Japanga Seva pujan

Deity Worship at Home

Deity Worship at Home (as seen from a Japanga perspective)

In traditional Vedic society, almost all brahmanas worshiped the Deity in some capacity. Most householders would at least have a Salagrama-Sila at home, to whom they would offer bhoga and worship. Often they would also perform services in one of the large public temples as part of their brahminical duties, which included such activities as teaching and performing yajña. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, many householder associates of Lord Caitanya had Deities at home and worshiped Them regularly.* Similarly, many devotees in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness worship a Deity at home.

*Such worship was passed on from generation to generation; thus all family members worshiped the family Deities with great care. If you are planning to establish a household Deity, you should consider whether you can insure that future generations will continue the worship! Do not expect a temple to assume responsibility for Deities your descendants or other entrusted persons cannot properly maintain.

Some Preliminary Considerations Before Beginning Deity Worship at Home

Srila Prabhupada writes:
I think it best if everyone centers his attention on the Deity in the temple, and in that way the temple worship will pull on nicely. Of course, if the temple is unapproachable, or too far . . . that is different thing,* but if the temple is easily accessible then this is the best program. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 30 May 1969]
Just as the blessings of the spiritual master are necessary before a devotee can perform Deity worship in the temple, his blessings are also needed before one can worship the Deity at home. In the traditional pancaratrika process of initiation, the spiritual master gives the disciple a Deity to worship, together with the necessary pancaratrika-mantras. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness follows this principle, and thus Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-acarya of ISKCON, gives all the devotees the temple Deities to worship. If the spiritual master gives a disciple permission to worship a personal Deity, that disciple should understand that the personal Deity is an expansion of the temple Deity to whom he is connected by his location and service. The Lord is so kind that He agrees to appear in the devotee's own home, and He accepts the family's worship, making the home into a temple. However, the householder should be careful not to abuse the spiritual master's and the Lord's mercy by being neglectful in his service to the public temple and its presiding Deities, on the plea that he is serving the same Lord at home.
Whether a devotee worships the Deity in a temple or at home--or even underneath a tree--he should understand that the Deity is identical with the Lord. Fixed in this understanding, the devotee should strive to follow the directions of the spiritual master, avoid offenses, and please the Lord. Srila Prabhupada writes:
We must know that Krishna is present, and as such we must be careful in our dealings, talking and behavior, as we are present before Krishna directly. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 6 May 1968]
*If you cannot visit a public temple at least once a day, you have a valid reason to establish the Deity at home. But even in such a case, you should make every effort to visit a public temple as frequently as possible to see the Deities, associate with the devotees, and render some service in the temple. Srila Sanatana Gosvami points out in his Dig-darshini-tika (11.63):  "Wherever the Supreme Lord's Deity is established according to the Vedic principles, even if the temple is difficult to reach, one should go to see Him and worship Him."

The Guru-Gauranga altar and Tulasi-seva: Worship Simple and Sublime

Srila Prabhupada very often had his disciples worship a picture of the Panca-tattva (Lord Caitanya with His four chief associates), along with pictures of the spiritual masters.
In relation to opening new temples, Srila Prabhupada writes:
New temples may be opened by placing Panca-tattva and acharya pictures. Unless we have got sufficient experienced devotees we shall not install Radha-Krishna or Jagannath Deities. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 22 June 1970].
In another letter he writes,
If there is scarcity of such qualified pujaris,  each center should be satisfied only by worshiping Panca-tattva of Lord Caitanya by performance of sankirtan. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 1 July 1970]
Anyone can maintain a simple but sublime standard of worship at home with pictures of the Pancatattva and the spiritual masters. With some adjustments, one can follow the same guidelines given in this manual for worshiping three-dimensional Deities. Although one cannot physically dress and decorate the forms of the Lord in a picture, one can offer bhoga, perform arati… and kirtana, and offer obeisances just as one does for the Lord in His three-dimensional murti.
Also, if one can care for them nicely, one may keep and worship tulasi… plants at home, growing them from seeds usually available from a local temple.  The presence of Tulasi-devi… in the home is very auspicious, a fact known to millions of householders in India. If one simply offers her incense, a lamp, and a flower daily in the morning while singing the tulasi-kirtana (see pg.<?>), Krishna becomes most pleased, and thus one makes great spiritual advancement.

Householders Should Perform Arcana

Arcana is especially recommended for the householder, as Srimad-Bhagavatam instructs:
This is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of the twice-born orders--to selflessly worship the Personality of Godhead with wealth honestly obtained. [Bhag. 10.84.37].
If a householder cannot maintain such selfless worship, he should donate materials to a person who is executing such worship, and in this way the householder will gain half the results of that worship. If the householder cannot give donations for the worship, then he should take darshana of the Deity during arati…, and in that way he will accrue the benefits of Deity worship.
Srila Prabhupada outlined a high standard of Deity worship for the householder:
Especially for the householder devotees, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. As far as possible, every householder, by the direction of the spiritual master, must install the Deity of Vishnu, forms like Radha-Krishna Laksmi-Narayana or Sita-Rama especially, or any other form of the Lord, like Nrsimha, Varaha, Gaura-Nitai, Matsya, Kurma, ?Salagram-Sila and many other forms of Vishnu, like Trivikrama, Keshava, Acyuta, Vasudeva, Narayana and Damodara, as recommended in the vaishnava-tantras or Puranas, and one's family should worship strictly following the directions and regulations of arcana-vidhi. Any member of the family who is above twelve years of age should be initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, and all the members of the household should be engaged in the daily service of the Lord, beginning from morning (4 a.m.) till night (10 p.m.) by performing mangala-aratika, nirajana, arcana, puja, kirtana, ??‰g€ra, bhoga-vaik€li, sandhya-aratrika, p€˜ha, bhoga (at night), ?sayana-aratrika, etc. Engagement in such worship of the Deity, under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, will greatly help the householders to purify their very existence and make rapid progress in spiritual knowledge. [Bhag. 2.3.22, purport]

*Note: Generally, a devotee should not worship Radha-Krishna Deities at home unless he can maintain a high standard of service throughout the day, as this purport describes. Gaura-Nitai, however, will accept a simpler standard. Although one may also worship Jagannath Deities at home in a simple way, one should try to regularly offer Jagannath opulent bhoga, since He is daily worshiped with many offerings of bhoga in Jagannath Puri….

