çré-prahräda uväca
çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù
smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà
sakhyam ätma-nivedanam

iti puàsärpitä viñëau
bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä
kriyeta bhagavaty addhä
tan manye ’dhétam uttamam

SYNONYMS
çré-prahrädaù uväca—Prahläda Mahäräja said; çravaëam—hearing; kértanam—chanting; viñëoù—of Lord Viñëu (not anyone else); smaraëam—remembering; päda-sevanam—serving the feet; arcanam—offering worship (with ñoòaçopacära, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia); vandanam—offering prayers; däsyam—becoming the servant; sakhyam—becoming the best friend; ätma-nivedanam—surrendering everything, whatever one has; iti—thus; puàsä arpitä—offered by the devotee; viñëau—unto Lord Viñëu (not to anyone else); bhaktiù—devotional service; cet—if; nava-lakñaëä—possessing nine different processes; kriyeta—one should perform; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addhä—directly or completely; tat—that; manye—I consider; adhétam—learning; uttamam—topmost.

TRANSLATION
Prahläda Mahäräja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viñëu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kåñëa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

PURPORT
When Prahläda Mahäräja was asked by his father to say something from whatever he had learned, he considered that what he had learned from his spiritual master was the best of all teachings whereas what he had learned about diplomacy from his material teachers, Ñaëòa and Amarka, was useless. Bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB 11.2.42). This is the symptom of pure devotional service. A pure devotee is interested only in devotional service, not in material affairs. To execute devotional service, one should always engage in hearing and chanting about Kåñëa, or Lord Viñëu. The process of temple worship is called arcana. How to perform arcana will be explained herein. One should have complete faith in the words of Kåñëa, who says that He is the great well-wishing friend of everyone (suhådaà sarva-bhütänäm [Bg. 5.29]). A devotee considers Kåñëa the only friend. This is called sakhyam. Puàsärpitä viñëau. The word puàsä means “by all living entities.” There are no distinctions permitting only a man or only a brähmaëa to offer devotional service to the Lord. Everyone can do so. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (9.32), striyo vaiçyäs tathä çüdräs te ’pi yänti paräà gatim: although women, vaiçyas and çüdras are considered less intelligent, they also can become devotees and return home, back to Godhead.

After performing sacrifices, sometimes a person engaged in fruitive activity customarily offers the results to Viñëu. But here it is said, bhagavaty addhä: one must directly offer everything to Viñëu. This is called sannyäsa (not merely nyäsa). A tridaëòi-sannyäsé carries three daëòas, signifying kaya-mano-väkya—body, mind and words. All of these should be offered to Viñëu, and then one can begin devotional service. Fruitive workers first perform some pious activities and then formally or officially offer the results to Viñëu. The real devotee, however, first offers his surrender to Kåñëa with his body, mind and words and then uses his body, mind and words for the service of Kåñëa as Kåñëa desires.

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura gives the following explanation in his Tathya. The word çravaëa refers to giving aural reception to the holy name and descriptions of the Lord’s form, qualities, entourage and pastimes as explained in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä and similar authorized scriptures. After aurally receiving such messages, one should memorize these vibrations and repeat them (kértanam). Smaraëam means trying to understand more and more about the Supreme Lord, and päda-sevanam means engaging oneself in serving the lotus feet of the Lord according to the time and circumstances. Arcanam means worshiping Lord Viñëu as one does in the temple, and vandanam means offering respectful obeisances. Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Vandanam means namaskuru—offering obeisances or offering prayers. Thinking oneself to be nitya-kåñëa-däsa, everlastingly a servant of Kåñëa, is called däsyam, and sakhyam means being a well-wisher of Kåñëa. Kåñëa wants everyone to surrender unto Him because everyone is constitutionally His servant. Therefore, as a sincere friend of Kåñëa, one should preach this philosophy, requesting everyone to surrender unto Kåñëa. Ätma-nivedanam means offering Kåñëa everything, including one’s body, mind, intelligence and whatever one may possess.

