Even big, big Vaiṣṇava kings they also retired. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was always engaged in devotional service. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha (SB 9.4.18)—still, he retired. Still, he retired. After this incidence with Durvāsā, then he divided the property to his sons and he retired. Although he was the most exalted Vaiṣṇava, such a great Vaiṣṇava that because he was put into difficulty by Durvāsā Muni, Kṛṣṇa showed His brilliance and glories in such a way that Durvāsā Muni was attacked by sudarśana-cakra, and for fear of life... Even there is fear, Durvāsā Muni, a great yogi. There is no comparison of his yogic mystic power. Immediately, for the sake of his life, to protect his life, he went all over the universe for protection. And when he could not get the protection, he went to Lord Brahmā, "Kindly give me protection." He refused. "No, it is not possible. The Lord is angry with you, and He has sent the sudarśana-cakra. It is not in my power to give you protection." Then he went to Lord Śiva. He also refused. And at last he went to Viṣṇu. Just see how powerful yogi he was. He could go personally from this planet to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, and there, from there, Śivaloka. Then from there, Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Just see his power, mystic power. But still, because he committed offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he could not be given any protection. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is so severe.
Vaisnava aparadha
Expressions researched:
"vaisnava aparadha"
|"vaisnava aparadhas"
|"vaisnava-aparadha"
|"vaiṣṇava-aparādhas"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Pṛthu Mahārāja has explained in the previous verse the importance of devotional service for both the rulers and the citizens of the state. Now he explains how one can be steadily fixed in devotional service. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, while instructing Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, has compared the devotional service of the Lord with a creeper. A creeper has a feeble stem and requires the support of another tree to grow, and while growing, it requires sufficient protection so that it may not be lost. While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas. Such offenses are called vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Aparādha means "offense." If one commits vaiṣṇava-aparādhas, all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, his advancement is all spoiled. In the śāstras it is found that a very great yogī, Durvāsā Muni, committed a vaiṣṇava-aparādha and thus for one full year had to travel all over the universe, even to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, to defend himself from the offense. At last, even when he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vaikuṇṭha, he was refused protection. Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava.
The most grievous type of vaiṣṇava-aparādha is called gurv-aparādha, which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this gurv-aparādha is considered the most grievous offense. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam (Padma Purāṇa). Among the ten offenses committed against the chanting of the holy name, the first offenses are disobedience of the spiritual master and blasphemy of the Vedic literature.
One's pure intelligence, or pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes polluted by material activities. Pure consciousness can be revived by the process of sacrifice, charity, pious activities, etc., but when one pollutes his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by offending a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava, it is very difficult to revive. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described the vaiṣṇava-aparādha, or offense to a Vaiṣṇava, as "the mad elephant offense."
One should be very careful not to offend a Vaiṣṇava or a brāhmaṇa. Even the great yogī Durvāsā was harassed by the Sudarśana cakra when he offended the Vaiṣṇava Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, who was neither a brāhmaṇa nor a sannyāsī but an ordinary householder. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a Vaiṣṇava, and consequently Durvāsā Muni was chastised. The conclusion is that if Kṛṣṇa consciousness is covered by material sins, one can eliminate the sins simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one pollutes his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by offending a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava, one cannot revive it until one properly atones for the sin by pleasing the offended Vaiṣṇava or brāhmaṇa. This was the course that Durvāsā Muni had to follow, for he surrendered unto Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. A vaiṣṇava-aparādha cannot be atoned for by any means other than by begging the pardon of the offended Vaiṣṇava.
SB Canto 5
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, there are two kinds of impediments to devotional service. The first is an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. This is called vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu warned His devotees not to commit vaiṣṇava-aparādha, which He described as the mad elephant offense. When a mad elephant enters a beautiful garden, it destroys everything, leaving a barren field. Similarly, the power of vaiṣṇava-aparādha is so great that even an advanced devotee becomes almost devoid of his spiritual assets if he commits it. Since Kṛṣṇa consciousness is eternal, it cannot be destroyed altogether, but advancement may be checked for the time being. Thus vaiṣṇava-aparādha is one kind of impediment to devotional service.