Srila Prabhupada frequently stressed how important it is for householder devotees to worship the Lord as opulently and as sincerely as possible. He writes:
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 brahmanas to worship the Deity. . . . Deity worship in the temple should be performed especially by the householders. . . . Grihasta devotees are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured. . . . 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. Grihasta devotees should be actual examples of cleanliness. [Bhag. 7.5.24, purport]

The Difference between Temple Worship and Home Worship

In his Introduction to the Arcana-paddhati published by the Devananda Gaudiya Math, Keshava Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada's Godbrother and sannyasa-guru, explains the two varieties of Deity worship--home Deity worship and temple Deity worship. He writes,
Bhakty-anga-arcana, or worship of the Supreme Lord in the realm of devotional service, is of two varieties. The worship of ?Salagram-Sila, govardhana-sila, or other forms of the Lord which is performed by householders within their homes is one variety, and that found in the temples of formally installed Deities of the Lord is the second. The first kind is performed with ingredients according to the means of the householder, and is therefore reduced or shortened service. The second type is the worship of the Supreme Lord as a king, in awe and reverence. In such kingly service, regular worship is a necessity; if it is otherwise, sinful reaction is incurred. . . . Householders, and those who have given up their homes but are carrying on simple Deity worship, are able to offer foodstuffs to the Lord more or less according to the needs of their own families, of associate Vaishnavas, or of guests who come to them. But in kingly service of the Deity everything must be regulated (Japa-anga). [Intro. to Arcana-paddhati, B.P. Keshava Maharaj]

Minimum Standards for Home Deity Worship

In a letter Srila Prabhupada gives simple instructions for the worship of Gaura-Nitai:
He can worship Gaura-Nitai in his home. The most important element for their worship is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. They can have at least one aratrika, and whatever foodstuffs are prepared can be offered. [letter from Srila Prabhupada 15 February 1975]

In another letter Srila Prabhupada writes:
So far as taking care of the Deities and your family simultaneously, you have to do both mutually, but the main importance is Deity worship. Just like a busy housewife is always busy in household affairs, yet still she is engaged in dressing herself nicely, combing her hair, etc. So both things go together. Yes, at least once daily the Deity's clothes must be changed, in the morning. If the Deities are small, as they appear to be from the photograph, then they can be layed down in a bed at night. And they can be given nightgowns to wear before taking rest. That is nice. If there is time and facility then these things can be implemented. So far as bathing is concerned, it requires two hands and one tongue. In your left hand be ringing a bell and simultaneously with your right hand pour water. Chant Hare Krishna, Cintamani, Govinda Jaya Jaya, etc., like that. [letter from Srila Prabhupada 1 May 1971]
Cleanliness and Regulation

A devotee can perform Deity worship in the home simply, according to his capacity. However, he should maintain a high standard of cleanliness in his worship, following as far as possible the rules given in this manual (see pp <?>).
Although it is not expected that worship at home will follow as strict a schedule as that in a public temple, the more regulated the Deity worship is, the more meaningful and satisfying it becomes.

Children and Deity Worship

Householders who worship Deities at home have a great opportunity to bring up their children in an atmosphere of practical devotional service to the Lord. Children should be encouraged to take shelter of the Deities by bowing down, chanting, dancing, and performing various services. One may also encourage them to offer the Lord whatever they receive, such as new clothes. If a child draws a picture or produces some other artwork, the parent may have him show it to the Deities. In this way a child can develop a natural attraction and attachment to the Lord in His Deity form.
Children should be taught reverence for the Deities. Srila Prabhupada writes:
You should not give Jagannath to small children because they will not take proper care and make offenses. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 30 March 1969]
Deity worship can be learned at not less than ten years of age. Before that they can assist. They can learn how to bow down, how to dance and chant, how to make garlands, clean aratrika utensils, etc. . . . These are also different parts of Deity worship. [letter from Srila Prabhupada, 1 may 1971]
Young devotees who are properly trained may become excellent pujaris because of the attachment they develop for Krishna through regular association with Deities from early childhood.

Travel and Deity Worship

A devotee who undertakes Deity worship at home should have the same commitment he would have in caring for a baby. Although difficulties may arise that impede regular service, the devotee should feel the same sense of duty to make the necessary arrangements for the Deity as he would for his own children. If a devotee performing Deity worship at home must travel, he must arrange for the Deity worship to continue, either by bringing the Deities with him or by leaving them under suitable care at home or elsewhere. If no family members are left at home who can worship the Deities during his absence, he may arrange for another qualified person to do it, but in general a householder or his own family members should do the worship. A householder should not expect the public temple he is affiliated with to help maintain the worship of his household Deities. Also, if he is traveling with his Deities and staying at a temple, he should take care that his worship does not inconvenience the devotees living there.

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Section <xxx>:Procedures for Deity Worship at Home

 The following is a simple procedure for Deity worship at home, using the worship of ®r… ®r… Gaura-Nitai as an example. With minor adjustments, one could also follow this procedure for worshiping other Deities, or for worshiping the Pancatattva in a picture.