One’s sincere endeavor to perform these nine processes of devotional service is technically called bhakti. The word addhä means “directly” One should not be like the karmés, who perform pious activities and then formally offer the results to Kåñëa. That is karma-käëòa. One should not aspire for the results of his pious activities, but should dedicate oneself fully and then act piously. In other words, one should act for the satisfaction of Lord Viñëu, not for the satisfaction of his own senses. That is the meaning of the word addhä, “directly.”

anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà
jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam
änukülyena kåñëänu-
çélanaà bhaktir uttamä
 [Chaitanya charitamrita. Madhya-lila 19.167]

“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kåñëa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” One should simply satisfy Kåñëa, without being influenced by fruitive knowledge or fruitive activity.

The Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad says that the word bhakti means engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not of anyone else. This Upaniñad describes that bhakti is the offering of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To perform devotional service, one should be relieved of the bodily conception of life and aspirations to be happy through elevation to the higher planetary systems. In other words, work performed simply for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, without any desire for material benefits, is called bhakti. Bhakti is also called niñkarma, or freedom from the results of fruitive activity. Bhakti and niñkarma are on the same platform, although devotional service and fruitive activity appear almost the same.

The nine different processes enunciated by Prahläda Mahäräja, who learned them from Närada Muni, may not all be required for the execution of devotional service; if a devotee performs only one of these nine without deviation, he can attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is found that when one performs one of the processes, other processes are mixed with it. That is not improper for a devotee. When a devotee executes any one of the nine processes (nava-lakñaëä), this is sufficient; the other eight processes are included. Now let us discuss these nine different processes.

(1) Çravaëam. Hearing of the holy name of the Lord (çravaëam) is the beginning of devotional service. Although any one of the nine processes is sufficient, in chronological order the hearing of the holy name of the Lord is the beginning. Indeed, it is essential. As enunciated by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, ceto-darpaëa-märjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is cleansed of the material conception of life, which is due to the dirty modes of material nature. When the dirt is cleansed from the core of one’s heart, one can realize the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù [Bs. 5.1]. Thus by hearing the holy name of the Lord, one comes to the platform of understanding the personal form of the Lord. After realizing the Lord’s form, one can realize the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and when one can understand His transcendental qualities one can understand the Lord’s associates. In this way a devotee advances further and further toward complete understanding of the Lord as he awakens in realization of the Lord’s holy name, transcendental form and qualities, His paraphernalia, and everything pertaining to Him. Therefore the chronological process is çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù [SB 7.5.23]. This same process of chronological understanding holds true in chanting and remembering. When the chanting of the holy name, form, qualities and paraphernalia is heard from the mouth of a pure devotee, his hearing and chanting are very pleasing. Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé has forbidden us to hear the chanting of an artificial devotee or nondevotee.

Hearing from the text of Çrémad-Bhägavatam is considered the most important process of hearing. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is full of transcendental chanting of the holy name, and therefore the chanting and hearing of Çrémad-Bhägavatam are transcendentally full of mellows. The transcendental holy name of the Lord may be heard and chanted accordingly to the attraction of the devotee. One may chant the holy name of Lord Kåñëa, or one may chant the holy name of Lord Räma or Nåsiàhadeva (rämädi-mürtiñu kalä-niyamena tiñöhan [Bs. 5.39]). The Lord has innumerable forms and names, and devotees may meditate upon a particular form and chant the holy name according to his attraction. The best course is to hear of the holy name, form and so on from a pure devotee of the same standard as oneself. In other words, one who is attached to Kåñëa should chant and hear from other pure devotees who are also attached to Lord Kåñëa. The same principle applies for devotees attracted by Lord Räma, Lord Nåsiàha and other forms of the Lord. Because Kåñëa is the ultimate form of the Lord (kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam [SB 1.3.28]), it is best to hear about Lord Kåñëa’s name, form and pastimes from a realized devotee who is particularly attracted by the form of Lord Kåñëa. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam, great devotees like Çukadeva Gosvämé have specifically described Lord Kåñëa’s holy name, form and qualities. Unless one hears about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord, one cannot clearly understand the other processes of devotional service. Therefore Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu recommends that one chant the holy name of Kåñëa. paraà vijayate çré-kåñëa-saìkértanam. If one is fortunate enough to hear from the mouth of realized devotees, he is very easily successful on the path of devotional service. Therefore hearing of the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord is essential.
In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.5.11) there is this verse:

tad-väg-visargo janatägha-viplavo
yasmin prati-çlokam abaddhavaty api
nämäny anantasya yaço-’ìkitäni yat
çåëvanti gäyanti gåëanti sädhavaù

“Verses describing the name, form and qualities of Anantadeva, the unlimited Supreme Lord, are able to vanquish all the sinful reactions of the entire world. Therefore even if such verses are improperly composed, devotees hear them, describe them and accept them as bona fide and authorized.” In this connection, Çrédhara Svämé has remarked that a pure devotee takes advantage of another pure devotee by trying to hear from him about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord. If there is no such opportunity, he alone chants and hears the Lord’s holy name.

(2) Kértanam. The hearing of the holy name has been described above. Now let us try to understand the chanting of the holy name, which is the second item in the consecutive order. It is recommended that such chanting be performed very loudly. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Närada Muni says that without shame he began traveling all over the world, chanting the holy name of the Lord. Similarly, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has advised:

tåëäd api sunécena
taror api sahiñëunä
amäninä mänadena
kértanéyaù sadä hariù
 [Cc. Ädi 17.31]

A devotee can very peacefully chant the holy name of the Lord by behaving more humbly than the grass, being tolerant like a tree and offering respects to everyone, without expecting honor from anyone else. Such qualifications make it easier to chant the holy name of the Lord. The process of transcendental chanting can be easily performed by anyone. Even if one is physically unfit, classified lower than others, devoid of material qualifications or not at all elevated in terms of pious activities, the chanting of the holy name is beneficial. An aristocratic birth, an advanced education, beautiful bodily features, wealth and similar results of pious activities are all unnecessary for advancement in spiritual life, for one can very easily advance simply by chanting the holy name. It is understood from the authoritative source of Vedic literature that especially in this age, Kali-yuga, people are generally short-living, extremely bad in their habits, and inclined to accept methods of devotional service that are not bona fide. Moreover, they are always disturbed by material conditions, and they are mostly unfortunate. Under the circumstances, the performance of other processes, such as yajïa, däna, tapaù and kriyä—sacrifices, charity and so on—are not at all possible. Therefore it is recommended:

harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
 [Cc. Ädi 17.21]

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one advances perfectly in spiritual life. This is the best process for success in life. In other ages, the chanting of the holy name is equally powerful, but especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is most powerful. Kértanäd eva kåñëasya mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet: simply by chanting the holy name of Kåñëa, one is liberated and returns home, back to Godhead. Therefore, even if one is able to perform other processes of devotional service, one must adopt the chanting of the holy name as the principal method of advancing in spiritual life. Yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair yajanti hi sumedhasaù: [SB 11.5.32] those who are very sharp in their intelligence should adopt this process of chanting the holy names of the Lord. One should not, however, manufacture different types of chanting. One should adhere seriously to the chanting of the holy name as recommended in the scriptures: Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare.

