How can offenses be avoided?

 d

Answer: In order to become free from offenses, one should ultimately begin to lead a positive spiritual life. One who is always afraid of committing offenses, thus continuously meditating on them, will not really advance in chanting. The following story illustrates this point:

In a forest, a millipede could dance wonderfully. A toad that was observing his dancing became envious and decided to stop the millipede. However,she did not want to just come along and clumsily trample him down; so she conceived of a devious plan.

The toad wrote a letter to the millepede. "My dear millipede, you are certainly the best dancer in the entire forest, and in your dancing all the fine arts of the whole universe are reflected. I have, however, a question: when you are dancing, do you lift first the 52nd foot and then shift to the other side with the 56th foot, or do you begin by softly rolling your 200th foot and then go back to the 150th foot? How exactly do you perform your dance? That is my question. Yours sincerely, the toad from the bog."

The millipede read the letter carefully,and the next time when he came to the dancing place where all the forest animals had already gathered,he bacame embarrassed. Instead of just dancing as usual, he thought, "Do i start with the 52th foot,or do i roll slowly from the 200th foot ahead? How do i exactly perform my dancing?"

As he was fully entangled in his thoughts, he could not dance anymore. he began to stagger and to stumble."What is the matter?" asked the forest animals in amazement. The toad had attained her objective. What actually was the matter is called "Paralysis through analysis"-being paralyzed by thinking too much. One who is continuously absorbed in various thoughts, always living with the fear to commit offenses, will not be able to chant properly. This principle, by the way, affects the whole life: To be always afraid of negative things, thus meditating on all kinds of possible mistakes, makes it very difficult to follow the path of Krsna Consciousness. The injunction is: Think of Krsna! Only that will bring us out of 'maya'!

Therefore, it is essential for every devotee to live a positive spiritual life, beyond the constant anxiety of how to avoid offenses. The best is to reverse ther offenses and consider them in a positive light.

-From 'The Nectarean Ocean of the Holy Name by HH Sacinandana Maharaj'

Importance of self-control

Yudhisthira inquired, "How should one react to people who insult you by their rudeness and arrogance?" Bhisma replied, "If one does not become angry when insulted by another, then he takes away all the pious merit that person may have accumulated by good deeds. In addition he transfers to the abuser his own sinful reactions. After all what is the value of praise or blame when uttered by a vulgar fool? A person who praises some one in his presence but criticizes him behind his back is no better that a dog."

Yudhisthira, "How should one debate with an unscrupulous person?" Bhisma replied, "In a debate the tactics of a truthful person are limited, but a deceitful person can utilize any abominable method. However if the truthful person were to use the same tactics as his opponent, he will find himself at a greater disadvantage, for he is acting contrary to his nature. Therefore a truthful and honest person should always avoid an argument with an unscrupulous person."

Yudhisthira then inquired, "How should one behave towards a more powerful enemy?" Bhisma replied, "Even though the swift current of the river can uproot and carry huge trees, the canes survive since they bend with the current. Similarly in order to survive an enemy more powerful, one must yield while staying firmly anchored to the roots."

Yudhisthira inquired, "What should a weak person do if out of foolishness and pride he provokes a powerful enemy?" Bhisma replied, "O King, the weaker person must repent and thus appease the stronger enemy."
Yudhisthira inquired, "What is the origin of all sin?" Bhisma replied, "Greed, the hankering to posses more than one's naturally ordained quota is the origin of all sin. The desire to posses that which belongs to another is insatiable and gives rise to anger, lust, loss of judgment, arrogance, miserliness, lack of compassion, enviousness, mistrust and many other evils. Ignorance is made up of the same material as greed, though if analyzed it can be seen that ignorance also comes from greed. As one's greed increases, his ignorance also becomes more dense."

Yudhisthira inquired, "What produces the highest merit?" Bhisma replied, "Self-restraint surpasses all other activities in this regard and is therefore considered to be the highest virtue. Because self-restraint purifies and controls every aspect of one's life it is more important than giving in charity and the study of the Vedas. By self-restraint alone one can achieve liberation from the material world. Self-restraint comprises sense-control, freedom from anger, non-enviousness, impartiality, truthfulness, steadiness and contentment. However, the essential quality of self-restraint is austerity. Thus no good can be achieved without austerity."

Yudhisthira then inquired, "O Bhisma, is there any rule that should never be violated under any condition?" Bhisma replied. "The worship of true brahmans and giving them all kinds of respect must never be given up under any circumstance"

Our whole philosophy is love

Prabhupada: Yes. Without love, nothing can sustain. If I do not love Krsna I cannot surrender. It is not possible. Just like a small child, he is naturally surrendered to the parents because there is love. The child loves also the parents. So without the basic principle of love, the more you love, the more the surrender is also perfect. Just like a small child, you slap the child, he's crying, yet crying also with the words, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy," because there is love.

Even in distress the child cannot forget. That is natural. Similarly, when you remain fully surrendered to the supreme will, either in distress or in happiness, that is your happiness. That is real happiness. This condition cannot be without love. In any condition, you remain surrendered. It cannot be done without love. When there is lack of love, this kind of mentality cannot develop: "In any condition I shall remain surrendered." Just like you are; you are, a whole society is carrying my order, not because I am superior person.

There is love. Without love you cannot do so. You have got some bit of love for me, therefore you carry my order. Otherwise it is not possible. And I cannot also. You are foreigners, you are. Americans, I came from another country, I have no account. I cannot also order you: "You must do it, otherwise I will chastise you." Because there is love. It is a connection of love. I can also become bold enough to chastise you, but you also, what, in whatever condition, you carry my order due to the basic principle is love. And our whole philosophy is love. We are just trying to learn how to love Krsna, that's all. So without the basic principle of love, these things cannot be conceived.

- Philosophical Discussions with Syamasundara dasa

 Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Sachin Kumar Gupta
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy

Non devotee grains

Antya 6.278

TEXT 278

"vishayira anna khaile malina haya mana
malina mana haile nahe krishnera smarana

SYNONYMS

vishayira—of materialistic persons; anna—food; khaile—if one eats;
malina—contaminated; haya mana—the mind becomes; malina—contaminated; mana
haile—when the mind becomes; nahe—is not; krishnera—of Lord Krishna;
smarana—remembrance.

TRANSLATION

"When one eats food offered by a materialistic man, one's mind becomes contaminated, and when the mind is contaminated, one is unable to think of Krishna properly.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyas, or so-called Vaishnavas who take everything very casually, are both vishayis, or materialists. Eating food offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man. There are six kinds of association—giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating with both the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaishnavas, and the non-Vaishnavas, or avaishnavas.

Their association changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Krishna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krishna.

Antya 6.279

TEXT 279

vishayira anna haya 'rajasa' nimantrana
data, bhokta—dunhara malina haya mana

SYNONYMS

vishayira—offered by materialistic men; anna—food; haya—is; rajasa—in the
mode of passion; nimantrana—invitation; data—the person who offers;
bhokta—the person who accepts such an offering; dunhara—of both of them;
malina—contaminated; haya mana—the mind becomes.

TRANSLATION

"When one accepts an invitation from a person contaminated by the material mode of passion, the person who offers the food and the person who accepts it are both mentally contaminated.

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are three varieties of invitations—those in the mode of goodness, those in passion and those in ignorance. An invitation accepted from a pure devotee is in the mode of goodness, an invitation accepted from a person who is pious but materially attached is in the mode of passion, and an invitation accepted from a person who is materially very sinful is in the mode of ignorance.

Antya lila 6.278-279