Waking the Deities.

1. After bathing, dressing, applying tilaka, and performing acamana, offer obeisances to your spiritual master.

2. While ringing a bell, call out jaya ?Sri-Sri…- gaura-nitai! and turn on the altar lights.

3. Ringing a bell, touch your spiritual master's lotus feet (in the picture) and ask him to rise from bed; then touch the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitai and ask Them to rise from bed. (If the Deities are not put physically in beds, visualize that They have rested in bed and are now rising from it.)

4. Offer, or meditate on offering, water for Their Lordships to sip (acamana). If possible, offer sweets at this time.

(L5) Bhoga offering:

1. On a plate reserved for the Lord's use, nicely arrange the bhoga preparations. Perform acamana and offer obeisances to your spiritual master. Set the offering plate in front of the Deities, either directly on the altar or on a table before the altar. Arrange for the Lord to eat in private, perhaps by putting up a curtain before the altar.

2. With your right hand purify the bhoga by sprinkling it lightly with water from a panca-patra while chanting the maha-mantra.

3. Sitting on an asana before the altar and ringing a bell, recite three times the pranama prayer(s) to your spiritual master, begging permission to assist him in his service to the Lord:

nama oˆ vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
 ?srimate (spiritual master's name) iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [spiritual master's name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Chant the following prayer to Lord Caitanya three times, requesting His mercy:
namo maha-vadanyaya krshna-prema-pradaya te
krshnaya krishna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as ®r… Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati… Radharani…, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. [Cc. Madhya 19.53]
Chant the following prayer three times, offering respect to Lord Krishna:
namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krshnaya govindaya namo namah
I offer my obeisances again and again to Lord Krishna, who is always worshiped by qualified brahmanas and is very dear to them. He is always concerned with the welfare of the cows, the brahmanas, and the whole universe, and He gives pleasure to the cows, land, and senses. [Vishnu PurAna]
4. Leave the room for ten minutes, allowing the Lord and His associates to eat. During this time chant the Gayatri… mantras for your spiritual master and for Lord Caitanya (the third and fifth guru-given mantras); then you may chant the Hare Krishna mantra and/or other Vaisnava songs.

5. Re-enter the room, clapping the hands three times. Remove the plate, praying that you have served the Lord and His associates to Their full satisfaction.

While it is not expected that home worship be strictly punctual, it is best to keep as regular a schedule as possible. Whatever food one prepares for oneself and others must be offered to the Deities, so the number of offerings may vary; however, one should have a set number of offerings in the day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for example) to which the family cooking schedule is oriented.

Daily Services

The householder should worship the Deities with arati… and kirtana at least once a day, preferably twice--morning and evening. If possible he should also offer dhoopa-arati… after the midday bhoga offering. <(See Section One,> "Simplified Procedures of Worship" <pg.?> for instructions on offering arati….)

Morning Worship

One of the simplest ways to worship the Lord is to offer each item mentally while presenting a spoonful of water from a panca-patra and then discard the water into a throw-out pot. <(See Section One,> "Simplified Procedures of Worship"<pg.??>). You may do this without mantras, simply by requesting the Lord to accept each item. Perform this worship in the morning.
 If you cannot physically bathe the Deities every day, you should do so weekly, especially if they are metal Deities who need polishing. At that time it is best to worship Them using actual paraphernalia, to dress Them and offer Them flowers, and so on.
 The basic procedure for Gaura-Nitai worship is as follows:

1. Gather all the required paraphernalia and arrange it neatly and conveniently for performing the worship. Make sure you have everything you need so that you will not have to interrupt the worship to get something.

2. Sit on an asana and perform acamana; then sprinkle yourself, the area, and the paraphernalia with water, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.

3. Offer worship to your spiritual master as follows:

Ringing a bell with your left hand, offer flowers dipped in sandalwood paste at his lotus feet. Beg for his blessings to perform the worship of Gaura-Nitai. Then chant the guru-given Gayatri… mantras silently.

4. Offer worship to Gaura-Nitai as follows:

a) Invite Their Lordships to the bathing receptacle with a gesture of the hands, remove Their clothing, clean Them with a damp cloth, and cover Them with gumchas. If the Deities are metal, polish Them at this time, using a cloth to apply almond paste or powdered gopi-candana mixed with a little lemon juice. (Gopi-candana is best.) Avoid the eyes and painted areas. Clean off the gopi-candana or paste with a soft, damp cloth.

b) Ringing a bell, pour water over Their Lordships from a conch held in your right hand. Fill the conch at least three times. Chant the Brahma-samhita prayers while bathing Their Lorships:
cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vriksha-
  lakshavrteshu surabhir abhipalayantam
lakshmi-sahasra-Sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
  govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
 I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending cows yielding all desires among abodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded by millions of desire trees. He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of laksmis, or gopis.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksham
  barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundaramgam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-vishesha-shobham
  govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, who has eyes like the petals of a blooming lotus, whose head is bedecked with a peacock feather, who has a figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique loveliness is charming millions of Cupids.
c) Dry the Deities with towels, dress Them, and offer ornaments and garlands.

d) Ringing a bell, offer flowers and tulasi… leaves (if available) with candana to Their Lordships lotus feet; then offer incense and a ghee or camphor lamp.

e) Ringing a bell and chanting the prayers for offering bhoga (as described above), offer some fruit and/or sweets and drinking water.

f) Offer obeisances and beg forgiveness for any offenses you may have commited in the worship.

g) Finally, clear away the paraphernalia used in the worship. At this time you may offer a simple darshana-arati… with incense, flowers, and camara---or simply camara---while playing a recording of the Govindam song.

