The offenses against the chanting of

the holy name are as follows:

1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for
propagating the holy name of the Lord.
2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to
be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viṣṇu. (Sometimes the
atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. But one who is a devotee
knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as
good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone
thinks that he can chant Kālī, Kālī! or Durgā, Durgā! and it is the same
as Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is the greatest offense.)
3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.
4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the
Vedic version.
5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to be imagination.
6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord.
7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the
Lord. (Because by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can be freed
from all kinds of sinful reactions, it should not be taken that one may
continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize his
sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be
avoided.)
8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa as one of the auspicious
ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities
(karma-kāṇḍa).
9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name.
(Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord, but in the
beginning one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency
of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the
transcendental glories of the Lord, and therefore it is better not to instruct
them in this matter.)
10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to
maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many
instructions on this matter.
Every devotee who claims to be a Vaiṣṇava must guard against these
offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success.

(Ref: The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 8, last paragraph)

 More on offenses
Ref: Adi 8.24 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta-1975 Edition

Following is the text, synonyms, translation and purport for the above
mentioned text of Caitanya-caritamrta:-

TEXT 24

'kṛṣṇa-nāma' kare aparādhera vicāra

kṛṣṇa balile aparādhīra nā haya vikāra

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa-nāma—the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kare—takes; aparādhera—of

offenses; vicāra—consideration; kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; balile—if one
chants; aparādhīra—of the offenders; nā—never; haya—becomes;
vikāra—changed.

TRANSLATION

There are offenses to be considered while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa

mantra. Therefore simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one does not
become ecstatic.

PURPORT

It is very beneficial to chant the names śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra
because by chanting these two holy names-śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
prabhu-nityānanda-one immediately becomes ecstatic, and if he then
chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra he becomes free of offenses.
There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa
mahā-mantra. The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who
are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the
śāstra (Cc. Antya 7.11), kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana: one
cannot distribute the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra unless
he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore
one should not criticize or blaspheme a devotee who is thus engaged.
Śrī Padma Purāṇa states:
satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute
yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad-vigarhām
To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are engaged in preaching
the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the worst offense at the
lotus feet of the holy name. One should not criticize a preacher of the
glories of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If one does so, he is an
offender. The Nāma-prabhu, who is identical with Kṛṣṇa, will never
tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a
great devotee.
The second nāmāparādha is described as follows:
śivasya śrī-viṣṇor ya iha guṇa-nāmādi-sakalaṁ
dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari-nāmāhita-karaḥ
In this material world, the holy name of Viṣṇu is all-auspicious. Viṣṇu's
name, form, qualities and pastimes are all transcendental, absolute
knowledge. Therefore, if one tries to separate the Absolute Personality
of Godhead from His holy name or His transcendental form, qualities
and pastimes, thinking them to be material, that is offensive. Similarly, to
think the names of demigods such as Lord Śiva to be as good as the
name of Lord Viṣṇu-or, in other words, to think Lord Śiva and the other
demigods to be other forms of God and therefore equal to Viṣṇu-is also
blasphemous. This is the second offense at the lotus feet of the Lord.
The third offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, which is called guror
avajñā, is to consider the spiritual master to be material and therefore
envy his exalted position. The fourth offense (śruti-śāstra-nindanam) is
to blaspheme Vedic scriptures such as the four Vedas and the Puraṇas.
The fifth offense (artha-vādaḥ) is to consider the glories of the holy name
to be exaggerations. Similarly, the sixth offense (hari-nāmni kalpanam) is
to consider the holy name of the Lord to be imaginary.
The seventh offense is described as follows:
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ
To think that since the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra can counteract all sinful
reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the
same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to neutralize them is the
greatest offense at the lotus feet of hari-nāma.
The eighth offense is stated thus:
dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-
śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ
It is offensive to consider the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to be a
religious ritualistic ceremony. Performing religious ceremonies, following
vows and practicing renunciation and sacrifice are all materialistic
auspicious activities. The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra must
not be compared to such materialistic religiosity.This is an offense at the
lotus feet of the Lord.
The ninth offense is described as follows:
aśraddadhāne vimukhe 'py aśṛṇvati
yaś copadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ
It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name among persons
who have no intelligence or no faith in the subject matter. Such people
should be given the chance to hear the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa
mantra, but in the beginning they should not be instructed about the
glories or the spiritual significance of the holy name. By constant hearing
of the holy name, their hearts will be purified, and then they will be able
to understand the transcendental position of the holy name.
The tenth offense is as follows:
śrute 'pi nāma-māhātmye yaḥ prīti-rahito naraḥ
ahaṁ-mamādi-paramo nāmni so 'py aparādha-kṛt
If one has heard the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord
but nevertheless continues in a materialistic concept of life, thinking "I
am this body and everything belonging to this body is mine [ahaṁ
mameti]," and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, that is an offense.
 On offenses: part-1
It may be noted that there are ten offenses we should avoid. The first
offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories
of the Lord. People must be educated in understanding the glories of the
Supreme; therefore the devotees who engage in preaching the glories of
the Lord are never to be decried. It is the greatest offense. Furthermore,
the holy name of Viṣṇu is the most auspicious name, and His pastimes
are also nondifferent from the holy name of the Lord. There are many
foolish persons who say that one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or chant the
name of Kālī or Durgā or Śiva because they are all the same. If one
thinks that the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
the names and activities of the demigods are on the same level, or if one
accepts the holy name of Viṣṇu to be a material sound vibration, that is
also an offense. The third offense is to think of the spiritual master who
spreads the glories of the Lord as an ordinary human being. The fourth
offense is to consider the Vedic literatures, such as the Purāṇas or other
transcendentally revealed scriptures, to be ordinary books of knowledge.
The fifth offense is to think that devotees have given artificial importance
to the holy name of God. The actual fact is that the Lord is nondifferent
from His name. The highest realization of spiritual value is to chant the
holy name of God, as prescribed for the age—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare
Hare. The sixth offense is to give some interpretation on the holy name
of God. The seventh offense is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting
the holy name of God. It is understood that one can be freed from all
sinful reaction simply by chanting the holy name of God, but if one thinks
that he is therefore at liberty to commit all kinds of sinful acts, that is a
symptom of offense. The eighth offense is to equate the chanting of
Hare Kṛṣṇa with other spiritual activities, such as meditation, austerity,
penance or sacrifice. They cannot be equated at any level. The ninth
offense is to specifically glorify the importance of the holy name before
persons who have no interest. The tenth offense is to be attached to the
misconception of possessing something, or to accept the body as one’s
self, while executing the process of spiritual cultivation.
When one is free from all ten of these offenses in chanting the holy
name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakāśru.
Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and aśru means “tears in the
eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in
a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this
verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms
of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord
are eligible to enter the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is
said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chanting Hare
Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritāmṛta
suggests a nice remedy in this connection. There it is said in verse 31,
Chapter Eight, of Ādi-līlā, that if anyone takes shelter of Lord Caitanya
and just chants the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he becomes
freed from all offenses.