While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses. From Sanat-kumära it is understood that even if a person is a severe offender in many ways, he is freed from offensive life if he takes shelter of the Lord’s holy name. Indeed, even if a human being is no better than a two-legged animal, he will be liberated if he takes shelter of the holy name of the Lord. One should therefore be very careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord’s holy name. The offenses are described as follows: (a) to blaspheme a devotee, especially a devotee engaged in broadcasting the glories of the holy name, (b) to consider the name of Lord Çiva or any other demigod to be equally as powerful as the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (no one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor is anyone superior to Him), (c) to disobey the instructions of the spiritual master, (d) to blaspheme the Vedic literatures and literatures compiled in pursuance of the Vedic literatures, (e) to comment that the glories of the holy name of the Lord are exaggerated, (f) to interpret the holy name in a deviant way, (g) to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name, (h) to compare the chanting of the holy name to pious activities, (i) to instruct the glories of the holy name to a person who has no understanding of the chanting of the holy name, (j) not to awaken in transcendental attachment for the chanting of the holy name, even after hearing all these scriptural injunctions.

There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book Näma-kaumudé it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiñëava, he should submit to that Vaiñëava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses. In this connection there is the following statement, spoken by Dakña to Lord Çiva: “I did not know the glories of your personality, and therefore I committed an offense at your lotus feet in the open assembly. You are so kind, however, that you did not accept my offense. Instead, when I was falling down because of accusing you, you saved me by your merciful glance. You are most great. Kindly excuse me and be satisfied with your own exalted qualities.”

One should be very humble and meek to offer one’s desires and chant prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as ayi mukta-kulair upäsya mänam and nivåtta-tarñair upagéyamänäd [SB 10.1.4]. One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name.

(3) Smaraëam. After one regularly performs the processes of hearing and chanting and after the core of one’s heart is cleansed, smaraëam, remembering, is recommended. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.1.11) Çukadeva Gosvämé tells King Parékñit:

etan nirvidyamänänäm
icchatäm akuto-bhayam
yoginäà nåpa nirëétaà
harer nämänukértanam

“O King, for great yogés who have completely renounced all material connections, for those who desire all material enjoyment and for those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord is recommended.” According to different relationships with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are varieties of nämänukértanam, chanting of the holy name, and thus according to different relationships and mellows there are five kinds of remembering. These are as follows: (a) conducting research into the worship of a particular form of the Lord, (b) concentrating the mind on one subject and withdrawing the mind’s activities of thinking, feeling and willing from all other subjects, (c) concentrating upon a particular form of the Lord (this is called meditation), (d) concentrating one’s mind continuously on the form of the Lord (this is called dhruvänusmåti, or perfect meditation), and (e) awakening a likening for concentration upon a particular form (this is called samädhi, or trance). Mental concentration upon particular pastimes of the Lord in particular circumstances is also called remembrance. Therefore samädhi, trance, can be possible in five different ways in terms of one’s relationship. Specifically, the trance of devotees on the stage of neutrality is called mental concentration.

(4) päda-sevanam. According to one’s taste and strength, hearing, chanting and remembrance may be followed by päda-sevanam. One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord’s lotus feet is called päda-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of päda-sevanam, this process gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the form or temple of the Lord, visiting such places as Jagannätha Puré, Dvärakä and Mathurä to see the Lord’s form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamunä. Bathing in the Ganges and serving a pure Vaiñëava are also known as tadéya-upäsanam. This is also päda-sevanam. The word tadéya means “in relationship with the Lord.” Service to the Vaiñëava, Tulasé, Ganges and Yamunä are included in päda-sevanam. All these processes of päda-sevanam help one advance in spiritual life very quickly.

(5) Arcanam. After päda-sevanam comes the process of arcanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. There are many books for arcana, especially Närada-païcarätra. In this age, the païcarätra system is particularly recommended for arcana, Deity worship. There are two systems of arcana—the bhägavata system and päïcarätriké system. In the Çrémad-Bhägavatam there is no recommendation of päïcarätriké worship because in this Kali-yuga, even without Deity worship, everything can be perfectly performed simply through hearing, chanting, remembering and worship of the lotus feet of the Lord. Rüpa Gosvämé states:

çré-viñëoù çravaëe parékñid abhavad vaiyäsakiù kértane
prahlädaù smaraëe tad-aìghri-bhajane lakñméù påthuù püjane
akrüras tv abhivandane kapi-patir däsye ’tha sakhye ’rjunaù
sarvasvätma-nivedane balir abhüt kåñëäptir eñäà param