Services During the Day
You may offer breakfast, lunch, and the evening meal as described above. After lunch (followed by a dhoopa-arati…, if possible) the Deities should be put to rest, at least by meditation, and They should be closed from view in the afternoon.*

*Also, if the Deities reside in your living room, amid various family activities, you may need to close the Deity curtains at other times of the day. When the Deities are visible, make sure They are offered proper respect.

Putting the Deities to Rest at Night

1. Offer obeisances to your spiritual master and perform acamana.

2. Change the Deities' dress to nightclothes, or at least remove Their ornaments and garlands.

3. Arrange the Deities' beds and invite Their Lordships to take rest. Lay Them down in Their beds and visualize that you are massaging Their legs.

4. Finally, offer obeisances and turn off the lights.

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Section <xxx>:
Procedures for Simplified Worship of the Lord in the Temple

The following is a simplified system of worship that follows the principles of pancaratrika-vidhi and the offering of paraphernalia according to the standard list of sixty-four items, using a minimum of Sanskrit mantras. This system could be followed in temples with minimal facility for Deity worship, in nama-hatta centers, and by devotees worshiping Deities at home. The last part of this section describes a simple procedure for worshiping Lord Jagannath.

Follow all the rules for bodily cleanliness given <in other sections> <(see pp. ? and pp ?)>, as well as the rules regarding purity of the paraphernalia and place of worship. Also follow kitchen rules rigidly <(see pp. ? and pp. ?)>, and observe the principle of regularity. Although your facility for worship may be minimal, if you worship the Deity with strict regularity you will easily maintain the transcendental atmosphere of your home or temple. <The rules are less strict for Deity worship at home, but even there you should be as regular as possible, offering bhoga and arati… at fixed times of the day.>
This prayoga (step-by-step procedure) includes preliminary worship of the spiritual master and Lord Caitanya with five articles, followed by worship of Lord Jagannath with sixteen articles. If you are worshiping Gaura-Nitai Deities, omit the preliminary worship of Lord Caitanya with five articles; with appropriate adjustments, you may follow the procedure for worshiping Lord Jagannath.
This procedure uses a minimum of Sanskrit, taking instead translations of the mantras. If you prefer, you may follow this simplified procedure, chanting the mantras in Sanskrit which are found in <Chapter xx>, '<Standard Procedures for Worship>.'
Do not directly bathe Deities of wood or other perishable material, including marble; rather, pour the bathing water from the conch into the bathing receptacle in front of the Deities. You may not need to polish brass Deities every day before bathing Them, but you should do so regularly--at least once every two weeks, perhaps on Ekadasi….

Early-Morning Services (jagaraŠa-seva)

Entering the Deity Room (pravesha)

Required Paraphernalia

· The following items should be present:
1) a small bell on a plate;
2) a panca-patra containing fresh water and a spoon;
3) a lighter for lighting a standing lamp;
4) an asana for you to sit on.

Before Entering the Deity Room
Perform sadharana acamana:
· Sit on an asana; with a small spoon take some water from the acamana-patra and sprinkle it on your hands and feet.
· Chant oˆ keshavaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha (base of the thumb) of your right hand.
· Chant oˆ narayanaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.
· Chant oˆ madhavaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha of the right hand.

· Offer obeisances to your spiritual master outside the Deity room, reciting his pranama prayer(s), and pray for his blessings to worship the Lord:
nama oˆ vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
 ?srimate [spiritual master's name] iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [spiritual master's name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Entering the Deity Room
· Before entering the Deity room, draw the Lord's attention by making a sound, either by clapping your hands, ringing a bell, or knocking on the Deity room door. Open the door, turn on the lights, and chant the names of the Deities in a festive mood:
jaya ?r… ?r… guru gauranga, Jagannath baladeva subhadra, radha-krishna's name]-ki… jaya!
· Then enter the Deity room with your right foot first, light lamps, and turn on lights. Wash your hands with a few drops of water from a panca-patra.

Waking the Spiritual Master and the Deities
· Ringing a small bell with the left hand, approach your spiritual master's bed, touch his feet gently, and request him to rise from bed:
O all-merciful spiritual master, please rise up from bed.
· Similarly, approach the beds of Gaura-Nitai, touch Their feet, and request Them to rise:
O Lord Gauranga, please rise from sleep and bless the three worlds with Your auspicious glance.
O Nityananda, Lord of Jahnava, please arise and give up Your divine sleep. At the marketplace of the holy name You distribute the divine name, asking only for one's faith as payment.
· Next approach the bed of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balarama, and Srimati… Subhadra, touch Their lotus feet, and request Them to rise:
O Lord Jagannath and Lord Baladeva, please give up Your sleep and arise. O Srimati… Subhadra, dear mother of the universe, please arise and bestow good fortune upon us.
· Then approach Radha-Krishna's bed, touch Their lotus feet, and request Them to rise:
O Lord, O son of Devaki…, O Lord of the universe, please give up Your sleep, for daybreak has come.
O master of the universes, O You who increase the bliss of Yashoda, Gokula, the cowherds, and the cows, please rise from bed with ®r… Radhika, for morning has come.
You may request other Vishnu Deities to rise as follows:
O Govinda, O Paramesvara, O beloved of Laksmi…, please rise and bestow good fortune on all the three worlds.
For other Deities, simply say "Please rise" and the name of the Deity.
· You may now return to the altar any small Deities remaining in bed. If there are only large Deities, meditate on waking Them and leading Them from Their beds to the altar. At this time replace any crowns, turbans, chadars, or veils that are part of Their Lordships' night dress.
· After removing any remaining flowers and garlands* from the previous day, clean the Deity room floor and then wash your hands.

