Divinity Accepts Service Done Both on Physical and Mind Level
44
1. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): This brings about internal purification.
2. The resolve (sankalpa): It may be difficult to obtain the benefit of a ritual without making a resolve.
3. Purification of the seat (asanshuddhi): This is brought about by touching one's seat and offering obeisance (namaskar).
4. Chanting the Purushsukta (Purushsukta nyas): Amidst chanting of the Purushsukta, the deity should be invoked in one's heart, head, small portion of hair on the head (shikha), face, eyes and between the eyebrows. This facilitates an increase in the sattvik (sattva predominant) temperament.
5. Worship of the pot (kalashpuja): All deities, seas, holy rivers, etc., should be invoked in the pot. Sandalwood paste (gandha), consecrated rice (akshata) and flowers should be offered to the pot. This sattvik water is then used in the ritualistic worship.
6. Worship of the conch (shankhapuja): The conch should be washed and filled with water. Then sandalwood paste and white flowers should be offered to it. One should not offer consecrated rice and tulsi leaves to it.
7. Worship of the bell (ghantapuja): One should create sound by ringing the bell to welcome the deities and drive off the demons (asurs). The bell should be placed to one's left and sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers should be offered to it.
8. Worship of the lamp (dipapuja): Sandalwood paste and flowers are offered to the lamp.
9. Purification (pavitrikaran): The water from the conch should be poured onto one's right palm and then sprinkled over oneself and on the substances to be used in the ritualistic worship.
10. Worship of the entrance (dvarpuja): Flowers and consecrated rice should be scattered in all four directions. This itself is the worship of the guardian deities of the directions (dikpal).
11. Consecration of the idol (pranpratistha): One should place the right hand over the heart of the idol of the deity and chant a mantra. Consecration of an idol is done at Ganesh chaturthi or to activate any new idol. This is not included in the usual ritualistic worship, as due to the regular worship the God principle has already been attained by it.
12. Meditation (dhyan): One should chant 'Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha Nirvighnam kurume deva sarva Karyeshu Sarvada
13. Invocation (avadhan): Uttering 'Om sahastrashirsha Purushaha'' one should offer consecrated rice. The resolve is the same as is made when giving an invitation for a thread ceremony, wedding, etc.
14. The seat (asan): Consecrated rice is offered to the seat.
15. The feet (padya): One should sprinkle water on the idol's feet either with flowers or durva. This symbolizes washing the deity's feet.
16. Offering water (arghya): One should take an offering of spoonful (pali) of water, mix sandalwood paste (gandha) in it and sprinkle that water onto Ganapati's body using a flower. This is akin to welcoming guests by sprinkling rose water.
17. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): Imagining that the deity is sipping water from its palm, one should offer water with the offering spoon to the deity, thrice.
18. Ablution for cleansing of the body (malapakarshsnan): One should bathe the deity using the offering spoon.
19. Bathing with the five nectars (panchamrutsnan): First bathe the idol with a mixture of milk, honey, curd, clarified butter (ghee) and sugar that is panchamrut. Then bathe it with a spoonful of water. One should offer water as if God is sipping water (achman), thrice and finally offer sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers.
20. Ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja): After worship with sandalwood paste, consecrated rice (akshata), flowers (red flowers for Ganapati), frankincense and a lit lamp, the remaining panchamrut should be used as an offering (naivedya). To make this offering, a mandal (a circle) should be made by sprinkling water in front of the idol. The panchamrut should then be placed on it. (The mandal prevents energies other than those of deities from manifesting there to partake of the offering.) Beginning on the left, using a flower or a tulsi leaf one should sprinkle water around the vessel containing the panchamrut. Then closing the eyes and directing the odour of the offering with the fingers towards the deity one should chant the mantra related to the five vital energies 'Om pranaya svaha, Om apanaya svaha, Om vyanaya svaha, Om udanaya svaha, Om samanaya svaha, Om Brahmane svaha twice. This means I offer to you O pran, apan, vyan, udan, saman and Brahman. Both the times one should conclude the mantra by sprinkling water around the vessel. Then uttering 'Neivedyamadhyepaniyam Samparyami', meaning 'I offer this at Your feet', a little water should be sprinkled on the offering. This further enhances the sattva component in the offering. Thereafter, to signify the washing of the hands and mouth, water should be poured over the hand into a circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan), thrice. A flower dipped in sandalwood paste should be offered to Ganapati. Betel leaves should be placed in front of the deity and water should be poured over them. One should offer flowers and obeisance and then release water into the circular, shelving metal dish.