“Parékñit Mahäräja attained salvation simply by hearing, and Çukadeva Gosvämé attained salvation simply by chanting. Prahläda Mahäräja attained salvation by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune, Lakñmédevé, attained perfection by worshiping the Lord’s lotus feet. Påthu Mahäräja attained salvation by worshiping the Deity of the Lord. Akrüra attained salvation by offering prayers, Hanumän by rendering service, Arjuna by establishing friendship with the Lord, and Bali Mahäräja by offering everything to the service of the Lord.” All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

It is therefore recommended that initiated devotees follow the principles of Närada-païcarätra by worshiping the Deity in the temple. Especially for householder devotees who are opulent in material possessions, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. An opulent householder devotee who does not engage his hard-earned money in the service of the Lord is called a miser. One should not engage paid brähmaëas to worship the Deity. If one does not personally worship the Deity but engages paid servants instead, he is considered lazy, and his worship of the Deity is called artificial. An opulent householder can collect luxurious paraphernalia for Deity worship, and consequently for householder devotees the worship of the Deity is compulsory. In our Kåñëa consciousness movement there are brahmacärés, gåhasthas, vänaprasthas and sannyäsés, but the Deity worship in the temple should be performed especially by the householders. The brahmacärés can go with the sannyäsés to preach, and the vänaprasthas should prepare themselves for the next status of renounced life, sannyäsa. Gåhastha devotees, however, are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured. Deity worship means following the rules and regulations precisely. That will keep one steady in devotional service. Generally householders have children, and then the wives of the householders should be engaged in caring for the children, just as women acting as teachers care for the children in a nursery school.

Gåhastha devotees must adopt the arcana-vidhi, or Deity worship according to the suitable arrangements and directions given by the spiritual master. Regarding those unable to take to the Deity worship in the temple, there is the following statement in the Agni Puräëa. Any householder devotee circumstantially unable to worship the Deity must at least see the Deity worship, and in this way he may achieve success also. The special purpose of Deity worship is to keep oneself always pure and clean. Gåhastha devotees should be actual examples of cleanliness.

Deity worship should be continued along with hearing and chanting. Therefore every mantra is preceded by the word namaù. In all the mantras there are specific potencies, of which the gåhastha devotees must take advantage. There are many mantras preceded by the word namaù, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, he receives the result of chanting namaù many times. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can reach the platform of love of Godhead. One might ask, then what is the necessity of being initiated? The answer is that even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of Godhead, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of possessing a material body. Consequently, special stress is given to the arcana-vidhi. One should therefore regularly take advantage of both the bhägavata process and päïcarätriké process.

Deity worship has two divisions, namely pure and mixed with fruitive activities. For one who is steady, Deity worship is compulsory. Observing the various types of festivals, such as Çré Janmäñöamé, Räma-navamé and Nåsiàha-caturdaçé, is also included in the process of Deity worship. In other words, it is compulsory for householder devotees to observe these festivals.

Now let us discuss the offenses in Deity worship. The following are offenses: (a) to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin, (b) not to observe the prescribed festivals, (c) to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity, (d) to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one’s hands after eating, (e) to offer obeisances with one hand, (f) to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity, (g) to spread one’s legs before the Deity, (h) to sit before the Deity while holding one’s ankles with one’s hands, (i) to lie down before the Deity, (j) to eat before the Deity, (k) to speak lies before the Deity, (l) to address someone loudly before the Deity, (m) to talk nonsense before the Deity, (n) to cry before the Deity, (o) to argue before the Deity, (p) to chastise someone before the Deity, (q) to show someone favor before the Deity, (r) to use harsh words before the Deity, (s) to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity, (t) to blaspheme someone before the Deity, (u) to worship someone else before the Deity, (v) to use vulgar language before the Deity, (w) to pass air before the Deity, (x) to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it, (y) to eat something not offered to the Deity, (z) to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season, (aa) to offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the Deity), (bb) to sit with one’s back toward the Deity, (cc) to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity, (dd) not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master, (ee) to praise oneself before the Deity, and (ff) to blaspheme the demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided.

