deity question

[Guest guest]

I was wondering ? Is it good to have deities at home ? I have heard several statements about this and am not sure which one is the most correct one.

[Guest guest]

Diety worship is best regulated and has many rules. Some d is very complex and strict. A murti or picture of Srila Prabhupada would be the easiest to start with, but Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu don't accept offenses, so I'd recommend Them as well, along with a picture of the panchatattra. Try to feel what is right for you in your heart, along with reading the books. Keep it simple and sincere. Remember, nothing can replace chanting the Holy Names, the Maha-mantra in particular.

[Dervish 0]

Deity archana is a serious responsibility. Don't do it unless you're willing to take care of Them daily in a loving, diligent fashion for life. If you don't have 2nd initiation, have images in the meantime. If you are inexperienced in archana, best to wait some time before attaining deities in your own home, and ask a temple or grashta ashram if they need help with the deities there, and you can gather some experience there so you can serve Them well.

[yasodanandana 0]

it is very good to have deities at home, a service higly recommended for grihastas..

 

the most important thing is to avoid to start with a big standard, pujas, offerings with big entusiasm.. then, after a while, bored or tired .. stop

 

so start from the little

 

if you bring krsna in your home you have absolutely to invite often devotees and friends to perform harinama samkirtana in front of Him

[Guest guest]

Th Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai are the best choice as They do not take offences. Even if you simply chant for Them every day and offer some water, They will be happy. That can be done by everyone. Of course, if you have time you can increase the standard of worship, but as it was said before, it is better to start in a simple way than jumping into big worship and feeling frustrated soon. There are many devotees in the world who do not have the chance to attend any temple, so the best solution is to make your home a temple. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada very often suggested that every householder should worship Gaura Nitai in their homes. Once he said that Gaura Nitai are so merciful that They even go to the home of meat-eaters. I also have the same condition: we share our apt with a relative who is non-vegetarian. If we want to wait for the perfect conditions to start this or that aspect of devotional service, then better forget the whole thing because conditions will never be ideal.

 

Quote from a letter:

 

"It is very good idea that you have to be more attached to the (Jagannath) Deities above marriage. But it is not good to live at home because that is where meat is eaten. That will be offensive, so how can you worship the (Jagannath) Deity under such circumstances? If your whole family become devotees, then that is another thing. I think that you can move from the Lord Jagannath Deities to the Gaura-Nitai Deities if that is your desire. That will be best."

Srila Prabhupada letter to Chandradevi dasi, 7th August, 1975)

 

Here Srila Prabhupada confirms that a devotee can perform deity worship even in a meat-eating environment, if the deities are Gaura-Nitai.

 

The worship of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, Jagannath, or Shilas is a different thing. For Them you have to provide a really strict standard of worship, or else reactions will come.

[Guest guest]

Thanx for the replies.

I especially liked the last post cause that's how I feel also and in fact, that's why I asked this question. Sadhu-sanga is practically impossible for me due to various reasons and I find that when I have to practice KC by just chanting that I go astray. I'm just not strong enough yet to do it like that so I felt like having deities in the house would be a really big help for us.

[Gauracandra 1]

My advice is that unless you are real fixed up and can properly worship the deities, it would be best not to have them. I think once you go down that road, its not like you can just decide to stop worshiping them etc.... So better to be cautious before getting too involved. A simple picture is probably the best.