishta' devata, it is up to your liking. Just make sure you follow whole-heartedly.. and 'aakashat patitam toyam..' will ensure the rest. – ram Aug 21 '17 at 14:54
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    @ram I agree with you that people will believe what is up to their personal tastes, but my reply was consistent with the teachings of the Vaishnava systems of Vedanta. And per those teachings not all the people's beliefs are true and in sync with Vedanta, Sruti and Smriti. Just because some people believe Brahma and Shiva are equally supreme as Lord Vishnu doesn't make their belief true. – brahma jijnasa Aug 22 '17 at 11:09
  • @brahmajijnasa, Simply saying 'your belief is not true', is not going to make anyone change their mind. They could equally reply 'Just because you believe one is supreme doesn't make your belief true'. All I'm saying is that it is ok for someone to believe that their own ishta devata is supreme, because 'sarva deva namaskaram keshavam prati gachathi' – ram Aug 22 '17 at 20:48
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    @ram Well, perhaps you are right when you say that they may not change their mind, but my understanding is that Vedic wisdom teaches one truth which we must figure out what it is, and we have Vedanta which is a specially designed tool, so to speak, to reach that end, namely to properly understand Vedic teachings, and specifically to figure out who is the Supreme and who is not. And as we know Vedanta teaches that Brahma and Shiva who are the rajo and tamo guna avataras are not the Supreme or equal to Vishnu, but are subordinate to Him. ... – brahma jijnasa Aug 22 '17 at 23:12
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    @ram ... And many times I have seen on this Hi SE website many people who did not learn much of Vedanta use to quote some verses from the scriptures in attempt to prove that Brahma and Shiva are absolutely equal to Vishnu, which is not true and which Vedanta does not teach. And those verses that they quote they misinterpret. ... – brahma jijnasa Aug 22 '17 at 23:13
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    @ram ... And that thing what you said sarva deva namaskaram ... "As the water that falls down in rain from anywhere in the sky finally reaches the Ocean, the worship of any divine aspect ultimately reaches the Supreme Being" will not be of much help to those people who think that Brahma and Shiva are absolutely equal to Vishnu, because that belief of theirs is contrary to truth, and is a type of ignorance which will prevent them to reach moksha. – brahma jijnasa Aug 22 '17 at 23:14

1 Answers1

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Qualities of a Vaishnava is described by Lord Vishnu himself in Padma Purana, Part 10, Section 7 (KRIYAYOGASARAKHANDA), Chapter 2 as below:

83-103. Those who are without lust and anger, who are free from harmfulness and hypocrisy, who are free from'greed and folly, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who are not jealous, who are kind, who desire the good of all beings, who speak the truth, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who advise pious acts, who practise pious acts, who serve their preceptors (and elders), should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who look upon you, me and Sankara as equal, and who honour a guest, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who have expounded the Vedic learning, who are always devoted to brahmanas, who are impotent to other women (i.e. women who are not their wives), should be known to be Visriu's devo- tees. Those who devoutly observe the Ekadasi-vow, who sing my names, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who put up temples of deities, who wear tulasi-garlands, who wear lo- tuses and aksa-seeds, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. O Brahman, those whose bodies are marked with (the signs of) my weapons like the conch, the disc, the mace, the lotus, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. O Lotus-seated (Brahman), those around whose necks are (worn) the garlands of dhatrl-fruits, and who worship me with the leaves of dhatrl, should be known as Visnu's devotees. Those who put marks (on their body) with the clay from the root of the tulasi-tree and with the mud of tulasi- wood, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who are devoted to a bath in Ganga, to (repeating) the name of Ganga, and describe the greatness of Ganga, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those in whose house the iSalagrama-stone always remains, so also remains the holy text of Bhagavata, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. O best one, those who everyday clean my places, who offer me lamps, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who again make new (i.e. repair) my shattered temple, and put there decorations, should be known as Visnu's devotees. O you Four-faced (Brahma), those who grant secu- rity to the timid, who give knowledge to the brahmanas, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those whose heads are sprink- led with the water (flowing) from my feet, and who eat the offer- ings of eatables presented to me, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who offer food and water to those oppressed by hunger and thirst, and those who take to devout deeds, should be known to be Visnu's devotees. Those who construct gardens and plant the pippala-trees, those who serve cows, should be known to be Vaisnavas. O Brahman, those great devotees who make offering of libations of water everyday to the deceased ancestors, who serve the distressed, should be known to be Vaisnavas. Those who construct lakes and put up villages, who are engaged in offering their daughters (in marriage), who serve their parents-in-law, should be known to be Vaisnavas. Those who wait upon their eldest sister and eldest brother and who do not censure others, should be known to be Vaisnavas.

104-111- All virtues are present in Visnu's devotees. (Even) a particle of blemish is not present in them. Therefore, O Four- faced (Brahman), you now be a Vaisnava. O lord of the beings, always propitiate me with the employment of devout deeds. Un- doubtedly everything will be good for you. O four-faced (Brah- man), those who look upon the wealth of a deity, the wealth of a brahmana, and the wealth of others as poison, should be known to be Vaisnavas. Those who are free from devotion to heretics, who are highly devoted to Siva, who are engaged in (observing) the vow of Caturdasi, should be known to be Vais- navas.

Triyugi Narayan Mani
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    Wow this is great "Those who look upon you, me and Sankara as equal, and who honour a guest, should be known to be Visnu's devotees" a tight slap on the pseudo devotees. – Rickross Aug 20 '17 at 17:38
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    @Rickross yes and also this who are highly devoted to Siva – Triyugi Narayan Mani Aug 20 '17 at 17:39
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    Yes that was my idea too before i joined this site. That true devotees will be like that only. – Rickross Aug 20 '17 at 17:41
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    @Rickross was? So have you changed your idea after joining this site. I am still stick on this. :) – Triyugi Narayan Mani Aug 20 '17 at 17:43
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    haha no, i am not changed. But i got to see some new kind of people here about whom i was not aware of earlier. BTW the passage u quoted is very precisely answering this question: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/19749/can-somebody-be-a-vaishnava-and-believe-lord-shiva-to-be-equal-to-lord-vishnu So u can answer that as well. – Rickross Aug 20 '17 at 17:47
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    @Rickross thanks. I will add related quotes there. – Triyugi Narayan Mani Aug 20 '17 at 17:49
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    @TriyugiNarayanMani please provide link to the source if it's available. – DirghaChintayanti Aug 20 '17 at 19:15
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    @LakshmiNarayanan I have hard copy of Padma Purana. If you need I can email you. – Triyugi Narayan Mani Aug 21 '17 at 05:30
  • There is a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati discussing the qualities of a Vaishnava. In that dialogue, there is repeated several times that a Vaishnava doesn't worship other devatas. The equality between Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva is because Brahma and Shiva are also the devotees of Shiva. Shiva also says Parvati is also a devotee of VIshnu. Hari is saying in the sense that there is no difference because they are the devotees of him and not in the supremacy. It should be understood that a Vaishnava only worships Vishnu but sees Vishnu in other deities. Triyugi and @SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury – Sarvabhouma Sep 14 '17 at 06:05
  • @Sinister Yes. A devotee of Lord Vishnu see only Lord Vishnu in every deities and same applies to the devotee of Lord Shiva. – Triyugi Narayan Mani Sep 14 '17 at 06:31
  • How your padma purana interpolated for equality sake BS says Narayana is supreme than no question of equality we need to search authority and supremacy in scripture also which should be consistence across all Vedanta – Prasanna R Feb 28 '19 at 05:40