(Excerpt from lecture series on Caitanya Caritamrta, Kartika 2007, Day 04 – ‘Gopala Capala Offends Srivasa Thakura 1’)
No one can escape the reaction to Vaisnava aparadha unless they make amends and atone for the offense in the prescribed methods.
If you make the offense and just go on- business as usual, reaction will come. Also the same thing happened with Haridasa Thakura. He was offended and exactly 3 days later, the person’s nose fell off. Same figure is there – 3 days. 3 days, 3 months or 3 years. Because you are given 3 days to come to your senses, because Krsna's merciful.
So Krsna's giving some reprieve that generally the sincere Vaisnava - although sometimes even sincere Vaisnavas inadvertently or even intentionally sometimes, offend a very great devotee or an advanced devotee and they don’t realize it at the moment, but then after the fact, the aftermath, in the moments of solitude or while chanting the holy name they recollect that interlude with that Vaisnava and they think, “Oh, actually I did a wrong thing, I said a wrong thing and I acted the wrong way” and some inspiration comes from paramatma that – ‘I should rectify the situation. I did wrong.”
So then, that all will happen very quickly, that will happen within the 72 hour time limit, the 3 day time limit. In other words Krsna's giving us a chance to rectify ourselves and then we go back and we fall at the feet of that Vaisnava and say, “Oh prabhu I am sorry.”
The person will come and say, “I have brought you some mahaprasadam, here is some Radha-Madhava mahaprasadam, you please accept this.”
He says, “Oh thank you” and then he will generally say “How can I serve you?”
Because Vaisnavas always want to serve others. And he will say, “Yes, if you will be so kind to serve me by forgiving me for my offense” and you fall at his feet and offer heartfelt obeisances in a genuine mood of submission and repentance. And beg that Vaisnava, “Please forgive me, I have offended you. And if you don’t forgive me, there is no hope for me, all is lost for me. I cannot progress one more inch in devotion. Because if you do not forgive me then bhakti devi will withdraw from me. She will move out of my heart and Krsna will withdraw His support from me. And the ground that I am standing on will exist no longer and I will fall flat on my face so I am very much dependant on your mercy and your kindness. Please forgive me…”
And like this other things one might say. Beg for forgiveness.
