Introduction a Introduction
All the great sages, such as Närada Muni, Vyäsadeva, and Bĺhaspati, the spiritual
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659 All the great sages, such as Närada Muni, Vyäsadeva, and Bĺhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, have declared that such worship is supremely beneficial for all members of human society. TEXTS 3-4 iNa>Sa*Ta&TaeMau%aM>aaeJaaŰdah>aGavaNaJa> ) Pau}ae>Yaae>a*GauMau:Yae>YaaedeVYaEc>aGavaN>av> ))3)) WTaÜESavRv é[eYaSaaMautaMa&MaNYaeńqXaUd]a The glories of worshiping the Deity form of the Supreme Lord is herein being described.
WTaTk-Mal/Pa}aa+ak-MaRbNDaivMaaecNaMa( ) >a˘-aYacaNaur˘-aYab]Uihivěeěreěr ))5))
660 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ etat kamala-paträkńa karma-bandha-vimocanam bhaktäya cänuraktäya brühi viçveçvareçvara O lotus-eyed one, O Lord of the demigods, please explain to me, Your surrendered servant, this process by which one can be delivered from the bondage of material existence. COMMENTARY The Lord might question Uddhava: “You are My surrendered devotee and are attached to Me in love and so, what is the need for your knowning about Deity worship?” Uddhava might answer: “I am concerned for the welfare of all living entities. Therefore, kindly reveal the glories of this process to Your surrendered servant.”
When one engages in the service of the Lord, renouncing all sense of false proprietorship, if one acts without desiring to enjoy the fruits of his work, he is to be considered a pure devotee. However, as long as one remains within this world, embodied by gross and subtle coverings, one’s nature born of the interactions of the three modes of material nature remains prominent. In the material condition of life, which is temporary, full of ignorance, and thoroughly miserable, one considers himself to be the doer of all activities, being bound by his false ego. Only by receiving instructions from a pure devotee of the Lord can one give up the materialistic conception of life. When, under the instruction of the spiritual master, one dovetails his designated existence in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, the false conception of being the enjoyer of nature gradually diminishes. In order to gain relief from the materialistic conception of life, which consists of the knower of matter, material knowledge, and the object of material knowledge, one must engage in the service of the Supreme Lord. When non-devotees, who are fully absorbed in the mundane conception of life, become inclined toward the service of the Supreme Lord and His devotees then, as they surrender unto the Supreme Lord and His dear devotees, they can realize the transcendental nature of devotional service. TEXT 6 é[q>aGavaNauvac NaůNTaae_NaNTaPaarSYak-MaRk-a<@SYacaeÖv ) Saiżá&v Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship çré-bhagavän uväca na hy anto ‘nanta-pärasya karma-käëňasya coddhava saěkńiptaŕ varëayińyämi yathävad anupürvaçaů 661 The Supreme Lord said: My dear Uddhava, the procedures prescribe in the karma- käëňa sections of the Vedic literature are innumerable, and so I shall explain this subject to you briefly, from the beginning. COMMENTARY There are innumerable Vedic methods of worship, or arcane, prescribed in the karma käëňa sections of the Vedas. PURPORT All religious ritualistic activities and worldly activities that are performed with the aim of attaining material enjoyment or dry renunciation must be considered as perishable activities. In this material world, there are countless methods employed for sense gratification and renunciation. Similarly, in the spiritual world of Vaikuëöha, there are an unlimited variety of pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are innumerable prescriptions given in the karma-käëňa sections of the Vedas, dealing with material enjoyment and renunciation. TEXT 7 vEidk-STaaiN}ak-aeiMaé[EiTaMaei}aivDaaeMa%> ) }aYaa The Vedic method of worshiping the Supreme Lord is by chanting the prescribed mantras. The täntrika method of worshiping the Supreme Lord is by reciting the mantras, such as the eighteen-syllable mantra, that are given in literature such as the Gautamiya- 662 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ tantra. Utilization of both literatures is the mixed way of worshiping the Supreme Lord. One should choose the method that is suitable for one’s condition of life. PURPORT There are three methods of performing sacrifice. Materialistic people are generally unwilling to perform sacrifice because of their duplicitous nature and their strong desire to enjoy material happiness. Sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord is performed according to the Vedic injunctions, or those prescribed in the Päďcarätra. The Vedic, Päďcarätrika, and a combination of both, are the three methods to properly worship the Supreme Lord.
