Premagopal Goswami - Bhakti Fundamentals

Śrī Śrī Guru, Śrī Śrī Nitāi-Gaurāṅga, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa jayataḥ!
Bhakti Fundamentals
The Treasure of Bhakti in Practice
Prabhupad Srila Premgopal Goswami
Bhakti Books
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Bhakti Fundamentals – The Treasure of Bhakti in Practice
A summary version of Sadhana Samput compiled originally by
Prabhupada Srila Madangopal Goswami.
This English version has been compiled By Dauji (Dau Dayal) Das.
@ Bhakti Books (UK) & Sri Sri Hari Bhakti Pracarini Sabha (Navadvip,
India). Revised edition: March 2020.
Other publications of Bhakti Books:
Śrī Ślokāmritam – The Sublime Nectar of Vaisnava Verses
Śrī Kirtanamritam – The Sublime Nectar of Vaisnava Songs
Srimad Bhagavad Gita - The Beautiful Song of the Divine
A Sweet Taste of Bhakti – Prabhupada Śrīla Premgopal Goswami
Living Raganuga Bhakti – Prabhupada Śrīla Premgopal Goswami
The Essence of Prema Bhakti Candrika – Śrīla Premgopal Goswami
Śrī Rādhā Dāsyam - Prabhupād Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī
Nitai Pada Kamala - Prabhupād Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī
Jewels of the Heart - Prabhupād Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī
Mantra Mayī Upāsanā – Meditating with Ślokas while Taking Harinam
Mahāprabhu’s Final Message for the World – Raman Bihari das Babaji
Sri Guru and his Grace - Prabhupād Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī
For eBooks and paperback copies visit amazon.com/Dauji (Dau Dayal) Das
Email: daudayaldas@gmail.com
These books are also available in other languages:
For Russian contact Gadadhar (yuri.belyayev.1976@gmail.com)
For Spanish contact Gayatri (gayatrianuragini@gmail.com)
For German contact Syamasundar (sundarahs@gmail.com)
For Hindi contact Śrīdam (sumitkalra39@gmail.com)
Acknowledgements: Madhavi (Prague) and Nilamani (Colombia) for
cover design. Dauji (Radha Kund) for everything else.
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Contents
Mangalacarana - Auspicious Invocation ........................................ 4
Preface - The Necessity for Sadācāra ............................................ 7
Introduction to Sadācāra – Premgopal Goswami ........................ 13
1. A Summary of Daily Practice (Morning time) ........................... 19
2. Daily Sadacara (Basic Practices) ............................................... 27
3. Acaman pot installation (Pancapatra sthapana) .................. 35
4. Applying Tilak ...................................................................... 40
5. Tarpana – Propitiating the Deities ........................................... 50
6. The Diksha Mantras – (also known as ahnik) ........................... 52
7. The Hare Krishna Maha-mantra .............................................. 58
8. Mangal Arati and Tulasi Devi Worship ..................................... 62
9. Offering Bhoga (food) to Thakurji ............................................ 64
10. Essential Slokas .................................................................... 65
11. Deity Worship procedure (a brief description) ....................... 67
Śloka Index ................................................................................. 80
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Mangalacarana - Auspicious Invocation
vande ‘haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca
I offer pranamas to the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva (who includes

diksha-guru and bhajana-shiksha-guru), guru-varga (our entire
disciplic succession) and all other Vaisnavas, to Sri Rupa Goswami, his
elder brother Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami,
Jiva Goswami and their associates, to Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri
Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His
associates, and to the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Krishna
accompanied by Sri Lalita, Vishakha and all the
other sakhis and manjaris.
gurave gauracandrāya rādhikāya tadālaye
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-bhaktāya tad-bhaktāya namo namaḥ
I offer my obeisances unto Sri Gurudeva, Sri Gauranga, Srimati
Radhika and her associates, unto Sri Krishna and His devotees, and
unto the devotees of His devotees.
ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened
my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful
obeisances unto him.
namaḥ oṁ viṣṇupādāya nityānanda priyātmane
śrī-śrīmad premgopāl goswāmīn iti nāmine
I offer praṇama to oṁ viṣṇupāda Śrī-Śrīmad Premgopāl Goswāmī,
who is very dear to Śrī Nitayānanda.
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baddhe vitanute bhaktiṁ mūkam āvartayec chrutim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande (śrī) premgopālakam prabhum
(Adapted from Cc Antya 1.1)
I offer my obeisances and fix my mind upon Prabhupāda Śrīla
Premgopāl Goswāmī by whose mercy bhakti appears in the heart and
even a dumb person can recite the scriptures (speak harikatha).
vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
I offer praṇāmas unto the Vaiṣṇavas. They are just like wish-fulfilling
desire trees and being oceans of mercy they purify and deliver the
fallen conditioned souls.
ājānu-lambita-bhujau kanakāvadātau
saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau kamalāyatākṣau
viśvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma-pālau
vande jagat priya-karau karuṇāvatārau
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī
Nityānanda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who
have golden yellow complexions, and who inaugurated the
congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Their eyes
resemble the petals of a lotus flower; They are the maintainers of the
living entities, the best of the brahmans, the protectors of religious
principles for this age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most
merciful of all incarnations. (CB Adi 1.1)
jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī

mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau
All glories to Śrī Rādhā and Madana-Mohana who are engaged in

