All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga
(The following is an article written by Srila Shyam Das Babaji Maharaj. A High court judge asked for an analysis as to essential differences between apparadha-sin and crime according to our Siddhanta).
Gaudiya Gosthi Pati Sri Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada said that—“Sin and apparadha not same. To break social rules and regulations or principles is known as sin, and any kind of ignoring mood if shown unto the Lotus Feet of Vishnu-Vaishnava is known as apparadha. Apparadha is crores of time more dangerous than sinful activity. Sin can be destroyed by proper method of expiation, but apparadha cannot be escaped that way. By the name of patita pavan Sri Gaura-Nityananada which appear as universal purifier, it can only be possible to drive away apparadha.” From Sri Caitanya Caritamrita–Sanatan shiksa topic by Sriman Mahaprabhu—their we can see that how the hunter was purified by Bhagawannama. He was always busy with sinful activities, but by the mercy of Sri Narada Muni he was delivered to become a pure Vaishnava. One day in the way of his journey towards Allahabad– Triveni sangam Sri Narad Muni met with the ferocious and merciless hunter—who was always busy with sinful activities like killing animals etc. to get support of his family running expanses. Also regarding jivahimsa against any jivattma (violence) it is the exclusive opinion of Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakur—Jagat Guru that only physical assault on the body of any jiva is not jivahamsa (violence) in true sense, because this gross body is not jiva and subtile body is also not jiva, these two are the titles of cinmoy jivattma, so any kind of atrocity or physical assault on this gross body of a jiva is surely not the exact meaning of jiva himsa (malicious), rather the direct impact on the jivattma as a violence of malicious activity is none devotional advice or guidance by somebody. Sri Krsna bhakti is the complete or ultimate solution, nothing else. From Srimad Bhagavatam we know the following slokas–
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā (ŚB 4.31.14)
As pouring water inside the root of a tree can give full nourishment to all the trunks and branches, twigs, same way as we are supplying food to the stomach through our mouth can enrich the whole body together with senses and limbs of the body. Similarly by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through our devotional service can automatically give satisfies to all the demigods, because they all are resting in the Supreme Personality.
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam (ŚB 11.5.41)
O King! One who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to anyone like—demigods or great sages or ordinary living beings or relatives or friends or mankind or even to one’s forefathers who already gone away from this material world. Since all such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord’s service has no need to serve anyone separately.
The rate of criminal activities at present is on the sharp rise in the whole world, some variation can be there but as a whole the situation is very sensitive and the gravity of those problems are very very deep-rooted and acute in nature, so the only solution is Bhagavannama Sankirtan and Harikatha shravan.
As per Srimad Bhagavatam karma, akarma and vikarma—these three factors are there. Without having full knowledge about these three—one cannot pass any remark about sin, crime or apparadha. Bharat Varsha (India) is the land of spiritual cultivation or can be called dharma ksetra or can be called karma ksetra where Varna-Ashrama dharma is effectively applicable. Veda based society can go through all those spiritual judgments already laid down in Veda. “Karma” means Veda based karma (as per the injunction of Veda). Not to do that way–is called akarma, and to do just opposite of what all instructions given in Veda is called “vikarma”– which is surely more dangerous than akarma. Akrama can surely lead you towards doing all sinful activities—which all are not at all approved by attma dharma. From Srimad Bhagavatam 1st Canto we can see the following sloka—
sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati (ŚB 1.2.6)
The supreme duty or dharma for all human being is that by which they can attain loving devotional service unto the Lotus Feet of the transcendental Supreme Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted, which can completely satisfy the self.
On the basis of which we can safely say that only by following attma dharma or Bhagavat dharma one can attain transcendental bliss (complete satisfaction of attma). Otherwise anyway sinful activity is a must, which can surely bring dissatisfaction in our life, i mean the degree of consciousness can go down and down. Virtue or vice etc. terms are only applicable for our gross body and subtle body (mind, intellect, heart&ego) but apparadha is directly related with the jivattma and the following factors like—Bhakti, Bhakta, Bhagavan, Bhagavannama, Bhagavat Dham, Mahaprasadam etc. which all can have direct impacts on our spiritual progress, also which can ultimately lead us to drop our consciousness big way, whereas sinful activities are mainly related with gross body and subtle body. Crime is also mainly related with gross body and subtle body, but still according to the degree of intensity of doing sinful activities the result can vary. Some examples are given below for your kind information–
Like to kill somebody or attempt to murder or rape case or robbery or plane hijack etc., those can be called as criminal activities. Whereas killing a cow or any animal is called sinful activity. Crime is mainly related to human being and the society in which we are living. Criminal activities can disturb our social system of life as a whole. Criminal activity is more and more dangerous than sinful activity, though we know that criminal activity is also under the category of sinful activity, still has some specialty.