(ref: Above was an excerpt from the purport of SB 3.15.25)

 On offenses: part-2
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord
should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well,
as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa. One can deliver himself from
the effects of all sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can
deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter
of His holy name. But one cannot protect himself if one commits an
offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are
mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number. The first
offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the
glories of the Lord. The second offense is to see the holy names of the
Lord in terms of worldly distinction. The Lord is the proprietor of all the
universes, and therefore He may be known in different places by
different names, but that does not in any way qualify the fullness of the
Lord. Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy
as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names
are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of
the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the
Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious, and one should
not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities. The
third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized ācāryas or
spiritual masters. The fourth offense is to vilify scriptures or Vedic
knowledge. The fifth offense is to define the holy name of the Lord in
terms of one's mundane calculation. The holy name of the Lord is
identical with the Lord Himself, and one should understand the holy
name of the Lord to be nondifferent from Him. The sixth offense is to
interpret the holy name. The Lord is not imaginary, nor is His holy name.
There are persons with a poor fund of knowledge who think the Lord to
be an imagination of the worshiper and therefore think His holy name to
be imaginary. Such a chanter of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the
desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name. The seventh
offense is to commit sins intentionally on the strength of the holy name.
In the scriptures it is said that one can be liberated from the effects of all
sinful actions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who
takes advantage of this transcendental method and continues to commit
sins on the expectation of neutralizing the effects of sins by chanting the
holy name of the Lord is the greatest offender at the feet of the holy
name. Such an offender cannot purify himself by any recommended
method of purification. In other words, one may be a sinful man before
chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy
name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain
oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of
chanting the holy name will give him protection. The eighth offense is to
consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal
to some material auspicious activity. There are various kinds of good
works for material benefits, but the holy name and His chanting are not
mere auspicious holy services. Undoubtedly the holy name is holy
service, but He should never be utilized for such purposes. Since the
holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not
try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that
the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one's servant or
order supplier. Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with
the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one's personal
service.
The ninth offense is to instruct those who are not interested in chanting
the holy name of the Lord about the transcendental nature of the holy
name, if such instruction is imparted to an unwilling audience, the act is
considered to be an offense at the feet of the holy name. The tenth
offense is to become uninterested in the holy name of the Lord even
after hearing of the transcendental nature of the holy name. The effect of
chanting the holy name of the Lord is perceived by the chanter as
liberation from the conception of false egoism. False egoism is exhibited
by thinking oneself to be the enjoyer of the world and thinking everything
in the world to be meant for the enjoyment of one's self only. The whole
materialistic world is moving under such false egoism of "I" and "mine,"
but the factual effect of chanting the holy name is to become free from
such misconceptions.

