Glory of the Holy Name and Ten Offences

Ten Offences of the Holy Name
(Sri Namaparadha)

(Sri Padma Purana)

First offence: to criticise saints

Criticism of saintly persons (sadhu) is transferred to the Holy Name. How can Sri Nama Prabhu (the Holy Name that is non-different from the Lord) tolerate when somebody offends or criticises those who constantly chant the Holy Name and spread the glory of the Holy Name of Krishna all over the world (i.e. who preach about the Holy Name)?

bhaktera hrdaye sada govinda-visrama
govinda kahena—mama vaisnava parana

"Govinda always rests in the hearts of His devotees. Govinda says, 'Vaishnavs are My life and soul.'"

If somebody offends, criticises sadhus and Vaishnavs whose pure hearts are a place of respite for Govinda, the Holy Name will never be please because sadhu-ninda (criticism of devotees) is the first and biggest offence.

Second offence

It is an offence to think that Lord Siva and other gods are different from the Supreme Lord Vishnu and possess independent powers. It is not an offence to think that they are recipients of the Lord's mercy.

Third offence

It is an offence to consider the Guru (who possesses full and true knowledge of the Holy Name) from the material point of view, to consider him mortal. "Gurusu nararmati yasya va naraki sah"—those who consider the guru, who is non-different from the Lord Himself, a mere mortal being, will have to suffer in hell.

Fourth offence

Do not criticise or judge the Vedas, Vedic or other scriptures that are situated in the mode of goodness and that tell about the Lord. One must keep a special faith for scriptures that tell about the Lord, but at the same time, one must not criticise other scriptures that carry benefit and truth. One must offer obeisances to both the scriptures that are the root source of all scriptures, and those scriptures that teach what is right and what is wrong.

Fifth offence

Do not think that the glory of the Holy Name is exaggeration. Those who think the glory of the Holy Name is exaggerated, who cannot believe it, who are drawn more to the promises of benefits made in the scriptures dealing material prosperity (which can be obtained by performing good works), offends the lotus feet of the Holy Name that is capable of bestowing all kinds of perfections.

Sixth offence

It is an offence to consider the innumerable Holy Names of the Lord imaginary. If someone thinks that various kinds of pious activities can be compared to chanting the Holy Name, this is an offence. It is necessary to believe that the Holy Name comes from Goloka.

Seventh offence

To sin and rely on the strength of the Holy Name. "The Holy Name possesses enormous power, it can destroy an immense quantity of sins. I commit all kinds of sins every day, but when I go to take bath, I will chant the Holy Name and all sins will be removed," it is an offence of the Holy Name to think like this.

Eighth offence

To think that various pious activities (carrying out your prescribed duties, keeping vows, practising penances, holding fire sacrifices, etc.) can be compared to or identical with the chanting of the Holy Name and to chant the Holy Name inattentively and without due respect (negligently) is an offence against the Holy Name.

Ninth offence

It is an offence of the Holy Name to teach those who have no faith to chant the Holy name. To advise those who have no faith or those who do not want to hear about the Holy Name is an offence of the all-auspicious Holy Name.

Tenth offence

If a person hears about the wonderful glory of the Holy Name but remains attached to material consciousness, perceives everything as "I" and "mine" and feels no love and attachment to hearing about the chanting of the Holy Name, such a person is an offender.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhichij-
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

(The 'I' and 'my' mood is an offence—) "One who identifies himself as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes that his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are expert in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass."

namaparadha-yuktanam namany eva haranty agham
avisranta-prayuktani tany evartha-karani cha

"Only the Holy Name Himself can remove the offences of those who chant the Name with offences; this result can come if the Name is chanted constantly."