YadaSviNaGaMaeNaae˘&-iÜJaTv&Pa[aPYaPaUĺz> ) YaQaaYaJaeTaMaa&>a˘-yaé[ÖYaaTaiNNabaeDaMae ))8))
There are particular Vedic injunctions relevant to one’s social and occupational status. Members of the brähmaëa, kńatriya and vaiçya communities achieve the status of twice-born by initiation into the Gäyatré mantra. In this chapter, the Supreme Lord explains how such a person should worship Him with faith and devotion.
Vedic scriptures are divided into two categories— ekäyana and bahvayana. One must receive initiation into the practices of one of these two categories and then faithfully worship the Supreme Lord, which culminates in achievement of life’s ultimate goal, the attainment of love for God. The process of worship that is performed when one is still in the bodily conception of life, considering himself to be the enjoyer of this material world, is called arcana. Without being twice-born by undergoing the purificatory rituals, it is not possible to worship the Supreme Lord properly. When one makes such an attempt, the result is that he either remains a sense enjoyer or becomes a dry renunciate after giving up Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 663 such worship. Those who observe the Vedic purificatory processes, or the Päďcarätrika purificatory processes, undergo second birth in the ekäyana category. One cannot become twice-born if he is blinded by intense desires for material enjoyment. Therefore, it is essential for one to undergo second birth by following the prescribed rules and regulations of the Vedic literature. There are three types of birth—çaukra, or seminal; sävitrya, or becoming twice- born; and daikça, or spiritual initiation. The material body, which is produced by the combined effort of the father and mother can be sanctified by undergoing the appropriate purificatory rituals. In this way, one becomes eligible to rise to the platform of transcendental bliss. False ego, which checks the flow of transcendental happiness, and which is born of ignorance, is indicative of a seminal birth. Devotional service is awakened within the heart only after one takes initiation from a bona fide spiritual master.
The object of worship, pure devotional service, and unalloyed devotees—these three exist eternally in a state of full knowledge and bliss, and such a condition becomes manifest when one develops firm faith in the instructions of the spiritual master. It is at this point that one can begin the process of worship as described in this chapter. The Vedic saŕskäras are considered complete when one undergoes the Päďcarätrika
the Vedas, one cannot rise above the influence of the three modes of material nature. TEXT 9 AcaRYaa&SQai<@le/_GanaEvaSaUYaeRvaPSauôidiÜJa> ) The word arcä refers to the Deity of the Supreme Lord. PURPORT When the eternal soul misuses his minute independence, he is placed within the material nature and accepts temporary material bodies, one after another. The
664 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ Absolute Truth possesses two principles—aparä prakĺti and parä prakĺti. The aparä prakĺti manifests the visible universe with five gross material elements. The three modes of material nature engage the living entities in activities of the gross and subtle bodies and by covering their knowledge, keep them far from the parä prakĺti. Without understanding of the characteristics of the Lord’s superior nature, the conditioned souls reside in the material world as sense enjoyers or false renunciates. It is only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord or His pure devotee that a conditioned soul can understand how he is being manipulated by the three material modes, and that only the Supreme Lord has the ability to liberate him from the clutches of the material nature. With such an understanding, one realizes the complete futility of trying to become liberated from the insurmountable material energy by relying upon one’s limited senses and polluted mind. The spiritual master also belongs to the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, but he is empowered to deliver the conditioned souls by engaging them in devotional service. The spiritual master is the incarnation of the Lord’s mercy and as such, he is considered to be the external manifestation of the Supersoul. By his instructions and personal examples, he inspires the conditioned souls to renounce their foolish endeavors of lording it over the material energy of the Supreme Lord, which only awards them varieties of miserable conditions. The spiritual master engages his disciple in the worship of the Deity of the Lord because it is the practical way to employ their mind and senses in devotional service. The word arcä refers to the incarnation of the Supreme Lord’s mercy. It is one of the five eternal manifestations of the Lord that is comprehensible for the conditioned souls. Those who are neophytes in devotional service, who still cling to the bodily concept of life, can easily be purified when they are engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple. A particular place that has been purified by the chanting of mantras is called sthandila. Fire, the sun, water, and the heart of the living entity are also places for