The Ten Offences to the Name
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
A poetic Bengali translation of the verses listing the offences to the Name in the Padma-purana.
hari-nama mahamantra sarva-mantra-sara
yadera karuna-bale jagate prachara
sei nama-parayana sadhu, mahajana
tahadera ninda na kariha kadachana [1]
The Hari-nam mahamantra is the best of all mantras and is distributed throughout the world by the mercy of the sadhus devoted to the Name. Never criticise such great souls.
vrajendra-nandana krsna sarvesvaresvara
mahesvara adi tara sevana-tatpara
nama chintamani krsna-chaitanya-svarupa
bheda-jnana na karibe lila-guna-rupa [2]
Vrajendra Nandan Krishna is the Lord of all Lords. Siva and all other gods are dedicated to His service. The Name is a wish-fulfilling jewel and a spiritual form of Krishna Himself. Do not consider Krishna’s Name to be distinct from His Form, Qualities, or Pastimes.
«guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa kare bhagyavane»
se gurute martya-buddhi avajnadi tyaji’
ista-labha kara, nirantara nama bhaji’ [3]
«The scriptures confirm that Guru is a form of Krishna (SB: 11.17.27). In the form of Guru, Krishna bestows His mercy upon the fortunate.» Give up the conception that Guru is a mortal, and all other types of disrespect, and attain your cherished goal: serving the Name eternally.
Sruti, sruti-mata-saha satvata purana
sri-nama-charana-padma kare nirajana
sei sruti-sastra yeba karaye nindana
se aparadhira sanga karibe varjana [4]
The Vedas, their mother Gayatri, and Srimad Bhagavatam worship the Holy Name’s lotus feet. Reject the association of any offender who criticises these scriptures.
namera mahima sarva-sastrete vakhane
atistuti, hena kabhu na bhaviha mane
agastya, ananta, brahma, sivadi satata
ye nama-mahima-gatha sankirtana-rata
se nama-mahima-sindhu ke paibe para?
atistuti bale yei — sei durachara [5]
The Name’s glories are proclaimed in all the scriptures. Never consider such glorification to be exaggerated praise. Agastya, Ananta, Brahma, Siva, and so on are always devoted to chanting the Name’s glories. Who can cross the ocean of those glories? Anyone who considers them exaggerated praise is wicked.
krsna-namavali nitya golokera dhana
kalpita, prakrta, bhave — aparadhi-jana [6]
Krishna’s Names are the eternal wealth of Goloka. Anyone who considers Them imaginary or mundane is an offender.
name sarva-papa-ksaya sarva-sastre kaya
sara-dina papa kari sei bharasaya —
emata durbuddhi yara sei aparadhi
maya-pravanchita, duhkha bhunje niravadhi [7]
All the scriptures declare that the Name destroys all sin. The wicked who sin all day long in expectation of this are offenders. They are deluded by maya and suffer perpetually.
atulya sri-krsna-nama purna-rasa-nidhi
tara sama na bhaviha subha-karma adi [8]
Sri Krishna’s incomparable Name is a brimming reservoir of rasa. Chanting the Name should never be considered equal to pious worldly action (such as adhering to vows, practising renunciation, performing austerities, making sacrificial offerings, and so on).
name sraddha-hina-jana — vidhata vanchita
tare nama dane aparadha sunischita [9]
Those who have no faith in the Name have been deceived by Providence. To give the Name to them is certainly an offence.
Suniyao krsna-nama-mahatmya apara
ye priti-rahita, sei naradhama chhara
ahamta mamata yara antare bahire
suddha krsna-nama tara kabhu nahi sphure [10]
Those who remain devoid of love for Krishna’s Name even after hearing His boundless glories are deplorable, fallen souls. The pure Name of Krishna never reveals Himself to those who are internally and externally ridden with egotism and possessiveness.
ei dasa aparadha kariya varjana
ye sujana kare hari-nama sankirtana
apurva sri-krsna-prema labhya tare haya
nama-prabhu tara hrde nitya vilasaya [11]
Great souls who avoid these ten offences and engage in Hari-nam-sankirtan attain unprecedented Sri Krishna-prema. The Name Himself plays within their hearts eternally.