Category:Blasphemy
Theme Analysis
Blasphemy, or nindā, is a destructive force that uproots the creeper of devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda expands the definition of blasphemy beyond mere insult to include any philosophical deviation that minimizes the position of the Supreme Lord, His devotees, or the Vedic scriptures. The ten offenses against the holy name highlight that blaspheming a devotee (sādhu-nindā) and blaspheming the Vedic literature (śruti-śāstra-nindanam) are primary obstacles to spiritual progress. Blasphemy also includes the atheistic claim of "I am God" or equating the Supreme Lord with ordinary demigods. While a devotee is advised to be humble and tolerant regarding personal attacks, Śrīla Prabhupāda strictly instructs that one must never tolerate blasphemy against the Guru, Kṛṣṇa, or other Vaiṣṇavas. To hear such words without acting—either by defeating the arguments or leaving the place—is to share in the sinful reaction.
- Forms of Blasphemy: Blasphemy includes criticizing devotees, the Vedas, or the Guru. It also extends to claiming equality with God or stating that God has no form.
- The Devotee's Stance: A devotee tolerates personal insults but becomes "fire-like" when the Lord or His devotees are blasphemed. Passive hearing of such offenses destroys one's pious credits.
- Universal Respect: True Kṛṣṇa consciousness involves respecting all genuine preachers of God, including those from other traditions like Jesus Christ, provided they are preaching the glories of God.
- Consequences: Blasphemers are described as nindakas or pāṣaṇḍīs. Their destination is hellish life, and they drag their civilization down with them.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Blasphemy - The Destroyer of Spiritual Life.
Subcategories
This category has the following 10 subcategories, out of 10 total.
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Pages in category "Blasphemy"
The following 94 pages are in this category, out of 94 total.
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- A Krsna conscious person will never blaspheme any person, any religious leader, who is trying to spread Krsna consciousness or God consciousness
- Additional principles (of devotional service) are as follows: (17) One should not blaspheme the demigods, although one should not worship them. Similarly, one should not criticize other scriptures, although one should not follow the principles therein
- After accepting the renounced order of life, Caitanya Mahaprabhu converted many karma-nisthas who were addicted to fruitive activities, many great logicians like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, nindakas (blasphemers) like Prakasananda Sarasvati
- All rascals should be challenged vigorously. They are misleading the whole population, and blaspheming the Indian spiritual culture. People are depending so much on this culture for their upliftment, and they are blackmailing for money’s sake
- An uttama-adhikari is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realized state of unalloyed Krsna consciousness
- Anyone who is preaching devotion to God, he's a devotee of God. So he should never be blasphemed
- At this time the Bhattacarya had a son-in-law named Amogha, who was the husband of his daughter Sathi. Although born in an aristocratic brahmana family, Amogha was a great faultfinder and blasphemer
B
- Because He has no material body, He has no false conception of "I and mine." It is therefore incorrect to think that He feels pleasure or pain when blasphemed or offered prayers. This is impossible for Him
- Because the blasphemy was cast against Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, He did not feel sorry, and therefore He was smiling. This is ideal Vaisnava behavior
- Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in his own body and in the bodies of others, and blasphemes against the real religion. BG 16.18 - 1972
- Bhrgu Muni continued: Since you (the followers of Lord Siva) blaspheme the Vedas and the brahmanas, who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism
- Bhrgu Muni, in cursing Nandisvara, said that not only would they be degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the source of human civilization
- Blasphemy means you have good qualities, but still, I am defaming you
- But for King Vena, who is simply inauspicious, who would blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose mercy one is awarded all kinds of fortune and opulence?