*Garlands offered the previous evening and tulasi… leaves offered the previous day may remain on the Deities through mangala-arati….

Offering Food (bhoga-arpana)
You may perform this simple method of bhoga-arpana for smaller offerings, such as the offering before mangala-arati… and the afternoon fruit offering, and then follow the more elaborate procedure (see pg. <?>) for the main offerings of the day, such as breakfast and the noon meal. Alternatively, follow this procedure for all bhoga offerings of the day.

Required Paraphernalia
· The following items should be present:
1) a small bell on a plate;
2) panca-patra containing fresh water and a spoon;
3) a waterpot with a spout and a cover, filled with water;
4) a visarjaniya-patra (throw-out pot);
5) flower petals (optional);
6) some arrangement for the bhoga plate(s)--preferably low tables (choukis);
7) asanas for your spiritual master and the Deities;
8) the bhoga offering;
9) a lighter for lighting a standing lamp;
10) an asana for you to sit on.

Preliminary Activities
· Outside the Deity room, perform acamana and offer obeisances to your spiritual master and the Deities while chanting pranama prayers.
· Draw the Lord's attention by making a sound, either by clapping your hands, ringing a bell, or knocking on the Deity room door. Enter the Deity room while chanting the names of the Deities.
· Clean the offering area, wash your hands, arrange the eating places (tables, cushions, etc.), and wipe off the table surfaces.
· While ringing a bell, draw your spiritual master's attention by offering a few flower petals to his feet, and beg his permission to serve the Deities (substitute water from the panca-patra for flower petals if necessary, holding a spoonful of water toward the picture of your spiritual master and then discarding it in the visarjaniya-patra).
· Offer your spiritual master a sitting place (asana).

Purification of Bhoga
· Bring in the plate(s) for the bhoga offering and place them on the table(s). Sprinkle each plate with a few drops of water from your right hand, as prokshana.
· Put tulasi… leaves on all the plates, including those of your spiritual master, Srimati… Subhadra, and Srimati… Radharani…, as they will first offer their plates to Krishna before partaking. If possible, place a tulasi… leaf on each preparation.

Inviting the Lord to Take His Meal
· While ringing a bell, draw Their Lordships' attention by offering a few flower petals at Their lotus feet in ascending order, begging Them to accept your service. (Substitute water from the panca-patra for flower petals if necessary.)
If there are no mats or cushions for asanas, place a few flower petals as asanas next to the Deities' plates, in ascending order, inviting Them to take Their meal with a gesture of the hands motioning Them to the asanas.
· While sitting on an asana and ringing a bell with your left hand, from the panca-patra offer padya and acamana to your spiritual master and then to each Deity, starting with Lord Caitanya and His associates and progressing to Krishna and His associates. As you do this, say:
My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Radha-Krishna, etc.], please accept this footbath.
My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Radha-Krishna, etc.], please accept this acamana.
Discard each spoonful of offered padya and acamaniya water into the visarjaniya-patra.

Offering the Bhoga
· Offer the bhoga and drinking water with a hand gesture to each Deity, showing the plate(s) and saying:
``My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra, etc.] please accept this offering of nice food.
``My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra, etc.] please accept beverage.
· While ringing a bell, chant the pranama prayer(s) to your spiritual master three times, begging permission to assist him in serving the Deities:
nama oˆ vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
 ?srimate [spiritual master's name] iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [spiritual master's name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
· Chant the following prayer to Lord Caitanya three times, requesting His mercy:
namo maha-vadanyaya krshna-prema-pradaya te
krshnaya krishna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as ®r… Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati… Radharani…, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. [Cc. Madhya 19.53]
· Chant the following prayer three times, offering respect to Lord Krishna:
namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krshnaya govindaya namo namah
I offer my obeisances again and again to Lord Krishna, who is always worshiped by qualified brahmanas and is very dear to them. He is always concerned with the welfare of the cows, the brahmanas, and the whole universe, and He gives pleasure to the cows, land, and senses. [Vishnu PurAna]
· Leave the Deity room and chant the Gayatri… mantras. You may chant all the guru-given mantras at this time.* Meditate on the Lord eating. While the Lord eats, you may chant various verses of your own choosing, or you may chant the "Bhoga-arati…" song by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (especially during the breakfast or noon offering).

*For short offerings, you may simply chant the brahma-gayatr… (the first of the seven guru-given mantras), or the gopala-mantra (the sixth of the seven guru-given mantras).

· After some set time (generally fifteen to twenty minutes, ten for the balya-bhoga offering), re-enter the Deity room while making a sound, either by knocking on the door, clapping your hands or ringing a bell.

After the Lord's Meal
· While sitting on an asana and ringing a bell with your left hand, offer water to each Deity for hasta-mukha-prakshalana, padya and acamana. Begin with your spiritual master and progress to each Deity, ending with Krishna. As you do this, say:
My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra, etc.], please accept this water for washing hands and face.
My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra, etc.], please accept this footbath.
My dear Lordships [Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra, etc.], please accept this acamana.
· Meditate on escorting Their Lordships back to the altar, indicating the way with a gesture of your hands.

Offering Prasada to the Lord's Associates
· Offer the Lord's prasada remnants to your spiritual master and the Lord's associates. As you do this, say:
My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this maha-prasada.
O associates of the Lord, please accept this maha-prasada.
· Finally, remove the plates and clean the dining area. After washing your hands, offer obeisances to your spiritual master and the Deities outside the Deity room.

Arati… Ceremony

For an explanation of how to perform arati…, see page <?>.

