vacation arrangements..

[dev 0]

Haribol,

What do you do with your radha krishna and gaur nitai vigraha when you go out on vacation. You can give it to a devotee , but if there are no devotee and you can not take them then ...

YS, DEV

[bija 0]

Maybe you can put them to rest. Make up some nice beds or small blankets.

So they can rest nicely while you are away. When you come home, have a wonderful festival of waking them. I have a friend who is doing this presently, more or less.

[Guruvani 0]

 

Haribol,

What do you do with your radha krishna and gaur nitai vigraha when you go out on vacation. You can give it to a devotee , but if there are no devotee and you can not take them then ...

YS, DEV

 

If you are worshiping deities, then surely you must have a guru?

If you have a guru then you should present this question to him.

 

If you don't have a guru, then you need to find a siksha guru who you accept and respect.

The siksha guru can give you proper guidance.

 

Random questions to forum readers is probably not the best way to get answers to serious questions.

 

If your dikska guru is passed away or not available, then seek out some good association and try to find a very wise siksha guru to give you good advice.

[Guest guest]

Very nice, KB

 

- murali

[Guest guest]

That's a good idea. Get a guru, ask him a bunch of questions, and then when that one falls down, be all confused and doubt the veracity of everything that he ever taught you.

 

Then get another one. After he takes all of your money to go live with one of his disciples, find out that 20 years later what he is teaching is the exact opposite of what he initially told everyone to do.

 

Then get another guru, give him all of your time and money also, be yelled at by him [or excuse me "chastised"] by his divine transcendental anger and watch another variation of the same funky thing happen to him also.

 

Ad nauseum, rinse and repeat. Or you could just ask some people on this forum for advice. Haribol.

[Sridas 0]

Take some photo of your sri vigraha and worship them from where ever you are, after all they are omnipresent. Don't worry they are full of understanding. Failing that you could always take them with you like Vamsi das babaji, of course there aren't too many of his calibre these days or any days for that matter.

[Guruvani 0]

 

That's a good idea. Get a guru, ask him a bunch of questions, and then when that one falls down, be all confused and doubt the veracity of everything that he ever taught you.

 

Then get another one. After he takes all of your money to go live with one of his disciples, find out that 20 years later what he is teaching is the exact opposite of what he initially told everyone to do.

 

Then get another guru, give him all of your time and money also, be yelled at by him [or excuse me "chastised"] by his divine transcendental anger and watch another variation of the same funky thing happen to him also.

 

Ad nauseum, rinse and repeat. Or you could just ask some people on this forum for advice. Haribol.

 

I have never seen a diksha guru yet that required payment for advice.

You don't need to have a psychotic episode because somebody recommends asking sadhus about devotional service questions.

 

After all, the shastra states that our relationship with Krishna is only as substantial as our relationship with the spiritual master.

 

Worshiping deities without the guidance of a spiritual master has never been recommended in the shastra.

 

Taking spiritual advice from anonymous persons on a forum is not a very wise approach.

[AncientMariner 0]

 

I have never seen a diksha guru yet that required payment for advice.

You don't need to have a psychotic episode because somebody recommends asking sadhus about devotional service questions.

 

After all, the shastra states that our relationship with Krishna is only as substantial as our relationship with the spiritual master.

 

Worshiping deities without the guidance of a spiritual master has never been recommended in the shastra.

 

Taking spiritual advice from anonymous persons on a forum is not a very wise approach.

 

 

You are probably right in the context you are speaking of but I can tell you from experience there are some really good, intelligent posters on this board that have helped me increase my knowledge a lot just by reading their posts.

[stonehearted 0]

I'm with KB 100% here. This is an area of our lives in which we require guidance from experienced, more advanced devotees in whom we have confidence.

