Chanting AND Deity worship

—– Forwarded Message —–
*From:* “DasDasDas@aol.com” <DasDasDas@aol.com>
*To:* dasdasdas@aol.com
*Sent:* Monday, November 18, 2013 7:41 PM
*Subject:* Chanting AND Deity worship—SP

Hare Krsna to all
Pranams
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

What follows is parts of a lecture by Srila Prabhupada where he gives us
practical information on how to get out of this material predicament. And there
are only two things we need to do– in the “beginning”.
Chant Hare Krsna and worship Krsna, that’s all. Or ,just chant Hare Krsna.
Here are some of the topics he makes….

1. Everyone should daily chant Hare Krsna and that will take care of everything.
2. For those a little less entangled, Deity worship is essential.Why? He says-Automatic purification.
3. If we just chanted, few would come to temples. So gorgeous temple worship required for masses.
4. Arcana viddhi and Bhagavat viddhi-both introduced by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Prabhupada. Each way helps the other way. Like two hands rubbing each other.
5. Without Pancaratriki viddhi (deity worship) ones polluted mind and body cannot be purified easily.
6. Hearing Srimad Bhagavatam daily (not for 7 days only, but every day) is absolutely necessary.
7. By daily hearing SB, worshipping deity and chanting Hare Krsna ones mind becomes pacified and tranquil, or peaceful. From this state of goodness one can understand Krsna, otherwise it is not possible.Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das

710213SB.GOR Lectures 229866/530501

Our, this temple worship, Deity worship, we are following the principles of Deity worship because our acaryas established temple, but main principle is chanting. Therefore, whatever we are doing, we offering prasadam to the Lord, we are having mangalarati, the main principle is chanting Hare Krsna mantra. This temple worship, it can be avoided, but we cannot avoid chanting Hare Krsna mantra. As such, we have introduced in several centers that “Begin with Hare Krsna mantra, keeping the picture of Guru-Gauranga.” If it is not possible to worship the Deity according to the rules and regulation, there is no need of establishing temple. But if there are devotees who can actually keep the temple worship method in right order, then… Otherwise, simple, by chanting, everything is complete. But when there is temple worship, there is automatic purification because we have to rise early in the morning, we have to take bath. This kind of purification help…, is helped by temple worship. But when there is grossest type of people who cannot take to this, simply chanting will do. Hari namanukirtanam. Kalau tad, kali, kalau. Kalau, means this age, that cleanliness is very difficult to maintain. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kirtanat. This is recommended.

Even at the present moment, because here is temple, people are attracted. If you simply chant, very few people will come. Very few people will come. Therefore both things are recommended. Trayyam jadi-krta-matih. Their mind is so materialistic that they cannot give proper respect or importance to the chanting of the holy name. Trayyam jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitayam vaitani ke mahati karmani yujyamanah (?). They are… Generally, they are attracted for karma-kandiya vicara.. If you do not arrange for this gorgeous system, people are not attracted. Therefo..re we have to do sometimes to attract people, this gorgeousness. Otherwise, chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra without any offense is sufficient. Therefore our Guru Maharaja introduced both the processes. This arca, arca, this is pancaratriki-vidhi. According to pancaratrika system, Narada-pancaratra, this worship of the Deity is there. And bhagavata-marga, the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam, is simply sravanam kirtanam. Out of the nine processes recommended, sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, so up to sravanam kirtanam smaranam, that is Bhagavata-marga. That is the best. And pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam, that is pancaratriki-vidhi.

So both the viddhis, both the systems have been introduced. One will help the other. That is the way. Simply Bhagavata-marga… Just like in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the beginning, is simply sravanam–param satyam dhimahi; janmady asya–smaranam, simply remembering, memorizing the Supreme Truth. But, of course, the pancaratrika-vidhi is recommended in the Second Canto. That, another pancaratrika-vidhi, is worshiping the gigantic form of the Lord. These things are there. But both, combined together, it is very much helpful. Bhagavata-marga. Bhagavata-marga will help the pancaratrika-marga, or process, and the pancaratrika process will help Bhagavata process. Both together is helpful. Therefore my Guru Maharaja introduced… You have seen the, what is called? That signia? One side, pancaratriki-vidhi, one side bhagavata-viddhi. That is… I have seen that Gaudiya Math emblem. Yes. And, so actually, Bhagavata-marga is very strong. That is sufficient. But without pancaratrika-vidhi this polluted body, polluted mind of the devotee, cannot be purified. Therefore both the process should be adopted in preaching Krsna consciousness movement. I think it is now… So any questions?