worshiping the Supreme Lord. Although Lord Vińëu is one, He is present in different forms. He appears as the Deity and becomes worshipable Lord for neophytes devotees. Neophyte devotees are recommended to become attached to Deity worship. By serving the Supreme Lord in this manner, they utilize all kinds of paraphernalia for His service, rather than considering such things to be material, and thus meant for their enjoyment. Gradually, while engaging in the worship of the Deity under the direction of the spiritual master, a neophyte devotee will be elevated to the platform of madhyama adhikäré. At this time, the devotee becomes more concerned with reviving his transcendental rasa instead of cultivating the five kinds of mundane rasa, knowing the Supreme Lord to Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 665 be the reservoir of all rasa. At this level of advancement, one is fit to understand the purport of this verse from the Padma Puräëa:
order supplier. Such a second-class devotee offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent, and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the devotee makes advancement in devotional service, he can come to realize that the mantras he is chanting are not like the mundane vibrations of this material world. When his absorption in devotional service becomes complete, so that there no longer remains any scope for his engagement in sense gratification, the devotee comes to the platform of first-class devotional service as a mahä-bhägavata. Becoming thus liberated from the clutches of the Lord’s external energy, the devotee realizes his original constitutional relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is paramount to seeing the Lord face-to-face. The spiritual master is on the same platform as the Supreme Lord, who is the maintainer of the universe and the destroyer of the conditioned soul’s false spirit of enjoyment. Being one in interest with the Lord, the spiritual master is known as the dearest servant of the Lord. Enviousness will surely arise within the heart of a person who considers the spiritual master to be a mortal human being. If such a misconception is not indulged in, however, by the mercy of the Lord, one will perceive how the spiritual master is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TEXT 10 PaUv|ňaNa&Pa[ku-vsTaDaaETadNTaae_®XauÖYae ) o>aYaEriPacňaNa&MaN}aEMa*RÓ]h 666 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ First, one should clean his teeth and bathe. Then a second cleansing of the body should be performed by by smearing it with earth and chanting mantras from both the Vedas and tantras. COMMENTARY One can also bathe by chanting Vedic and täntrika mantras. PURPORT By the recitation of prescribed mantras, the contamination of considering oneself to be the enjoyer of nature can be purified.
SaNDYaaePaaSTYaaidk-MaaRi PaUJaa&TaE>k-LPaYaeTSaMYaKSaŞLPa>k-MaRPaavNaqMa( ))11))
One should engage in the worship of the Supreme Lord by following the rules and regulations enjoined by the scriptures. This will purify one’s existence and free one from
the bondage of fruitive activities. After completing one’s prescribed duties, such as the chanting of mantras, which are enjoined by the Vedas, one should engage in the worship of the Supreme Lord. As soon
as one abandons the materialistic propensity for sense enjoyment by strengthening his resolve to worship Lord Hari, one becomes freed from the bondage of karma.
XaEl/IdaĺMaYaql/aEhqle/PYaale/:YaacSaEk-Taq ) MaNaaeMaYaqMai Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship çailé däru-mayé lauhé lepyä lekhyä ca saikaté mano-mayé maëi-mayé pratimäńöa-vidhä smĺtä 667 The Deity form of the Lord appears in eight varieties—stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind, and jewels. This is the verdict of the scriptures. COMMENTARY The different kinds of Deities are being described in this verse. The word çaili means “a Deity made of stone,” the word lauhi indicates “a Deity made of metal,” such as gold.
Actual worship of the Supreme Lord begins when one gives up all attempts at mental speculation, on the strength of the transcendental instructions received from the spiritual master, and thus renounces the materialistic conception that the Supreme Lord is the object of one’s enjoyment. For the benefit of such a devotee, the Lord appears in eight varieties of forms. The Supreme Lord is always prepared to fulfill the desires of His devotees, as long as they will not cause him to fall into a miserable condition of life. It is only for the benefit of neophyte devotees that the Lord appears in these eight forms. However, one should never make the mistake of considering the Deity of the Lord to be made of material elements, such as marble or brass. Such a mentality is certainly suitable for placing one on the path to hell. Unless one receives initiation from a spiritual master coming in disciplic succession, it is not possible to understand the transcendental nature of Lord Väsudeva and for that reason, the eight kinds of Deities may appear mundane to the imperfect senses of the conditioned soul. Such a misunderstanding is indicative of the ignorance that is caused by the controlling power of Maya.
