Types of Offense
Aparādha means offence, fault, or transgression. The popular gloss 'away from grace' is a later devotional explanation rather than a sound Sanskrit derivation of the word. Sri Vaishnava texts identify: (1) bhagavad-aparādha — offenses against the Lord through disrespect or violation of His commandments; (2) bhāgavata-aparādha — offenses against devotees of the Lord, considered most serious; and (3) asahya-aparādha — 'unbearable offenses' that gravely obstruct spiritual progress.
Bhāgavata-Aparādha as Most Serious
Piḷḷai Lokācārya and Maṇavāḷa Māmunigal emphasize that offense against devotees is considered even more serious than offense against the Lord directly. The Lord can forgive offenses against Himself, but He is deeply wounded by offenses against His beloved devotees. The Bhāgavata Purāṇam illustrates this through the story of Durvāsas and the danger he faced for offending Ambarīṣa.
Prapatti Forgives Past Aparādhas
For one who has performed prapatti (śaraṇāgati), accumulated aparādhas from previous lives are forgiven by the Lord's grace. This is one of the great consolations of prapatti theology — even the most sinful person who surrenders sincerely is protected. However, aparādhas committed after prapatti, especially bhāgavata-aparādha, must be actively avoided.
Srivachana Bhushanam
Piḷḷai Lokācārya's Srivachana Bhushanam devotes considerable attention to the dangers of aparādha. He teaches that the prapanna must be especially careful even of subtle forms of disrespect toward other devotees, because such conduct is contrary to the humility, gratitude, and Bhāgavata-respect proper to a prapanna. Bhagavān's grace is not 'earned' as a possession and then mechanically squandered, though deliberate offences have grave spiritual consequences and require sincere correction.