Five Effects Nama Aparadha

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Everyone! Please be careful not to offend Sri Krishna’s most merciful and powerful, sweet, ever-present loving form as the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

In Kali-yuga, Sri Krishna Nama is our only hope—our only chance, and the only way we’ll ever attain the plane of love divine desired by all. Worship Krishna Nama! Protect Krishna Nama! Cherish Krishna Nama! Chant Krishna Nama! Give Krishna Nama! Live Krishna Nama and depart with Krishna Nama! And by all means never, never, ever offend Krishna Nama!

The Five Disasters

In Bhakti-sandarbha (anu. 154-159), Sri Jiva Goswamipada describes five prominent effects of offensively chanting Sri Krishna’s transcendental names i.e. Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The five effects are as follows: crookedness; faithlessness; absorption in mundane objects that erode one’s faith in Krishna; slackness in devotional service; and pride.

If a sadhaka is experiencing any of the following effects, it means one is committing offences to Sri Krishna Nama:

1. Crookedness (kautilya)

Offenders to Nama become crooked in their dealings with others, disrespectful towards Sri Hari, Sri Guru and other devotees, and start acting in various deceitful ways. In Skanda Purana, Muni Parasara says, “Crooked, deceitful people cannot attain Govinda bhakti, or chant and remember Bhagavan.”

2. Faithlessness

Offenders to nama gradually become faithless, lose their conviction about the glories of Krishna bhakti, and start harboring contrary non-devotional ideas.

3. Distraction

Nama aparadhis become absorbed in material objects and pursuits i.e. making money, attaining degrees, etc. that erode their faith in Krishna and Krishna bhakti.

4. Slackening Devotion

As a result of Nama aparadhas, one’s bhakti bhajan wanes and one again becomes absorbed in sense gratification—maya! One thinks excessively about one’s own bodily happiness and distress and that of others.

5. Pride

When one offends Sri Nama Prabhu, one starts feeling proud of his/her devotional service and activities. This in turn generates other offenses i.e. disrespecting Vaisnavas. As they say, “pride precedes a fall.”

To close, we offer a poem in praise of Krishna Nama:

The name puts you in a new frame, beyond the game of name and fame. Your mind the name will tame. You’ll never be the same as your old claim goes aflame. The Name will set your aim, and take you to Vraja dhama for more and more Nama!”

Suddha Nama ki jai! Namacarya Sri Haridasa Thakura ki jai!

Sri Jiva Goswamipada ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!