21. Consecration by sprinkling with water (abhishek): After ritualistic worship and before the main worship, consecration by sprinkling with water, according to the Atharvashirisha or Brahmanspatisukta is done. Water is sprinkled on the idol either with a blade of sacred grass (durva) or a red flower.
22. Offering cloth (vastrarpan) : Two red cloths should be offered.
23. Offering the sacred thread (yadnyopavit): The sacred thread should be offered.
24. Smearing with sandalwood paste (vilepan): With the ring (fourth) finger one should apply sandalwood paste.
25. Offering consecrated rice (akshatarpan) : Consecrated rice should be offered.
26. Offering saffron coloured powder (sindurarpan): A saffron coloured powder (sindur) should be offered.
27. Various fragrant substances (anya parimaldravya) : Turmeric, vermilion (kumkum), red coloured powder (gulal), a powder containing fragrant substances (bukka), asthagandha, etc., are offered.
28. Offering flowers (pushparpan) : Red flowers should be offered. Offering tulsi to Ganapati is prohibited because Ganapati mostly favours devotion with expectation (sakam bhakti) while tulsi denotes detachment (vairagya). Thus devotees of Ganapati would not even grow tulsi plants in their compound unlike most Hindus.
29. Ritualistic worship of the entire body (angapuja) : Either consecrated rice or flowers should be offered to every part of Ganapati's body, from the feet to the head while performing His ritualistic worship.
30. Ritualistic worship with other Names (namapuja) : While chanting each Name, the durva should be dipped in red vermilion paste and offered one by one.
31. Worship with leaves (patrapuja) : With each offering of a leaf of a different kind a specific Name should be chanted.
32. Worship with flowers (pushpapuja) : Flowers of different kinds with their stalks facing the deity, should be offered while chanting a specific Name with each type of flower.
33. Worship with frankincense (dhupadarshan) : Frankincense and incense should be moved in a circular fashion in front of the idol.
34. Worship with a lit lamp (dipadarshan) : A lit metal lamp (niranjan) should be moved in a circular fashion.
35. Offering food (naivedya) : It should be offered in the same way as described in ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja).
36. Offering betel leaves along with betelnut, lime, cardamoms, etc., (tambul) : After placing betel leaves in front of the deity, water should be poured over them.
37. Offering money (dakshina) : The offering should be placed on betel leaves and water should be poured over it.
38. Offering fruit (phalasamarpan) : A coconut should be placed with its tip pointing towards the deity and water should be poured onto it. If a coconut is not available then seasonal fruits should be used. [The energy from the deity enters the pointed tip of the coconut, which is later consumed by devotees as a sacrament (prasad). Thus, they receive that energy.]
39. Prayer (prarthana): Chanting the mantra 'Avahanam na janami.... one should pour water over the palm and release it into the circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan).
40. Partaking of holy water (tirthaprashan) : Chanting the mantra 'Akalmrutyuharanam….one should partake of the holy water.
41. Moving lit lamps (arti): Amidst singing, lit lamps should be moved in a circular fashion.
42. Prayer (prarthana): 'Surrendering at your feet ....' should be recited.
43. Offering flowers in the form of a mantra (mantrapushpanjali): This offering is made in the form of a mantra 'Om yadnyena yadnyamayajantam'.
44. Obeisance offered by the devotees (darshanarthincha namaskar): Those present for arti and mantrapushpanjali as well as those who come to pay obeisance throughout the day, should offer flowers and a sacred grass (durva) to Ganapati and prostrate before Him. The members of the family where the idol is being worshipped should offer them a sacrament of food.
2. The resolve (sankalpa): It may be difficult to obtain the benefit of a ritual without making a resolve.
3. Purification of the seat (asanshuddhi): This is brought about by touching one's seat and offering obeisance (namaskar).
