TO INSTRUCT THE GLORIES OF THE HOLY NAME TO THE FAITHLESS
(ASRADDADHANA VIMUKHE'PY ASRNVATI)
IS THE SEVENTH OFFENSE
All glories to Lord Sri Gauranga, the life of Sri Gadadhara
Pandit; all glories to Lord Nityananda, the heart of Srimati
Jahnavadevi; all glories to Sri Advaita Acarya, the Lord of
Mother Sita; all glories to Srila Srivasa Pandit and all the
devotees of Lord Caitanya.
With his hands folded and in a soft voice Srila Haridasa
Thakur said, "Now please hear about another namaparadha".
Sraddha (faith) is essential for chanting the holy name
The foremost requirement for chanting Krsna's holy name is
sraddha or firm faith. One who is bereft of it cannot hear the
name and is therefore unfit to chant. High birth, respectable
family, knowledge, strength, learning or wealth are not qualities
that make a person eligible to chant the name. The scriptures
extol sraddha to be the one indispensible ingredient for proper
chanting. Lord Krsna's name is the jiva's most valuable treasure.
Faith means to have complete conviction that chanting Lord Krsna's
name will automatically fulfill all duties and complete all pious
activities. Those who do not possess such faith are unfit to
chant.
It is an offense to instruct the faithless on the holy name
According to Vaisnava etiquette, a person who does not have
faith in the name should not be initiated into chanting. If a
faithless person is initiated into chanting or is instructed
about the glories of the holy name, then he will only defile and
neglect the name. This is the statement of scripture. The swine
will crush the pearls strewn before it and the monkey will tear
the cloth it is given; the faithless person will likewise
increasingly offend the holy name and thus invite his doom.
Simultaneously, the initiating guru will be dragged down by his
share in these offenses. Very soon, he will be forced off the
path of devotional service.