IMPORTANCE OF DEITY WORSHIP FOR GRIHASTHA ASHRAMA BMI-Bhaktivriksha - 01/06/12

Archanam…  1.Why is Deity Worship Important for Grihasthas ?  2. What is a Deity ?  3. What are the benefits of Deity Worship for a Grihastha?  4. Reciprocation of the Lord with His Devotees in the Deity Form  5. How to Perform Deity Worship at Home ?

Why is Deity worship important ?  Bhakti – Vaidhi ( Or Sadhana Bhakti), bhava Bhakti and Prem Bhakti  One of the 9 limbs of Bhakti – meant to increase our Love and Surrender to God  One of the 5 most important limbs of Bhakti Why is it Important for Grihasthas ?  The Great dangers in Grihastha Ashram  Janasya mohoyam Aham Mameti  Griham Andha Kupam  Hridaya granthi

 Of the sixty-four items mentioned above, Lord Caitanya instructed that five are the most important due to the present conditions of civic life. They are as follows:  "One should associate with the devotees. Association with devotees is made possible by : hearing them attentively, by asking them relevant questions, by supplying them food and by accepting food from them, and by giving them charity and by accepting from them whatever they offer.  One should chant the holy name of the Lord in all circumstances. The chanting of the Lord's name is an easy and inexpensive process of realization. One can chant any of the innumerable names of the Lord at any time. One should try to avoid offenses. There are ten offenses which one can commit while chanting the transcendental names, and these should be avoided as far as possible, but in any event, one should try to chant the holy names of the Lord at all times.

 One should hear the transcendental topics enunciated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This hearing is made possible through platform lectures by bona fide devotees and by authorized translations of the Bhagavatam.  One should make his home at Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krsna. Or one may make his home as good as Mathura by installing the Deity of the Lord to be worshiped by all members of the family after proper initiation from the spiritual master.  One should worship the installed Deity with attention and devotion so that the whole atmosphere of one's home becomes the replica of the Lord's abode. This is made possible by the direction of the spiritual master who knows the transcendental art and can show the candidate the proper method.

SB pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam tayor mitho hridaya-granthim ahuh ato griha-kshetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti TRANSLATION The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of "I and mine."

SB tat sadhu manye 'sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat hitvatma-patam griham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta Prahlada Maharaja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vrindavana, where only Krishna consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Deity Worship Vs Idol Worship  Deity – made from one of 5 bonafide elements- Stone, Marble,Wood, Metal,Paint  Carved to a Proper form per Shilpa Shastra  Invoked by Sacred Rituals  Even though Krishna is Omnipresent, we don’t have the Consciousness to Feel His Presence everywhere ( Ex. Radio Waves, Story of Saint Namdeo)  A Bonafide Manifestation of the Lord.. To Accept Service Personally, since the Lord can be Worshipped In Person only in the Vaikuntha Planets

The Idea behind Worshipping Deities  To learn to cultivate the service attitude Towards the Lord  To cultivate a Personal relationship with the Lord  To Slowly but surely, increase our absorption in loving service ( how can I serve better, how can I get better things for the Pleasure of the Dieties )  To Live a Life centered around the Deities - Anything you eat - Anything you celebrate - Any thing you go through in Life

Benefits for Grihastas Helps Counter the Misconception of Being the Proprietor, Enjoyer and Controller  Develop Consciousness of Dependence ( The Deity is the Head of the House )  Develop Service Attitude  Cultivate Krishna Consciousness in Kids  Need not worry abt Maintenance

Reciprocation of The Lord with His devotees in Deity Form  Tota Gopinath – Gadadhar Pandit  Khirchor Gopinath – Madhavendra Puri  Radha Raman Dieties of Shri Vrindavan dham  Udupi Krishna  Jagannathji  Shaligram Sheela in SA

Deity Worship at Home  Set up the Altar  Daily Worship – Aratik Offering  Bhoga Offering and Water Offerings  Regular Obeisance's to the Deities  Waking up Deities, Putting Deities to rest  Praying

