Nāma-aparādhas are the only obstacle on the path of bhakti

I continue translating Śrī Viśvanātha’s fascinating commentary on the Bhāgavata verses 6.2.9 and 6.2.10 which teaches fundamental principles of nāma-aparādha, or offense to Bhagavān’s name. The first two parts in this series are here and here.

To recap, we saw in prior articles that bhakti which involves uttering Bhagavān’s name even once, destroys all sins. However, the condition is that the person performing bhakti be free from aparādhas or offenses. There are some exceptions to this rule. Specifically, Bhakti-devī disregards the eight offense which is always present in those on the path of karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga which is as follows —

“It is an offense to equate the name with all the other pious works (śubha-kriyā) recommended in scripture, such as prescribed duties, vows, renunciation, and sacrifices (dharmavrata-tyāgaḥ …)”

Bhakti-devī awards the results of karma yoga and jñāna yoga to their practitioners out of compassion. This includes the destruction of sins. But she does not award bhakti to such practitioners because they are not free of the eighth offense. However, Bhakti-devī does not remove sin if practitioners commit offenses other than the eighth offense. Having analyzed the role of offenses in blocking bhakti’s results on the path of karma and jñāna where she is a minor component of the practice, Śrī Viśvanātha now examines the role of offenses in the context of Vaiṣṇavas, in whose practices, bhakti is a major component. He writes —

atha ye nāmāparādhino vaiṣṇavyā dīkṣayā vaiṣṇavam eva guruṁ kṛtvā bhakti-devīṁ kaivalyena prādhānyena vāśrayamāṇāḥ nāma-kīrtanādibhir bhagavantaṁ bhajante, teṣām api vaiṣṇava-śabdenābhidhīyamānānāṁ bhakti-tāratamyenaivāparādha-kṣaya-tāratamyaṁ bhakter mukhya-phalodaya-tāratamyaṁ ca bhakti-devyāḥ prasāda-tāratamyenaiva |

Now, the degree of arising of the primary fruit of bhakti is in accord with the degree of the grace of Bhakti-devī alone and the degree of destruction of aparādhas is in accord with the degree of bhakti alone even for those who are nāma-aparādhis but who have accepted a Vaiṣṇava guru through Vaiṣṇava dīkṣā and taken shelter of Bhakti-devī purely or primarily, who worship Bhagavān with nāma-kīrtana and other processes, [and are therefore] called Vaisnavas,

The results of bhakti are two-fold. First, bhakti’s primary fruit, bhāva, is granted in accord with the extent to which Bhakti-devī’s grace manifests. The secondary fruit of bhakti is the destruction of offenses, which occurs in accord with the degree to which bhakti is performed. He provides evidence for this point —

yad uktaṁ bhagavataiva—

This is stated by Bhagavān Himself —

yathā yathātmā parimṛjyate’sau mat-puṇya-gāthā-śravaṇābhidhānaiḥ |
tathā tathā paśyati vastu sūkṣmaṁ cakṣur yathaivāñjana-samprayuktam || [bhā.pu. 11.14.26] iti |

To whatever extent the mind is purified by hearing and reciting the narrations of My virtuous acts, to that same extent it can intuit the subtle reality, just as the eyes can detect minute objects when treated with therapeutic ointment. (sb 11.14.26)

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktiḥ [bhā.pu. 11.2.42] ity ādi ca |

Just as with every morsel of food consumed, satisfaction, nourishment, and relief from hunger are experienced by a person engaged in eating, so too bhakti [i.e., prema], direct witnessing of Bhagavān [the immediate self-disclosure of His form (bhagavad-rūpa-sphūrti)], and detachment from objects unrelated to devotion — these three occur simultaneously [in the very moment in which bhajana is performed (eka-kālaḥ bhajanaḥ sama-kāla eva syāt)] to a person who has taken complete shelter of Bhagavān [the person engaged in Hari-bhajana]. (sb 11.2.42)

śṛṇvatāṁ svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya śravaṇa kīrtanaḥ |
hṛdyantaḥ stho hyabhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām || [bhā.pu. 1.2.17]

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the benefactor of His devotees, is that entity in regard to whom the acts of hearing and glorification are themselves purifying. Being internally established within the heart of those who hear His narrations, He eradicates all inauspicious predispositions therein. (sb 1.2.17)