My dear sir, I am not at all afraid of the thunderbolt of King Indra, nor am I afraid of the serpentine, piercing trident of Lord Śiva. I do not care about the punishment of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, nor am I afraid of fire, scorching sun, moon, wind, nor the weapons of Kuvera. Yet I am afraid of offending a brāhmaṇa. I am very much afraid of this.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was instructing Rūpa Gosvāmī at the Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa in Prayāga, He pointed out very clearly the seriousness of offending a Vaiṣṇava. He compared the vaiṣṇava-aparādha to hātī mātā, a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it spoils all the fruits and flowers. Similarly, if one offends a Vaiṣṇava, he spoils all his spiritual assets. Offending a brāhmaṇa is very dangerous, and this was known to Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa. He therefore frankly admitted his fault. There are many dangerous things—thunderbolts, fire, Yamarāja's punishment, the punishment of Lord Śiva's trident, and so forth—but none is considered as serious as offending a brāhmaṇa like Jaḍa Bharata. Therefore Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa immediately descended from his palanquin and fell flat before the lotus feet of the brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata just to be excused.
Whatever you have spoken appears to me to be contradictory. O best friend of the distressed, I have committed a great offense by insulting you. I was puffed up with false prestige due to possessing the body of a king. For this I have certainly become an offender. Therefore I pray that you kindly glance at me with your causeless mercy. If you do so, I can be relieved from sinful activities brought about by insulting you.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that by offending a Vaiṣṇava, one finishes all his spiritual activities. Offending a Vaiṣṇava is considered the mad elephant offense. A mad elephant can destroy an entire garden which has been developed with great labor. One may attain the topmost platform of devotional service, but somehow or other if he offends a Vaiṣṇava, the whole structure collapses. Unconsciously, King Rahūgaṇa offended Jaḍa Bharata, but due to his good sense, he asked to be excused. This is the process by which one can be relieved from a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Kṛṣṇa is always very simple and by nature merciful. When one commits an offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, one must immediately apologize to such a personality so that his spiritual advancement may not be hampered.
SB Canto 7
When Hiraṇyakaśipu teases the great devotee Prahlāda, his own son, who is peaceful and sober and who has no enemy, I shall kill Hiraṇyakaśipu immediately, despite the benedictions of Brahmā.
Of all sinful activities, an offense to a pure devotee, or Vaiṣṇava, is the most severe. An offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava is so disastrous that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has compared it to a mad elephant that enters a garden and causes great havoc by uprooting many plants and trees. If one is an offender at the lotus feet of a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava, his offenses uproot all his auspicious activities. One should therefore very carefully guard against committing vaiṣṇava-aparādha, or offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Here the Lord clearly says that although Hiraṇyakaśipu had received benedictions from Lord Brahmā, these benedictions would be null and void as soon as he committed an offense at the lotus feet of Prahlāda Mahārāja, his own son.
SB Canto 9
Thereafter, one day while Saubhari Muni, who was expert in chanting mantras, was sitting in a secluded place, he thought to himself about the cause of his falldown, which was simply that he had associated himself with the sexual affairs of the fish.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks that Saubhari Muni had fallen from his austerity because of a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. The history is that when Garuḍa wanted to eat fish, Saubhari Muni unnecessarily gave the fish shelter under his care. Because Garuḍa's plans for eating were disappointed, Saubhari Muni certainly committed a great offense to a Vaiṣṇava. Because of this vaiṣṇava-aparādha, an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, Saubhari Muni fell from his exalted position of mystic tapasya. One should not, therefore, impede the activities of a Vaiṣṇava. This is the lesson we must learn from this incident concerning Saubhari Muni.
Here in this material world, everyone is envious of someone else. Even in religious life, it is sometimes found that if one devotee has advanced in spiritual activities, other devotees are envious of him. Such envious devotees are not completely freed from the bondage of birth and death. As long as one is not completely free from the cause of birth and death, one cannot enter the sanātana-dhāma or the eternal pastimes of the Lord. One becomes envious because of being influenced by the designations of the body, but the liberated devotee has nothing to do with the body, and therefore he is completely on the transcendental platform. A devotee is never envious of anyone, even his enemy. Because the devotee knows that the Lord is his supreme protector, he thinks, "What harm can the so-called enemy do?" Thus a devotee is confident about his protection. The Lord says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: (BG 4.11) "According to the proportion of one's surrender unto Me, I respond accordingly." A devotee must therefore be completely free from envy, especially of other devotees. To envy other devotees is a great offense, a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. A devotee who constantly engages in hearing and chanting (śravaṇa-kīrtana) is certainly freed from the disease of envy, and thus he becomes eligible to go back home, back to Godhead.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one's eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sādhu, a devotee, who is fully determined and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will no longer be subject to material bondage.
