Re: Vaisnava Aparadha Doubt?

A friend of mine wanted to know why others who are related with the offender have to suffer for the sin that the aparadhi had committed because he felt that the others had not committed the sin themselves? Morever he argued that those who did not commit the sin may have not known or realised about what that aparadhi had done. Actually this was related to the topic concerning Ramachandra Khan's offence to Haridasa Thakura. He wanted to know why the whole village had to suffer for one person's sin.

It was because the whole village should have immediately rejected Ramachandra Khan and thrown him out of the village or if that was not possible, they should have left the association of Ramachandra Khan and left the village in which Lord Nitaai was insulted. Because they remained quiet and as you said since they were not remorseful or repentant, they had to bear some reactions of this great offense and thus suffer for it. Those who rejected Ramachandra Khan and left the village were not affected by this calamity.

In many cases, when a Vaisnava has been offended, the only thing one can do is fall at the feet of that Vaisnava and beg his forgiveness. Nevertheless we see that despite that, the Lord still does not forgive such people even when the Vaisnava forgives? Is it because the offenders are not serious about their repentance and are not genuinely remorseful, not knowing the true consequences of their heinious activities.

It the devotee forgives the offended from the bottom of his or her heart, then certainly the Lord forgives also. If the offense is great, to attain such a genuine forgiveness, the offender should render dedicated menial service to the devotee offended very sincerely and remorsefully.

Is the sin of associating with an aparadhi so sinful that even if one has not committed the offence directly, nevertheless he loses his wealth, piety, family, name, fame, and all of his devotional sukriti? What if that person does not know that his associate is an aparadhi?

If one does not know before, then one should at least immediately act when one comes to know and give up that wrong association. Then one can be saved from the results of Vaishnava Aparadha.

Anyhow, those who offend a Vaisnava go to the worst of hells for who knows how many billions of Brahmas will come and go by the time they get released from hell, what to speak of when they will get this chance again? As long as one's life lasts there is a chance to repent, but once those offenders die and go to hell, how will they ever be forgiven or get another chance? Is there no way by which those jivas can ever come back on the correct path?

They will get a chance but after a very long time. Pure devotees like Shrila Narada visit the hellish planets for this reason of giving chance to those souls. At the next chance they get, if they are humble and remorseful and they render sincere service to pure devotee they happen to meet, then slowly their offense is forgiven by the Vaishnava Tattva.

Daaso'smi, Swami Gaurangapada.

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