(Ref: Above was an excerpt from the purport of SB 2.1.11)

 On offenses: part-3
While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid
ten offenses. From Sanat-kumāra it is understood that even if a person
is a severe offender in many ways, he is freed from offensive life if he
takes shelter of the Lord’s holy name. Indeed, even if a human being is
no better than a two-legged animal, he will be liberated if he takes
shelter of the holy name of the Lord. One should therefore be very
careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord’s holy name.
The offenses are described as follows: (a) to blaspheme a devotee,
especially a devotee engaged in broadcasting the glories of the holy
name, (b) to consider the name of Lord Śiva or any other demigod to be
equally as powerful as the holy name of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead (no one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor
is anyone superior to Him), (c) to disobey the instructions of the spiritual
master, (d) to blaspheme the Vedic literatures and literatures compiled in
pursuance of the Vedic literatures, (e) to comment that the glories of the
holy name of the Lord are exaggerated, (f) to interpret the holy name in a
deviant way, (g) to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the
holy name, (h) to compare the chanting of the holy name to pious
activities, (i) to instruct the glories of the holy name to a person who has
no understanding of the chanting of the holy name, (j) not to awaken in
transcendental attachment for the chanting of the holy name, even after
hearing all these scriptural injunctions.
There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore
recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to
chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the
holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be
elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure
holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should
continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy
name makes one offenseless. In the book Nāma-kaumudī it is
recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava,
he should submit to that Vaiṣṇava and be excused; similarly, if one is an
offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name
and thus be freed from his offenses…
…One should be very humble and meek to offer one’s desires and chant
prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as ayi
mukta-kulair upāsya mānam1 and nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād [SB
10.1.4]. One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at
the lotus feet of the holy name.

(Ref: Above was an excerpt from the purport of SB 7.5.23-24)

1
The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare
Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare-has been praised by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his
Nāmāṣṭaka (verse 1):
nikhila-śruti-mauli-ratna-mālā-
dyuti-nīrājita-pāda-paṅkajānta
ayi mukta-kulair upāsyamānaṁ
paritas tvāṁ hari-nāma saṁśrayāmi
"O Hari-nāma! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing
radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upaniṣads, the crown jewels of all the
Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls such as Nārada and Śukadeva. O Hari-nāma! I
take complete shelter of You."
(ref: Above was an excerpt from the purport of Antya 4.71 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta-1975 Edition)
On offenses: part-4
 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Śikṣāṣṭaka
(from CC Antya 20)
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

चेतो-दर्पण-मार्जनं भव-महा-दावाग्नि-निर्वापणं
श्रेयः-कैरव-चन्द्रिका-वितरणं विद्या-वध-ू जीवनम ्
आनन्दाम्बधि
ु -वर्धनं प्रति-पदं पर्णा
ू मत ृ ास्वादनं
सर्वात्म-स्नपनं परं विजयते श्री-कृष्ण-सङ्कीर्तनम ् ॥१॥

[1] Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which
can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of
material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white
lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education.
The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of
transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste
full nectar at every step.

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis

tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ

नाम्नामकारि बहुधा निज-सर्व-शक्तिस्तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः

एतादृशी तव कृपा भगवन्ममापि दर्दैु वमीदृशमिहाजनि नानरु ागः ॥२॥

[2] My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all
good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as
Kṛṣṇa and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your
potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering
them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen,
conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that
I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve
attachment for chanting.
 tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

तणृ ादपि सन
ु ीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णनु ा
अमानिना मानदे न कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः ॥३॥

[3] One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree,
and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all
respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani jamanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

न धनं न जनं न सन्

ु दरीं कवितां वा जगदीश कामये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे भवताद्भक्तिरहै तक
ु ी त्वयि ॥४॥

[4] O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers,
a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life
after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.

ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ

patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya

अयि नन्द-तनज
ु किङ्करं पतितं मां विषमे भवाम्बध
ु ौ
कृपया तव पाद-पङ्कज-स्थित-धल
ू ी-सदृशं विचिन्तय ॥५॥

[5] Oh, My Lord, O Kṛṣṇa, son of Mahārāja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but
because of My own fruitive acts, I have fallen in this horrible ocean of nescience.
Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of dust at Your
lotus feet.

nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā
vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā
 pulakair nicitaṁ vapuḥ kadā,
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati

नयनं गलदश्रध
ु ारया वदनं गद्गदरुद्धया गिरा।
पल
ु कैर्निचितं वपःु कदा तव नाम-ग्रहणे भविष्यति॥६॥

[6] My dear Lord, when will My eyes be beautified by filling with tears that
constantly glide down as I chant Your holy name? When will My voice falter and
all the hairs on My body stand erect in transcendental happiness as I chant Your
holy name?

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa
cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ
govinda-viraheṇa me

यग
ु ायितं निमेषण
े चक्षुषा प्रावष
ृ ायितम ्
शन्
ू यायितं जगत्सर्वं गोविन्द-विरहे ण मे ॥७॥

[7] My Lord Govinda, because of separation from You, I consider even a moment
a great millennium. Tears flow from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I see the
entire world as void.

āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām

adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā
yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo
mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ

आश्लिष्य वा पाद-रतां पिनष्टु माम ्

अदर्शनान्मर्म-हताम ्-हतां करोतु वा
यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो
मत्प्राण-नाथस्तु स एव नापरः ॥८॥

[8] Let Kṛṣṇa tightly embrace this maidservant, who has fallen at His lotus feet.
Let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a
debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other
than the worshipable Lord of My heart.