cl/acle/iTaiÜivDaaPa[iTaďaJaqvMaiNdrMa( ) oÜaSaavahNaeNaSTa>iSQaraYaaMauÖvacRNae ))13))
668 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ COMMENTARY The Supreme Lord is directly present as the Deity. He is also present within the temple of the living entities’ heart. Indeed, He is the shelter of all living entities. An example of His stationary form is Lord Jagannätha in Puri and an example of His moving form is child Kĺńëa. Materialistic persons of whatever stripe consider the Lord to be their order supplier, and so they make temporary arrangements for religious ceremonies to achieve temporary material sense gratification. This temporary mode of worship is favored by those desiring to exploit the Personality of Godhead for their personal ends, whereas the loving devotees in Kĺńëa consciousness eternally engage in worship of the Personality of Godhead. They install permanent Deities meant to be worshiped perpetually.
The devotees of the Lord install the Deity form of their worshipable Lord in two different ways—temporary and permanent. However, there is no procedure for inviting and then immersing the permanent form of the Supreme Lord. These Deities are permanently installed and their worship goes on perpetually. Invoking and then immersing the Deity is the practice of materialists who want to exploit the Supreme Lord for the fulfillment of their personal ambitions. The impersonalists regard the eternal form of the Lord as a temporary manifestation created by the illusory energy, Maya. In fact, they regard the Deity as a mere stepping-stone in their ambitious endeavor to become God. TEXT 14 AiSQaraYaa&ivk-LPa>SYaaTSQai<@le/Tau>aved(ÜYaMa( ) ňPaNa&Tvivle/PYaaYaaMaNYa}aPairMaaJaRNaMa( ))14))
One may invoke and then immerse a Deity made of sand from a riverbank, or painted, as desired. However, the çälagräma-çélä should never be immersed. Invocation
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 669 and immersion is recommended for Deities made of earth or clay, as well as sand. Except for paintings of the Lord, and Deities made of clay or sandalwood, all the other Deities should be bathed with water. The Deities of clay or wood should be carefully cleansed without the use of water.
There is no need for one to waste so many ingredients for worship if he considers the Deity of Lord Vińëu to be made of stone. The Deities that are painted or made from clay should not be bathed with water. Wiping with a dry cloth to remove the dust is sufficient.
d]VYaE>Pa[iSaÖEMaRŰaGa>Pa[iTaMaaidZvMaaiYaNa> ) >a˘-SYacYaQaal/BDaEôRid>aaveNacEvih ))15))
If one has an abundance of wealth, he should worship the Deity with offerings of the most excellent ingredients, such as sugar candy, ghee, sandalwood paste, kuěkuma, and so forth. However, an impoverished devotee can worship the Deity with whatever he may have in his possession, offering it with love and devotion. He may even offer sweet rice or fried rice within his mind, if he has nothing suitable to offer to the Lord. PURPORT A neophyte, or materialistic devotee who is filled with material desires, simply dreams of gaining the opportunity of gratifying his senses. Such a devotee may simply think of the Lord as His benefactor, without understanding his actual position as eternal servitor of the Lord. On the other hand, an advanced devotee knows that the Deity is identical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and so all the ingredients for worship that he offers are actually properly utilized. The internal mood of a devotee is the principal ingredient of his worship. 670 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 16-17 ňaNaal/Şr SQai<@le/TatvivNYaaSaaevöavaJYaâuTa&hiv> ))16))
SaUYaeRca>YahR é[ÖYaaePaaôTa&Pa[eď&>a˘e-NaMaMavaYaRiPa ))17))
My dear Uddhava, while worshiping the Deity, bathing and decorating with beautiful clothes, ornaments, and flowers are the most pleasing offerings. When the Deity is drawn on a sanctified surface, the offering of tattva-vinyäsa is most important. Oblations of sesame seeds and barley soaked in ghee are the best oblations poured into the sacrificial fire. Worship consisting of upasthäna and arghya is the best worship of the sun. One should worship Me in the form of water by offerings of water. Whatever My devotee offers to Me, even if it is just a little water, is most dear to Me. COMMENTARY The Lord should be invoked and established on sanctified ground by the chanting of mantras. One should worship the Lord in fire by offerings of sesame seeds and barley mixed in ghee poured into the sacrificial fire. One should worship the Lord in the sun by offering arghya. To worship the form of the Lord in water, one should simply offer water.
