Deity Worship GlossaryDeity Worship An Introduction Detailed Course Schedule Theory Lesson 1 - The Role of Deity Worship * Intro overview (means to recap previous day & discuss today — link them) * Importance of putting the Deity in the Centre * Principles of Deity Worship Attitudes * Look at ourselves * Problems in Deity Worship Lesson 2- ma * Intro overview - Reinforce previous discussion * Solutions to the problems * Importance of sadhana + Pancaratrika and Bhagavata vidhi + Pancanga-puja Lesson 3 - The Form of the Lord Intro overview © Anthropomorphism ‘© Exploring the ¢#ferences - image worship ‘© Substances Deities are made from & how Deities are made Practical and Skills Lesson 4- Home Worship & the Worship of Pancatattva © Intro overview + Explore cleanliness and punctuality * Simple Acamana © Offering Arati * Standards of worship for Pancatattva on 5 - Worship of Gaura Nitai ‘* Intro overview ‘* What Determines Different Standards of Worship * Practical worship of Gaura NitaiLesson 6 - The Upacaras * Intro overview The 5 items of worship The 16 items of worship The 64 items of worship Lesson 7 - Temple Worship * Intro overview * Explore & perform acamana * Making of Samanya arghya/ Ganges water Assemble paraphernalia for bhoga offering Procedures & standards for bhoga offering Festivals Lesson 8 - Festivals - The Role of Festivals + Intro overview ‘+ Purpose & benefits of observing festivals * Howto celebrate in different home circumstances + Explore the role of participation in ceremony/ festival eg. Even children/ non devotees Lesson 9 - Janmastami © Intro overview © How to observe Janmastami Lesson 10 - AssessmentDeity Worship FestivalsLesson 1 - Role of Deity Worship The Seven Purposes Of ISKCON When Srila Prabhupada first registered ISKCON as a legal entity in New York in 1966 he gave the following seven purposes as its aims: 1. Tosystematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world. 2. To propagate a consciousness of Krsna, as itis revealed in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. 3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krsna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krsna), 4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God, as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. ‘To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedi- cated to the personality of Krsna. 6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life. 7. With a view toward achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodi- cals, books, and other writings. What is the Role of Deity Worship - Why do we Worship the DeityQuotes He accepts the form of arca-vigraha (worshipable Deity) just to accept service from His different incapable devotees. By the mercy of the arca-vigraha, the form of the Lord in material elements, the devotees who are in the material world can easily approach the Lord, although He is not conceivable by the material senses. The arca-vigraha is therefore an all-spiritual form of the Lord to be perceived by the material devotees; such an arca-vigraha of the Lord is never to be considered material. There is no difference between matter and spirit for the Lord, although there is a gulf of difference be- ween the two in the case of the conditioned living being, For the Lord there is nothing but spiritual existence, and similarly there is nothing except spiritual existence for the pure devotee of the Lord in his intimate relation with the Lord. $B 1.12.10 Engagement in such worship of the Deity, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, will greatly help the householders to purify their very existence and make rapid progress in spiritual knowledge. Simple theoretical book knowledge is not sufficient for a neophyte devotee. Book knowl- edge is theoretical, whereas the arcana process is practical. Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that is the guaranteed way for attain- ment of spiritual perfection. sa2922 Sri-vigraha is the arcd, or suitable worshipable form of the Lord, and the disciple should be engaged in worshiping the Deity regularly by srigara, by proper decoration and dressing, as also by mandira- ‘médrjana, the matter of cleansing the temple. The spiritual master teaches the neophyte devotee all these kindly and personally to help him gradually in the realization of the transcendental name, quality, form, ete., of the Lord, 82.920 Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kirtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man trom the hellish cinema attractions and rubbish sex-songs broadcast everywhere by radios. If one is unable to maintain a temple at home, he should go to another's temple where all the above performances are regularly executed. Visiting the temple of a devotee and looking at the profusely decorated forms of the Lord well dressed in a well-decorated, sanctified