 

Although many of the participants here may be counted as experienced and more advanced than others, it seems odd to me to pose such a serious question to folks we don't know. If this poster has a guru, I would suggest asking him first. If the poster doesn't have a guru, I'd suggest just what KB does: find someone you trust and respect and take guidance from him or her. Failing that, if you're a member of ISKCON, try asking the question of someone in the Deity worship ministry, whatever it's called. I'd be reluctant to give such advice to someone with whom I don't have any relationship. And just how does someone take to worship of Radha-Krishna without guidance, or even permission, anyway? Gaura-Nitai may be one thing, but Radha-Krishna is serious business. I have seen trouble from neglect or carelessness in such worship.

 

Nevetheless, putting Them to rest after asking Them to accept your worship through a picture of Them you take with you may be a last-ditch option, if you don't have time to sort out the other issues.

[suchandra 1]

 

I'm with KB 100% here. This is an area of our lives in which we require guidance from experienced, more advanced devotees in whom we have confidence.

 

Although many of the participants here may be counted as experienced and more advanced than others, it seems odd to me to pose such a serious question to folks we don't know. If this poster has a guru, I would suggest asking him first. If the poster doesn't have a guru, I'd suggest just what KB does: find someone you trust and respect and take guidance from him or her. Failing that, if you're a member of ISKCON, try asking the question of someone in the Deity worship ministry, whatever it's called. I'd be reluctant to give such advice to someone with whom I don't have any relationship. And just how does someone take to worship of Radha-Krishna without guidance, or even permission, anyway? Gaura-Nitai may be one thing, but Radha-Krishna is serious business. I have seen trouble from neglect or carelessness in such worship.

 

Nevetheless, putting Them to rest after asking Them to accept your worship through a picture of Them you take with you may be a last-ditch option, if you don't have time to sort out the other issues.

 

Somehow it's a bit missing that absolutely nobody suggests of asking Srila Prabhupada. Have present "stonehearted" Vaishnavas molded their lives as such that they avoid Srila Prabhupada - are even scared to hear his name? That they consider Prabhupada as dead and gone?

What does Prabhupada say about that "dead and gone" doctrine:

 

"Just like Krishna can be present simultaneously in millions of places. Similarly, the Spiritual Master also can be present wherever the disciple wants. A Spiritual Master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of places by the principle of relay monitoring.

SPL 28th May 68

 

My Dear Sudama,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 4th, 1970. I noted the contents with great interest. Actually, I was thinking of you from London and by the grace of Krishna my anxiety was televisioned to you in your dream. 8th Jan 70

 

Physical presence is immaterial. Presence of the transcendental sound received from the Spiritual Master should be the guidance of life. That will make our spiritual life successful. If you feel very strongly about my absence you may place my pictures on my sitting places and this will be source of inspiration for you.

(Letter to Brahmananda and other students, 19/1/67)

 

But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should be concerned only with this spiritual connection. (Letter to Gaurasundara, 13/11/69 )

 

So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association.

(Lectures SB, 68/08/18 )

 

There are two conceptions, the physical conception and the vibrational conception. The physical conception is temporary. The vibrational conception is eternal.[...] When we feel separation from Krsna or the Spirirual Master, we should just try to remember their words or instructions, and we will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Krsna and the Spiritual Master should be association by vibration not physical presence. That is real association.

(Elevation to Krsna Consciousness, (BBT 1973), Page 57 )

 

Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsavati Thakura Prabhupada passed away from this material world on the last day of December 1936, I still consider his Divine Grace to be always present with me by his vani, his words. There are two ways of association - by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but Vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore, one must take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence.

(CC, Antya 5 Conclusion )

 

Therefore we should take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence. (Letter to Suci Devi Dasi, 4/11/75 )

 

I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically present, as I am getting guidance from my Guru Maharaja.

(Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 14/7/77 )

 

It is sometimes misunderstood that if one has to associate with persons engaged in devotional service, he will not be able to solve the economic problem. To answer this argument, it is described here that one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.

(SB 3:31:48 )

 

I am always with you. Never mind if I am physically absent.

(Letter to Jayananda, 16/9/67 )

 

 

Paramananda: We're always feeling your presence very strongly, Srila Prabhupada, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We're always meditating on your instructions.

Srila Prabhupada: Thank you. That is the real presence. Physical presence is not important.