The idea is that the grace of bhakti and the destruction of offenses occurs comes in quanta or packets – which steadily but surely take the bhakta toward his or her goal. Śrī Viśvanātha explains further —

ity-ādi-vacana-vyajyamānaś caturdaśa-bhūmikārohaś ca krameṇaiva teṣāṁ jñeyaḥ | etad artham eva tatra tatra śraddhā-vṛtty-ādi-vidhānam | atrāpi prakaraṇe guṇānuvādaḥ khalu sattva-bhāvanaḥ [bhā.pu. 6.2.13] iti | atas teṣāṁ kṣīṇa-sarvāparādhatve saty eva bhagavantaṁ prāptānāṁ na punarbhavaḥ | niraparādhānāṁ tu bhagavat-prāptau nāsti vilambas teṣāṁ hi bhagavan-nāma-grahaṇaṁ vaikuṇṭhārohaṇaṁ ceti dve eva bhūmike, yathā ajāmilādīnām |

It is to be known that these statements bring to light their sequential passing through fourteen stages. For this purpose alone, there is the injunction of faith, the activities of bhakti etc. Even in this section [on Ajāmila’s narration], this is stated in 6.2.13 —

“The narration of His qualities purifies the heart. “

Therefore, only upon a weakening of their aparādhas will there be no rebirth for them, who [instead] attain Bhagavān. Those who are devoid of aparādhas attain Bhagavān without delay. They have only two stages – the utterance of Bhagavān’s name and their attainment of Vaikuṇṭha, as in the case of Ajāmila and others.

Thus, aparādhas are the main stumbling block on the path of bhakti. Practice of bhakti weakens them over time. Till such time, the bhaktas must take rebirth. Those who are devoid of aparādhas attain the result of bhakti immediately and do not take rebirth. He provides the evidence for this —

yad uktaṁ—

This is stated in the following verse —

na vāsudeva-bhaktānām aśubhaṁ vidyate kvacit | janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-bhayaṁ vāpy upajāyate || iti |

For the devotees of Bhagavān Vāsudeva, there is nothing inauspicious. Even the fear of birth, death, old age, and disease does not arise in them. (Sahasra-nāma-stotra 131

sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcatām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām |
avyākṛtaṁ bhāgavato’tha vaiṣṇavaṁ padaṁ yathāhaṁ vibudhāḥ kalātyaye || [bhā.pu. 4.24.29] iti |

A person scrupulously devoted to his occupational duty for one hundred lifetimes becomes eligible to occupy the post of Brahmā. One who is yet more qualified can attain my abode, which is beyond even that. A worshiper of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, however, attains to the abode of Viṣṇu, which transcends all phenomenality, just as I and other devas attain that very destination after the dissolution of the subtle body.

Now, even those who are free from offenses may still take birth again in the world. Śrī Viśvanātha writes —

niraparādhānām api keṣāṁcit prema-viśeṣa-siṣādayiṣūṇāṁ bhagavat-prāptau kiñcid vilambo’pi | yathaivādi-bharatasya janma-trayam abhūt |

There will be some slight delay in attaining Bhagavān even for some of those who are devoid of aparādhas [but] who desire a specific type of prema. This is similar to how Bharata took three different births.

How about sins? Do devotees who are not free from offenses have to bear the results of their sins by going to hell? He replies —

kiṁ ca, sāparādhānāṁ madhye yadi kecid bhajanābhyāsābhāvād akṣīṇa-prācīna-pāpāḥ kriyamāṇa-pāpa-nāmāparādhāś ca syus, tad api tair deha-tyāgānantaraṁ narakeṣu na gantavyam |

Furthermore, of those who are implicated in aparādhas, if some are devoid of regular practice of bhajan, and therefore have not reduced their ancient sins, and are currently engaged in sin and nāma-aparādhas, they still do not go to hell after giving up their bodies. [This follows from the following verse from the Bhāgavata-māhātmya —

sva-puruṣam api vīkṣya pāśa-hastaṁ vadati yamaḥ kila tasya karṇa-mūle |
parihara bhagavat-kathāsu mattān prabhur aham anya-nṛṇāṁ na vaiṣṇavānām || [bhāgavata-māhātmyaṁ 6.99] iti |

Yama, seeing his own person with a rope in hand, speaks in his ear — refrain from those who are intoxicated with Bhagavān’s narrations. I am the Lord of other humans, not of the Vaiṣṇavas,

and from the statements of the messengers of the devas from the Pādma-māgh-māhātmya-

naiṣāṁ vayo na ca vayaṁ prabhavāma daṇḍa ity api yama-vacanebhyaḥ |

We do not have authority in punishing them, nor [does] age.