As stated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu (CC Madhya 22.54):
- 'sādhu-saṅga,' 'sādhu-saṅga'—sarva-śāstre kaya
- lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
If by chance one meets a sādhu, a devotee, one's life is immediately successful, and one is freed from material bondage. It may be argued that whereas someone may receive a sādhu with great respect, someone else may not receive a sādhu with such respect. A sādhu, however, is always equipoised toward everyone. Because of being a pure devotee, a sādhu is always ready to deliver Kṛṣṇa consciousness without discrimination. As soon as one sees a sādhu, one naturally becomes free. Nonetheless, persons who are too much offensive, who commit vaiṣṇava-aparādhas, or offenses to a sādhu, will have to take some time before being rectified. This is also indicated herein.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Thereafter the Lord delivered love of Kṛṣṇa to His mother, Śacīdevī, nullifying her offense at the feet of Advaita Ācārya. Thus there was a meeting with Advaita Ācārya, who later had a vision of the Lord's universal form.
One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was sitting on the throne of Viṣṇu in the house of Śrīvāsa Prabhu, and in a mood of His own He said, "My mother has offended the lotus feet of Advaita Ācārya. Unless she nullifies this offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, it will not be possible for her to achieve love of Kṛṣṇa." Hearing this, all the devotees went to bring Advaita Ācārya there. While coming to see the Lord, Advaita Ācārya was glorifying the characteristics of mother Śacīdevī, and thus upon arriving He fell down on the ground in ecstasy. Then, under the instruction of Lord Caitanya, Śacīdevī took advantage of this situation to touch Advaita Ācārya's lotus feet. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much pleased by His mother's action, and He said, "Now My mother's offense at the lotus feet of Advaita Ācārya has been rectified, and she may have love of Kṛṣṇa without difficulty." By this example Lord Caitanya taught everyone that although one may be very much advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one offends the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava his advancement will not bear fruit. We should therefore be very cautious not to offend a Vaiṣṇava. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta has described such an offense as follows:
- yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā
- upāḍe vā chiṇḍe, tāra śukhi' yāya pātā
- (CC Madhya 19.156)
As a mad elephant may trample all the plants in a garden, so by committing one offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava one may spoil all the devotional service he has accumulated in his life.
After this incident the Lord blessed Haridāsa Ṭhākura and vanquished the offense of His mother at the home of Advaita Ācārya.
On the mahā-prakāśa day, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Haridāsa Ṭhākura and informed him that he was none other than an incarnation of Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Viśvarūpa took sannyāsa, Śacīmātā thought that Advaita Ācārya had persuaded Him to do so. Therefore she accused Advaita Ācārya of this, which was an offense at His lotus feet. Later Lord Caitanya induced His mother to take the dust of Advaita Ācārya's lotus feet, and thus her vaiṣṇava-aparādha was nullified.
CC Antya-lila
A characteristic of a pure devotee is that he excuses any offense by an ignorant rascal. A characteristic of Kṛṣṇa, however, is that He cannot tolerate blasphemy of His devotees.
The characteristic of a Vaiṣṇava and the characteristic of the Lord mentioned in this verse are very significant. In His Śikṣāṣṭaka (3) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught the characteristics of a Vaiṣṇava:
- tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- (CC Adi 17.31)
A Vaiṣṇava strictly follows this principle of being humbler than the grass and more tolerant than a tree, expecting no honor from others but offering honor to everyone. In this way, a Vaiṣṇava is simply interested in chanting about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and glorifying Him. Haridāsa Ṭhākura epitomized this foremost order of Vaiṣṇavism.
Kṛṣṇa, however, cannot tolerate any insults or blasphemy against a Vaiṣṇava. For example, Prahlāda Mahārāja was chastised by his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, in so many ways, but although Prahlāda tolerated this, Kṛṣṇa did not. The Lord therefore came in the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu. Similarly, although Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura tolerated the insult by Gopāla Cakravartī, Kṛṣṇa could not. The Lord immediately punished Gopāla Cakravartī by making him suffer from leprosy. While instructing Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī about the many restrictive rules and regulations for Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has very vividly described the effects of offenses at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā (CC Madhya 19.156). Offending or blaspheming a Vaiṣṇava has been described as the greatest offense, and it has been compared to a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it ruins all the creepers, flowers and trees. Similarly, if a devotee properly executing his devotional service becomes an offender at the lotus feet of his spiritual master or another Vaiṣṇava, his devotional service is spoiled.