(Room Conversation, Vrndavana, 6/10/77)

 

You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you, and you are always thinking of me . That is real association. Just like I am always thinking of my Guru Maharaja at every moment, although he is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve him to my best capacity, I am sure he is helping me by his spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association.

(Letter to Govinda Dasi, 18/8/69 )

 

As far as my blessing is concerned, it does not require my physical presence. If you are chanting Hare Krsna there, and following my instructions, reading the books, taking only Krsna prasadam etc., then there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord Caitanya, whose mission I am humbly trying to push on.

(Letter to Bala Krsna, 30/6/74 )

 

'Anyone who has developed unflinching faith in the Lord and the Spiritual Master can understand the revealed scripture unfolding before him'. So continue your present aptitude and you will be successful in your spiritual progress. I am sure that even if I am not physically present before you, still you will be able to execute all spiritual duties in the matter of Krsna Consciousness, if you follow the above principles.

(Letter to Subala, 29/9/67 )

 

So although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the Spiritual Master, vibration. What we have heard from the Spiritual Master, that is living.

(General lectures, 69/01/13 )

 

Devotee: ...so sometimes the Spiritual Master is far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg Temple. He thinks 'How will the Spiritual Master be pleased?'

Srila Prabhupada: Just follow his order, Spiritual Master is along with you by his words. Just like my Spiritual Master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words.

(SB Lectures, 71/08/18 )

 

Just like I am working, so my Guru Maharaja is there, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Physically he may not be, but in every action he is there. To serve master's word is more important than to serve physically.

(Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 2/5/77 )

 

So that is called prakata, physically present. And there is another phrase, which is called aprakata, not physically present. But that does not mean, Krsna is dead or God is dead. That does not mean, prakata or aprakata, physically present or not present, it does not matter.

(Lectures SB 73/12/11 )

 

So, spiritually, there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in far distant place.

(Letter to Syama Dasi, 30/08/68 )

 

I went to your country for spreading this information of Krsna Consciousness and you are helping me in my mission, although I am not physically present there but spiritually I am always with you.

(Letter to Nandarani, Krsna Devi and Subala, 3/10/67 )

 

We are not separated actually. There are two - Vani or Vapuh - so Vapu is physical presence and Vani is presence by the vibration, but they are all the same.

(Letter to Hamsadutta, 22/6/70 )

 

So in the absence of physical presentation of the spiritual master, the Vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master Sarsavati Goswami, may appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve his instruction, I never feel separated from him.

(Letter to Karandhara, 22/8/70 )

 

I also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in his service, his pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve master's word is more important than to serve him physically.

(Letter to Syamasundara, 19/7/70 )

 

Follow the instruction, not the body.

 

So far as personal association with Guru is concerned, I was only with Guru Maharaj 4 or 5 times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instruction, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India, who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed up by his position but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through serving.

(Letter to Satyadhana, 20/2/72)

 

So spiritually appearance and disappearance, there is no difference ... spiritually there is no such difference, appearance or disappearance. Although this is the disappearance day of Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, there is nothing to be lamented, although we feel separation.

(Lecture, Los Angeles 13/12/73)

 

So my Guru Maharaja will be very, very much pleased with you ... it is not that he is dead and gone. That is not spiritual understanding ... he is seeing. I never feel that I am alone.

(Lecture, 2/3/75)

 

Vani is more important than vapuh.

(Letter to Tusta Krishna Das, 14/12/72)

 

Yes I am glad that your centre is doing so well and all the devotees are now appreciating the presence of their spiritual master by following his instructions, although he is no longer present. This is the right spirit.

(Letter to Karandhara, 13/9/70)

 

The spiritual master by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence.

(SB(1987 Ed) 1.7.22)

 

There are two words, vani and vapuh. Vani means words, and vapuh means the physical body. Vapuh will be finished. This material body it will be finished, that is the nature. But if we keep to the vani, to the words of the spiritual master, then we remain very fixed up...if you always keep intact, in link with the words and instructions of the higher instructions, then you are always fresh. This is spiritual understanding.