PURPORT A neophyte devotee should offer opulent paraphernalia to the Deity so that he may constantly remember that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer and that he, the neophyte, is meant for the Deity’s pleasure. An advanced devotee can worship the Lord with whatever he has in his possession, offered with love and devotion. One who makes a show of great pomp while performing ritualistic worship but displays miserliness while collecting the ingredients of worship diminishes his propensity for service to the Lord. Bathing the Deity on a mirror, decorating the Deity with ornaments, performing appropriate rituals on the ground, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, offering
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 671 herein recommended. Whatever a devotee offers to the Deity with faith and devotion satisfies the Supreme Lord, whereas even abundance of wealth offered without faith by non-devotees fails to attract the attention of the Lord. TEXT 18 >aUYaRPYa>a˘-aePaaôTa&NaMaeTaaezaYak-LPaTae ) GaNDaaeDaUPa>SauMaNaSaaedqPaae_ŕaŰ&cik&-PauNa> ))18))
The word sumanaso refers to the flower known as sumanasa. TEXT 19 Xauic>SaM>a*TaSaM>aar>Pa[aGd>aŒ>k-iLPaTaaSaNa> ) AaSaqNa>Pa[aGaudGvaceRdcaRYaa&TvQaSaMMau%> ))19))
Now, the beginning of the process of Deity worship is being described. One should first purify himself and then sit down facing either east or north, or one who worships an immovable Deity, he should sit directly in front of the Deity. 672 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 20 k*-TaNYaaSa>k*-TaNYaaSaa&Madca|Paai k-l/Xa&Pa[ae+a Thereafter, the devotee should perform the ritual known as nyäsa (the process of purifying oneself by touching the various parts of the body while chanting mantras) on his own body, and on that of the Deity. He should then take from the Deity the remnants of previous offerings, such as flowers and flower garlands. He should then prepare a pitcher of water for cleansing the Deity. COMMENTARY Before beginning one’s worship of the Deity, one should take permission from the spiritual master by offering him obeisances. Then, according to his instructions, one should perform aěga-nyäsa on his own body, perform nyäsa on the body of the Deity while chanting the mülä mantras, and cleanse the altar and the Deity by removing the previously-offered flowers and so on. One should keep a pot of water for sprinkling, and one should then decorate the Deity with flowers, and so forth.
TadiŮdeRvYaJaNa&d]VYaa Pa[ae+YaPaa}aai Next, one should sprinkle the purified water on the place of worship and the ingredients for worship. In the container of pädya, one should place water, black dürvä
grass, lotus petals, and an aparajitä flower. In the container of arghya, there should be Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 673 eight items—sandalwood paste, flowers, ätapa, rice, barley, tips of kuça grass, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, and dürvä grass. In the container of äcamaniya, there should be three items—nutmeg, clove, and kakkola. TEXT 22 PaaŰagYaaRcMaNaqYaaQa|}aqi ôdaXaqZ The worshiper should purify the three containers by chanting the hĺdaya mantra, and so on, as well as the Gäyatri mantra.
After chanting the Gäyatri mantra, the worshiper should purify the container of pädya by chanting hĺdayäya namaů, the container of arghya by chanting sirase
the ingredients for pädya, arghya, and äcamanéya by sprinkling water on them while remembering the Supreme Lord. The ingredients of arghya are water, milk, tips of kuça grass, yogurt, ghee, ätapa rice, and barley, or simply barley water and yogurt, as prescribed by the followers of the Säma Veda. Brähmaëas who follow the Säma Veda use the word
word arghyaů without the “y” and in the masculine gender. TEXT 23 iPa<@evaYviGanSa&XauÖeôTPaÚSQaa&Para&MaMa ) A 674 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ Thereafter the worshiper should dry his body with the air from his stomach, burn his body with fire, and then revive it by showering nectar from the moon, which is situated on his forehead. He should then meditate on My subtle transcendental form of Çré Näräyaëa, which is situated on the lotus of the heart, by the vibration of the sacred syllable oŕ. This form is meditated upon by perfected sages. COMMENTARY Thereafter, one should dry his body with the air from the stomach, burn it with fire, and then revive it by showering nectar from the moon, which is situated on his forehead. In this way, one should meditate on My form as Näräyaëa, which is situated on the lotus of the heart. The praëava, or oŕ, has five parts— A, U, M, the nasal bindu, and the reverberation (näda). After chanting oŕ, one should meditate on the transcendental form of Lord Näräyaëa. It is stated in the Vedas that the Supreme Lord Himself is the transcendental sound vibration of the Vedas, and the ultimate goal of Vedänta. PURPORT This ritual is called bhutaçuddhi, or purifying oneself. Before worshiping the Lord, one must perform bhutaçudhhi.