When a devotee no longer has any desire for material sense gratification, in his spiritual identity he engages in the service of the Lord, for his dormant spiritual consciousness awakens. This awakening of spiritual consciousness makes his body spiritual, and thus he becomes fit to render service to the Lord. Karmīs may consider the body of a devotee material, but factually it is not, for a devotee has no conception of material enjoyment. If one thinks that the body of a pure devotee is material, he is an offender, for that is a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. In this connection one should consult Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī's Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.3.45 and 2.3.139).
When he saw this, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal servant, Govinda, hastily got her down from her position. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, chastised him for this.
Because Garuḍa is the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, he is the supreme Vaiṣṇava. Therefore to touch his body with one's feet or to climb the column of Garuḍa is certainly a vaiṣṇava-aparādha, an offense to a Vaiṣṇava. The woman was also offensive to Kṛṣṇa by putting her foot on the shoulder of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Seeing all these offenses, Govinda very hastily made her get down.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Instruction
Those who think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is limited to a certain section of people, a certain section of devotees or a certain tract of land are generally prone to see the external features of the devotee. Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the mahā-bhāgavata to their platform. We experience such difficulty in propagating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. Unfortunately we are surrounded by neophyte Godbrothers who do not appreciate the extraordinary activities of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. They simply try to bring us to their platform, and they try to criticize us in every respect. We very much regret their naive activities and poor fund of knowledge. An empowered person who is actually engaged in the confidential service of the Lord should not be treated as an ordinary human being, for it is stated that unless one is empowered by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world.
When one thus criticizes a pure devotee, he commits an offense (vaiṣṇava-aparādha) that is very obstructive and dangerous for those who desire to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A person cannot derive any spiritual benefit when he offends the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava. Everyone should therefore be very careful not to be jealous of an empowered Vaiṣṇava, or a śuddha-vaiṣṇava. It is also an offense to consider an empowered Vaiṣṇava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give him advice or to correct him. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaiṣṇava and an advanced Vaiṣṇava by their activities. The advanced Vaiṣṇava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple. The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples. This is the sum and substance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's advice in the sixth verse.
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Those who are spiritually advanced, such persons should not be offended. Then you are finished in according to our philosophy, vaiṣṇava-aparādha... Just we were talking in our walking that a great yogi... What is the name?
Devotee: Durvāsā.
Prabhupāda: Durvāsā. Durvāsā Muni offended Vaiṣṇava, and immediately sudarśana-cakra came to kill Durvāsā. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is never tolerated by Kṛṣṇa. Just like the Pāṇḍavas, they were Vaiṣṇavas, and the Duryodhana and company, they were so-called Vaiṣṇava. Actually they were not Vaiṣṇava. So they insulted. They put to trouble so many ways. They banished them in the jungle. They insulted their wife and so many ways by clique. So Kṛṣṇa could not tolerate that. So therefore the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
So this is the fact, that Kṛṣṇa will never tolerate insult on a devotee. He will never tolerate. The devotee may excuse, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. He may suffer. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was suffering. His father was torturing him. He was suffering, "All right." But Kṛṣṇa never tolerated. "Oh, you have done so much. Now it is the time to kill him." This is the process. Kṛṣṇa will tolerate. Even you insult Kṛṣṇa, He will tolerate. But if you insult His devotee, He will never tolerate. Then you are finished. Then you are finished. Just like a big man. If you insult him, he may think "All right, let him." But if you insult or do something harm to his child, he will never tolerate. He will never tolerate. Similarly, a devotee who is dependent on Kṛṣṇa in everything, and if somebody does harm to him, insults him, Kṛṣṇa will never tolerate. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Tāra madhye vaiṣṇava-aparādha hāti matta. So we should be very careful not to offend Vaiṣṇava devotees. Not to offend. This is greatest offense. Therefore it is said vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām. Vimūḍhānām. Those who are rascal, fools, they will want to try to insult real brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava. Then they are finished. Of course, a Vaiṣṇava never curses. Tolerates. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror... Vaiṣṇava tolerates, but Viṣṇu never tolerates.
