Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c10.s3.3

c10.s3.3

Although emotional and ecstatic devotion and worship are exalted over everything else in human endeavour, the necessity of morality in religious life is not denied, both for its preparation and continuance. There is, therefore, a great deal of positive moral precepts. The universally accepted principles of right living and the lauded virtues are admitted without question, and long-recognised errors of conduct are deprecated. We have a fairly long list of such cardinal virtues as alms-giving, hospitality, reverence for parents and elders, gratitude, faithfulness, service, humility, kindness, non-injury, liberality, beneficence shown in public works for general good, cultivation of gentle and amiable qualities, practice of self-restraint and frugality, truthfulness, tranquillity, contentment, uprightness, resolution, purity of body and mind, and so forth. On the other hand, one should avoid the six forms of passion (anger, lust, delusion, greed, arrogance and jealousy), theft, gambling, drunkenness, murder, violence, adultery, as well as negations of the virtues mentioned above. In a well known passage Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja briefly indicates (Madhya xxii) the qualities of a true Vaiṣṇava thus¹: "These excellences are the signs of a Vaiṣṇava; they are indicated only, as they cannot be exhausted: compassionate, free from