Preach or few years-all gone !!
Dec 12 1973 LA
So we have to take the responsibility to understand who is actually a pure devotee and what is our duty to the people in general, and then you make advancement. Then you become madhyama-adhikārī. Madhyama-adhikārī, advanced devotee. Just like these people, either in India or here, they remain simply churchianity, going to the church without any understanding. Therefore it is failing. It is now… Churches are being closed. Similarly, if you do not keep yourself fit to preach, then your temples will be all closed in due course of time. Without preaching, you’ll not feel enthused to continue the temple worship. And without temple worship, you cannot keep yourself pure and clean. The two things must go on, parallel. Then there is success. In modern time, either Hindus, Muslim or Christian, because in these places there is no teaching of philosophy, therefore they are closing, either mosque or temple or church. They will close.
Prajāpati: They can show no good result for their activities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is preaching. Therefore we are writing so many books. Unless we take care of the books and preach and read ourself, understand the philosophy, this Hare Kṛṣṇa will be finished within few years. Because there will be no life. How long one can artificially go on, “Hare Kṛṣṇa! Haribol!” That will be artificial, no life.
So what happened to all the beautiful but very run down temples in Vrndavana??
Oct 1 1974 letter Hamsadutta
Regarding Edinburgh temple, yes it should be re-opened. I have already explained that once a temple is opened it cannot be closed. Before opening we must consider very carefully, Worship in the temple means to personally call Krsna, and He personally comes, therefore the arrangement must be there for the temple worship to go on nicely before opening any temple. In Vrindaban there are many dilapidated, important temples started by the Gosvamis, but still they are not closed. They are becoming debtor and debtor and the temple building is practically falling down, but still the Deity worship is going on somehow or other. This is the principle. Closing a temple we cannot do. It becomes a farce and is against the bhakti cult. Our principle must be to carefully consider before opening any temple, and once opened it cannot be closed.
In Germany you have to follow this principle. Once opened it cannot be closed. Somehow or other you have to manage to continue the temple worship. That is the devotional cult. If they are closed and it is impossible to re-open, then what can be done? If there is no Deity, then it doesn’t matter. If possible re-open the Hamburg temple and transfer the Deity again and worship. A center without a Deity can be closed, but a center with a Deity if closed it is a great offense. The Deity is not an idol; it is Krsna. We cannot say to Krsna personally, now go away.
Therefore the following principle should be followed by all serious devotees.
Devotee 8: Śrīla Prabhupāda, many people who live outside the temple have Jagannātha Deities and Gaura-Nitāi Deities.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee 8: Śrīla Prabhupāda, many people who live outside the temple have Jagannātha Deities and…
Prabhupāda: Better Gaura-Nitāi Deities.
Devotee 8: Huh?
Prabhupāda: Better Gaura-Nitāi.
Devotee 8: So they have to do full Deity worship when they have these Deities?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee 8: They have to do full Deity worship to have these Deities? Dress the Deities every day?
Prabhupāda: They are supposed to do so, but whether they are able to do so, that is the point. If you can worship properly, that’s all right. But wh—whether you are able to worship?
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Sept 1970 letter Karandhara
Regarding Deity worship, Silavati and Yamuna Devi may be considered expert, so if some new hands come and take their help, that is a good proposition. Once established, however, Deities should not be removed. We should treat the Dieties as the Personality of Godhead, and to invite Him to come to your home you must worship regularly. You cannot remove. If there is scarcity of pujaris, then Deities should not be installed, only pictures of Guru and Gauranga should be worshiped. Irregularity in worshiping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as they are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshiping Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krishna is not good.
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Jan 27 1973 letter
Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter of December 21, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. The reports that have come from our Mexico City temple have always been encouraging and I am glad to learn that now you wish to increase your service still further. Krsna is unlimited, and His devotees’ service should also be unlimited. Since you have more than five brahmanas who can participate in worshiping large Radha–Krsna deities, and you have done nicely in worshiping Jagannatha, you can order marble Radha–Krsna deities. Make the worship of Radha and Krsna most opulent, profusely decorate with flowers, celebrate all the festivals and in this way automatically large crowds of people will be attracted to your temple.
Some Conclusions–In the above segments we have seen Srila Prabhupada describe the nature of Deity worship, who can do it and how many brahmanas needed to serve properly. In another place he says at least 10 brahmanas needed.
Bottom line for householders is that Prabhupada mainly recommended only Guru-Gauranga worship, for most ,and not even Lord Jagannatha, what to speak of Radha Krsna murtis.
So if we bring Radha Krsna or Lord Jagannatha deities into our homes and cannot serve Them properly with 5 arotiks and daily dressing, then it should not be done. This is an offense, just like bringing these deities into some house, installing Them, and then just up and leaving and taking Them with you. The deities as Srila Prabhupada mentions above are not to be moved, for any reason. Just see what happened in Vrndavana where everything is now run down, but the deity seva is still going on!!
Therefore if we at all consider the 10 offenses to chanting as important, this is yet just another one to consider on the road to purification.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