- By blaspheming the principles of the Vedas, which are the pure and supreme path of the saintly persons, certainly you followers of Bhutapati, Lord Siva, will descend to the standard of atheism without a doubt
H
- He (Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami) never cared to hear blasphemy of a Vaisnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used to say that since all the Vaisnavas were engaged in the service of the Lord, he did not mind their faults
- He was just about to call Narada vile names, but, due to the influence of saintly Narada, the hunter could not utter such blasphemies
- He would not listen to blasphemy of a Vaisnava, nor would he listen to talk of a Vaisnava's misbehavior. He knew only that everyone was engaged in Krsna's service; he did not understand anything else
- Humility and meekness are not appropriate when the acaryas are blasphemed
I
- I have heard that in some of the airports they are making announcements telling the people not to purchase our literature. This is impeding our religion and is therefore blasphemy
- If a man who is conditioned by so many imperfections says that he is the greatest of all, he blasphemes. But Krsna can say this
- If one blasphemes the Supreme Lord, his punishment is to remain in hellish life for many millions of years more than one suffers by killing many brahmanas
- If one blasphemes the Vedas and brahmanas, naturally one goes down to the status of atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nastika, which refers to one who does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of religion
- If one decries or blasphemes the Vedic principles, then he falls to the standard of atheism
- If one hears an irresponsible person blaspheme the master and controller of religion, he should block his ears and go away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill, then one should by force cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender
- If one hears an irresponsible person blaspheme the master and controller of religion, one should block his ears and go away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill, then one should by force cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender
- If one is a brahmana he should not give up his body because by doing so he would be responsible for killing a brahmana; therefore a brahmana should leave the place or block his ears so that he will not hear the blasphemy
- If someone blasphemes a Vaisnava, one should stop him with arguments and higher reason. If one is not expert enough to do this he should give up his life on the spot, and if he cannot do this, he must go away
- If there is blasphemy against one's guru or another Vaisnava, one should be as angry as fire. This was exhibited by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- If you (Arjuna) are blasphemed, defamed by your enemies, better, before getting that, you better die in the fight. And dying, by dying, you are not loser
- In this way, Srila Nityananda Prabhu introduced the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to everyone without discrimination. Even though the people were fallen souls and blasphemers, they were delivered by this process
- In your Western countries, Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for God's. He was charged that he was preaching something blasphemous. But he was a devotee of God
- Instead, I shall never see the face of that blasphemer. I reject him and give up my relationship with him. I shall never even speak his name
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- None of them (devotees) falsely claim to be God themselves. This is a blasphemy declared by the asuras, and the demoniac followers of such asuras also accept pretenders as God or His incarnation
- Nowadays so many rascals, they write "Bhagavan." That is blasphemy. If Bhagavan likes, such persons should be punished. But Bhagavan excuses. That is another thing
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- One should not at any time tolerate blasphemy and insults against Lord Visnu or His devotees
- One should not be proud to hear himself praised before the Deity. (29) One should not blaspheme the demigods. (30) One should not be unkind to others before the Deities
- One should not blaspheme Lord Visnu through one's mind, words or actions, for a blasphemer will go to hellish life along with his forefathers
- One should not tolerate blasphemy against a Vaisnava but should immediately take one of three actions
- One should tolerate insults against oneself, but when there is blasphemy committed against superiors such as other Vaisnavas, one should be neither humble nor meek: one must take proper steps to counteract such blasphemy
- One who considers the transcendental body of Lord Visnu to be made of material nature is the greatest offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. There is no greater blasphemy against the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- One who hears blasphemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotees should immediately take action or should leave. Otherwise he will be put into hellish life perpetually
- Other items you (Sanatana Gosvami) should describe are the method of performing purascarana, taking krsna-prasadam, giving up unoffered food and not blaspheming the Lord's devotees
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- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had heard rumors about Ramacandra Puri's blasphemy. Now He directly heard his fanciful accusations
- Sri Caitanya was a little embarrassed by the Bhattacarya’s statement; therefore He uttered the name Visnu to save Himself. The Lord herein (CC Madhya 10.182) confirms that if one is overestimated, glorification is just another form of blasphemy
- Sri Naradaji said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy
- Such a person, being unsatisfied, begins to blaspheme Lord Brahma, saying that he does not know the art of creating well and is simply inexperienced
