Saint Ved Vyas relating the Bhagwatam to Shukdeo (3100 B.C.)

The Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism by H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (the most important site on Hinduism, the Upanishads, modern Physics, Bhartiya, Sanatan Dharm and more)
     

(68) The definition of spiritual transgression.


  
      There is one most important thing which the spiritual practitioners mostly forget, and that is the spiritual transgressions. The follower of a faith or a path should know that the universe is running on definite principles and fixed laws of karmic consequences; and it is governed by the Divine power of God Who is omnipresent. So, for his own good, a person has to follow the rules of devotion as advised and prescribed in the scriptures (the Upnishads, the Gita and the Bhagwatam) which were revealed by God Himself.

One may create a dogma according to his own imagination and whim and add the name of a fictitious God to it. He may create a group (or even a religion) and befool others with that ideology. But that has no concern or consideration in relation to the laws of the karmas of this universe. You should know that God Himself has revealed the simplest path of bhakti for His realization, descended on the earth planet in His absolute Divine glory, and revealed His loving leelas for the devotional remembrance of the devotees; for such a kind and Gracious God, even the slightest disregard is a grave transgression. God is always kind. He never looks to the wrongs of any soul who comes to Him; but such transgressions come under the category of bad karmas, and thus, the doer is punished according to the karmic laws of this universe.

Any kind of disregard for the supreme personality of God is a spiritual transgression. Thus, such thoughts, actions or writings that disregard, disrespect, criticize or allegorize His leelas, His descensions, His personality, His abode, His Divine love, His scriptures, His eternal Saints and His true bhaktas (Devotees), are called the spiritual transgressions (namaparadh). Misrepresentation of the true philosophy of Bhartiya scriptures (the Upnishads, Gita and the Bhagwatam) and using religious oratory to please the audience and entertain his ego by receiving the compliments of his followers are also spiritual transgressions. The negative effect of such transgressions on the doer’s mind is much greater than other sinful deeds. For example: a person is following a path. He is doing all the rituals, fasting, worship, recitation, meditation and jap*, whatever he likes. But, in the presumptuousness of such doings, if he even ignores to accept the greatness of Divine love or bhakti or the supremacy of God’s personal form or he disregards the other acharyas and Divine personalities, he is committing a spiritual transgression that will further multiply the negativity and the vanity of his mind. It means that as a result of his spiritual practices whatever sattvic quality he would be earning, on top of that, as a result of his transgressions, he would be adding much more negativity in his mind. It would be like a businessman who earns ten thousand dollars and loses twenty thousand dollars every day. Imagine what would be the fate of his business. This is the reason that a lot of such practitioners and religious preachers and teachers, instead of coming close to God and improving their humbleness, they only multiply their vanity and become more and more attached to their worldly possessions.

*Repeating the name of God while counting it on the bead-chain, which the doer holds in his right hand, is called 'jap.'


  

Copyright © 1999 - 2001 H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati

Previous Article | Next Article

Home | Introduction | Author | Articles
Glossary | Abbreviations | Search
Transliteration | Site Map | Links

   
This site is based on the book
The True History and the Religion of India

The True History and the Religions of India by H.D. Swami Prakashanand Saraswati