The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in glorifying the Lord within this material world

Expressions researched:
"First offense is to blaspheme great personalities" |"Those who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord, they should never be defamed" |"first offense is satam-ninda" |"first offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories of the Lord" |"first offense is to vilify the great devotees" |"first offense, to blaspheme"

SB Canto 2

The first offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the glories of the Lord.

SB 2.1.11, Purport:

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well, as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa. One can deliver himself from the effects of all sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name. But one cannot protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number. The first offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the glories of the Lord.

SB Canto 3

The first offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories of the Lord.

SB 3.15.25, Purport:

It may be noted that there are ten offenses we should avoid. The first offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories of the Lord. People must be educated in understanding the glories of the Supreme; therefore the devotees who engage in preaching the glories of the Lord are never to be decried. It is the greatest offense.

CC Adi-lila

The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord.

CC Adi 8.24, Purport:

There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the śāstra (CC Antya 7.11), kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana: one cannot distribute the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra unless he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not criticize or blaspheme a devotee who is thus engaged.

Śrī Padma Purāṇa states:

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute

yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad-vigarhām

To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. One should not criticize a preacher of the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If one does so, he is an offender. The Nāma-prabhu, who is identical with Kṛṣṇa, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee.

Initiation Lectures

This is first offense, to blaspheme. And satāṁ nindā, those who are preaching the message of God, they should not be blasphemed.

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

You should avoid chanting, every one of you, ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to decry the scriptures, Vedas. To accept authority of Vedas. Not to accept or decrying scriptures. Vedas means the book of transcendental knowledge. Not only Bhagavad-gītā, even Bible or Koran, they are also, although Bhagavad-gītā... Higher or secondary or primary, that is different. But whenever there is information of God, that is scripture, recognized. So we are concerned with the Vedas. So anyway, other scripture which is giving information of God scientifically or accepted by persons, that is also Vedas. One should not blaspheme the Vedas. This is first offense, to blaspheme. And satāṁ nindā, those who are preaching the message of God, they should not be blasphemed. And then never interpret in the scriptures or in the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

He first offense is satāṁ-nindā. No devotee shall be blasphemed.

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

So the first offense is satāṁ-nindā. No devotee shall be blasphemed. Satāṁ-nindaṁ śruti-śāstra-nindanam, no scriptures should be defiled. Satāṁ-nindaṁ śruti-śāstra-nindanam tathārtha-vādo hari-nāmni kalpanam. And never make any interpretation. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, somebody may make interpretation. There is no interpretation. The direct meaning is that we are praying Kṛṣṇa and His energy to accept me in the society of His service. This is the simple... There is no other interpretation.

Those who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord, they should never be defamed. That is the greatest offense.

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Ten kinds of offenses, they are mentioned in the paper. You should avoid, and follow the regulative principles. Just like if you ignite fire, if the wood is dry, then the fire very quickly takes place. And if it is moist, wet, then it takes time. So, so avoiding these ten kinds of offenses and following the rules and regulation will quickly ignite the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is powerful, even one is contaminated, but it will accelerate if you follow the rules and regulations and avoid the offenses. Therefore... So what are these ten kind of offenses? What is the first, first offense?

Devotee: Blaspheming the Lord's devotee?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Those who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord, they should never be defamed. That is the greatest offense.

First offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in glorifying the Lord within this material world.

Initiation Ceremony -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974 :

So we will explain the ten kinds of offenses, and the initiated members should avoid the ten kinds of offenses. (aside) You have got the ten kinds of offenses? So first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in glorifying the Lord within this material world.