temple naturally infuse the mundane mind with spiritual inspiration . ‘SB 2.3.22 ince the devotees follow the regulative principles of worship, even though the Lord is there in His physical form, He is nondifferent from His original, spiritual form. Thus the devotee gets the benefit of achieving the ultimate goal of life, that is to say, becoming always absorbed in thought of the Lord. This incessant thought of the Lord, as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gitd, makes one the topmost yogi. sB412.17 This facility is offered to neophyte devotees so that they can see the real form of the Lord face to face and offer their respectful obeisances and sacrifices in the form of area. Through such facilities the neophytes gradually invoke their original Krsna consciousness. Deity worship in the form of temple worship is the most valuable benediction given by the Lord to beginners. All neophytes must therefore engage in the worship of the Lord by keeping the arcé-vigraha (arcavatara) at home or in the temple. 3849027 The neophyte devotee engaged in the worship of the Lord may not understand the value of such worship, but the Supreme Lord, being bnakta-vatsala, accepts His devotee and in due course of time takes him home. ‘Thus it is the duty of every sincere devotee to accept the arc@-vigraha at home or in the temple and worship the form of the Lord as advised in authorized scriptures and directed by the spiritual master. $8 430.28 If a sincere devotee renders service to the Lord or to the arca-vigraha, the form of the Lord, all hisactivities prove successful because the Lord is present within his heart and understands his sin- 6cerity. Thus if a devotee, with all confidence service, he will ultimately attain success. goes on discharging the prescribed duties of devotional $8430.29 Out of His causeless mercy, the Supreme Personality of Godhead presents Himself before us so that we can see Him, Since we have no transcendental vision, we cannot see the spiritual sac-cid-ananda- vigraha of the Lord; therefore, out of His causeless mercy He comes in a form we can see. We can only see material things like stone and wood, and therefore He accepts a form of stone and wood and thus accepts our service in the temple. This is an exhibition of the Lord’s causeless mercy. Although He has no interest in such things, in order to receive our loving service, He agrees to act as He does. We cannot actually offer suitable paraphernalia for the Lord’s worship because we are completely ignorant. $8539 ‘Temple Deity worship is realized by the devotees to be the same as direct service to the Lord. The Deity is known as the arcd-vigraha or arcd-avatara, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the form ofa material manifestation (brass, stone or wood). Ultimately there is no difference between Krsna manifest in matter or Krsna manifest in spirit because both are His energies. For Krsna, there is no distinction between matter and spirit. His manifestation in material form, therefore, is as good as His original form, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. A devotee constantly engaged in Deity worship accord- ing to the rules and regulations laid down in the sastras and given by the spiritual master realizes gradually that he is in direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he loses all interest in so-called meditation, yoga practice and mental speculation. Madhya 18.129 Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord, one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. NoD 25: Neutral Love of God If the devotee knows perfectly that the arca-vigraha, or Deity form of Lord Krsna in the temple, is exactly the same sac-cid-dnanda-vigraha as Krsna Himself, then his service to the temple Deity becomes direct service to the Supreme Personality ot Godhead. Similarly. the temple itself, the temple paraphernalia and the food offered to the Deity are also not separate from Krsna. One has to follow the rules and regulations prescribed by the dcdryas, and thus, under superior guidance, Krsna- realization is fully possible, even in this material existence. 8 82: Lord Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabtans of Vindavana Allsuch forms of the Lord are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, and there should be a soothing atmosphere in the temple of worship to altract the burning attention of the nondevotees always engaged in material wranglings. TOK 5: The Vision of Lotuses With our material eyes we can only see stone, earth, wood—something tangible. Therefore Krsna comes as arcd-vigraha, a form conveniently presented by the Supreme Lord in order for us to see Him. The result is that if we concentrate upon the image and make offerings with love and devotion, Krsna will respond through the image. Rafe Vidya 3: Knowledge of Krsna's Enargies