The Main Worship With Sixteen Items (?Sodashopacara-puja)

Preparation for Worship (purva-anga-karma)

Required Paraphernalia
· To avoid interrupting the worship, see to it that the following items are present before beginning:
1) A small bell on a plate;
2) a panca-patra containing fresh water and a spoon;
3) a waterpot with a cover and a spout, filled with water;
4) a visarjaniya-patra (throw-out pot);
5) (if polishing metal Deities) almond paste or powdered gopi-candana mixed with lemon juice; either cotton-wool or a soft cloth for polishing; a soft cloth for wiping off the oil;
6) taila (fragrant oil);
7) a water-conch on a stand;
8) a snana-patra (bathing receptacle);
9) (optional: if bathing wooden Deities by meditation) a mirror (to be placed in the snana-patra);
10) a receptacle for caranamrita;
11) a towel and gumcha (cloth worn prior to dressing) for each Deity;
12) clothing, underclothing, and pins;
13) ornaments and adhesive (beeswax or "blutack");
14) gandha (sandalwood paste);
15) flowers and flower garlands;
16) tulasi… leaves and manjaris (buds);
17) incense and ghee or camphor lamp;
18) naivedya (fruits and/or sweets);
19) a picture of your spiritual master and a receptacle for offerings to him;
20) a picture of Lord Caitanya or the Pancatattva and a receptacle for offerings. (Omit if worshiping Gaura-Nitai Deities);
21) this manual, or another written prayoga based on this manual, if required.

· Outside the Deity room, perform acamana and offer obeisances to your spiritual master.
· In the Deity room, clean the area where you will do the worship and place the asana in position for performing the worship. While thinking of your spiritual master sitting on an asana to perform the worship, sit on your own asana.

Arranging the Paraphernalia for Worship (patra-sthapana)
· Arrange the items in such a way that you can easily reach them without touching offered to unoffered items.
· Place the bell on a plate to your left, and place the bathing conch on a stand so you can easily lift and replace it several times.
· The waterpot, flowers, candana, and tulasi… leaves should be within easy reach.
· Set the incense and lamps to your right.
· Use the throw-out pot (visarjaniya-patra) for offered acamana and arghya, or you may pour these liquids into the bathing receptacle (snana-patra) if it is a receptacle which has a drain. You may use a second visarjaniya-patra for offered flower petals, cotton swabs, and so on.
· Bathing towels should be placed on a tray, table or the altar, not on your lap or directly on the floor.

Requesting the Spiritual Master's and Previous acaryas' Blessings (guru-pankti-namaskara)
· Draw the attention of your spiritual master by placing flowers before him (pushpanjali). Then, meditating on your spiritual master's service to the previous acaryas, show the pranama-mudra (joined palms) and pray for his blessings to assist in worship of the Lord:
My dear spiritual master, who give the fruit of the highest bliss--the bliss of love of Godhead--please engage me in the blissful service of ®r… Krishna, who gives bliss to the land of Vraja.
· Then chant:
jaya ?Sri-krisha-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
?Sri-advaita gadadhara ?srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
All glories to ®r… Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ®r… Nityananda Prabhu, ®r… Advaitacarya, ®r… Gadadhara, ®r… srivasa, and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Purifying Hands, Paraphernalia and Oneself (kara-suddhi, dravya-suddhi, and atma-suddhi)
· Wash hands with water from the waterpot or smear them lightly with candana.
· Do prokshana by sprinkling all the paraphernalia lightly with water from the panca-patra while chanting the maha-mantra.
· Perform prokshana by sprinkling yourself lightly with water from the panca-patra while chanting the maha-mantra.

Purifying the Bodily Elements by Identifying Oneself as the Eternal Servant of the Servant of Lord Krishna (bhuta-suddhi)
· Recite the following prayers, meditating on their meaning:
I am by nature the eternal servant of Krishna, but by misfortune, due to being inimical toward Him from time immemorial, I have been identifying myself with the body and been continuously wandering in the cycle of birth and death in the material world, suffering the burning threefold miseries. Now, as a result of some unimaginable good fortune, by the mercy of my spiritual master I know that I am the eternal servant of Krishna, that I am an infinitesimal spiritual being, completely apart from the gross and subtle body. Now, by the order of my spiritual master, following in his footsteps, I have obtained the good fortune of being able to serve his lotus feet and the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and ®r… ®r… Radha-Shyamasundara [or the names of the Deities one is worshiping].
Preliminary Worship

Worship of the Spiritual Master (guru-puja)
· Perform worship of your spiritual master before worshiping the main Deity: First, meditate on him being situated in Navadwip at the lotus feet of the Pancatattva, and remember his spiritual qualities and activities.
· Then chant the prema-dhvani for your spiritual master (jaya oˆ vishnupada [name of your spiritual master]-k… jaya).
· Next, perform manasa-puja, meditating on offering your spiritual master candana, flowers, incense, lamps, and some refreshing maha-prasada.
· Then, while ringing the bell with your left hand offer five upacaras to your spiritual master, using flower petals or water from the panca-patra for each item, and then discard them into a receptacle placed in front of your spiritual master's picture. After offering each item, purify your right hand with a few drops of water from the panca-patra:
· With a flower petal dipped in candana, anoint your spiritual master's head, hands, and feet, saying,``My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this candana."
· Offer flowers dipped in candana to your spiritual master's lotus feet, saying, ``My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this flower offering."
· You may then put tulasi… leaves in your spiritual master's right hand for him to offer to the Lord.
· Offer incense while saying, "My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this incense."
· Offer a lamp while saying, "My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this lamp."
· Offer your spiritual master krishna-maha-prasada while saying, "My dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this krishna-maha-prasada."
· Now chant the guru-mula-mantra and guru-gayatr… (the second and third guru-given mantras) silently ten times each.