prāhāsmān yamunā-bhrātā sādaraṁ hi punaḥ punaḥ | bhavadbhir vaiṣṇavās tyājyā viṣṇuṁ ced bhajate naraḥ ||

The brother of Yamunā spoke to us with respect again and again, “Vaiṣṇavas are to be excluded by you, [as also] a human being if he worships Viṣṇu.

iti pādma-māgh-māhātmīya-deva-dūta-vacanāc ca |

Thus, Vaiṣṇavas cannot go to hell, even if they are implicated in offenses as well as sins. Interestingly, Śrī Viśvanātha now points out that even the rebirth of these Vaiṣṇavas is not due to the bondage of karma. Their rebirth is only to give them the opportunity to perfect their bhakti.

kiṁ ca—nahy aṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv apīti bhagavad-vākyād yat kiñcid bhakty-aṅkurasyāpy anaśvara-svabhāvāt pāpādibhir duratikramatvād amoghatvāc cāvaśyam eva janiṣyamāṇa-patra-puṣpādy-artham eva yeṣāṁ janma bhaven na tu naśyad-avastha-pāpa-puṇya-nibandhanam | yad uktaṁ—na karma-bandhanaṁ janma vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca vidyate iti | ato janmāntare teṣāṁ prācīna-bhakti-saṁskārotthair nāma-kīrtanādyaiḥ pāpāparādha-kṣayānte bhakti-devyāḥ prasādena bhagavat-prāptiḥ |

Additionally, from the statements of Bhagavān such as–

“My dear Uddhava, once commenced, My dharma [in the form of bhakti] is certainly not subject even to the slightest deterioration, because it is free from the guṇas, devoid of all desire, and has been rightly established by Me”,

Even a tiny bhakti-sprout is indestructible in nature, and therefore insurmountable by sins. As such, their birth is only for the purpose of inevitably generating the leaves, flowers etc. [of that bhakti sprout] and not due to the bondage of piety or sin which are in the stage of being destroyed. This is stated in the following:

“There is never any birth caused by the bondage of karma for Vaiṣṇavas. “

Therefore, in another birth, they attain Bhagavān by the grace of Bhakti-devī, when their sins and aparādhas have been destroyed by the practice of nāma-kīrtana etc. driven by the ancient impressions of bhakti [in their hearts].

Thus, even though Vaiṣṇavas are reborn, they do not experience the world in the same way. He highlights this by citing verses —

yad uktaṁ—

This is stated in the following verse —

na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen mukunda-sevy anyavad aṅga saṁsṛtim |
smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punar vihātum icchen na rasa-graho janaḥ || [bhā.pu. 1.5.19] iti |
Oh dear one, certainly a person who serves Mukunda, does not ever again attain this world like others. Remembering the embrace of the lotus feet of Mukunda, a person knowledgeable in rasa [of that embrace] never desires to give it up.

atrānyavad iti karmi-janādivat saṁsṛtiṁ puṇya-pāpa-phala-bhoga-mayīṁ nāpnoti kintu bhagavad-dattāṁ sukha-duḥkha-mayīṁ saṁsṛtiṁ prāpnotīty arthaḥ |

Here, the word ‘anyavad’ means like the karmis. The sense is as follows – they do not attain [like the karmis], this world composed of the experience of piety and sin, but instead, attain this world consisting of happiness and distress given by Bhagavān.

yad uktaṁ śrutyā—tvad-avagamī na vetti bhavad-uttha-śubhāśubhayor guṇa-viguṇānvayān [bhā.pu. 10.87.40] iti | teṣāṁ yāvan-nāmāparādha-kṣayābhāvas tāvad anaṣṭāni pāpāni bhukta-phalāny eva tiṣṭhanti bhakti-vṛddhyā tad-anabhyāsena nāmāparādha-kṣaye sati sadya evaṁ samūla-pāpa-kṣayāt bhagavantaṁ prāpnotīty ato bhakti-vṛddhy-artham eka-dvi-tri-janmāni vaiṣṇavā api prāpnuvanti | teṣāṁ dṛśyamānāni vaiṣayika-sukhāni bhakti-dharmotthāni |

This is stated in the Sruti — One who knows you does not consider as good or bad, the auspicious or inauspicious [events] that arise from you.

So long as their nāma-aparādhas are not destroyed, their undestroyed sins in the form of experienced results are certainly present. Owing to the growth of bhakti in them due to not repeatedly engaging in aparādhas, their nāma-aparādhas are destroyed [and] their sins together with their root cause being destroyed immediately, they then attain Bhagavān. Therefore, for the purpose of growing their bhakti, even Vaiṣṇavas may attain one, two or three births. The happiness of the sense objects that are seen in them [actually] arise from the dharma of bhakti.