To take brown sugar drug is sinful activity, whereas to sell brown sugar drug is surely criminal activity. Criminal activities can have a great impact on our society as a whole, whereas sinful activities can destroy a small group or any particular jivattma. Sinful activities or the tendency to commit sinful activities can be avoided or can be abolished by Bhagavannama or even by the power of Namabhasa– infinity sinful activities or criminal activities together with their results can be erased instantly, whereas apparadha can never be erased until & unless any perfect solution is not found (regarding apparadha you will have to find the solution in the very root cause of the apparadha developed. As for example—If apparadha done unto the Lotus Feet of any particular Sadhu-Guru-Vaishnava, then to satisfy him you will have to try over and again or if he is no more with us in this material world, then try to search out any of his unfulfilled desire and try to do that seva. If apparadha done against Sri Krsna or against His Holy Nama, then continuous Krishna Nama Maha Mantra can give you the solution. If apparadha done against Dhama-tattva, then try to do Dhama-Parikrama or Dhama-seva etc. If apparadha done against Mahaprasad, then you will have to honour Mahaprasad again and again without any hesitation or kapat bhava. Likewise on the basis of analytical siddhanta vichar you will have to take step), so reaction is a must in your life. Apparadha can be divided into four categories like against the Nama of Sri Krsna (No.1), or against the svarupa of Sri Krsna (No.2) or against any devotee (No.3), or apparadha can be against any man (No.4). If you are misguiding anybody against attma Dharma, then it can be treated as big apparadha.
Sinful activities all in general can cover the field of criminal activities, but criminal activities are more and more dangerous than sinful activities. Some examples are given below in favour of your clarification—like drinking wine is sinful activity, to go to Pross-quarter is sinful activity, abortion is very very sinful activity, whereas selling wine is criminal activity (with permission or without permission—it matters little), abduction of men or women or boy or girl is surely criminal activity. Plane hijack is also criminal activity. Criminal activities are usually directed to destroy or disturb others.
To commit suicide is sinful activity, but to kill each other in the battlefield is not treated as criminal activity, whereas if someone purposely going to kill someone personally, then surely this can be treated as a criminal activity. When Parashurama was bound to kill all Ksatriyas then it was not criminal activity, because he was the supreme authority- I mean Saktaveshavatara of the Supreme Lord. When Indra Maharaja the king of heaven wanted to get the physical association of Ahalya Devi, the wife of Goutamai Rishi, then it must be treated as very very sinful activity. When Ratnarkar Dassyu (previous name of Valmiki Muni) was engaged in killing others only to maintain his family expanses, then that was very very sinful activity. But if someone purposely out of his enmity like to kill somebody then it must be treated as criminal activity. In this way all very fine demarcation lines are there on the basis of which we can understand the difference between sin- crime & apparadha. To detect sin-crime & apparadha those are the usual procedures.
Some time externally you cannot find any reason for why some activities can be counted or treated as apparadha because though externally no visible reason can be found, but still can have some superfine ground for why offender (apparadhi) can suffer a lot. In Gaura lila at Navadvip Dham Sri Mayapur Dham—Sri Mayapur we can show some cases.
When Capal Gopal out of jealousy wanted to bring about a bad name on Srivas Pandit, then he simply kept wine bottle, china rose, red vermillion etc. all Bhawani Puja items at the outside door gate of Srivas Pandit´s house to give a false allegation against his purity to prove his dirty character of Bhawani puja and wine habit etc. He wanted to prove that in the name of holy Nama Sankirtan rasa everyday (whole night) he (Srivas Pandit) is doing all such rubbish activities. Then externally legally it was not so heavy case, rather it can be treated as very minor case. Even on the basis of which you have no right to approach the court to seek the justice, but as per spiritual background this can be treated as a great offence. Though Capal Gopal can escape from court case but no way he can get escape from the great offence he has done unto the Lotus Feet of Srivas Pandit the great Gauranga Parshad. So ultimately he developed very highly infectious leprosy disease within two nights. Then he could realise his own great offence and wanted to beg for pardon unto the Lotus Feet Sri Gauranga Deva, but Sriman Mahaprabhu replayed him very furiously that—“ This punishment is nothing, infinity rigorous (severe) punishment waiting for you birth after birth for this kind of great offence done by you unto the Lotus Feet of Srivas Pandit, I can never excuse you anyway”. Finally Sriman Mahaprabhu suggested him to approach the Lotus Feet of Srivas Pandit to beg for pardon, because only then by the mercy of Srivas Pandit he can get escape of the offence done by him. Now you can realise very easily the heavy gravity of such a dangerous apparadha.
Another such case I can project in front of you all as an example to clarify the point. Devananda Pandit was known to be a big famous Bhagavat scholar who used to explain Srimad Bhagavatam daily at Navadvip Dham (Koladvip) in front of mammoth gathering. Srivas Pandit the great Gaura Parshad took interest to hear Srimad Bhagavatam from him who was very famous for his detachment mood and as well as for his big proficiency in Srimad Bhagavatam.
So one day he went to attain the Bhagavat katha. He was a Premi Bhagavat Bhakta, so naturally on hearing Srimad Bhagavatam he started crying heavily—which was a disturbance for the other audience, because each of their heart was dry heart, the master Devanananda Pandit his heart was also very dry heart, so they could not realize the heavy sophisticated and soft heart melt condition of Srivas Pandit. They started ignoring his highness to develop a great offence unto the Lotus Feet of the great Gaura Parshad to through him out of the area of Bhagavat katha to avoid further disturbance, because they couldn’t understand the dignity of Srivas Pandit. This way Sriman Mahaprabhu was very much angry with Devananda Pandit, He was so angry –so angry that he wanted to snatch away Srimad Bhagavatam from his hand.