(Sri Padma Purana)

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Poem
"Ten Offences of the Holy Name"
(Dasa-Vidha Nama-Aparadha)

By Om Vishnupad Jagad-Guru
Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

hari-nama mahamantra sarva-mantra-sara
yandera karuna-bale jagate prachara
sei nama-parayana sadhu, mahajana
tanhadera ninda na kariha kadachana [1]

"The Hari-nama mahamantra, the best of all mantras, is distributed throughout the world by the mercy of the sadhus devoted to the Name. Never criticise such great souls."

vrajendra-nandana krsna sarvesvaresvara
mahesvara adi tanra sevana-tatpara
nama chintamani krsna-chaitanya-svarupa
bheda-jnana na karibe lila-guna-rupa [2]

"Vrajendra Nandan Krishna is the Lord of all Lords. Siva and all other gods are dedicated to His service. The Name is a wish-fulfilling jewel and a spiritual form of Krishna Himself. Do not consider Krishna's Name to be distinct from His Form, Qualities, or Pastimes."

"guru krsna-rupa hana sastre pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa kare bhagyavane"
se gurute martya-buddhi avajnadi tyaji
ista-labha kara, nirantara nama bhaji [3]

"'The scriptures confirm that Guru is a form of Krishna. In the form of Guru, Krishna bestows His mercy upon the fortunate' (Cc: 1.1.45). Give up the conception that Guru is a mortal, and all other types of disrespect, and fulfil your cherished dream: serving the Name eternally."

sruti, sruti-mata-saha satvata purana
sri-nama-charana-padma kare nirajana
sei sruti-sastra yeba karaye nindana
se aparadhira sanga karibe varjana [4]

"The Vedas, the veda-mata (Gayatri), the Puranas related to the Supreme Truth—they all worship the lotus feet of the Holy Name. You must avoid the association of such sinful offenders who criticise these scriptures."

namera mahima sarva-sastrete vakhane
atistuti, hena kabhu na bhaviha mane
agastya, ananta, brahma, sivadi satata
ye nama-mahima-gatha sankirtana-rata
se nama-mahima-sindhu ke paibe para?
atistuti bale yei—sei durachara [5]

"All scriptures proclaim the glory of the Name. Never even think that such praise is excessive or unreasonable. When Agastya, Ananta, Brahma, Siva, and others are constantly engaged in the sankirtan, chanting the glories of the Name, who can then cross this ocean of the glories of the Name? Those who say that it is excessive or unreasonable, are wicked."

krsna-namavali nitya golokera dhana
kalpita, prakrta, bhave—aparadhi-jana [6]

"Krishna's Names are the eternal wealth of Goloka. Anyone who considers Them imaginary or mundane is an offender."

name sarva-papa-ksaya sarva-sastre kaya
sara-dina papa kari sei bharasaya—
emata durbuddhi yara sei aparadhi
maya-pravanchita, duhkha bhunje niravadhi [7]

"All the scriptures declare that the Name destroys all sin. The wicked and foolish who sin all day long in expectation of this are offenders. They are deluded by maya and enjoy endless sorrow."

atulya sri-krsna-nama purna-rasa-nidhi
tanra sama na bhaviha subha-karma adi [8]

"The incomparable Name of Sri Krishna is an ocean full of ecstasy. Do not consider it equal to pious actions, religious rites, etc."

name sraddha-hina-jana-vidhata vanchita
tare nama dane aparadha sunischita [9]

"To give the Name to those who are deceived by the Providence and have no faith in the Name, is definitely an offence."

suniyao krsna-nama-mahatmya apara
ye priti-rahita, sei naradhama chhara
ahamta mamata yara antare bahire
suddha krsna-nama tara kabhu nahi sphure [10]

"Those who, hearing the boundless glories of the Name of Krishna, remain devoid of love, are wretched, worthless souls. The pure Name of Krishna will never manifest to one is within and without filled with the "I" and "mine" mentality."

ei dasa aparadha kariya varjana
ye sujana kare hari-nama sankirtana
apurva sri-krsna-prema labhya tara haya
nama prabhu tanra hrde nitya vilasaya [11]

"Great souls who avoid these ten offences and engage in Hari-nam-sankirtan attain unprecedented Sri Krishna-prema, and the Name Himself forever sports within their hearts."

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CONTENT

• Pranam-mantras
• Glory of the Holy Name
• Shadow of the Holy Name
• Ten Offences of the Holy Name
• Initiation into the chanting of the Holy Name (Guidance)