Setting up an Altar at Home  Make Your Home a Temple of the Lord  Altar –Location and Placement –best Northeast Or North or East. Never South  The Altar Should be the Most Beautiful place in your House !  3 Level Altar  Level 1 : Vishnu Tattva Worship able deities – Big Photoframe of any Bonafide deities Or Nitia Gauranga Deities or Lord Jagganath Baladeva Subdhadra  Level 2 : Panch tattva, Narasihma deva  Level 3 : Guru Tattva – Prabhupada, Own Guru, Six Goswamis, Guru Parampara

Altar Worship :  Offering Aratik – At Least Once a Day  Morning with Mangal Aratik, Evening with Gaur Aratik  Bell ( ringing above waist level), Aratik Plate, Blowing Conc,Achamana Patra, Asana  At least these 3 items – Incense ( odd numbers 1,3,5 etc, Ghee Lamp ( odd # of wicks)and flowers.  Complete – Incense, Ghee Lamp ( panchs deep), Water in Conc and Conc stand, Cloth, Flowers, Chamara, Peacock Fan ( Not in winter)

The Essence Behind Aratik : Complete Worship  Earth – Flowers, cloth, incense  Water- Arghya  Fire – ghee lamp  Ether – bell, mantras, Conch  Air – peacock feather  Mind – Be in the Now  Intelligence – when u r convinced that what u r doing is the highest (aratik or anything) i.e. offering intelligence in service  Ego - Get into the real,Obeisance's

Aratik Paraphrenalia

 Step 1 : Purify the Achamana Water Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswati, Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru In this water, I invoke the presence of holy waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri.

 Step 2 : Purify Yourself : om apavitra pavitro va sarvavastham gato 'pi va yah smaret pundarikaksham sa bahyabhyantara suchih sri vishnu sri vishnu sri vishnu

 Step 3 : Purify the Offerings:  3 drops.. With each drop, chant one mantra: Keshavaya Namaha Narayanaya Namaha Madhavaya Namaha

Aratik Offerings  Start with Guru – Circle around Body – 3 times  Main deities – 4, 2,3,7  Then Gaur Nitai, Panch Tattva, Narasihma deva – 7 times  Distribute as prasadam to present devotees - 1 or 3 circles  Clean the Altar and  Paraphernalia

Bhoga Offerings

 Cook in Separate Vessels ( If Possible )  Cook with the Consciousness to Please Krishna  Offer in Separate Plates  Purify and Put Tulasi Leaves  Ring Bell and Offer Obeisance's  Recite Mantras …

Prayers while Ringing Bell and Obesiances..  nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate [your spiritual master's name] iti namine  nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine  namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine nirvisesa-sunyavadi- pascatya-desa-tarine Chant the following prayer to Lord Caitanya three times, requesting His mercy:  namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna- caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah Chant the following prayer three times, offering respect to Lord Krsna:  namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca jagad-dhitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah

Waking up deities  If you are worshiping all three sets of deities, first wake your spiritual master, then Gaura-Nitai, then Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, and then Radha- Krsna.  uttisthottistha sri-guro tyaja nidram krpa-maya  uttistha jahnavesvara yoga-nidram tyaja prabho namno hatte divya-namam su-sraddhartham vitarasi  uttisthottistha gauranga jahi nidram mahaprabho subha-drsti-pradanena trailokya- mangalam kuru  tyaja nidram jagan-natha sri-baladevottistha ca jagan- matar ca subhadre uttisthottistha subha-de

Requesting deities to Take Rest ( Have Their Beds If Possible )  agaccha sayana-sthanam agrajena hy adhoksaja agaccha nija-sayyam ca subhadre me dayam kuru  agaccha visrama-sthanam sva-ganaih saha gauranga ksanam visramya sukhena lilaya vihara prabho  agaccha sayana-sthanam nityananda jagad-guro tava rupe maha-visnor anante sayanam kuru  agaccha sayana-sthanam sva-ganaih saha parama- guro

Sasthanga Dandavat Pranam  (1) Forehead, (2) chest, (3) legs and feet, (4) arms and hands, (5) knees, (6) sight, (7) Vocal organs and (8) mind and will.  Should be done with the Consciousness of Surrender

Praying  Pray for Spiritual Advancement  Pray for Fulfillment of Spiritual desires

We WISH EVERYONE THAT THE LORD APPEARS IN A DIETY FORM IN THE HOUSE OF EACH ONE OF YOU in 2012 ! Happy Archanam !