| Sri Harinama Cintamani :: Chapter 14 (part 1) |
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Sevaparadha is to be avoided by the servitor "One who is engaged in Deity worship must carefully avoid the sevaparadhas, and all Vaisnavas must strictly abstain from the namaparadhas and relish the taste of pure devotional service to Lord Krsna. The devotee himself is the best judge of which offenses to be vigilant about, according to the service he is engaged in. But the responsibility of avoiding namaparadha is applicable to every Vaisnava at all times. In the stage of bhava-seva, sevaparadha is almost nonexistent "That devotee who, in a secluded place, feeling separation from the Deity, is steadily engaged in worshipping the Lord in the mood of loving (bhava), must diligently avoid the ten offenses against the holy name, because the namaparadhas are the source of all ills. Bhava-seva commences only after one has surmounted the namaparadhas. In this stage of seva, one has to be free from all offenses. In bhava-seva, mental service is foremost; there is hardly opportunity for sevaparadha. O Lord Caitanya, You have instructed Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami on the worship of Sri Govardhana-sila thusly [as recorded in Caitanya-caritamrita, [Antya-lila 6.294-304]: On a practical level, it's a lot easier to deny the existence of other selves than it is to deny your own—you have the direct, irrefutable experience of your own existence. "This stone is the transcendental form of Lord Krsna. Worship the stone with great eagerness. Worship this stone in the mode of goodness like a perfect brahmana, for by such worship you will surely attain ecstatic love of Krsna without delay. For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from aTulasi tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity. With faith and love, you should offer eight soft Tulasi flowers, each with Two Tulasi leaves, one on each side of each flower. "After thus advising him how to worship, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally offered Raghunatha dasa the Govardhana-sila with His transcendental hand. As advised by the Lord, Raghunalha dasa worshipped the sila in great transcendental jubilation. Svarupa Damodara gave Raghunatha dasa two cloths, each about six inches long, a wooden platform and a jug in which 10 keep water. Thus Raghunatha dasa began worshipping the |