(General lectures, 75/03/02)

 

So we should give more stress on the sound vibration, either of Krsna or Spiritual Master. Never think that I am absent from you, presence by message (or hearing) is the real touch.

(Letter to students, August 1967)

 

Reception of spiritual knowledge is never checked by any material condition.

(SB (1987)Ed) 7.7.1.)

 

The potency of transcendental sound is never minimised because the vibrator is apparently absent.

(SB 2.9.8.)

 

The disciple and Spiritual Master are never separated because the Spiritual Master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the Spiritual Master. This is called the association of Vani. Physical presence is called Vapuh. As long as the Spiritual Master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the Spiritual Master, and when the Spiritual Master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the Spiritual Master.

(SB 4:28:47)

 

If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual masters instructions and the spiritual master himself. In the absence therefore, his words of direction should be pride of the disciple."

(CC(1975 Ed) Adi 1.35)

[Guest guest]

 

If you are worshiping deities, then surely you must have a guru?

If you have a guru then you should present this question to him.

 

If you don't have a guru, then you need to find a siksha guru who you accept and respect.

The siksha guru can give you proper guidance.

 

Random questions to forum readers is probably not the best way to get answers to serious questions.

 

If your dikska guru is passed away or not available, then seek out some good association and try to find a very wise siksha guru to give you good advice.

 

Guruvani: great advice !! but also humbly ask their lordships what they desire do not be suprised if you get an answer !! maybe not directly from thr deities but via some other medium !! try it !!

[stonehearted 0]

 

Somehow it's a bit missing that absolutely nobody suggests of asking Srila Prabhupada. Have present "stonehearted" Vaishnavas molded their lives as such that they avoid Srila Prabhupada - are even scared to hear his name? That they consider Prabhupada as dead and gone?

What a bizarre response. There's nothing we have that isn't directly from Srila Prabhupada--certainly nothing I have, anyway. And my life is molded in such a way that each day is more directly and profoundly dedicated to his service than the previous day. I pray to him daily--sometimes constantly--and he responds. What is there in any of my posts--or Ksmabuddhi's--that would suggest that we avoid him or are afraid to hear his name?

[Guruvani 0]

 

Originally Posted by suchandra

Somehow it's a bit missing that absolutely nobody suggests of asking Srila Prabhupada. Have present "stonehearted" Vaishnavas molded their lives as such that they avoid Srila Prabhupada - are even scared to hear his name? That they consider Prabhupada as dead and gone?

 

 

Well to be honest with you, I think I know what Srila Prabhupada would say in answer to this question on "vacation arrangements".

 

Srila Prabhupada would say "there is no such thing as vacation from devotional service".

If you cannot find a proper brahmana to come by daily and perform the seva and puja of the deities, then you will just have to cancel the vacation and perform your duties to the deities.

 

Devotional service IS the vacation from material existence.

Who needs a vacation from serving the Lord?

 

If you can't keep up your service to your deities, then maybe you should turn the deities over to proper brahminical devotees who don't think about vacations and such.

 

There.

I have given the answer that I feel Srila Prabhupada would give if he was asked.

 

I hesitated to tell the truth, but now I feel I must be honest.

As harsh as it may seem....................... there is NO VACATION from your deity service.

Do it properly or give it over to someone who can.

[Guest guest]

Suchandra Hari bol,

All of your advice is wonderful and inspiring to read, but have you not also considered that Srila Prabhupad may be coming through his disciples both siksa and diksa to answer this question and many others on the forum.

Often you will find that the answers given by various well-wishers have been garnered from a lifetimes' study and service to His Divine Graces instructions.

There are many facets to every question.

Because SH doesn't answer every question with Prabhupad quotations or katha doesn't mean his answers are not coming from his guru-seva.

 

The answers on this thread are fairly simple and straight forward there is no need to get overly passionate for a simple question.

 

Having said that keep up those nice informative quotes.

[Guest guest]

I didn't want to say what you have because I thought Dev might be taking vacation down your way, and then you'd both miss some vaisnava-sanga.