TaYaaTMa>aUTaYaaiPa<@eVYaaáeSaMPaUJYaTaNMaYa> ) AavaůacaRidzuSQaaPYaNYaSTaa®&Maa&Pa[PaUJaYaeTa( ))24))
The Supersoul illuminates the entire body of the devotee, just as the light of a lamp illuminates a room. One should first worship the Lord mentally and then, with full concentration, invoke the Supreme Lord within the Deity. In this way, one installs the Deity and then performs nyäsa on his own body, as well as that of the Deity.
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship TEXTS 25-26 PaaŰaePaSPaXaaRhR DaMaaRidi>aęNavi>a>k-LPaiYaTvaSaNa&MaMa ))25))
PaÚMaídl&/Ta}ak-i o>aa>Yaa&vedTaN}aa>Yaa&Maů&TaU>aYaiSaÖYae ))26))
The worshiper should mental y place an äsana that is decorated with the personified deities of religion, knowledge, renunciation, opulence, and My nine spiritual energies. He should think of My sitting place as an effulgent lotus flower with eight petals with saffron filaments within the whorl. Then, following the regulations of the Vedas and tantras, he should offer Me pädya, arghya, äcamaëiya, and other items of worship. By following this procedure, one is awarded material enjoyment in this life, and attains liberation after death. COMMENTARY What should one do before offering arghya and äcamaëiya to the Deity? One should imagine a yogapiöha äsana for the Lord, consisting of religion, knowledge, renunciation, and opulence, and he should mentally place it on an eight-petal lotus flower. He should then worship the Lord by offering various paraphernalia while following the rules and regulations laid down in the Vedas and tantras. As a result of this worship, one obtains material enjoyment and liberation.
SaudXaRNa&PaaÄJaNYa&GadaSaqzuDaNauhRl/aNa( ) Mauzl&/k-aESTau>a&Maal/a&é[qvTSa&caNauPaUJaYaeTa( ))27))
676 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ COMMENTARY One should worship the Sudarçana cakra and plow that are in the Lord’s hands, the eight weapons on the eight sides of the Lord, the Kaustubha gem around the Lord’s neck, and the curl of hair, Çrivatsa, on His chest.
The name of the four-armed Lord Näräyäëa’s cakra is Sudarçana, His conch shell is named Päďcajanya, His club is named Kaumudaké, His lotus is named Çriväsa, His bow is named Çaräěga, His sword is named Nandaka, His gem around His neck is named Kaustubha, and the curl of hair on His chest is named Çrévatsa.
NaNd&SauNaNd&Gaĺ@&Pa[c<@&c<@& Wvc ) Mahabl&/bl&/cEvku-Maud&k-Maude+a duGaa|ivNaaYak&-VYaaSa&ivZv+aeNa&GaućNSauraNa( ) SveSveSQaaNaeTvi>aMau%aNPaUJaYaeTPa[ae+a All of these personalities are the associates of Lord Näräyaëa in Vaikuëöha. One must worship them while performing worship of Lord Näräyaëa. This Durgä and
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship 677 Vinäyaka (Ganeça) are not the Durgä and Ganeça of the devi-dhäma (material world) who award material enjoyment.
