CHAPTER TEN Techniques of Hearing and Remembering HEARING The beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service is hearing, in Sanskrit called śravaṇam. All people should be given the chance to come and join devotional parties so … Read More
OBSERVING ĀRATI AND CELEBRATIONS OF THE LORD In the Skanda Purāṇa there is the following description of the result of seeing ārati (worship) of the Deity: “If someone sees the face of the Lord while ārati … Read More
SEEING THE DEITY In the Varāha Purāṇa there is a statement praising the seeing of the Deity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the temple. A devotee says there, “My dear Vasundharā, any person who goes to Vṛndāvana … Read More
TOUCHING THE DEITY In the Viṣṇu-dharmottara there is a statement about touching the lotus feet of the Lord. It is said, “Only a person who is initiated as a Vaiṣṇava and is executing devotional service in … Read More
SMELLING THE INCENSE OR FLOWERS OFFERED TO THE DEITY In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a statement about the incense which is offered in the temple: “When the devotees smell the good flavor of the incense which … Read More
DRINKING CARAṆĀMṚTA Caraṇāmṛta is obtained in the morning while the Lord is being washed before dressing. Scented with perfumes and flowers, the water comes gliding down through His lotus feet and is collected and mixed with … Read More
PARTAKING OF PRASĀDA There is this specific statement in the Padma Purāṇa: “A person who honors the prasāda and regularly eats it, not exactly in front of the Deity, along with caraṇāmṛta [the water offered to … Read More
Reciting Notable prayers According to great learned scholars, the whole Bhagavad-gītā contains many authorized prayers, especially in the eleventh chapter, where Arjuna prays to the universal form of the Lord. Similarly, in the Gautamīya-tantra all the … Read More
SUBMISSION In the Skanda Purāṇa there is a statement about submission unto the lotus feet of the Lord. It is said there that those who are sober devotees can offer their submission to Kṛṣṇa in the … Read More
SAṄKĪRTANA When a person loudly chants the glories of the Lord’s activities, qualities, form, etc., his chanting is called saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtana also refers to the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the … Read More
SINGING In the Liṅga Purāṇa there is a statement about glorifying and singing about the Lord. It is said there, “A brāhmaṇa who is constantly engaged in singing the glories of the Lord is surely elevated … Read More
RENDERING SERVICE TO THE LORD It is stated in the Viṣṇu-rahasya, “Any person who can arrange for service to the Lord in the same way that a king is given service by his attendants is surely … Read More
ARCANĀ Arcanā means worship of the Deity in the temple. By executing this process one confirms himself to be not the body but spirit soul. In the Tenth Canto, eighty-first chapter, verse 19 of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it … Read More
CIRCUMAMBULATING THE TEMPLE OF VIṢṆU It is said in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, “A person who is circumambulating the Deity of Viṣṇu can counteract the circumambulation of repeated birth and death in this material world.” The conditioned soul … Read More
GOING TO THE TEMPLE OF VIṢṆU OR TO PLACES OF PILGRIMAGE It is stated in the Purāṇas, “Persons who attempt to visit the holy places of pilgrimage, like Vṛndāvana, Mathurā or Dvārakā, are actually glorified. By … Read More