 

I'm still waiting to return from my lifelong vacation.

[bija 0]

 

Haribol,

What do you do with your radha krishna and gaur nitai vigraha when you go out on vacation. You can give it to a devotee , but if there are no devotee and you can not take them then ...

YS, DEV

I was just wondering Dev, have your Murtis been installed with ceremony etc asking the Lord's presence in Them?

 

If so, Stonehearted and Guruvani are quite correct in reference to your RadhaKrsna Deity. Krsna Deities need very conscientious service, following rules and regs. If they are not installed things may be simpler.

 

Service of Gaura-Nitai is much simpler. It is the nature of Lords Nityananda/Gauranga not to consider offences. They are very magnanimous.

 

Anyway, as this thread shows...many heads are better than one to get to the bottom of things.

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

Haribol,

What do you do with your radha krishna and gaur nitai vigraha when you go out on vacation. You can give it to a devotee , but if there are no devotee and you can not take them then ...

YS, DEV

 

Parents?

[Guest guest]

Krsna appears in stone, but he is never bound in that stone. Krsna can go wherever he likes, so if you nicely invite him, he will go with you.

 

Hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[bija 0]

Here are some of Srila Prabhupada's words on the importance of worshipping Krsna deities nicely, after the installation ceremomy has taken place.

 

 

London

2 September, 1971

71-09-02

Berlin

My Dear Sivananda,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. vanaprastha asrama can be taken even in the presence of the wife. Not that because your wife has left you have to take vanaprastha. That depends on your choice. In one sense if your wife has actually left you it is a blessing. Better to prepare yourself for sannyasa rather than vanaprastha.

Nara Narayana Rsi is there but you will not be able to find him.

If there is the possibility of regular worship then you can install Jagannatha Deity. Otherwise don't do it. Not that there should be a repeat of the situation in Hamburg that the Deities were taken away. Unless there is solid temple arrangement I don't advise you to install the Deity. Deity installation means regular worship without fail and for good. Just like in Jagannatha Puri. That temple was established over thousand of years ago and it is still going on. Always they have prasadam ready for at least a thousand people and bhoga is offered 56 times in a day.

Please offer my blessings to the others. Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

I also recall reading one time....some of Srila Prabhupada's disciple had found a Jagannatha murti in a second hand shop. Srila Prabhupada said that these murti's should not be kept just as antique statues on the shelf. But should be installed, now that they had possession of them.

 

So as from the above letter, we can see that installation of Krsna deities is a serious undertaking.

 

Once I found a very rare 100 year old Sri Bala Krsna deity in a second hand market. I was so excited I took him home. Because I was unaware of the responsibilities of my actions...Gurudeva recommended several things to me.

Firstly he said the same as Srila Prabhupada. That the Sri Bala Krsna Murti should not just be kept as a statue, but should be installed. He said, that if I was not able to perform adequate service, following rules and regs, that I should then find a suitable devotee to take charge of Him. A devotee who could worship Sri Bala Krsna appropriately.

 

But Gurudeva is also very kind and wise, and he did say, that possibly Sri Bala Krsna was desiring my service very much. So by worshiping Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai alongside of Sri Bala Krsna, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai would kindly remove any offences in my service.

 

He gave these instructions, because he considers me a very simple devotee, who was unaware of the consequences of bringing Sri Bala Krsna home.

 

I hope this helps Deva....for some reason I presumed that your Deities had not yet been installed. Please forgive my presumption.

 

I hope things work out nicely.

[Guruvani 0]

I have been looking through the bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, but I have not found any instructions for what to do in the case of "taking vacation".

 

I don't think that "taking vacation" was in the vocabulary of the great Goswamis and Acharyas.

 

"Taking vacation" is a concept that relates to materialistic society and the path of ugra karma.

 

Vacation?

Devotees don't take vacations.

They make pilgrimage to the Holy temples and Holy places.

 

turn your vacation into a pilgrimage and everything will be fine.