From Srimad Bhagavatam we know that Prajapati Daksha was so much puffed up that he started insulting Maha Vaishnava Raja Shyambu without realizing the great dignity of Vaishnava Raja Shyambu in the full assembly of rishi–muni and demigods etc. Finally Daksha Yagya was totally destroyed. By the request of Brahma and other demigods the Yagya was restored by the causeless mercy of Vaishnava Raja Shyambu. Somehow the Yagya was completed and those who lost their lives could get back their respective life including Prajapati Daksha who was beheaded previously, now again appeared with a goat head to beg for pardon unto the Lotus Feet of Vaishnava Raja Shyambu, but still then- there was left some strain or spot of previous appardha, for which he was bound to take birth as Prachetas Daksha in Chaksus Manvantar and again he committed apparadha unto the Lotus Feet of Sri Narada Muni. So life after life the effect of apparadha can role on with the jivattma, whereas sinful or criminal activities can erased by proper punishment or by proper expiation method, but still the root cause of sinful tendency can never be erased, which can again act as a driving force to engage the jivattma into sinful activities or criminal activities. In Srimad Bhagavat Gita Sri Krsna giving advice to Arjuna—
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate (Bg. 3.27)
All aspects of material activity are performed by the three binding forces of material nature, but a person whose intelligence is bewildered by false ego thinks himself to be the doer.
Also the question of Arjuna was just befitting here in this context. He wanted to ask to Krsna that –“Who is going to engage us (jivattmas) forcefully into sinful activities, whereas basically nobody want to commit any sinful activity from heart.
arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ
pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ (Bg. 3.36)
Arjuna said: O Krsna , O descendant of Vrsni, what is it that seems to forcibly impel a person to engage in sinful deeds, even though he is unwilling to do so?
And the answer by Sri Krsna was—
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam (Bg. 3.37)
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: This lust, the desire to enjoy sense objects, which indeed transforms into wrath, is born of passion. It is all-devouring and extremely fearsome. Know it to be the primary enemy of the living entities within this world.
Also we know from Srimad Bhagavat Gita the absolute opinion of Sri Krsna—
nādatte kasyacit pāpaṁ
na caiva sukṛtaṁ vibhuḥ
ajñānenāvṛtaṁ jñānaṁ
tena muhyanti jantavaḥ (Bg. 5.15)
The Supreme Lord does not accept anyone´s sinful or pious reactions. Ignorance covers the inherent true knowledge of the living entities and bewilders them.
From Srimad Bhagavatam 6th Canto all the documents relating to sinful activities are given below—
śrī-rājovāca
dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpaṁ
jānann apy ātmano ’hitam
karoti bhūyo vivaśaḥ
prāyaścittam atho katham (ŚB 6.1.9)
Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by people in general and because he hears from scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish conditions in the next life for committing sinful acts. Nevertheless, in spite of such knowledge, one is forced to commit sinful activities again and again, even after performing acts of atonement. Therefore, what is the value of such atonement?
kvacin nivartate ’bhadrāt
kvacic carati tat punaḥ
prāyaścittam atho ’pārthaṁ
manye kuñjara-śaucavat (ŚB 6.1.10)
Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts become victimized by sinful activities again. Therefore I consider this process of repeatedly committing sinful activities and to follow some method of expiation to find solution for that is usless. It is like the bathing of an elephant. Because an elephant can clean the body itself-by taking a full bath, but then again going to throw dust over the full body as soon as coming back to dry land.
Also we know from the Srimad Bhagavatam 6th Canto that—
na tathā hy aghavān rājan
pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ
yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas
tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā (ŚB 6.1.16)
O my dear King! One can easily purify himself by serving a bona fide spiritual master (Bhagavat Bhakta) through which he can serve the supreme Lord itself, because the heart and soul of such dedicated Mahattma resting in Krsna. But such kind of purity never possible by following austerity and penances.
yaṁ vai na gobhir manasāsubhir vā
hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate
ātmānam antar-hṛdi santam ātmanāṁ
cakṣur yathaivākṛtayas tataḥ param (ŚB 6.3.16)
As the different limbs of the body cannot see the eyes, the living entities cannot see the Supreme Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart. Not by the senses, by the mind, by the life air, by thoughts within the heart, or by the vibration of words can the living entities ascertain the real situation of the Supreme Lord.
dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ
na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ
na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ
kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ (ŚB 6.3.19)
The real religious principle (Bhagavat Dharma) is reveled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, still those great ṛṣis are not sure about that. Even those demigods are not sure about that, even those main main siddhas they are also not sure about that, even those asuras and human beings they know nothing about it, so what to speak about those Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas?
Then how common people can guide themselves perfectly according to the principles laid down in Bhagavat Dharma. That is the most vital question at present.
Thanks a lot
Truly yours in the service of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga and Go-Mata
Your´s a fallen son Sri Baba Shyam Das