The ten offenses during the chanting of the holy name should be canceled. These are described in the Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda:
satam ninda namnah paramam aparadham vitanute
yatah khyatim yatam katham u sahate tad-vigarham
Insulting the great saints who dedicate themselves to spreading the glories of the maha-mantra Hare Krishna is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. One should not criticize those who preach the glories of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Whoever does it is an offender. Nama-prabhu, who is identical with Krishna, does not tolerate this kind of blasphemous deeds, even by those who pass as a great devotee.
The second namaparadha is described as follows:
sivasya sri-visnor ya iha guna-namadi-sakalam
dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu hari-namahita-karah
In this material world, the holy name of Visnu bestows all blessings. Visnu’s name, form, qualities and pastimes are all made of absolute transcendental knowledge.
So, if you try to separate God’s Absolute Personality from His holy name or transcendental form, from His qualities and pastimes by thinking of them as material, this is offensive. Similarly, to think that the names of demigods such as Siva are on the same level as the name of Sri Visnu – or in other words, to think that Siva and other demigods are other forms of God and therefore equal to Visnu – is blasphemous. This is the second offense against the lotus feet of the Lord.
guror avajna sruti-sastra-nindanam
tathartha-vadah hari-namni kalpanam
The third offense at the lotus feet of the holy name is to regard the spiritual master as material and thus envy his noble position. The fourth offense is to denigrate the Vedic literature: the four Vedas and the Puranas. The fifth offense is to consider the glories of the holy name exaggerated. The sixth offense is to regard the holy name of the Lord as the product of the imagination.
The seventh offense is described as follows:
namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhih
To think that sinful activities can continue to be carried out because the Hare Krishna mantra can override all reactions and continuing to chant to this end is the greatest offense to the lotus feet of the hari-nama.
The eighth offense is as follows:
dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi-sarva
subha-kriya-samyam api pramadah.
It is offensive to consider chanting the Hare Krishna mantra as a ritual religious ceremony. The performance of religious ceremonies, the keeping of vows, the practice of renunciation, and sacrifice are all activities of material auspices. Chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is not to be compared with this material religiosity. It is an offense on the lotus feet of the Lord.
The ninth offense is described as follows:
asraddadhane vimukhe ‘py asrnvati
yas copadesah siva-namaparadhah
It is considered an offense to spread the glories of the holy name among people who have no faith in this subject.
Such people should be able to hear the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, but in the beginning, they should not be told about the glories of the holy name. Constant listening to the holy name will purify their hearts, then they will be able to understand His transcendental glories.
The tenth offense is as follows:
srute ‘pi nama-mahatmye yah priti-rahito narah
aham-mamadi-paramo namni so ‘py aparadha-krt
If after hearing the glories of the holy transcendental name of the Lord, one insists on a materialistic concept of life and thinks: “I am this body and everything that belongs to it is mine (aham mameti)” and does not show respect and love for chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra; this is an offense.
Oh brother, sincerely try to put an end to these offenses and chant the holy name intelligently.
This is a section of the book “Bhajana Rahasya”, by Bhaktivinode Thakura.
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