purpose

Any person who can arrange for service to the Lord in the same way that a king is given service by his attendants is surely elevated to the abode of Kṛṣṇa after death.

It is stated in the Visnu-rahasya: "Any person who can arrange for service to the Lord in the same way that a king is given service by his attendants is surely elevated to the abode of Krsna after death." Actually, in India, the temples are just like royal palaces. They are not ordinary buildings because the worship of Krsna should be performed in just the way that a king is worshiped in his palace. So in Vrndavana there are many hundreds of temples wherein the Deity is worshiped exactly like a king. In the Naradiya Purana it is stated: "If a person stays in the Lord's temple even for a few moments, he can surely achieve the transcendental kingdom of God." (More...)

The conclusion is that those who are rich men in society should construct beautiful temples and arrange for the worship of Visnu, so that people may be attracted to visit such temples and thereby be offered the opportunity of dancing before the Lord, or chanting the holy name of the Lord, or else of hearing the holy name of the Lord. In this way, everyone will be given the chance to elevate himself to the kingdom of God. In other words, even a common man, simply by visiting such a temple, will be able to attain the highest benedictions, not to mention the devotees who are constantly engaged in the service of the Lord in full Krsna consciousness. (More...)

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So he was akincana. So similarly... Just like Ramananda Raya. He was grhastha, very opulent, governor. He is also akincana because nothing was possessed by personal; everything for Jagannatha. This is the distinction. On one side, Rūpa Gosvami, and one side, Ramananda Raya. And Ramananda Raya is the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although he's a grhastha, because he is akincana, as akincana as Rūpa Gosvami. So we have to become akincana. Akincana. Then we shall realize Krsna. Therefore it is said, akincana-gocaram: "You are understandable only by a person who does not possess so-called material opulence." So we should always remember that whatever we are trying for material..., it is all for Krsna, nothing for us, so that people may... Big, gorgeous temple means people will be attracted to come here, and we'll distribute Krsna's prasadam. The aim is some way or other to turn them, to convert them into Krsna consciousness. Then you remain akincana. And if we think that "We have got now very big house. We shall live comfortably and sleep comfortably," then na gocaram, then Krsna will not be realized. Then that comfort will be realized only, not Krsna. Akincana-gocaram. We should always remember this. This is... Kunti devi is saying, tvam akincana-gocaram [SB 1.8.26]. (More...)

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Therefore, for the common man, this chance is given. This temple is meant for that purpose, that people will come, see the Deity. The Deity is Krsna. Don't think otherwise. Krsna has agreed to be dressed by you. If you think of Krsna, about His viraḍ-rūpa, you will fail to bring dress for that viraḍ. His head is on the sky; His another leg is on the Patala. That is also true. But you cannot conceive of Krsna in His viraḍ-rūpa and at the same time dress Him and give Him something to eat. That is not possible. Therefore Krsna has become so merciful. Here, of course, the Deity is very big. Not very big; in Hyderabad we have got three times bigger Deity, like... But you can have a small Deity. Many Vaisnava, they carry Deity with them, a small Deity in a small box, and they worship. So Krsna... Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan [Katha Upanisad ]. (More...)

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Mad-yajinaḥ, Krsna says. "Those who are worshiping Me," yajana... Yajana means worshiping. So Krsna therefore advises, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65]. So Krsna worship, mad-yaji, worshiping Krsna... Krsna says, "Worship Me." What is that? Mam namaskuru. If you simply come in this temple and offer little obeisances, danḍavat... Danḍa, danḍa means "rod"; vat means "like." Just like one stick falls straight on the ground, similarly, if we fall straight before the Deity, that is called danḍavat, "like the stick." Danḍavat-pranama. Prakrsta-rūpena namrata. Namrata is required. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Namanta: be submissive. So this danḍavat is the symbolic presentation of submission. And Krsna wants that. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66], submission. The bhakti process is simply submission. So mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg 9.25]. If you do not study or if you have no education to study Vedic literatures, you simply... The temple is installed for this purpose, that if somebody comes, simply offers his obeisances before the Deity, before the spiritual master, simply by doing that he will become perfect. Just like these children. A small child is offering obeisances. It may be said that they are imitating, but not all child imitates. There are many children. So there are fortunate children who comes here, offers obeisances, dances with kirtana, and... So these are not in vain. They are taken into account, and he also becomes developed in spiritual consciousness. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. (More...)