In the Varäha Puräëa the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to eat in the house of a rich man, (b) to enter the Deity’s room in the dark, (c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles, (d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food that has been seen by a dog, (f) to break silence while offering worship to the Deity, (g) to go to the toilet during the time of worshiping the Deity, (h) to offer incense without offering flowers, (i) to worship the Deity with forbidden flowers, (j) to begin worship without having washed one’s teeth, (k) to begin worship after sex, (l) to touch a lamp, dead body or a woman during her menstrual period, or to put on red or bluish clothing, unwashed clothing, the clothing of others or soiled clothing. Other offenses are to worship the Deity after seeing a dead body, to pass air before the Deity, to show anger before the Deity, and to worship the Deity just after returning from a crematorium. After eating, one should not worship the Deity until one has digested his food, nor should one touch the Deity or engage in any Deity worship after eating safflower oil or hing. These are also offenses.

In other places, the following offenses are listed: (a) to be against the scriptural injunctions of the Vedic literature or to disrespect within one’s heart the Çrémad-Bhägavatam while externally falsely accepting its principles, (b) to introduce differing çästras, (c) to chew pan and betel before the Deity, (d) to keep flowers for worship on the leaf of a castor oil plant, (e) to worship the Deity in the afternoon, (f) to sit on the altar or to sit on the floor to worship the Deity (without a seat), (g) to touch the Deity with the left hand while bathing the Deity, (h) to worship the Deity with a stale or used flower, (i) to spit while worshiping the Deity, (j) to advertise one’s glory while worshiping the Deity, (k) to apply tilaka to one’s forehead in a curved way, (l) to enter the temple without having washed one’s feet, (m) to offer the Deity food cooked by an uninitiated person, (n) to worship the Deity and offer bhoga to the Deity within the vision of an uninitiated person or non-Vaiñëava, (o) to offer worship to the Deity without worshiping Vaikuëöha deities like Gaëeça, (p) to worship the Deity while perspiring, (q) to refuse flowers offered to the Deity, (r) to take a vow or oath in the holy name of the Lord.

If one commits any of the above offenses, one must read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gétä. This is confirmed in the Skanda-Puräëa, Avanté-khaëòa. Similarly, there is another injunction, stating that one who reads the thousand names of Viñëu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Puräëa, Revä-khaëòa, it is said that one who recites prayers to tulasé or sows a tulasé seed is also freed from all offenses. Similarly, one who worships the çälagräma-çilä can also be relieved of offenses. In the Brahmaëòa Puräëa it is said that one who worships Lord Viñëu, whose four hands bear a conchshell, disc, lotus flower and club, can be relieved from the above offenses. In the Ädi-varäha Puräëa it is said that a worshiper who has committed offenses may fast for one day at the holy place known as Çaukarava and then bathe in the Ganges.

In the process of worshiping the Deity it is sometimes enjoined that one worship the Deity within the mind. In the Padma Puräëa, Uttara-khaëòa, it is said, “All persons can generally worship within the mind.” The Gautaméya Tantra states, “For a sannyäsé who has no home, worship of the Deity within the mind is recommended.” In the Närada-païcarätra it is stated by Lord Näräyaëa that worship of the Deity within the mind is called mänasa-püjä, One can become free from the four miseries by this method. Sometimes worship from the mind can be independently executed. According to the instruction of Avirhotra Muni, one of the nava-yogendras, as mentioned in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, one may worship the Deity by chanting all the mantras. Eight kinds of Deities are mentioned in the çästra, and the mental Deity is one of them. In this regard, the following description is given in the Brahma-vaivarta Puräëa.

