TEN OFFENSES AGAINST CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF KRISHNA!
(With simplified explanations)
We should be sincere in chanting the Holy Names of Krishna! Chanting enables us to get connected to Krishna! So, Chanting the Holy Names should be done with taste.
We should be very careful in avoiding THE FOLLOWING TEN OFFENSES AGAINST THE HOLY NAMES OF KRISHNA while chanting Hare Krishna Maha Manthra or any other Names of Krishna.
(THREE STAGES OF ATTAINING THE PERFECTION IN CHANTING! READ HERE!)
TEN OFFENSES AGAINST CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF KRISHNA!
(As said by Sri Vyasadeva in Padma Purana, Brahma Khanda)
(1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord.
Don’t speak ill about those devotees who have dedicated their life for propagating Holy Name Of Krishna in many ways – whatever it may be! Because even Krishna will not forgive us for our offences against vaishnavas.
(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.
Don’t consider the Names of ALL OTHERS, ie, the demigods/ celestials to be equal to or independent of the Holy name of Krishna!
We have seen many people treating all the Names demigods/ celestials & Krishna equally but it is an offence. 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. We must show love and mercy towards all the living beings also, since they are all the creations of the Lord and Krishna is living in their hearts as the Paramathma.
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
(3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.
One should not disobey the orders of your Spiritual master because the Holy Names are recommended to be received from a spiritual master during a diksha process. The Giver of the holy name to us is the Guru and we are the recipients. Therefore, one should act as instructed by his spiritual master.
(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.
Chanting the Holy Names is not a superstitious ritual. Its vibrations connect us directly with Krishna. This is 100% practical and scientific. We have been seeing the sound and light waves (Eg: mobile phone signals) reaching even thousands of miles across oceans and even to the other planets. Therefore, the sound vibrations of chanting are not imagination, but, scientific and effective.
(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.
There are many material explanations for the chanting of the Holy names of Krishna given by many people. Eg: Chanting to become rich; Chanting to succeed in love; Chanting to escape from the day to day sinful acts, etc. Chanting is Krishna himself and Krishna lives in His holy names. Chanting is the sound incarnation of Krishna.
(7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name.
We should not take it granted that just because we chant the Holy name of Krishna regularly, we can continue to do sinful activities & then chant Hare Krishna to get relief from those new sins (Like, doing all sinful activities fr all the six week days and getting forgiveness from the God on Sundays)! Such dangerous mentality is very offensive and must be seriously avoided. Chanting should definitely follow adopting the four regulative principles such as No meat, No gambling, No intoxication and No illicit sex.
(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 to get liberated from material bondages and to get Krishna Himself, not for just getting the material benefits as explained in the karma kanta of vedas.
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).
(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.
One should not think that chanting the holy names will bring down their material success. He should put full faith in the Holy Names and chant with full conviction. He should not be doubtful even after getting the instructions of a bonafide spiritual master or a vaishnava or a bonafide scriptures.
These are the list of TEN OFFENSES AGAINST CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF KRISHNA! Every devotee should first memorize these ten offenses and avoid them while chanting the holy names.
Every devotee who claims to be Vaishnava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success , ie, Krishna Prema!
If you chant Hare Krishna without these major offenses, it will be more effective & you will get the mercy of Krishna without fail!
There are some local offenses also at the time of chanting! They have been explained in the following link:
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)