Srimad-Bhagavatam, and that is being imitated. Again this karma-kandiya… This karma-kandiya vicara, fruitive activities. The smarta brahmanas, they have manufactured a way of bhagavata-saptaha. That is a farce only because it is imitation of the process adopted by Pariksit Maharaja and Sukadeva Gosvami. But they are… These people, at the present moment, they are neither Pariksit Maharaja nor Sukadeva Gosvami. So how it is possible to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam within seven days? That is not possible. It has become a profession, that gorgeousness. They will make a mancha(?), they will perform some ceremonies and there is some charitable. The result is that the professional reciter will gather some money and some goods and he will maintain his family. That’s all. And these people will say that “I have heard for seven days Srimad-Bhagavatam.” Of course, there is some effect, but this is not recommended anywhere in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that one has to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam within seven days. No. So far we see in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said, nityam bhagavata-sevaya. People should hear daily, regularly Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why seven days? Regularly. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Nityam, daily, regularly, if one hears and chants Srimad-Bhagavatam, then nasta-prayesu abhadresu, then the dirty things within his heart becomes almost cleansed.

Now, just try to understand. By daily hearing… Because we are so much contaminated that it is very difficult to get us freed from the contamination, so nityam, regularly, there should be regularly class, hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu.

My Guru Maharaja introduced the sacred (thread) ceremony because foolish people, they used to… Vaisnave jati-buddhih. They used to consider Vaisnava as belonging to some jata, some particular caste. No. Vaisnava is not in the particular caste. As soon as he is fixed up… He may be coming from the papa-yoni, from the most abominable family, but as soon as he is fixed up, immediately he is fixed up in the position of a brahmana because sattva-guna… Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Nasta. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah. He has no more inclination to be attracted by the activities of tamo-guna and rajo-guna. They have no more attraction for drinking, no more attraction for meat-eating, therefore no more attraction for smoking, drinking tea. This means that the rajas-tamo-bhavah, kama-lobha, greediness… We are addicted to all these bad habits due to greediness. There is no other cause. A man will not die if he does not drink. A man will not die if he does not eat meat. He will not die. It is due to our greediness: “I want.” And lusty. The illicit sex means lusty. So rajas-tamo-bhavah means lustiness and greediness. So when one is fixed up in devotional service, then tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair anaviddha. At that time, when he’s fixed up in devotional service, his mind is not disturbed with all this nonsense coming out of the quality of ignorance and passion. Tato rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye, ceta etair anaviddha. Anaviddham means it is not attacked by this greediness and lustiness. Sthitam sattve prasidati: “He is immediately in the sattva-guna, goodness. Therefore his mind is satisfied.” These are the test. Mind is no more disturbance.

And as soon as his mind is in tranquillity, evam prasanna-manaso…, because as soon as one is elevated to the sattva-guna platform, he becomes happy in his mental situation. Evam prasanna-manaso. Unless one is situated in tranquillity of his mental position, one cannot understand the science of Krsna. That is not possible. One must become satisfied. That satisfaction comes on the platform of sattva-guna, not in the platform of ignorance and passion. People are… They come… Mostly people, they are being conducted by passion and ignorance. Therefore they cannot understand. They say, “Such and such person is greater than Krsna,” because they are captivated by ignorance. They do not know and therefore talk so many nonsense. Unless we are freed from the rajas-tamo-bhavah… They advise, “You can do whatever you like. You can eat whatever you like.

So our business is to accept a bona fide spiritual master, being guided by him, to follow the rules and regulations. Then advancement is sure. There is no doubt about it. And if we become hodgepodge and mix with hodgepodge and do hodgepodge, there is no progress. Na siddhim. It is clearly said by Krsna, “There is no question of perfection,” na sukham, “neither happiness,” na param gatim, “and what to speak of being promoted to the spiritual world? There is no…” Therefore vaidhi-bhakti, as it is enunciated in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion, by the Gosvamis, we shall try to follow as far as possible. Be sincere and hard-working. Then the success is sure. Not to be bewildered, misled by the so-called avatara, incarnation. You see? The so-called avataras, they are simply rascals. Especially in Bengal, every day there is an avatara. (laughter)