Shloka 23
The Glory of the Divine Name and the Doctrine of Name-Offenses
Nāma-aparādha
नामापराधयुक्तानां नामान्येव हरंत्यघम् । अविश्रांति प्रयुक्तानि तान्येवार्थ कराणि यत्
nāmāparādhayuktānāṃ nāmānyeva haraṃtyagham | aviśrāṃti prayuktāni tānyevārtha karāṇi yat
नामापराधयुक्तानामपि केवलानि हरिनामानि पापं हरन्ति। अविश्रान्त्या प्रयुक्तानि तान्येव साध्यफलप्रदानीति।
Unspecified (narrative voice within Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Even with nāmāparādha, the Holy Name itself is the primary purifier; uninterrupted repetition (avishrānti) makes it efficacious (arthakarī).
Application: Adopt steady daily japa/kīrtana; when lapses or offenses occur, do not abandon practice—intensify attentive repetition and cultivate humility.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet temple interior where a lone sādhaka sits before a small Viṣṇu shrine, lips moving in ceaseless japa. From the syllables of the Name, luminous lotus-petals stream outward, dissolving dark smoke-like sins that cling to the body like shadows. The air feels still, yet charged—each repetition becomes a visible garland of light.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as a radiant presence on the altar)","a sādhaka/japa-yogin","subtle personifications of pāpa (dissolving shadows)"],"setting":"Lamp-lit sanctum with tulasī pot nearby, conch and bell at the side, faint mandala patterns on the floor; the shrine is simple but intensely alive.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","smoky indigo","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu on a small pedestal shrine with gold-leaf halo and ornate arch, a devotee seated in japa with rudrākṣa/tulasī mālā, thick gold embellishment on crown and ornaments, rich vermilion and emerald borders, the Holy Name visualized as golden lotus-petals dissolving dark sin-clouds, gem-studded details, South Indian temple lamp glow.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: an intimate shrine room with delicate brushwork, a serene devotee chanting, soft Himalayan-cool palette with sapphire and rose, the nāma depicted as fine calligraphic ribbons turning into lotus petals, sins as faint gray wisps fading, refined facial features and lyrical stillness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, Viṣṇu with large expressive eyes and stylized ornaments, warm red-yellow-green pigments, a seated chanter in profile, the nāma as rhythmic golden bands encircling and purifying, temple-wall aesthetic with symmetrical floral motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus motif emanating from the written Viṣṇu-nāma, deep indigo background with gold highlights, floral borders and small lamps, a devotee at the bottom in reverent posture, peacocks and stylized lotuses framing the purifying radiance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells (distant)","soft tanpura drone","conch shell (opening)","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरंत्यघम् = हरन्ति + अघम्; नामान्येव = नामानि + एव; तान्येवार्थ = तानि + एव + अर्थ; अविश्रांति = अविश्रान्तिम् इति अपेक्षितं (पाठभेद/लिप्यन्तर-भेद), अर्थतः ‘अविश्रान्त्या/अविश्रान्तिम्’ (without pause).
FAQs
It teaches that even when a person is associated with nāmāparādha, the Holy Name itself still has the power to remove sin—especially when the Name is taken continuously and without interruption.
It centers spiritual efficacy on nāma (the Divine Name) rather than on complex ritual, implying that steady remembrance/chanting is a primary bhakti practice capable of purifying the practitioner.
Do not abandon spiritual practice due to imperfection; persist in sincere, uninterrupted nāma-japa, since sustained engagement with the Divine Name is portrayed as both purifying and goal-fulfilling.