Teachings to Rupa Goswami
27
devotee or the transcendental gardener has, however, to pour water on the plant daily, in regulation, by the process of chanting and hearing. Without chanting and hearing, or without pouring water on the root of the plant, there is every chance of the plant becoming dried up.
The Lord continued to say that there is another source of danger while pouring water on the root of the plant. When the plant of devotional service grows, some animal may come and eat the whole thing or destroy the plant, just like an ordinary plant is also destroyed by the animal. And when the green leaves of the plant are taken away by some animal, the plant generally dries up. So one has to take precaution about the plant of devotional service not being disturbed by other animals. An animal is used to refer to offenses unto the pure devotee of the Lord, which is called  Vaishnava Aparadh . This offense unto the pure devotee is compared to a mad elephant: As a mad elephant, if it enters into the garden, causes tremendous loss to the plants and trees, so in the devotional discharge, if there is any offense unto the feet of the pure devotee, it creates havoc in the matter of advancing in devotional service. Therefore, one has to defend the plant by fencing it properly; one has to take care, while discharging devotional service, not to commit any offense to the pure devotees. If one is cautious in the matter of not committing offenses unto the pure devotees, then the plant of devotional service is properly protected.
Offenses are of ten kinds, and they are also known as offenses unto the Holy Name: The first offense is to blaspheme great devotees who have tried to spread the Glories of the Holy Name all over the world. If one is unnecessarily envious of a devotee who is trying to spread the Holy Name all over the world, in execution of the order of his Spiritual Master, such a rascal is the greatest offender at the Feet of the Holy Name. The Holy Name of Krishna is non-different from Krishna, and Lord Krishna cannot tolerate such offenses as to decry a pure devotee who is spreading His Holy Name all over the world. The second offense is to deny that Lord Vishnu is the Absolute Truth; There is no difference between His Name, Quality, Form, Pastimes, and Activities; but one who sees a difference in these different functions of the Supreme Lord is also an offender. In the same way, the Lord being supreme, nobody is equal to or greater than the Supreme Lord. Therefore, if anybody thinks that the Lord or His Name are equal to the personality of some demigod, he is also an offender. Such a conception of equality between the Supreme Lord and the demigods is not very congenial to the performance of devotional service.