4. Chanting the Purushsukta (Purushsukta nyas): Amidst chanting of the Purushsukta, the deity should be invoked in one's heart, head, small portion of hair on the head (shikha), face, eyes and between the eyebrows. This facilitates an increase in the sattvik (sattva predominant) temperament.
5. Worship of the pot (kalashpuja): All deities, seas, holy rivers, etc., should be invoked in the pot. Sandalwood paste (gandha), consecrated rice (akshata) and flowers should be offered to the pot. This sattvik water is then used in the ritualistic worship.
6. Worship of the conch (shankhapuja): The conch should be washed and filled with water. Then sandalwood paste and white flowers should be offered to it. One should not offer consecrated rice and tulsi leaves to it.
7. Worship of the bell (ghantapuja): One should create sound by ringing the bell to welcome the deities and drive off the demons (asurs). The bell should be placed to one's left and sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers should be offered to it.
8. Worship of the lamp (dipapuja): Sandalwood paste and flowers are offered to the lamp.
9. Purification (pavitrikaran): The water from the conch should be poured onto one's right palm and then sprinkled over oneself and on the substances to be used in the ritualistic worship.
10. Worship of the entrance (dvarpuja): Flowers and consecrated rice should be scattered in all four directions. This itself is the worship of the guardian deities of the directions (dikpal).
11. Consecration of the idol (pranpratistha): One should place the right hand over the heart of the idol of the deity and chant a mantra. Consecration of an idol is done at Ganesh chaturthi or to activate any new idol. This is not included in the usual ritualistic worship, as due to the regular worship the God principle has already been attained by it.
12. Meditation (dhyan): One should chant 'Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha Nirvighnam kurume deva sarva Karyeshu Sarvada
13. Invocation (avadhan): Uttering 'Om sahastrashirsha Purushaha'' one should offer consecrated rice. The resolve is the same as is made when giving an invitation for a thread ceremony, wedding, etc.
14. The seat (asan): Consecrated rice is offered to the seat.
15. The feet (padya): One should sprinkle water on the idol's feet either with flowers or durva. This symbolizes washing the deity's feet.
16. Offering water (arghya): One should take an offering of spoonful (pali) of water, mix sandalwood paste (gandha) in it and sprinkle that water onto Ganapati's body using a flower. This is akin to welcoming guests by sprinkling rose water.
17. Sipping water from the palm (achaman): Imagining that the deity is sipping water from its palm, one should offer water with the offering spoon to the deity, thrice.
18. Ablution for cleansing of the body (malapakarshsnan): One should bathe the deity using the offering spoon.
19. Bathing with the five nectars (panchamrutsnan): First bathe the idol with a mixture of milk, honey, curd, clarified butter (ghee) and sugar that is panchamrut. Then bathe it with a spoonful of water. One should offer water as if God is sipping water (achman), thrice and finally offer sandalwood paste, consecrated rice and flowers.
20. Ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja): After worship with sandalwood paste, consecrated rice (akshata), flowers (red flowers for Ganapati), frankincense and a lit lamp, the remaining panchamrut should be used as an offering (naivedya). To make this offering, a mandal (a circle) should be made by sprinkling water in front of the idol. The panchamrut should then be placed on it. (The mandal prevents energies other than those of deities from manifesting there to partake of the offering.) Beginning on the left, using a flower or a tulsi leaf one should sprinkle water around the vessel containing the panchamrut. Then closing the eyes and directing the odour of the offering with the fingers towards the deity one should chant the mantra related to the five vital energies 'Om pranaya svaha, Om apanaya svaha, Om vyanaya svaha, Om udanaya svaha, Om samanaya svaha, Om Brahmane svaha twice. This means I offer to you O pran, apan, vyan, udan, saman and Brahman. Both the times one should conclude the mantra by sprinkling water around the vessel. Then uttering 'Neivedyamadhyepaniyam Samparyami', meaning 'I offer this at Your feet', a little water should be sprinkled on the offering. This further enhances the sattva component in the offering. Thereafter, to signify the washing of the hands and mouth, water should be poured over the hand into a circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan), thrice. A flower dipped in sandalwood paste should be offered to Ganapati. Betel leaves should be placed in front of the deity and water should be poured over them. One should offer flowers and obeisance and then release water into the circular, shelving metal dish.