[Guest guest]

I seem to remember a few disciples of Srila Prabhupada doing some pretty dramaticly non-sattvic things when they needed a "mental health break" from KC and prescribed their own Rx for it.

 

Then I seem to remember that Srila Prabhupada's response to this was he reinstated them as sannyasis and leaders of his organization. He continued to wish them well, cried over them from afar, met with them if possible, and basically kept on giving them chance after chance after chance after chance after chance. I seem to remember that he continued to give them far more chances than I would ever give any hypothetical spouse or child of mine.

 

So based on the above, I think that probably Srila Prabhupada would cut quite a bit of slack for some little girl who needs a mental health break.

[bija 0]

 

So based on the above, I think that probably Srila Prabhupada would cut quite a bit of slack for some little girl who needs a mental health break. quote by guest

 

Refreshing words guest. Setting the highest standard can get quite scary. It is a personal thing how far we want to go with Krsna consciousness. A tiny tiny bit of devotional service is beautiful.

[stonehearted 0]

In the ultimate issue, we all need to be practical. Srila Prabhupada was cautious about Deity worship for good reasons. It should never be undertaken whimsically (a strong word, I know), or even casually. The key is dedication, steadiness. It's better to establish a standard that you can maintain daily--and do so. My own Deities all came to me apparently of Their own accord (the only murti I went out and bought was my murti of Srila Prabhupada, who a friend brought back from Vrindavan in the fall of 1977, before Srila Prabhupada's disappearance), and I keep a simple daily standard. When I have to go somewhere off the island (which has not been as frequent as when I taught for the university), I take my shilas with me and make arrangements for morning puja. I always carry a picture of Gaura-Nitai that was given to me in 1971 or '72 by Siddhasvarupananda and a pic of Srila Prabhupada given to me by Govinda dasi in 1972, so they become part of the worship.

[bija 0]

Yes...

Srila Prabhupada was cautious about Deity worship for good reasons. It should never be undertaken whimsically (a strong word, I know), or even casually. The key is dedication, steadiness. It's better to establish a standard that you can maintain daily--and do so. quote by stonehearted

This is why personally I have not installed deities as yet into my home, due to living circumstances, environment, health reasons etc... I have small deities ready and waiting, that were given as gifts. And I pray that oneday I may be able to reach such a standard, to install them, and love them fully. A day when I feel fully ready for such a committment. But instead, I am trying to focus on chanting Naam. Really focusing and becoming steady in this practice. A steady goal to full commitment of this practice.

 

The reason why I have expressed concerns about 'the scariness in setting the highest standard' is, because not all of us can dive deeply into bhakti-yoga at full steam. And a speck of compassion in my heart I guess. I believe Srila Prabhupada has made concession for gradual progression. He was fully encouraging. And I know he understood fully that a tiny tiny bit of devotional service, if approached sensibly and gently; that this tiny bit, being cared for, will oneday fully blossom.

 

An open door to all people, you might say.

[bija 0]

A vision for Gaura-Nitai to be installed at home:

It seems that Lords Nityananda/Gauranga are merciful to the extreme. It may be debated, but from my own personal realisations 'mercy' is a vey high conception. Really the very existence of 'sweetness' and it's depth is accessible to us by the very nature of mercy. I feel actually that sweetness is; because of the very merciful nature of God. In fact even chanting the name of Nityananda Prabhu just once, can deliver the most fallen soul as per Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. As Bhaktivinoda Thakura expressed in Sr Navadwipa Dhama Mahatmya, he sees no hope but for Gaura-Naam. He says that the reason why Krsna prema has not been attained by jivas, for births after births, is due to negligence in taking full shelter of Lords Nityananda/Gauranga.

The acarya's have continually voiced the need of full shelter of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu before entering Sri Sri Radha Krsna lila.

 

So my final conclusion: a safe approach is to invite Gaura-Nitai into your home. Until you are fully ready to worship Sri Sri Radha Krsna vigraha.

As per Srila Prabhupada CC Adi 8.31 purport www.vedabase.net/cc/adi/8/31/en

 

Just some thoughts.