Question
Hare Krishna, dear Teacher! I am studying the Offenses Against the Holy Name. Please, explain the second offense:
To consider the names of demigods like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Visnu.
…
I do not understand well that if they are not equal why they would not be independent. Thanks.
Answer
Dear Mataji, Hare Krishna.
I am going to answer in English for the benefit of those in this group or in Facebook that do not understand Spanish. Afterwards someone will translate it.
Our sastras[1] and our Acaryas[2] have defined with much precision the constitutional identities of Divine personalities like Krishna, Siva, Brahma, Visnu, and others. We have clear information who they are and what is Their respective positions.
Being the topic about the second offense to the Names of Krishna, let’s see who Krishna is. For brevity’s sake I’ll present only the authority of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
In Canto 1 chapter 3 there is a list of incarnations in which Krishna appears as the twentieth. Some scholars take this as proof that not Krishna but Visnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
However that chapter proves the exact contrary view. As a matter of fact only seven amongst the 18 before Balarama and Krishna were Avataras of the Visnu Tattva class. All the others were not Visnu Avataras. This proves that in chapter 3 we don’t have a list of Visnu Avataras.
Furthermore the verse 1.3.28 is conclusive:
ete camsa-kalah pumsah
krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
indrari-vyakulam lokam
mrdayanti yuge yuge
“All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.”
This verse says that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
What does “Supreme Personality of Godhead” mean? It means that He expands into many personalities but amongst all of them Krishna is the Supreme.
Therefore the Name of Krishna is supreme and no other names give the same benefit.
If you chant “Krishna”, it is one thing, if you chant “Visnu”, “Siva” or Brahma”, it is is another.
Visnu is a partially qualified manifestation of the Lord, Siva a partial expansion of Narayana and a class of his own, and Brahma (at least our present Brahma) is a jiva-tattva with special powers.
Being Krishna the origin of all incarnations (Avatari), they are not equal to Him nor could be independent.
To consider the names of any other Deity equal to Krishna or to consider that they are independent from Krishna is considered an aparadha, an offense.
By offense we mean something that will damage your spiritual advancement.
[1] Scriptures.
[2] Spiritual masters.
This is a section of the book “Brilliant as the Sun”.
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