The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa cites the following quotation from the Skanda Purāṇa concerning the blaspheming of a Vaiṣṇava: yo hi bhāgavataṁ lokam upahāsaṁ nṛpottamakaroti tasya naśyanti artha-dharma-yaśaḥ-sutāḥ nindāṁ kurvanti ye mūḍhā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanāmpatanti pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ mahā-raurava-saṁjñite hanti nindati vai dveṣṭi vaiṣṇavān nābhinandatikrudhyate yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patanāni ṣaṭ In a conversation between Mārkaṇḍeya and Bhagīratha, it is said, “My dear King, one who derides an exalted devotee loses the results of his pious activities, his opulence, his reputation and his sons. Vaiṣṇavas are all great souls. Whoever blasphemes them falls down to the hell known as Mahāraurava, accompanied by his forefathers. Whoever kills or blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava and whoever is envious of a Vaiṣṇava or angry with him, or whoever does not offer him obeisances or feel joy upon seeing him, certainly falls into a hellish condition.” Also, the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (10.314) gives the following quotation from the Dvārakā-māhātmya: kara-patraiś ca phālyante su-tīvrair yama-śāsanaiḥnindāṁ kurvanti ye pāpā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām In a conversation between Prahlāda Mahārāja and Bali Mahārāja, it is said, “Those sinful people who blaspheme Vaiṣṇavas, who are all great souls, are subjected very severely to the punishment offered by Yamarāja.” In his Bhakti-sandarbha (313), Jīva Gosvāmī quotes this statement concerning the blaspheming of Lord Viṣṇu: ye nindanti hṛṣīkeśaṁ tad-bhaktaṁ puṇya-rūpiṇamśata-janmārjitaṁ puṇyaṁ teṣāṁ naśyati niścitam te pacyante mahā-ghore kumbhīpāke bhayānakebhakṣitāḥ kīṭa-saṅghena yāvac candra-divākarau śrī-viṣṇor avamānanād gurutaraṁ śrī-vaiṣṇavollaṅghanam tadīya-dūṣaka-janān na paśyet puruṣādhamāntaiḥ sārdhaṁ vañcaka-janaiḥ saha-vāsaṁ na kārayet “ ‘One who criticizes Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees loses all the benefits accrued in a hundred pious births. Such a person rots in the Kumbhīpāka hell and is bitten by worms as long as the sun and moon exist. One should therefore not even see the face of a person who blasphemes Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees. Never try to associate with such persons.’ ” In his Bhakti-sandarbha (265), Jīva Gosvāmī further quotes from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.74.40): nindāṁ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvaṁs tat-parasya janasya vātato nāpaiti yaḥ so ’pi yāty adhaḥ sukṛtāc cyutaḥ “ ‘If one does not immediately leave upon hearing the Lord or the Lord’s devotee blasphemed, he falls down from devotional service.’ ” Similarly, Lord Śiva’s wife Satī states in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.4.17): karṇau pidhāya nirayād yad akalpa īśe dharmāvitary asṛṇibhir nṛbhir asyamānechindyāt prasahya ruśatīm asatīṁ prabhuś cej jihvām asūn api tato visṛjet sa dharmaḥ “If one hears an irresponsible person blaspheme the master and controller of religion, he should block his ears and go away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill, then one should by force cut out the blasphemer’s tongue and kill the offender, and after that he should give up his own life.”