· Offer obeisances with the following verses:
om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-shalakaya
cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai ?sri-gurave namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
nama oˆ vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
 ?Srimate [spiritual master's name] iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [your spiritual master's name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Worship of Lord Caitanya (gauranga-puja)
If you perform your worship of Lord Caitanya before that of Radha-Krishna or Lord Jagannath, you may worship a picture of Lord Caitanya simply, as described below. If you are worshiping Gaura-Nitai Deities, you should worship Them with actual upacaras as far as possible, offering sixteen items, as you would for the worship of Lord Jagannath (see pg. <?>).
· Meditate on Navadvipa-dhama, the transcendental place of the Lord's pastimes, and say:
I praise the holy Dham of Navadwip, which, being entirely nondifferent from ®r… Vrindavana, is completely different from the material world, consisting of the three planetary systems. Situated on the beautiful banks of the Ganges, Navadwip is covered by beautiful groves and gardens, and it appears like the back of a gigantic turtle. That holy Dham is filled with many great palatial houses made of gold bedecked with brilliant jewels, and in those houses krishna-sankirtana is always being performed in the mellow of ecstatic love.
· Then meditate on the transcendental form of Lord Caitanya amidst His eternal associates and say:
I worship ®r… Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is being served by all His devotees and associates, whose hair is bound with strings of pearls, and whose moonlike face bears the nectar of His gentle smile. His beautiful golden body is adorned with lovely garments, anointed with sandalwood and aguru pulp, and bedecked with garlands and various glistening ornaments. He is extremely charming, absorbed as He is in enjoying the sweet mellows of dancing, and His dress is more splendid than even Cupid's.
· Next, perform manasa-puja by meditating on offering candana, flowers, incense, lamps, and some refreshing maha-prasada to Lord Caitanya.
· Then, while ringing a bell with your left hand offer five upacaras to Lord Caitanya, using flower petals or water from the panca-patra for each item, and then discard them into a receptacle placed in front of Lord Caitanya's picture. After offering each item, purify your right hand with a few drops of water from the panca-patra.
· With a flower petal dipped in candana, anoint Lord Caitanya's head, hands, and feet, saying, "O Lord Caitanya, please accept this candana."
· Offer flowers dipped in candana to Lord Caitanya's lotus feet and say, "O Lord Caitanya, please accept this flower offering."
 You may then put tulasi… leaves on His lotus feet.
· Offer incense and say, "O Lord Caitanya, please accept this incense."
· Offer a lamp and say, "O Lord Caitanya, please accept this lamp."
· Offer krishna-maha-prasada to Lord Caitanya and say, "O Lord Caitanya, please accept this krishna-maha-prasada."
· Chant the gaura-mula-mantra and gaura-gayatri… (the fourth and fifth guru-given mantras) silently ten times each.
· Next chant:
jaya ?Sri-krisha-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
?Sri-advaita gadadhara ?srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
All glories to ®r… Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ®r… Nityananda Prabhu, ®r… Advaitacarya, ®r… Gadadhara, ®r… srivasa, and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna, hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama, hare hare

Worship of Lord Jagannath
· Begin the worship by meditating on the form of the Lord, saying,
Residing on the shore of the great ocean, within a large palace situated upon the crest of the brilliant, golden Nischala Hill, along with His powerful brother Balabhadra, and in the middle of Them His sister Subhadra, Lord Jagannath bestows the opportunity for devotional service upon all godly souls. May that Jagannath Svami… be the object of my vision.
Lord Jagannath is an ocean of mercy, and He is beautiful like a row of blackish rain clouds. He is the storehouse of bliss for Laksmi… and Sarasvati…, and His face is like a spotless full-blown lotus. He is worshiped by the best of demigods and sages, and His glories are sung by the Upanishads. May that Jagannath Svami… be the object of my vision. [from ®r… Jagannathastaka; for the complete text, see pg.<?>]
Worship in the Mind
· Meditate on offering sixteen upacaras to the Lord.

Worship With Articles
Offer each item first to Lord Jagannath, then to Lord Baladeva, then to Srimati… Subhadra.
· While ringing a bell in your left hand, offer flower petals (pushpanjali) to Their Lordships' lotus feet, calling Their attention.

1. asana
· Offer shoes to Their Lordships, escort Them to the place of worship with a gesture of the hand, and then offer Them each an asana, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept these asanas.

2. Svagata
· With joined palms welcome Their Lordships and make Them comfortable, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please be comfortable.
3. Padya
· Offer padya water to wash Their Lordships' lotus feet, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this footbath.
4. Arghya
· Offer arghya to Their Lordships in Their hands so They can sprinkle it over Their heads, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this arghya water.
5. acamaniya
· Offer Their Lordships water for sipping, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this acamaniya water for sipping.
6. Madhuparka
· Offer cups of madhuparka to Their Lordships, saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this madhuparka.
7. Punar-acamaniya
· Again offer water for sipping, saying, "O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this acamaniya water for sipping."
7.a. Murthy-suddhi
· Remove the Deities' clothes and cleanse Their Lordships with a soft, very slightly damp cloth. Then wrap Them in gumchas or towels.

