
CONCLUSION

In the first part of this article, it was established that a genuine Vaisnava
is known by his good qualities. Because the Vedic scriptures prescribe the
chanting of the holy name of Krsna to be the essential dharma in the present
age of darkness, a Vaisnava is to be especially recognized by the quality of
his chanting. As Srila Prabhupada explained, "You should always remember that
either grhastha or brahmacari or sannyasi, nobody can strictly follow all the
rules and regulations. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible. Therefore Caitanya
Mahaprabhu has recommended that hari-nama, chanting Hare Krsna mantra, should
be very rigidly performed, which is common for everyone."

If a person advertises himself as a Gaudiya Vaisnava by chanting the Hare
Krsna mahamantra and yet deliberately commits namaparadha (offenses to the
holy name), he disqualifies himself. The link between namaparadha and
deviation from the sampradaya is indicated by Srila Jiva Gosvami, who warns in
Bhakti-sandarbha that there are offenders to the holy name who are acikitsya
or incorrigible (jnana-lava-durvidagdhastra-acikitsya-atva-dupeksa), who
immediately become insolent and arrogant due to acquiring a little knowledge
from the sampradaya. Such acikitsya-namapradhis are automatically disbarred
from the sampradaya because of three kinds of namaparadha:<B> sadhu-nindha,
guru-avajna and sruti-sastra-nindha.

Yet the incorrigible offender never concedes the fact of his offenses. He
cannot understand that the mercy of the spiritual master and the association
of pure devotees are indispensable to the chanting of the holy name. Because
he highly values worldly knowledge and accomplishments, he looks down upon the
simple devotees who have surrendered themselves to devotional service. This is
sadhu-ninda (blasphemy of the devotees of the Lord). He cannot accept that the
spiritual master is a transcendental teacher, not a worldly one; thus he tries
to measure the person and instructions of the guru by his own mental
standards. This is guru-avajna (disregard of the spiritual master). He studies
the revealed scriptures as he would ordinary literature, gleaning from it
whatever seems to support his preconceived notions, heedless of the rest. This
is sruti-sastra-nindha (blasphemy of the revealed scriptures).

The acikitsya-namaparadhi confuses the growth of these and other offenses
within his heart with the growth of the bhakti-lata (creeper of devotion).
Thus he mistakes his fallen condition for a condition of great advancement;
such is the illusion from which the apasampradayas have sprung.

By taking proper shelter of the sampradaya, we learn to avoid offenses and
protect the creeper of devotion implanted in the heart by the spiritual
master. By offenseless chanting of the holy name, the creeper grows to full
maturity and bears the fruit of Krsna-prema, pure love of God.

