garlands
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If the smell of the garland which was offered to the Deity in the temple enters into the nostril of a person, immediately his bondage to sinful activities becomes cleared. It is stated in the Tantra-sastra: "If the smell of the garland which was offered to the Deity in the temple enters into the nostril of a person, immediately his bondage to sinful activities becomes cleared. And even if one has no sinful activities, still, by smelling such remnants of flowers, one can advance from mayavadi (impersonalist) to devotee." There are several instances of this, a prime one being the advancement of the four Kumaras. They were impersonalist mayavadis, but after smelling the remnants of flowers and incense in the temple, they turned to become devotees. From the above verse it appears that the mayavadis or impersonalists are more or less contaminated. They are not pure.
(More...) It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: "One who has not washed off all reactions of sinful activities cannot be a pure devotee. A pure devotee has no more doubts about the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead, and thus he engages himself in Krsna consciousness and devotional service." A similar statement is in the Agastya-samhita: Just to purify the impurities of our nostrils, we should try to smell the remnants of flowers offered to Krsna in the temple.
(More...) One should put on flower garlands which are offered to the Deity The next instruction is that one should put on flower garlands which are offered to the Deity. In this connection, in the Eleventh Canto, 6th Chapter, 31st verse, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Uddhava says to Krsna, "My dear Krsna, I have taken things which You have used and enjoyed, such as garlands of flowers, saintly articles, garments and ornaments, and I eat only the remnants of Your foodstuff because I am Your menial servant. So, therefore, I am sure that I shall not be attacked by the spell of material energy." The purport of this verse is that for any person who simply follows these rules and regulations of decorating the body with the marks of tilaka of gopi-candana or sandalwood pulp, and who puts on the garlands which were offered to Krsna, there is no question of being conquered by the spell of material energy. At the time of death, there is no question of such a person being called by the constables of Yamaraj. Even if one does not accept all the Vaisnava principles, but still takes the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna, or Krsna-prasadam, he will gradually become qualified to rise to the platform of a Vaisnava.
(More...) Similarly, in the Skanda Purana Lord Brahma tells Narada: "My dear Narada, anyone who puts on his neck the flower garland which was formerly used by Krsna becomes relieved from all disease and reactions to sinful activities, and gradually he gets liberated from the contamination of matter."
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