8. Snaniya
· Offer shoes to Their Lordships and with a gesture of the hand escort Them to Their bathing place, the snana-patra. Place them just behind the snana-patra or, if They are large, place the snana-patra in front of Them.
· Offer each Deity a cotton swab dipped in fragrant oil, meditating that you are massaging Them with the oil. (Then put the cotton swab to the side; it will be distributed to the assembled devotees after the darshana-arati….) When offering the swab, say:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please come to take Your oil massage and bath.
Now bathe Their Lordships as follows (this process is known as darpana-snaniya-dhyana):
· Fill a water conch and, holding a mirror so the Deities are reflected in it, pour water on or in front of the mirror into the snana-patra while meditating on directly bathing Their Lordships. Fill and empty the conch at least three times. While bathing the Deities, ring a bell with the left hand and chant the Govindam prayers from the Brahma-samhita and other appropriate prayers:
cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vriksha-
lakshavrteshu surabhir abhipalayantam
lakshmi-sahasra-Sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending cows yielding all desires among abodes built with spiritual gems and surrounded by millions of desire trees. He is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of laksmis, or gopis.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksham
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundaramgam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-vishesha-shobham
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute, who has eyes like the petals of a blooming lotus, whose head is bedecked with a peacock feather, who has a figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique loveliness is charming millions of Cupids.
alola-candraka-lasad-vanamalya-vamshi…-
ratnamgadam pranaya-keli-kala-vilasam
?shymam tri-bhanga-lalitam niyata-praka?am
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, around whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the moon-locket. His two hands are adorned with the flute and jeweled ornaments, He always revels in pastimes of love, and His graceful threefold-bending form of Shyamasundara is eternally manifest.
· Next, hold a towel for each Deity and, by meditation, dry Their Lordships.

9. Vastra
· Offer fresh clothing to Their Lordships, saying, "O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept these beautiful clothes."
· Mentally offer Lord Jagannath and Lord Baladeva upavata and tilaka before putting on Their upper cloth. After dressing Srimati… Subhadra, mentally offer kunkuma to her forehead.

10. abharana
· Offer Their Lordships ornaments and decorate Them. Then mentally comb, arrange, and decorate Their hair. You may offer garlands either now or after offering flowers (see below). As You perform these services say:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept these wonderful ornaments; please allow me to arrange Your hair.
11. Gandha
· Mentally apply candana mixed with scents, according to season, to Their Lordships' heads, hands, and lotus feet while showing each Deity a flower dipped in candana and then discarding it. While doing this say:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this refreshing candana.
12. Pushpa
· While ringing a bell, offer fragrant flowers or flower petals dipped in candana to Their Lordships' lotus feet and say:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept these fragrant flowers at Your lotus feet.
· Offer tulasi… leaves and manjaris with candana to Lord Jagannatha's and Lord Baladeva's lotus feet, saying:
O Lord Jagannath and Lord Baladeva, please accept these fragrant tulasi… leaves and manjaris at Your lotus feet.
· Offer flower garlands to Their Lordships. (Alternatively, you may offer garlands when offering the ornaments, or after offering naivedya.) While offering the garlands, say:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept these fresh garlands.
13. Dhoopa
· Offer incense to Their Lordships while ringing the bell and saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this offering of incense.
14. Dipa
· Offer a ghee or camphor lamp to Their Lordships while ringing a bell and saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this brilliant lamp.
15. Naivedya
· Purify the bhoga by prokshana and place tulasi… leaves on it.
· Offer padya water to wash Their Lordships' lotus feet.
· Offer acamana to Their Lordships.
· Offer fruit and/or sweets and drinking water to Their Lordships while saying:
O Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Srimati… Subhadra, please accept this fruit.
· Begging to assist your spiritual master in his service, and begging the blessings of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krishna, chant the following prayers three times each and, while ringing the bell, think of Their Lordships enjoying the offering:
nama oˆ vishnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
 ?srimate [name of your spiritual master] iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto [your spiritual master's name], who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namo maha-vadanyaya krshna-prema-pradaya te
krshnaya krishna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as ®r… Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati… Radharani…, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krshnaya govindaya namo namah
I offer my obeisances again and again to Lord Krishna, who is always worshiped by qualified brahmanas and is very dear to them. He is always concerned with the welfare of the cows, the brahmanas, and the whole universe, and He gives pleasure to the cows, land, and senses.

· Wait for two to five minutes (either remaining seated, with closed eyes, meditating on the Lord enjoying his meal, or exiting the Deity room). Then offer acamana again.
· Offer flower garlands to Their Lordships (if not offered previously).
· While ringing a bell, offer flowers to Their Lordships' lotus feet; these flowers represent whatever additional items might be pleasing to Them.
· Finally, offer the maha-prasada of Lord Jagannath to Lord Caitanya and your spiritual master, saying:
O Lord Caitanya, please accept this jagannatha-maha-prasada; dear Guru Maharaj, please accept this jagannatha-maha-prasada.
16. Pranama
· Silently chant the gopala-mantra and the kama-gayatr… ten times each.
· Chant appropriate verses in glorification of the Lord, such as the Jagannathashtaka.
· Beg forgiveness for offenses commited in the course of the worship, saying:
May all deficiencies in our observance of the rules of worship and our performance of the acts of worship be nullified by the mercy of Krishna and His devotees. I now remember Krishna to nullify whatever faults there may be. [Sat-kriya-sara-dipika]
· Next chant:
hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Darshana-arati…

Before opening the curtains for darshana-arati…, clear away all unnecessary paraphernalia, sweep the floor around the altar, light standing or hanging ghee or oil lamps, and (after washing your hands) offer Their Lordships a mirror so They may view Themselves. At the same time you should check carefully to see that everything is in its proper place and that nothing improper (such as pin cushions) are left on the altar. Offer dhoopa-arati… with incense, flowers, camara, and fan (in warm weather).

Pranama
· Offer obeisances while chanting the following mantra:
namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krshnaya govindaya namo namah
I offer my obeisances again and again to Lord Krishna, who is always worshiped by qualified brahmanas and is very dear to them. He is always concerned with the welfare of the cows, the brahmanas, and the whole universe, and He gives pleasure to the cows, land, and senses.
For services after darshana-arati… and during the remainder of the day, refer to pp. <?>.

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