cNdNaaeXaqrk-PaURrku-ŞuMaaGauĺvaiSaTaE> ) Sail/lE/>ňaPaYaeNMaN}aEiNaRTYadaiv>aveSaiTa ))30)) Sv PaaEĺze One should worship the associates of the Lord in their respective places, facing the altar from the eight directions. Garuňa should be worship in front of the altar,
Durgä and others in their specified places, the spiritual masters to the left, and the demigods, headed by Indra, toward the east. One should worship all these personalities
by sprinkling purified water and then offering arghya. One should recite the Svarna- Devotional songs should also be sung. The word ädi also means mantras, such as the The Puruńa-sukta mantras from the Ĺg Veda begin with oŕ sahasra çirńä puruńaů 678 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 32 vńaePavqTaa>ar Al/ŞuvsTaSaPa[eMaMa٢-aeMaa&YaQaaeicTaMa( ))32))
My devotees should then lovingly decorate Me with fine clothing, ornaments, a sacred thread, marks of tilaka, a flower garland, a garland of tulasé leaves, sandalwood paste, and other scented substances. COMMENTARY The word patra-srag refers to a garland of tulasé leaves. TEXT 33 PaaŰMaacMaNaqYa&cGaNDa&SauMaNaSaae_+aTaaNa( ) DaUPadqPaaePahaYaaRi Gau@PaaYaSaSaPas&izXaZku-LYaaPaUPaMaaedk-aNa( ) Sa&YaavdiDaSaUPaa&ęNaEveŰ&SaiTak-LPaYaeTa( ))34))
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship COMMENTARY 679 Preparations made with gur and sugar candy, as well as sweet rice, fried rice made with ghee, milk cakes, sweets made with wheat flour, pancakes, and other palatable food should be offered to the Lord if one has the capacity.
A>Ya®aeNMadRNaadXaRdNTaDaavai>azecNaMa( ) AŕaŰGaqTaNa*TYaaiNaPavRi In the early morning, one should wake up the Deity and offer Him a small twig for brushing His teeth. One should then massage the Deity’s body with scented oil, remove the oil from His body by applying kuěkuma and camphor, bathe the Deity with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, and scented water. Thereafter, one should decorate the Deity with fine silk clothing and valuable ornaments, apply sandalwood paste, offer a flower garland, display a mirror, and offer incense, flowers, a ghee lamp, and äcamaëiya. Next, one should offer four kinds of food—those that are chewed, licked, sucked, and drunk. One should then offer scented water, betel nuts, a flower garland, and finally ärati. Thereafter, one should arrange a bed that is decorated with flowers, place the Deity upon it, and fan Him with a cämara and a peacock feather fan. One should then sing, play musical instruments, and dance before the Deity. All of these aspects of Deity worship should be performed on special days, such as Ekädaçé, or if one has the means, on a daily basis. TEXT 36 iviDaNaaivihTaeku-<@eMae%l/aGaTaRveidi>a> ) AiGanMaaDaaYaPairTa>SaMaUheTPaai 680 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ After constructing an arena as enjoined by the scriptures, utilizing a sanctified belt, a sacrificial pit, and a raised altar, the devotee should perform a fire sacrifice. He should ingnite the sacrificial fire with wood that he has personally collected. COMMENTARY Here, the procedure for worshiping the Lord in fire is being described. Three mekhalä, each about four inches long, should be used. The depth of the pit should be about one foot. An altar mound should be prepared around the pit. In this way, one should make preparations for performing a fire sacrifice.