Bhakti removes sins, but it does not do so when offenses are present. When offenses are destroyed, sins are automatically destroyed by a single act of bhakti such as utterance of Bhagavān’s name.

In this way, Śrī Viśvanātha concludes that the rebirth of Vaiṣṇavas is for removal of their offenses. Their happiness and suffering during those lives are not caused by the bondage of karma, but specifically arranged by Bhagavān. He explains —

yad uktaṁ—

As is stated in the Bhagavata Purana –

dharmasya hy āpavargyasya nārtho’rthāyopakalpate | nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ ||
kāmasya nendriya-prītir lābho jīveta yāvatā | jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ || [bhā.pu. 1.2.9-10] iti|

Dharma that conduces to liberation (āpavargya) does not have prosperity (artha) as its objective. Prosperity, which is the unfailing attendant of such dharma, does not have the appropriation of sense objects (kāma) as its intended aim; so it has been attested to (smṛtaḥ) [by those who have realized the Truth]. The appropriation of sense objects is not meant for sensual pleasure (indriya-prīti), but only for requisite life sustenance. The purpose of life is to inquire into the Absolute and not to procure the benefit (artha) [of heaven, renowned] in this world by carrying out one’s prescribed duties. (sb 1.2.9–10)¹

duḥkhāni tu kānicit sva-bhakta-bhakti-vardhana-catureṇa bhagavatā laṅghana-kaṭukauṣadha-pāyanādibhiḥ kṣudhā-vṛddhi-pratipādakena bhiṣajeva dattāni | yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ [bhā.pu. 10.88.8] iti tad-ukteḥ |

In contrast, some sufferings are given by Bhagavan for skillfully increasing His devotee’s bhakti, similar to how medicine such as fasting or bitter herbs is prescribed for the purpose of increasing hunger.

Now he points out three specific offenses that can destroy Vaiṣṇava-ness itself. If one no longer is a Vaiṣṇava, all bets are off and the above considerations no longer apply. Śrī Viśvanātha writes —

kāni tu prabala-nāmāparādha-phalāni yato daśasu nāmāparādheṣu madhye arthavādārthāntara-kalpana-śubha-karma-sāmyam iti trayaṁ sākṣād vaiṣṇavatāyā eva vyāghātakāḥ |

On the other hand, some are results of powerful nāma-aparādhas [which are so-called] because out of the ten nāma-aparādhas, they are the destroyers of Vaiṣṇava-ness itself. These are the three aparādhas of i) considering the glories of the name as mere commendations, ii) ascribing one’s own imaginary meaning to the name, and iii) equating the name with all the other pious works recommended in scripture, such as prescribed duties (karma), vows, renunciation, and sacrifices.

Now he identifies two offenses that are extremely powerful —

tebhyo’nyeṣu tu madhye dvāv atiprabalau mahad-aparādha-nāma-bala-hetuka-pāpa-pravṛttī—

Among the rest of the nāma-aparādhas, two are extremely powerful — i) aparādha toward the mahat or devotees, and ii) the tendency to commit sin based on the strength of the name. [These are given in the following statements:]

yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad-vigarhām iti |

How can the name tolerate criticism of those who spread its glories?

nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ

For one who intentionally commits sins on the strength of the name ( nāmno balāt), the means of purification through rules simply does not exist.

Given these specific statements that are fearful [in their impact], these two offenses can only be becalmed by continuous kīrtana of the names, together with enduring the collective sufferings [caused by these aparādhas].

Summary

Aparādhas are the main stumbling block on the path of bhakti

Vaiṣṇavas cannot go to hell, even if they are implicated in offenses and sins.

Vaiṣṇavas are reborn to remove their offenses and advance in bhakti. However, in those lives, they do not experience the world in the same way as ordinary people. Their experience of happiness and suffering is caused by Bhagavān.

Engaging in three of the ten offenses can destroy Vaiṣṇava-ness itself. These are powerful (prabala) offenses: i) considering the glories of the name as mere commendations, ii) ascribing one’s own imaginary meaning to the name, and iii) equating the name with all the other pious works recommended in scripture, such as prescribed duties (karma), vows, renunciation, and sacrifices.

Two extremely powerful (atiprabala) offenses can only be becalmed by continuous kīrtana of the names, together with enduring the collective sufferings [caused by these aparādhas]. These offenses are: i) aparādha toward the mahat or devotees, and ii) the tendency to commit sin based on the strength of the name.