- Suppose if I say before you that "There is nobody greater than me," oh, you'll think, "Oh, Swamiji is very proud." Yes. If a man like me, who is conditioned by so many restriction, if I say that I am the greatest of all, that is a blasphemy
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- The brahmanas deviated Devapi from the path of the Vedic principles, and therefore when asked by Santanu he did not agree to accept the post of ruler. On the contrary, he blasphemed the Vedic principles and therefore became fallen
- The great sages, thus manifesting their covert anger, immediately decided to kill the King. Vena was already as good as dead due to his blasphemy against the SPG. Thus without using any weapons, the sages killed King Vena simply by high-sounding words
- The greatest blasphemy is to consider Visnu and the living entity on the same level
- The heroine who is a combination of sobriety and restlessness always jokes with equivocal words. She sometimes praises her lover, sometimes blasphemes him and sometimes remains indifferent
- The impersonalists, fruitive workers, false logicians, blasphemers, nondevotees and lowest among the student community are very expert in avoiding the Krsna consciousness movement, and therefore the inundation of Krsna consciousness cannot touch them
- The injunction against praise is less important than the injunction against blasphemy
- The instruction set forth here in Srimad-Bhagavatam is that one should not tolerate at any cost the activities of a person who vilifies or blasphemes an authority
- The Lord thought, "All the so-called professors and scientists and their students generally follow the regulative principles of religion, fruitive activities and austerities, yet at the same time they are blasphemers and rogues"
- The Nama-prabhu, who is identical with Krsna, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee
- The offenses (to the holy names) are: (c) to disobey the instructions of the spiritual master (d) to blaspheme the Vedic literatures and those compiled in pursuance of the Vedic literatures, (e) to comment that the glories of the holy name are exaggerated
- The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. (4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version
- The offenses in Deity worship are: (ee) to praise oneself before the Deity, and (ff) to blaspheme the demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided
- The offenses in Deity worship are: (q) to show someone favor before the Deity, (r) to use harsh words before the Deity, (s) to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity, (t) to blaspheme someone before the Deity, (u) to worship someone else before the Deity
- The suffering of being blasphemed and the enjoyment of being praised, the acceptance of a good welcome or of chastisement by harsh words, are felt in the material conception of life
- The third offense is to consider the bona fide spiritual master to be a common man. The fourth offense is to blaspheme Vedic literature and authorized scriptures like the Puranas
- There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord
- There are three ways of dealing with such insults. If someone is heard blaspheming by words, one should be so expert that he can defeat the opposing party by argument
- There is no use in praising someone for material qualifications or blaspheming him for material disqualifications
- They (the materialists) may be very religious & may work very systematically or perform austerities and penances, but if they blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead they are nothing but rogues. This is confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya - 3.11
- This (in all the scriptures the spiritual master is considered to be as good as God) does not mean, however, that the Vaisnava thinks himself God, for this is blasphemous
- Those who are preaching the message of God, they should not be blasphemed. And then never interpret in the scriptures or in the chanting of Hare Krsna
- Those who criticize devotional service are called nindakas (blasphemers). Similarly, nondevotees who consider devotional activities to be material are called pasandis, and scholars with a similar viewpoint are called adhama paduyas
- To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are engaged in preaching the glories of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name
- To think that Lord Siva and the other demigods are other forms of God and are therefore equal to Visnu - is blasphemous. This is the second offense at the lotus feet of the holy name of the Lord
- To think that the names of demigods such as Lord Siva are as good as the name of Lord Visnu - is blasphemous
W
- We cannot manufacture our own idea. That is blasphemy, sahajiya. Yata mat tata pat. These things are not accepted by mahajana. Mahajana means who follows the previous mahajana. This is the system
- When Lord Brahma heard everything from the demigods and the members who had attended the sacrifice, he replied: You cannot be happy in executing a sacrifice if you blaspheme a great personality and thereby offend his lotus feet
- While Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Benares or Kasi, the Mayavadi sannyasis blasphemed Him in many ways because although He was a sannyasi He was indulging in chanting and dancing
- While describing one of the offenses against chanting the holy names, specifically the offense - blaspheming the Vedic literature, Jiva Gosvami states in his Bhakti-sandarbha - Worshipers of impersonalists like Dattatreya are also pasandis
- Whoever kills or blasphemes a Vaisnava and whoever is envious of a Vaisnava or angry with him, or whoever does not offer him obeisances or feel joy upon seeing him, certainly falls into a hellish condition
- With my mind fixed on Your lotus feet, I am no longer disturbed by persons who blaspheme me, claiming that my activities are not purified. I do not mind their accusations, and I excuse them out of compassion, just as You exhibit compassion