Practical Standards for Deity Worship
Service to the arcā-vigraha is not a matter of whimsical sentiment; it is a regulated spiritual discipline designed to purify the conditioned soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that Deity worship requires a high standard of cleanliness, punctuality, and behavior. This article outlines the practical rules and regulations that govern the worship of the Lord in the temple, transforming the aspirant's life into a continuous offering of devotion.
Cleanliness and Punctuality
The foundation of Deity worship is cleanliness. A pūjārī (priest) must maintain a strict standard of personal hygiene, including bathing at least twice a day and wearing fresh cloth. Alongside cleanliness, punctuality in the daily routine—rising early, offering maṅgala-ārati, and bathing the Deity—is essential for maintaining the spiritual atmosphere.
- Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc.
- According to the Vedic principles, one should rise early in the morning, take bath, chant Hare Krsna, offer mangala-arati to the Deities, study Vedic literature, take prasada and engage in dressing and decorating the Deities.
Temple Etiquette
The temple is the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one must behave with the utmost respect in His presence. Arguments, fights, and loud noises are strictly prohibited before the Deity. Furthermore, there are specific rules regarding eating; generally, one should not eat in front of the Deity, although honoring prasāda immediately upon receipt is permitted.
- One should not quarrel or fight before the Deity.
- Difference is generally we should not eat before the Deity. But there is another injunction, prasadah praptir matrena bhoktavyah. As soon as we get prasada you should immediately eat.
Observing Festivals
The worship of the Deity extends to the celebration of festivals, which provide an opportunity for the public to engage in service. Whether it is the illumination of the temple for Diwali or the grand procession of Ratha-yātrā, these events must be arranged with care and enthusiasm to please the Lord.
- Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating hundreds of candles, in different parts of the temple, and offering special prasad to the Deity.
- Concerning Rathayatra festival, you can hold it in the warm months, just like in Melbourne, the festival is held in January. Pusta Krsna Swami is going to arrange to have Jagannatha Deities sent from Puri if there is no one expert enough to make Deities.
Reciprocating Reality
When worship is performed according to these standards, the Deity reciprocates in personal ways. History is filled with accounts of the Lord interacting with His devotees, such as the Gopāla Deity who had to be moved to safety or the Gopinātha Deity who performed funeral rites for His devotee. These incidents confirm that the Deity is not a stone statue but a living person.
- Due to fear of the Muslims, the Gopala Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopala would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.
- Even until today, the Deity performs the sraddha ceremony on the anniversary of the death of Govinda Ghosa. The temple of this Deity is managed by the raja-vamsa family of Krsnanagara, whose members are descendants of Raja Krsnacandra.
Conclusion
Practical engagement in Deity worship is a training ground for spiritual life. By engaging the senses—especially the eyes in seeing the beautiful form of the Lord and the hands in cleaning His temple—the devotee gradually conquers material desires. Through strict adherence to cleanliness, etiquette, and service, the worshiper realizes the presence of Kṛṣṇa and prepares themselves to serve Him eternally in the spiritual world.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Deity. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.