Avoiding offenses against Chanting the Holy Name of Krishna! Tips!
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krsna Prabhu. Dandavat Pranam. All glories to Srila Prabhupad. I was reading the article on the three levels of chanting in Krishnatoday.com. Srila Gurumaharaj has instructed to chant with properly hearing the Holy names with attention. I think this is the Namabhasa stage atleast. I have been trying to chant without offence, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. Among the ten offences I find avoiding Offence 1, 3 and 10 the most difficult. Inattentive chanting means both No. 3 and No. 10 offence. That I can try to achieve through endeavour for attentive chanting. But my question is how to avoid No. 1 offence, when I tend to see the faults of devotees and think about it. Does thinking of the faults in devotees lead to offence of blaspheming the devotees ? And regarding No. 10, complete faith in the Holy Name is lacking, Does faith increase by reading Srila Prabhupad’s books? Hare Krsna.”
REPLY:
A few Offenses are natural for the starters and even for advanced devotees.
Almost all the offenses originate from our mind.
If the mind is controlled, everything is controlled.
Because, Krishna Himself has said that controlling the mind is difficult, but, can be controlled with sustained efforts.
Let me briefly write about avoiding offenses against Chanting the Holy Name of Krishna:
HOW TO AVOID THE OFFENSES AGAINST CHANTING?
(1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord.
Blaspheming the devotees is the result of our inability and the non-availability of productive works for us. Only if we are free, we will think of unwanted things against others. We should learn from and get inspired by the achievements of others. Blaspheming others is an act of spreading negative vibrations.
When we blaspheme others, we lose good friends. Because no one likes to be blasphemed. Though they may not curse us as they are devotees, Krishna will not forgive our offense of blaspheming His devotees.
Blaspheming the devotes while chanting is like an elephant collecting and throwing mud on its body after bathing. We try to clean ourselves by chanting the Holy Names, but, we ourselves make us contaminated by speaking ill about others.
When we blaspheme others, we aquire a part of their karma that contaminates us though we keep chanting, because Krishna does not forgive blaspheming the other devotees as it is a Serious Vaishnava Aparatha.
So, a devotee should avoid blaspheming other devotees though there may be truth in your views.
(2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma to be equal to or independent of the name of the Lord Vishnu.
We can not equalize them with Krishna! However, we must show the due respects to all the demigods since they are serving the Lord Krishna as per the Lord’s arrangements.
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
(3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.
This can be avoided only if we have full faith in our spiritual master considering him as the representative of Krishna. Though his order is difficult to follow, IF YOU HAVE FIRM CONVICTION AND FAITH in your spiritual master, the mercy of your guru will act to establish your faith in him. Unless we have faith in our spiritual master, we can’t satisfy Krishna. Because Krishna Himself has advised us to surrender to a guru and get his instructions. So, if we disobey the orders of our spiritual master, we disobey the words of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita.
Additionally, one should accept a spiritual master only if he has full faith in him. Fanatically accepting a spiritual master just because others accept is not advised. Before accepting a spiritual master, full faith should be ascertained.
(4) To blaspheme the vedic scriptures or scriptures in pursuance to the vedic version.
Don’t speak evil of the Vedic Literature or literature because sadhu and sastra are the sources of our spiritual enlightenment!
(5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna to be an imagination.
The sound vibrations of chanting are not imagination, but, scientific and effective. If we fully trust Krishna, we will have full faith in the effects of His Names also. This will ensure that we are avoiding offenses against Chanting the Holy Name of Krishna.
(I am disturbed by NEGATIVE THOUGHTS while chanting. What to do? READ HERE!)
(6) To give some interpretations to the holy name of the Lord.
Chanting is Krishna himself and Krishna lives in His holy names. Chanting is the sound incarnation of Krishna. So, giving interpretations to the holy names is a great offense.
(7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name.
By following the four regulative principles recommended by Srila Prabhupada – such as No meat eating, No Gambling, No intoxication & No Illicit Sex, we can avoid sinful acts on the strength of the holy names..
(How to chant without diversions? Do we need a guru to start chanting? READ HERE!)
(8) To consider the chanting of Hare Krishna as one of the auspicious ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (Karma kanda).
Chanting is not an ritualistic activity. If we consider Holy Names as Krishna Himself, we can understand that we are calling Krishna by chanting His Holy Names.
(9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name.
You can request any one ‘just once or twice’ to chant Hare Krishna by explaining the effects of chanting! But, you should not tell them the transcendental potency of the Lord if he does not show any interest! Most of the persons won’t appreciate the transcendental glories of Krishna’s names initially. In due course of time, they will start looking for more knowledge about Krishna! Then we can explain them! So, just tell others to chant. Then, Krishna will take care of that person to get more knowledge about Him.
(Will chanting protect us from the curses from others? READ HERE!)
(10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy name and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.
If a devotee has faith in Krishna and believes that Krishna and His Holy Names are non different, he will have full faith in Krishna’s Holy Names also.
In other words, having faith in Krishna means, having faith in His Holy Names also.
So, Not having faith in Krishna’s Holy Names means, Not having faith in Krishna.
In brief, he can’t be a devotee of Krishna.
CONCLUSION:
Krishna and His Holy Names are inseparable. So, to avoid offenses against Chanting the Holy names of Krishna, One should just surrender to Krishna and His Holy Names and just follow what the scriptures say.
And, Yes, Reading and following the books of Srila Prabhupada definitely help to develop faith in the Holy Names and avoiding the offenses against the Holy Names.
Hope you are clear about avoiding offenses against Chanting the Holy Name of Krishna!
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)