So Durvāsā Muni, he was a great yogi, and he became very much envious that "Here is a person who is a gṛhastha and a kṣatriya, he is not even a brāhmaṇa, and he does not practice anything. He is always engaged in his royal activities, and this man is so famous as a great person, great devotee. So I'll chastise him. I'll show." So he wanted to pick up some quarrel with Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, and on dvādaśī day he approached there with sixty thousand disciples and he said, "Mahārāja, arrange for our prasādam. We..." "Yes, welcome." But his purpose was different. So he went to take bath in the Ganges and Yamunā, and then he came late. In the meantime he had to observe dvādaśī-pāraṇa. With the advice of the brāhmaṇas he took little water. The brāhmaṇas advised, "Mahārāja, water is food and no food. It has no actually food value. So your guest has not returned as yet. You can take little water and observe the completion of dvādaśī." So he did it, and Durvāsā came very angry, that "I am your guest, and you have taken food?" That is not food, little water. So he wanted to chastise him. He created a big giant to kill the Mahārāja.
So immediately Kṛṣṇa's promise... Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Immediately sudarśana-cakra came and killed that demon immediately, and then he pursued Durvāsā Muni. Durvāsā Muni first of all approached Lord Śiva because he was devotee of Śiva: "Please give me protection." He said, "Oh, it is not possible for me. If sudarśana-cakra is after you, I cannot do anything." Then similarly, he approached Brahmā. So he also said, "No, this is not possible." Then he was so powerful that he approached Lord Viṣṇu even, personally, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. He refused to help him. He said, "Durvāsā Muni, unless you beg pardon from Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, there is no question of excusing you. The sudarśana-cakra will not excuse." Therefore Vaiṣṇava aparādha is very, very offensive. You should be very careful.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned vaiṣṇava aparādha, hātī mata. Vaiṣṇava aparādha, offense at the feet of Vaiṣṇava, is exactly like mad elephant. If a mad elephant enters your garden, then he spoils everything. This has been given.
Vaiṣṇava aparādha means hātī mātā. Mātā means mad, and hātī means elephant. So we should be very, very careful not to commit any offense at the feet of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava does not take any offense. He does not care who is offender, but Kṛṣṇa takes care.
Kṛṣṇa will never tolerate if a person is Vaiṣṇava aparādha. Mind that. Just like a big man. You can offend him, he doesn't mind. But if he does something harmful to his child, so he becomes very angry.
Vaiṣṇava aparādha is a great offense. You know Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. He was a devotee, and he Durvāsā, he was very proud of his yogic power, and he committed offense at the feet of Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, and he was punished by Kṛṣṇa by sending the sudarśana-cakra. And he wanted help from so many, Brahmā, Viṣṇu. He could go directly to the Viṣṇuloka, but he was not pardoned. He had to come to Vaiṣṇava, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, fall down at his lotus feet. And he, of course, Vaiṣṇava, immediately excused him. So Vaiṣṇava aparādha is great offense, hātī-mātā. So we should be very careful about Vaiṣṇava aparādha.
Vaiṣṇava aparādha. If anyone offends a Vaiṣṇava, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is the greatest offender. Kṛṣṇa never excuses.
Vaiṣṇava aparādha is the greatest dangerous offense. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His teaching to Sri Rūpa Goswāmī, He has especially, vaiṣṇava-aparādha hātī mātā, you are doing everything. He has compared Vaiṣṇava aparādha as mad elephant. He has very nicely metaphorically explained this. Just like you have a nice garden, very good garden, you are watering, you are giving protection, giving manure, everything. But if in that garden a mad elephant enters, then it will destroy everything, all your labor will go to hell immediately. It will destroy everything. Similarly, you may do anything very nicely; but if you commit offense at the feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava, then all your assets will be immediately vanquished. Vaiṣṇava aparādha. Because Kṛṣṇa is very angry. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram yoniṣu (BG 16.19).
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, dviṣataḥ krūrān. Dviṣataḥ, those who are envious upon Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu, the more dangerous position is to be envious of a Vaiṣṇava. Viṣṇu aparādha can be excused, God is very kind. But He never excuses Vaiṣṇava aparādha. That is His vow.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The spiritual master is worshiped as good as the Supreme Person. Sākṣād dharitvena. This is not artificial, but in all the śāstras, this is recommended. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Those who are learned devotees, advanced devotees, they also accept this that spiritual master should be treated as good as Hari, the Supreme Person. Why? Now...
But the spiritual master does not think of himself as Hari. Although he's offered the respect of Hari, he thinks himself as humble servant of Hari and all others. A spiritual master takes his devo..., disciples as his spiritual master. That is the position. He thinks that "Kṛṣṇa has sent me so many spiritual masters." He does not think himself as spiritual master. He thinks himself their servant. Because they have to be trained. Kṛṣṇa has appointed him to train them. Therefore he thinks himself as servant of the disciples. This is the position. So when one is advanced, he can see the importance of devotees.Advanced devotee never disobey or disrespect another devotee. Disrespect to another devotee is a great offense. Vaiṣṇava aparādha.
