Text 23

The ten offences to the holy name, which should be given up without fail, are described in the Padma Purāṇa (Brahma-khaṇḍa 25.15–18).

They are also quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.521–524):

सतां निन्दा नाम्नः परमम् अपराधं वितनुते यतः ख्यातिं यातं कथम् उ सहते तद् विगर्हाम्
शिवस्य श्री-विष्णोर् य इह गुण-नामादि सकलं धिया भिन्नं पश्येत् स खलु हरि-नामाहित-करः
गुरोर् अवज्ञा श्रुति-शास्त्र-निन्दनं तथार्थ-वादो हरि-नाम्नि कल्पनम्
नाम्नो बलाद् यस्य हि पाप-बुद्धिर् न विद्यते तस्य यमैर् हि शुद्धिः
धर्म-व्रत-त्याग-हुतादि-सर्वशुभ-क्रिया-साम्यम् अपि प्रमादः
अश्रद्दधाने विमुखे’प्य् अशृण्वति यश् चोपदेशः शिव-नामापराधः
श्रुते’पि नाम-माहात्म्ये यः प्रीति-रहितो’धमः
अहं-ममादि-परमो नाम्नि सो’प्य् अपराध-कृत्

(1–2)
satāṃ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṃ vitanute yataḥ khyātiṃ yātaṃ katham u sahate tad vigarhām
śivasya śrī-viṣṇor ya iha guṇa-nāmādi sakalaṃ dhiyā bhinnaṃ paśyet sa khalu hari-nāmāhita-karaḥ
(3–7)
guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanaṃ tathārtha-vādo hari-nāmni kalpanam
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ
(8–9)
dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarvaśubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ
aśraddadhāne vimukhe’py aśṛṇvati yaś copadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ
(10)
śrute’pi nāma-māhātmye yaḥ prīti-rahito’dhamaḥ
ahaṃ-mamādi-paramo nāmni so’py aparādha-kṛt

(1) To criticise the devotees of the Supreme Lord is a grievous offence to the holy name. How can Śrī Nāma Prabhu tolerate criticism of those great souls who are deeply devoted to Him and who spread His glories throughout the world? Therefore, the first offence is criticism of sādhus and devotees.

(2) In this world, a person who by mundane intelligence distinguishes between the all-auspicious, transcendental holy name, form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Viṣṇu and the possessor of the holy name (nāmī-viṣṇu), considering them to be independent of or different from Him, as is the case with material objects, commits an offence to the holy name. Furthermore, one who thinks that Lord Śiva and other demigods are independent of Śrī Viṣṇu, or similar to Śrī Viṣṇu, certainly commits nāma-aparādha.

(3) Guror avajñā–To disregard the guru who is established in all the truths regarding the holy name, considering him to be an ordinary man possessing a perishable body composed of material elements.

(4) Śruti-śāstra-nindanam–To find fault with the Vedas, the eternal Purāṇas and other scriptures. All the Vedas and Upaniṣads illuminate the glories of the holy name. To find fault with the mantras in which the holy name is glorified is nāma-aparādha. Due to misfortune, some persons neglect the śruti-mantras in which the glories of the holy name are indicated and give more honour to other instructions of the Śrutis. This is also nāma-aparādha.

(5) Tathārtha-vādaḥ–To consider the glories of harināma to be exaggerated. The scriptures state that all of Śrī Bhagavān’s potencies are contained within His name, and that the holy name is completely transcendental and therefore capable of destroying one’s bondage to the material world. All these glories of the holy name are the supreme truth. One should never associate with those who have no faith in them and who say that the scriptures exaggerates the glories of the holy name. If such a faithless person appears before one’s eyes, one should take bath, still wearing the clothes he has on. This is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

(6) Hari-nāmni kalpanam–To consider Śrī Bhagavān’s name to be imaginary. Māyāvādīs and materialistic karmavādīs consider brahma, which is without name and form, to be the supreme truth, and they say that the sages manufactured names like Rāma and Kṛṣṇa thinking such names would perfect their activities. These people are nāma-aparādhīs. The name of Śrī Hari is not imaginary; it is eternal and transcendental. It only manifests upon the transcendental senses, and only through bhakti. This is the teaching given by the bona fide guru and śāstra. Therefore, one should acknowledge that the glories of harināma are the supreme truth. One who considers these glories to be imaginary will never be able to receive the mercy of the holy name.

(7) One who has a tendency to commit sinful and material activities on the strength of the holy name cannot be purified, even if he performs superficial yoga processes such as yama, niyama, dhyāna or dhāraṇā. This is certain.

(8) To consider religiosity, vows, renunciation, fire sacrifices and other ordinary pious activities to be equal with or comparable to the transcendental name of the Supreme Lord is a sign of inattentiveness and carelessness, and is thus an offence.

(9) To instruct the glories of the holy name to faithless persons who are averse to hearing and chanting is also nāmaaparādha.

(10) Those who, in spite of hearing the astonishing glories of the holy name, maintain the conception that ‘I am this material body’ and that ‘wordly objects of sense gratification are mine’, and who show no persistence in or love for the utterance of the holy name, are also nāma-aparādhīs.

साधु-अनादर आर अन्ये ईश-ज्ञान
गुरुके अवज्ञा, नाम-शास्त्रे अपमान

sādhu-anādara āra anye īśa-jñāna
guruke avajñā, nāma-śāstre apamāna

नामे अर्थवाद, नाम-बले पापान्धता
अन्य शुभ-कर्म सह नामेर समता

nāme arthavāda, nāma-bale pāpāndhatā
anya śubha-karma saha nāmera samatā

श्रद्धा-हीने नाम दान, जडासक्ति-क्रमे
माहात्म्य जानिया नामे श्रद्धा नहे भ्रमे

śraddhā-hīne nāma dāna, jaḍāsakti-krame
māhātmya jāniyā nāme śraddhā nahe bhrame

एइ दश अपराध यत्ने परिहरि’
हरिनामे कर भाइ भजन चातुरी

ei daśa aparādha yatne parihari’
harināme kara bhāi bhajana cāturī

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Skilfulness in nāma-bhajana is to perform bhajana in association of devotees while carefully avoiding these ten offences.