In the city of Pratiñöhäna-pura, long ago, there resided a brähmaëa who was poverty-stricken but innocent and not dissatisfied. One day he heard a discourse in an assembly of brähmaëas concerning how to worship the Deity in the temple. In that meeting, he also heard that the Deity may be worshiped within the mind. After this incident, the brähmaëa, having bathed in the Godävaré River, began mentally worshiping the Deity. He would wash the temple within his mind, and then in his imagination he would bring water from all the sacred rivers in golden and silver waterpots. He collected all kinds of valuable paraphernalia for worship, and he worshiped the Deity very gorgeously, beginning from bathing the Deity and ending with offering ärati. Thus he felt great happiness. After many years had passed in this way, one day within his mind he cooked nice sweet rice with ghee to worship the Deity. He placed the sweet rice on a golden dish and offered it to Lord Kåñëa, but he felt that the sweet rice was very hot, and therefore he touched it with his finger. He immediately felt that his finger had been burned by the hot sweet rice, and thus he began to lament. While the brähmaëa was in pain, Lord Viñëu in Vaikuëöha began smiling, and the goddess of fortune inquired from the Lord why He was smiling. Lord Viñëu then ordered His associates to bring the brähmaëa to Vaikuëöha. Thus the brähmaëa attained the liberation of sämépya, the facility of living near the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(6) Vandanam. Although prayers are a part of Deity worship, they may be considered separately like the other items, such as hearing and chanting, and therefore separate statements are given herewith. The Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one who feels influenced by the Lord’s qualities in various activities offers prayers to the Lord. In this way he becomes successful. In this connection, the following are some of the offenses to be avoided: (a) to offer obeisances on one hand, (b) to offer obeisances with one’s body covered, (c) to show one’s back to the Deity, (d) to offer obeisances on the left side of the Deity, (e) to offer obeisances very near the Deity.

(7) Däsyam. There is the following statement in regard to assisting the Lord as a servant. After many, many thousands of births, when one comes to understand that he is an eternal servant of Kåñëa, one can deliver others from this universe. If one simply continues to think that he is an eternal servant of Kåñëa, even without performing any other process of devotional service, he can attain full success, for simply by this feeling one can perform all nine processes of devotional service.
(8) Sakhyam. In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend, the Agastya-saàhitä states that a devotee engaged in performing devotional service by çravaëam and kértanam sometimes wants to see the Lord personally, and for this purpose he resides in the temple. Elsewhere there is this statement: “O my Lord, Supreme Personality and eternal friend, although You are full of bliss and knowledge, You have become the friend of the residents of Våndävana. How fortunate are these devotees!” In this statement the word “friend” is specifically used to indicate intense love. Friendship, therefore, is better than servitude. In the stage above däsya-rasa, the devotee accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a friend. This is not at all astonishing, for when a devotee is pure in heart the opulence of his worship of the Deity diminishes as spontaneous love for the Personality of Godhead is manifested. In this regard, Çrédhara Svämé mentions Çrédäma Vipra, who expressed to himself his feelings of obligation, thinking, “Life after life, may I be connected with Kåñëa in this friendly attitude.”

(9) Ätma-nivedanam. The word Ätma-nivedanam refers to the stage at which one who has no motive other than to serve the Lord surrenders everything to the Lord and performs his activities only to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee is like a cow that is cared for by its master. When cared for by its master, a cow is not in anxiety over its maintenance. Such a cow is always devoted to its master, and it never acts independently, but only for the master’s benefit. Some devotees, therefore, consider dedication of the body to the Lord to be ätma-nivedanam, and as stated in the book known as Bhakti-viveka, sometimes dedication of the soul to the Lord is called ätma-nivedanam. The best examples of ätma-nivedanam are found in Bali Mahäräja and Ambaréña Mahäräja. Ätma-nivedanam is also sometimes found in the behavior of Rukmiëédevé at Dvärakä.

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam 7:5:23-25. text and purport.