Vaiṣṇava aparādha is very serious offense. Therefore we teach to address amongst the devotees, "Prabhu", "Prabhu", "Such and such Prabhu." This should not be simply spoken by the lips. It should be realized. Everyone should think other devotee as his prabhu, master. Not he should try to become master.
- tṛṇād api sunīcena
- taror api sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā mānadena...
Mānadena. We should be always ready to offer respect to all, not only devotees, but everyone.
So these Europeans, Americans devotees, according to the enunciation given by Rūpa Gosvāmī, as it is supported by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, as it is supported by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, as it is supported by Sanātana Gosvāmī, as it is ordered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they are regularly initiated Vaiṣṇavas. They should not be neglected. That will be vaiṣṇava-aparādha, offenses unto the Vaiṣṇava.
Out of all kinds of aparādhas, offenses, vaiṣṇava-aparādha is the most dangerous. Most dangerous. So vaiṣṇava-aparādha is not excused by Viṣṇu. The instance is... What is called? Su... I forget his name. Ambarīṣa and...?
Devotee: Durvāsā?
Prabhupāda: Durvāsā. Yes, Durvāsā Muni. Durvāsā Muni, because he offended to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was not excused even by Viṣṇu. He had to fall down on the feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Yes. Ambarīṣa upākhyāna.
So vaiṣṇava-aparādha is the greatest offense. Even a great sage like Durvāsā was not excused. He was so great, Durvāsā, that he could go personally to all the lokas, Brahma-loka, Śiva-loka, Viṣṇuloka. Personally he could go, by his yogic power. Just imagine how much he was powerful. He saw face to face Lord Viṣṇu and requested Him to give him protection from the sudarśana-cakra, and Viṣṇu refused: "So I cannot give you protection because you are offender to a Vaiṣṇava. Only Ambarīṣa Mahārāja can give you protection." Just see. He was so exalted yogi that he could see personally Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu, but still, he was not excused on account of his offense to a Vaiṣṇava.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned very severely: tāra madhye vaiṣṇava aparādha hātī matta. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is the greatest offense. We should be very careful. In... According to our Vedic civilization, a Vaiṣṇava, a saintly person, was never under the government laws. They, they were not under the govern... Why government laws? Even Yamarāja's law. That is also stated. Yamarāja also warned his servants not to approach Vaiṣṇava. So Vaiṣṇava's position is so great.
General Lectures
Here you are all present, many learned scholars and pandits. So you consider why this restriction should be there. Of course, if you do not allow, there is no, I mean to say, loss on the part of the foreigners, because Jagannātha has already gone there, and they are worshiping. But it is an etiquette that to give samāna to the Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇava aparādha has been very much condemned by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So these Vaiṣṇavas, when they are so much eager to come to Jagannātha Purī and see Jagannātha, you should welcome them. You should receive them well, because Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā. And (in) the śāstra it is said, tadīyānām ārādhanam. Viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param, tasmāt parataraṁ devī tadīyānām ārādhanam. So I have specially come to request you to remove this restriction and be friendly to the foreign devotees.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. What can be done? Cheaters there are. If you want to be cheated, who can save you? He has made guru without asking his guru. He submits to others. Then how we can save him?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does that do to his relationship with his own spiritual master?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How does this affect his relationship with his...?
Prabhupāda: They don't care for his own spiritual master.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But what...? That means their relationship is spoiled.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Guror avajñā, aparādha.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Aparādha.
Prabhupāda: And Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised, "Save yourself from aparādha." Some aparādha, and they are going away, just like Nitāi. Guror avajñā.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's called the elephant offense?
Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha. The weak and the fools, they will be victimized. What can be done? Tīrtha-guru, the pāṇḍā is accepted tīrtha-guru... That... But he takes to Jagannātha temple and other holy places, gives him instruction about the holy places and so on, so on, shelter, food, in this way.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. There is such a thing.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am unknown, so he helps me in every respect. So Vaiṣṇava accepts everyone as guru, śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru, then tīrtha-guru. This is no harm. But what is this rascal, "No, no, you cannot sit down here. You take the flag and pay me hundred rupees?" if you are so rascal, who can save you?
| Page Title: | Vaisnava aparadha |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 01 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=11, CC=5, OB=1, Lec=18, Con=1, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 36 |