PairSTaqYaaRQaPaYauR+aedNvaDaaYaYaQaaiviDa ) Pa[ae+a Thereafter, the sacrificial pit should be filled and covered with dry kuça grass, and water should be sprinkled in the four directions, beginning from the north. One should then sit down and meditate on the Lord as the Supersoul, situated within the fire. TEXT 38-41 TaáJaaMbUNadPa[:Ya&Xa«c§-GadaMbuJaE> ) l/SaŔTau>auRJa&XaaNTa&PaÚik-ĹLk-vaSaSaMa( ))38)) Sfu-riTk-rq$=k-$=k-k-i$=SaU}avra®dMa( ) é[qvTSav+aSa&>a]aJaTk-aESTau>a&vNaMaail/NaMa( ))39)) DYaaYaŕ>YaCYaRdaći Pa[aSYaaJYa>aaGaavagaaraEdtvacaJYaâuTa&hiv> ))40))
Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship JauhuYaaNMaUl/MaN}ae DaMaaRid>YaaeYaQaaNYaaYa&MaN}aE>iSviík*-Ta&buDa> ))41))
The intelligent devotee should thereafter meditate on the form of the Lord, whose complexion is the color of molten gold, whose four arms are decorated with the conch shell, disc, club, and lotus flower, and whose appearance is peaceful, and who is dressed in garments the color of the filaments within a lotus flower. His helmet, bracelets, belt, and ornaments decorating His arms shine brilliantly. The symbol of Çrivatsa is on His chest, along with the Kaustubha gem, and a garland of forest flowers. Thereafter, the devotee should worship Me by taking firewood soaked in ghee and placing it in the sacrificial fire. He should then offer as oblations into the sacrificial fire various items soaked in ghee. He should then offer oblations to sixteen demigods, beginning with Yamaräja, while reciting the mantras of each deity and the sixteen-line Puruńa-sükta hymn, ending each line with sväůä. While pouring one oblation after each line of the Puruńa-sükta, he should utter the particular mantra naming each deity. COMMENTARY After igniting the sacrificial fire, one should place wood soaked in ghee into the fire. One should also offer ghee and other articles, such as sesame seeds, into the sacrificial fire while chanting the sixteen lines of the Puruńa-sukta hymn. While chanting the Puruńa-sükta, one should pour ghee into the sacrificial fire and chant sväůä at the end of each line. 682 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 42 A>YaCYaaRQaNaMaSk*-TYaPaazRde>Yaaebil&/hreTa( ) MaUl/MaN}a&JaPaeŘ]řSMarNNaaraYa Having thus worshiped the Lord within the sacrificial fire, the devotee should offer his obeisances and then worship the Lord’s personal associates, headed by Nanda. He should then chant the müla-mantra of the Deity and meditate on the Supreme Lord, Näräyaëa. TEXT 43 dtvacMaNaMauC^ez&ivZv+aeNaaYak-LPaYaeTa( ) Mau%vaSa&Sauri>aMataaMbUl/aŰMaQaahRYaeTa( ))43))
One should meditate on Lord Näräyaëa, the Supreme Brahman. One should then chant the müla-mantra and offer the remnants of the Lord’s food to Vińvaksena. Finally, after taking permission from the Lord and Vińvakńena, one should honor the prasäda. This is the opinion of Çrédhara Svämé.
oPaGaaYaNa(Ga* MaTk-Qaa>é[avYaNXa* Lord Kĺńëa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship COMMENTARY 683 From time to time, one should ecstatically engage in hearing about the Lord and glorifying Him, as well as chanting and dancing with great enthusiasm. TEXT 45 STavEĺŔavcE>STaae}aE>PaaEra STauTvaPa[Saqd>aGaviŕiTavNdeTad<@vTa( ))45))
One should offer the prayers to the Lord that are found in the Puräëas, which were spoken long ago by great sages and elevated devotees. One should appeal to the Lord by praying, “My dear Lord, kindly be pleased with me.” After praying in this way, one should bow down before the Lord with great respect.
iXaraeMaTPaadYaae>k*-Tvabahu>Yaa&cParSParMa( ) Pa[Paŕ&PaaihMaaMaqXa>aqTaMa*TYauGa]ha The procedure for offering obeisances is herein being described. One should place his head at the lotus feet of the Deity and then catch hold of the lotus feet of the Lord.
684 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ While doing so, he should pray, “O supreme controller, please protect me, because I am greatly frightened by this vast ocean of material existence.” One should not chant
or within the Deity room. It is prohibited to offer obeisances while facing the Deity, or in back of the Deity, and so one should offer obeisances by falling flat onto the ground, keeping the Deity to one’s left. One should then join his palms while offering his prayers of submission.
wiTaXaeza&MaYaadtaa&iXarSYaaDaaYaSaadrMa( ) oÜaSaYaeŔeduÜaSYa&JYaaeiTaJYaaeRiTaizTaTPauNa> ))47))
After offering prayers, one should gratefully consider how the Lord has mercifully given him the remnants of His flower garland, and so on. If the Deity is made of sand, or other such material, and must be immersed, one should withdraw the effulgence of the Deity’s presence and merge it within the effulgence of the lotus within one’s heart.
AcaRidzuYadaYa}aé[ÖaMaa&Ta}acacRYaeTa( ) SavR>aUTaeZvaTMaiNacSavaRTMaahMaviSQaTa> ))48))
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