21. Consecration by sprinkling with water (abhishek): After ritualistic worship and before the main worship, consecration by sprinkling with water, according to the Atharvashirisha or Brahmanspatisukta is done. Water is sprinkled on the idol either with a blade of sacred grass (durva) or a red flower.
22. Offering cloth (vastrarpan) : Two red cloths should be offered.
23. Offering the sacred thread (yadnyopavit): The sacred thread should be offered.
24. Smearing with sandalwood paste (vilepan): With the ring (fourth) finger one should apply sandalwood paste.
25. Offering consecrated rice (akshatarpan) : Consecrated rice should be offered.
26. Offering saffron coloured powder (sindurarpan): A saffron coloured powder (sindur) should be offered.
27. Various fragrant substances (anya parimaldravya) : Turmeric, vermilion (kumkum), red coloured powder (gulal), a powder containing fragrant substances (bukka), asthagandha, etc., are offered.
28. Offering flowers (pushparpan) : Red flowers should be offered. Offering tulsi to Ganapati is prohibited because Ganapati mostly favours devotion with expectation (sakam bhakti) while tulsi denotes detachment (vairagya). Thus devotees of Ganapati would not even grow tulsi plants in their compound unlike most Hindus.
29. Ritualistic worship of the entire body (angapuja) : Either consecrated rice or flowers should be offered to every part of Ganapati's body, from the feet to the head while performing His ritualistic worship.
30. Ritualistic worship with other Names (namapuja) : While chanting each Name, the durva should be dipped in red vermilion paste and offered one by one.
31. Worship with leaves (patrapuja) : With each offering of a leaf of a different kind a specific Name should be chanted.
32. Worship with flowers (pushpapuja) : Flowers of different kinds with their stalks facing the deity, should be offered while chanting a specific Name with each type of flower.
33. Worship with frankincense (dhupadarshan) : Frankincense and incense should be moved in a circular fashion in front of the idol.
34. Worship with a lit lamp (dipadarshan) : A lit metal lamp (niranjan) should be moved in a circular fashion.
35. Offering food (naivedya) : It should be offered in the same way as described in ritualistic worship before the main worship (purvapuja).
36. Offering betel leaves along with betelnut, lime, cardamoms, etc., (tambul) : After placing betel leaves in front of the deity, water should be poured over them.
37. Offering money (dakshina) : The offering should be placed on betel leaves and water should be poured over it.
38. Offering fruit (phalasamarpan) : A coconut should be placed with its tip pointing towards the deity and water should be poured onto it. If a coconut is not available then seasonal fruits should be used. [The energy from the deity enters the pointed tip of the coconut, which is later consumed by devotees as a sacrament (prasad). Thus, they receive that energy.]
39. Prayer (prarthana): Chanting the mantra 'Avahanam na janami.... one should pour water over the palm and release it into the circular, shelving metal dish (tamhan).
40. Partaking of holy water (tirthaprashan) : Chanting the mantra 'Akalmrutyuharanam….one should partake of the holy water.
41. Moving lit lamps (arti): Amidst singing, lit lamps should be moved in a circular fashion.
42. Prayer (prarthana): 'Surrendering at your feet ....' should be recited.
43. Offering flowers in the form of a mantra (mantrapushpanjali): This offering is made in the form of a mantra 'Om yadnyena yadnyamayajantam'.
44. Obeisance offered by the devotees (darshanarthincha namaskar): Those present for arti and mantrapushpanjali as well as those who come to pay obeisance throughout the day, should offer flowers and a sacred grass (durva) to Ganapati and prostrate before Him. The members of the family where the idol is being worshipped should offer them a sacrament of food.
How Work Can Be Worship
The following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place in June 1974 during an early-morning walk in Geneva.
Devotee: What does Krishna mean when He says in the Bhagavad-gita that we should be desireless?
