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Expertise in Service

Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur explains how devotees can counteract the ten offences to the Name.

The following is an excerpt from Śrī Hari-nāma-chintāmaṇi (13.38–60), in which Śrīla Haridās Ṭhākur completes his explanation to Śrīman Mahāprabhu of the ten offences to the Name.

daśāparādha śūnya vyaktira lakṣaṇa: the characteristics of one who is free from the ten offences

ataeva sādhu-nindā yatane chhāḍiyā
para-tattva viṣṇu śuddha-manete jāniyā [38]

nāma-guru nāma-śāstra sarvottama jāni’
viśuddha chinmaya nāma hṛdayete māni’ [39]

pāpa-spṛhā pāpa-bīja tyajiyā yatane
prachāriyā śuddha-nāma śraddhānvita-jane [40]

anya-śubha-karma haite la-iyā virāma
smare ye śaraṇāgata apramāde nāma [41]

Therefore, carefully avoiding criticism of sādhus, knowing within the pure heart that Viṣṇu is supreme, considering the Guru and the scriptures that teach the Name to be the highest of all, understanding within the heart that the Name is completely pure and spiritual, carefully giving up the desire for sin—the seed of sin, teaching faithful souls about the pure Name, and taking leave of all pious works—a surrendered soul who remembers the Name in this way, free from distraction …

niraparādhe nāma la-ile alpa dine bhāvodaya haya: if one takes the Name without offence, one’s true nature quickly arises

sei dhanya tri-jagate sei bhāgyavān
kṛṣṇa kṛpā yogya sei guṇera nidāna [42]

… is glorious throughout the three worlds. They are fortunate, worthy of Kṛṣna’s mercy, and a reservior of virtues.

Commentary: One does not attain everything simply by giving up the ten offences. There are ten actions to counteract the ten offences, and these must also be performed. These are indicated by the instruction to give up the offences.

ati alpa-dine tā̐ra śrī-nāma-granaṇe
bhāvodaya haya āra pāya prema-dhane [43]

Within a very short time, their true nature arises through their chanting of the Name, and they attain the wealth of divine love.

unnati-krama: stages of development

evambhūta janera sādhana-daśā-prāya
ati svalpa dine yāya kṛṣṇera ichchhāya [44]

bhāva-daśā haite haite prema-daśā haya
prema-daśā sarva-siddhi sarva-śāstra kaya [45]

By the will of Kṛṣṇa, such a soul very quickly passes through the stage of practice and reaches the stages of feeling and love. All the scriptures say that the stage of divine love is the highest perfection.

Commentary: If one takes shelter of the Name according to the instructions of Śrī Haridās Ṭhākur, one will pass through the the stage of practice (sādhana) very quickly.

tumi baliyāchha nāma yei mahājana
la-ibe niraparādhe pābe prema-dhana [46]

You have said that a great soul who chants the Name without offence will attain the wealth of divine love.

vyatireka bhāve ihāra chintā: think of this in the opposite way

aparādha nāhi chhāḍi’ nāma yadi laya
sahasra-sādhane tāra bhakti nāhi haya [47]

If one chants the Name but does not give up the offences, then even by thousands of practices, one will not attain devotion.

jñāne mukti, karme bhukti, jñānī-karmī-jane
sudurlabhā kṛṣṇa-bhakti nirmala-sādhane [48]

Liberation is attained through knowledge, and enjoyment through action, but it is very difficult for liberationists and materialists to attain devotion to Kṛṣṇa even through pure practice.

bhukti-mukti śukti-sama bhakti muktā-phala
jīvera mahimā—bhaki-prāpti sunirmala [49]

Enjoyment and liberation are like oysters; devotion is like a pearl. The glory of the soul is in attaining spotlessly pure devotion.

sādhane naipuṇya-yoge atyalpa-sādhane
bhakti-latā prema-phala dena bhakta-jane [50]

When devotees engage in practice expertly, the creeper of a devotion gives them the fruit of divine love after very little practice.

Commentary: If devotees engage in practice expertly, they attain divine love, the fruit of the creeper of devotion.

bhajana-naipuṇya: expertise in service

daśa-aparādha chhāḍi’ nāmera grahaṇa
ihāi naipuṇya haya sādhane bhajane [51]

Chanting the Name avoiding the ten offences is expertise in practice and service.

nāmāparādhera gurutā: the heaviness of offences to the Name

ataeva bhakti-lābhe yadi lobha haya
daśa-aparādha chhāḍi’ kari’ nāmāśraya [52]

eka eka aparādha satarka ha-iyā
yatanete chhāḍi’ chitte vilāpa kariyā [53]

nāmera charaṇe kari’ dṛḍha nivedana
nāma-kṛpā hale aparādha vidhvaṁsana [54]

Therefore, if one wants to attain devotion, then one should give up the ten offences, take shelter of the Name, be cautious about each of the offences, lament at heart for being negligent about them, and firmly surrender to the feet of the Name; when the Name is merciful to them, their offences will be destroyed.

anya-śubha-karme nāma-aparādha-kṣaya
kona prāyaśchitta-yoge kabhu nāhi haya [55]

The offences to the Name are never destroyed by other pious works or any act of atonement.

nāmāparādha parityāgera upāya: the way to give up the offences to the Name

aviśrānta nāme nāma-aparādha yāya
tāhe aparādha kabhu sthāna nāhi pāya [56]

By incessantly chanting the Name, the offences to the Name go away, and never again find any place within the chanter.

Commentary: Incessant chanting of the Name means if one earnestly chants the Name at all times, excluding only the period of rest needed to perform one’s daily activities, then the offences to the Name will be destroyed. The offences the Name are not destroyed by any pious works or acts of atonement.

divā-rātra nāma laya anutāpa kare
tabe aparādha yāya nāma phala dhare [57]

Day and night, one should chant the Name and repent. Then the offences will go away, and one will reap the Name’s fruit.

aparādha-gate śuddha-nāmera udaya
śuddha-nāma bhāvamaya āra premamaya [58]

When the offences are gone, the pure Name arises. The pure Name is filled with ecstasy and divine love.

daśa-aparādha yena hṛdaye nā paśe
kṛpā kara mahāprabhu maji’ nāma-rase [59]

O Mahāprabhu! So that the ten offences never enter my heart, be meriful and immerse me in the nectar of the Name.”

e bhakti-vinoda haridāsa-kṛpā-bale
hari-nāma-chintāmaṇi gāya kutūhale [60]

By the mercy of Haridās, Bhakti Vinod joyfully chants Hari-nāma-chintāmaṇi.

Note

The commentaries are part of the text of Śrī Hari-nāma-chintāmaṇi and written by Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur himself.

Reference

Read the first two parts of this chapter from Śrī Hari-nāma-chintāmaṇi here: Surrender is Indispensible and “I” and “Mine”.

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