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THE << TRUE VAISNAVA >> : A JAINA HERITAGE IN GUJARAT
Françoise Mallison
One of the best-known pada-s (devotional lyrics) in Gujarati begins with the words "Vaisnavajana to tene kahīye, je..." "He alone can be called a true Vaisnava who..". The pada is attributed to Narasimha Mahetā, the foremost Vaisnava bhakta poet of Gujarat (15th c.)'. It has become famous all over India thanks to Mahatma Gandhi whose favourite prayer it was. It is a simple description of what makes a Vaisnava and it reads thus :
Vaişnavajana to tene kahiye,
je pida parãi jāne re; paradukhe upakāra kare,
ne mana abhimana na ane re. 1 Sakala lokamām sahune vande,
nindā na kare keni re, vāca-kācha-mana niscala räkhe,
dhana dhana janani teni re. 2 Samadrsti ne trsnätyāgi,
parastri jene māta re; jihvä thaki asatya na bole,
paradhana na jhāle hātha re. 3 Mohamayā lepe nahi tene,
drdha vairāgya tenā manamām re; rāmanāma śum tāļi lagi,
sakala tīrtha tenā tanaman re. 4 Vanalobhi ne kapatarahita che,
kāmakrodha jene māryā re; bhane Narasainyo tenum darasana karatām,
kula ekotera tāryām re. 5 He alone can be called a true Vaisnava
who does not ignore the sufferings of others, who helps them in their miseries
and has no conceit. 1 He greets everyone everywhere,
slanders none, he is steady in speech, deeds and mind :
blessed indeed is his mother. 2
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