Srila Prabhupada: He means that we should desire only to serve Him. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu [Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself in the role of His own devotee, appeared five hundred years ago in Bengal, India, to teach love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.] said, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye: "I don't want wealth. I don't want followers. I don't want beautiful women." Then what does He want? "I want to serve Krishna." It is not that He says, "I don't want this, I don't want that. Let Me become zero." No.
Devotee: The non-devotee also says he knows what he wants, but he says, "I can accomplish the same good results without Krishna."
Srila Prabhupada: Then he is a fool, because he does not know what "good results" really are. Today he is struggling very hard for one "good result," but tomorrow he'll desire something else, because he must undergo a change of body when he dies. Sometimes he's taking the body of a dog and desiring one "good result," and sometimes he's taking the body of a demigod and desiring another "good result." Bhramatam upary adhah: he's wandering up and down the universe, just like . . . what is that?
Devotee: A Ferris wheel.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Sometimes he is rising to an elevated position, and then again he must come down and take the body of a dog or hog. This is going on.
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]
"After wandering up and down the universe for many lifetimes, one who is very fortunate comes to devotional life by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna."
Devotee: Well, the non-devotee will say, "We are also doing good service. You are distributing food, and we are also distributing food. You are opening schools, and we are also opening schools."
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but we are opening schools that teach Krishna consciousness, while your schools are teaching illusion. The problem is that the rascals cannot understand the difference between bhakti [devotional service] and karma [material activity]. Bhakti looks like karma, but it's not karma. In bhakti we also work, but for Krishna's sake. That is the difference.
For example, Arjuna fought in the Battle of Kuruksetra, but because he fought for Krishna he is accepted as a great devotee. Krishna told him, bhakto 'si me . . . priyo 'si me: "Arjuna, you are My dear devotee." What did Arjuna do? He fought, that's all. But he fought for Krishna. That is the secret. He did not change his fighting capacity as a warrior, but he changed his mentality. At first he was thinking, "Why shall I kill my kinsmen? Let me leave the battlefield and go to the forest and become a mendicant." But Krishna wanted him to fight, so at last he surrendered and did it as a service for Krishna. Not for his own sense gratification, but for Krishna's sense gratification.
Devotee: So sense gratification is there even in devotional service?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. A karmi works for his own sense gratification, and a bhakta works for Krishna's sense gratification. That is the difference between a non-devotee and a devotee. Sense gratification is there in either case, but when you work for your personal sense gratification it is karma, and when you work for Krishna's sense gratification it is bhakti. Bhakti and karma lo
Another example is the behavior of the gopis [Krishna's cowherd girlfriends]. Krishna was a beautiful boy and the gopis were attracted to Him. They wanted Him as their lover, and they went out from their homes in the middle of the night to dance with Him. So it appears that they acted sinfully - but they did not, because the center was Krishna. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recommends, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita: "There is no better mode of worshiping Krishna than that practiced by the gopis."
But the rascals think, "Oh, this is very good. Krishna danced in the middle of the night with other men's wives, so let us also gather some girls and dance, and we will also enjoy like Krishna. "This is a gross misunderstanding of Krishna's pastimes with the gopis. To prevent this misunderstanding, Srila Vyasadeva [the author of the Srimad-Bhagavatam] has devoted nine cantos of the Bhagavatam to describing Krishna's position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then he gives a description of Krishna's behavior with the gopis. But the rascals jump immediately to the Tenth Canto, to Krishna's dealings with the gopis. In this way they become sahajiyas[imitators of Krishna].
Devotee: Will such persons experience a change of heart, since they're somehow or other associating with Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: No. Kamsa also associated with Krishna - but as an enemy. That is not bhakti. Bhakti must be anukulyena krsnanusilanam: favorable devotional service. One should not imitate Krishna or try to kill Him. That is also Krishna consciousness, but it is not favorable and therefore it is not bhakti. Still, the enemies of Krishna get salvation, because they have somehow or other thought of Krishna. They get impersonal liberation, but they are not allowed to enter into the pastimes of Krishna in the spiritual world. That benediction is reserved for those who practice pure loving devotion to Krishna.
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