So this is very natural. This temple worship is meant for that purpose. Actually, when we see the Deity, immediately our mind becomes Krsna conscious. At least, we think of Krsna: "Here is Krsna." So that is man-manaḥ. Chanting also, chanting, that is krsna-manaḥ, man-manaḥ. In this way you become bhakta. Regularly chanting, you become bhakta. Without becoming bhakta, nobody can chant. So man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. And worship Deity. He has come very kindly to accept your service. You just dress Him, just bathe Him, just decorate Him with ornaments, with garland, with nice thing. So He is ready. Just like a child is ready to accept the service of the mother. The mother dresses the child nicely, and the child accepts. So Krsna is so kind that... You cannot capture Krsna in His viraḍ-mūrti. You can capture Krsna in your capacity. So Krsna has agreed. So take this chance. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. Worship Him. Why you are denying? It is not difficult, not expensive at all. And in this way, if you follow the process, then your bhavam, your nature, will be changed. You will become a complete devotee. (More...)

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So we request everyone to come to the temple, because he will have the impression what is Krsna, how He looks. Here is Krsna. It is not imagination. Don't think it is imagination, we have imagined some form. Just like the Mayavadis say, "It is imagination." No. It is fact. Because this Krsna, this form of Krsna, the our forefathers or acaryas they have seen when Krsna was present on this planet. And there are many, many old temples-the same feature of Krsna, two hands, playing on the flute, and anywhere you will see Krsna He has got this flute, because that is His most beloved, favorite instrument. That is stated in the sastra, not imagination. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam barhavatamsam asita... [Bs 5.30]. (More...)

So if you simply come here, take the impression of Krsna and think of Krsna while drinking water, you become a devotee. Is it very difficult job? Very easy. Anyone can do. Anyone can do. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg 9.26]. Then, if you develop... This is santa rasa. Then, when you develop your santa-rasa, then there is dasya-rasa. Dasya-rasa means that you want to serve Him. That is further development. "Here is God. No, why not...?" Therefore, according to the Vedic principle, whoever comes to the temple, he brings something to offer to Krsna. Not that He requires huge amount of money. No. You must offer something. What is that? Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Krsna is not in want, but if you give something to Krsna, that is for your benefit. If Krsna accepts something from you, then your life becomes successful. So... "But I have no money. What can I offer to Krsna?" Oh, that is not the fact. We have got money for going to cinema, and you have no money to bring one flower for Krsna. This is denial. This is denial. Krsna does not say that "You bring one thousand dollars." No. He says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. (More...)

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You can make the interior of the temple in the same design as the Chicago temple with a balcony and the same type of Deity room. I liked the Chicago temple very much when I was there, so make it like that. We are making our temples very nice and gorgeous so that people will come and take Krishna consciousness. Just like here at Mayapur, because we have this very nice house, people are coming to visit and stay. They attend the aratis and listen to my lectures, and take prasadam. If we did not have this house, then they would not come. So this is the meaning of a temple. There must always be activity. Not that we have a nice house for comfortable living. We simply want to bring people back home, Back to Godhead. That is the purpose of our temples, of our books, and our festivals, and preachings. (More...)

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Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1974 with enclosed Deed of Sale. I am very glad that you have gotten this house. Now make it very nice for Krishna. It should be so attractive that people will want to go there and take advantage of this Krishna consciousness movement. Do not make it simply for comfortable living. Yes, if you distribute my books side by side than that is a very good arrangement, and your temple will be glorious in the city of Montreal. I will want to go there and visit you when I next come to the USA, so I will look forward to that. (More...)

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Please accept my blessings. I am in due reciept of your letter dated October 12th, 1974, with enclosed letter from Saunaka Dasa Brahmacari. I am very glad to read of all the wonderful activities in Krishna Consciousness that you are engaging in in San Diego. I can understand that you are managing a very nice temple there. The temple is meant to invite everyone to come and take shelter of the Lord. The temple is the opportunity for all conditioned souls to render some service t Krishna either in the matter of Hearing, Chanting, Offering, Cleansing, Reading or taking prasadam. Therefore you are by managing the temple as a president you are doing a very great service to humanity. So please continue in this way and make it nicer and nicer. I am also glad to note that you are distributing the books in increasing numbers. We want that our book distribution should be increased more and more in the coming year. (More...)

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Please accept my blessings. I have accepted the following list of Boy and Girls as my duly initiated disciples. So you are the president there at Schloss Rettershof, it is your duty to see that the standards of Krishna Consciousness are always maintained, especially chanting 16 rounds daily, observing the four regulative principles, no meat, fish, eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life. The students must all attend morning and evening arati and classes. If we follow this simple program along with regular sankirtana, distributing the books and preaching, then there will be no fall down. Just like if one keeps himself clean and properly nourished by eating regularly, he will not infect disease, but if there is neglect, then there is room for infection, he becomes weak and fall prey to disease. So Krishna consciousness is the medicine for the material disease, and chanting Hare Krishna mantra sincerely is the basic ingredient of that medicine. (More...)

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