Who Is a True Vaishnava?
A Bengali Gaudiya Vaishnava song asking who is a true Vaishnava, ending in humble surrender at Krishna's feet.
Verses
Who is a Vaishnava? Yes, yes, this is the true declaration: one who has renounced the material world, his doubt is shattered.
Verse 1
Those whose minds are absorbed in the world go mad with lust and greed; defeated by lust, they sing like outcastes. I, proud of being a Vaishnava, am drowning in this world, unable to give up the treasure of sense enjoyment.
Verse 2
Hoping for the shade of Krishna’s lotus feet, giving up all longing for material things, he always worships the lotus feet of Sri Krishna. May I become the servant of His servant; this is my heartfelt prayer. O Lord, at Your feet make me humbler than a blade of grass.
Verse 3
Becoming free from pride, friendless, and humble, O all of you, show mercy to me. This poor, destitute, feeble Bhaktivinoda begs for shelter at your feet, O brothers.
Verse 4
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Wednesday (Budhwar), Thursday (Guruwar) & Ekadashi
Early Morning (Brahma Muhurta) or Sandhya (Twilight)
Tulsi leaves, Butter (Makhan), Mishri, Yellow flowers & Chandan
- Awakening of pure divine love (Prema Bhakti), mental joy, and freedom from anxiety
Background
This Bengali devotional song belongs to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, a branch of Hinduism centered on devotion to Krishna as taught in the Bhagavata Purana, in the line of Sri Chaitanya (16th century). Its last stanza carries the signature 'Bhaktivinoda', so it is attributed to Bhaktivinoda Thakur (1838-1914), the 19th-century saint and reformer who composed many such songs for personal meditation and congregational singing. Its call to be humbler than a blade of grass echoes verse 3 of the Shikshashtakam, attributed to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Not to be confused with the Gujarati bhajan Vaishnava Jan To of Narsinh Mehta.
About this Text
Composed by: Bhaktivinoda Thakur
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Author
These verses are by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (1838–1914), a leading theologian and reformer in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition. He wrote hundreds of Bengali songs and poems to make deep spiritual concepts accessible to common people.
Theme of humility
The song contrasts a false sense of Vaiṣṇava pride with genuine humility. The speaker admits being lost in worldly desires and unable to give them up, then points to the true Vaiṣṇava who, like a blade of grass (tṛṇād api sunīcena), is humbler than anyone and always serves Kṛṣṇa’s feet.
Key phrase
The line “tṛṇād api sunīcena” is a famous verse from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Śikṣāṣṭaka. It teaches that a devotee should feel lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and free from all pride—exactly the attitude Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is describing here.
Poetic form
The verses are in a Bengali meter called payār (rhyming couplets) mixed with a refrain-like structure. The repeated “hāoy, hāoy” (হাॅয়, হাॅয়) is an exclamation of realization or lament, common in Bengali devotional songs to express emotional intensity.
Personal signature
In the final verse, the author names himself: “bhakativinoda kṣīṇa” (Bhaktivinoda, weak). This is a traditional way for Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava poets to sign their works, humbly identifying as a fallen soul seeking shelter at the feet of the Lord and His devotees.
Krishna
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The same teaching, echoed across traditions