sublime amorous pastimes. I am lame, foolish and devoid of
intelligence. Therefore I take shelter at Their lotus feet which are my
only destination and my everything! (Cc Ādi 1.15)
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Śrī Pañca-tattva mantra (1)
(jay) śrī gaurāṅga-nityānanda śrī advaita-candra
gadādhara śrīvāsādi (śrī) gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
(śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī rādhe govinda)
(This refrain is usually chanted before the maha-mantra)
Śrī Pañca-tattva mantra (2)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda1
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu (mahā – mahābhāva svarūpiṇī
Śrīmatī Rādhikā, prabhu – Śrī Krishna), Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita
Ācārya, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and all the associates
and devotees of Śrī Gaurāṅga.
hare krishna hare krishna
Krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
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Both mantras are bonafide but the mood is different. In the traditional
lines we prefer the first one because our mood is to worship Gaurānga in His
Navadwip līlā rather than in His sannyāsa līlā as Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya
Mahāprabhu. This is one of the differences between Vaidhi-bhakti
(reverential worship) and rāgānuga-bhakti (spontaneous devotion).
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Preface - The Necessity for Sadācāra
(sadācāra -
Why follow sadācāra - the proper devotional conduct for practicing

bhakti?
The word sadācāra is a combination of two words:

sat and ācāra. Sat means ‘good’, ‘truthful’, ‘proper’. ācāra means
‘behaviour, conduct’. In other words, it means ‘proper conduct’ or
‘truthful behaviour’. Sadācāra is also refereed to as maryādā –
etiquette. Below are some quotes from śāstra regarding the need to
practice sadācāra.
Hari-bhakti-vilasa:
1. No action is endowed with success unless performed with proper
etiquette. Therefore, every action requires etiquette.
2. The heart of a saintly person is completely pure and his activities

are called Vaisnava etiquette.
3. Vaisnava etiquette generates opulence, increases fame and

longevity and destroys inauspiciousness like poverty and untimely
death, etc.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted us to follow Vaisnava etiquette:

yadyapio tumi hao jagat-pāvana
tomā-sparśe pavitra haya deva-muni-gaṇa
tathāpi bhakta-svabhāva—maryādā-rakṣaṇa
maryādā-pālana haya sādhura bhūṣaṇa
Cc Antya 4.129-130
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“My dear Sanatana, although you are the deliverer of the entire
universe and although even the demigods and great saints are
purified by touching you, it is characteristic of devotees like you to
observe and protect the Vaisnava etiquette. Maintaining the
Vaisnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.”
maryādā-laṅghane loka kare upahāsa
iha-loka, para-loka—dui haya nāśa
(Cc Antya 4.131)
“If one transgresses the laws of etiquette, he becomes the laughing
stock for everyone, and thus he is vanquished both in this world and
the next.”
Mahaprabhu told Sanatan Goswami, “In affairs of spiritual

advancement and even in ordinary dealings, you are on the level of
Jagadananda’s spiritual master. Yet not knowing his own value, he
dares to instruct you. My dear Sanatana, you are on the level of My
advisor, for you are a senior and learned devotee. But Jaga wants to
advise you. This is but the audacious behaviour of a boy....My dear
Sanatan, please do not think that Jagadananda is more dear to Me
than you. Rather, I cannot tolerate transgressions of the standard
etiquette.” (Cc Antya 160-161 and 167)
The elevated consciousness of Vaisnavas is reflected in their actions

and behaviour. The depth of their realizations naturally manifests in
their dealings and activities. A devotee who properly follows
Sadacara (Vaisnava etiquette) becomes pure in mind and heart,
clean, sober, gentle, devoid of false ego and pride, respectful to
everyone, kind hearted and compassionate. His or her inner mood of
loving devotion manifests in their external attitude of affectionate
and loving mood towards others. Srila Narottam Das Thakura says in
Prarthana, “Those who are devoid of love and affection for their
fellow devotees are very unfortunate.” In Sri Caitanya-caritamrita
one associate of Mahaprabhu had asked Him, “So many devotees are
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rendering You so many different kimds of service. Which one is the
best service?” Mahaprabhu said, “Those who have love and affection
for My devotees, are performing the best devotional service.”
The rules and regulations of bhakti are like signposts on the

motorway. They protect us from accidents. If we fail to follow them
we risk an accidental fall down from the path of bhakti. Therefore it is
beneficial to follow them properly. We should neither neglect the
rules, nor follow them blindly or mechanically. Thus Śrīla Rūpa
Gosvāmī advises us in Śrī Upadeṣāmṛta (2): atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca
prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ, jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca ṣaḍbhir bhaktir
vinaśyati. The following six kinds of faults destroy bhakti: (1) eating
too much or collecting more than necessary; (2) endeavoring for that
which is opposed to bhakti; (3) engaging in useless mundane talk; (4)
failing to adopt essential rules and regulations, or fanatically adhering
to rules and regulations; (5) taking bad association; and (6) being
greedy or restless in the mind to adopt worthless opinions.
Niyamāgrahaḥ means practicing the scriptural rules and regulations

only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of attaining
love, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and
acting independently or whimsically is unfavourable and should be
avoided.
How strict should one follow sadācāra? If we had to follow

everything in the book with our disadvantaged Western background,
we may despair and give up bhakti altogether. The Vedic scriptures
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.10 & 1.4.25) states that the people of Kali
yuga are so fallen and their consciousness is so covered that it is
practically impossible for them to properly follow the intricate rituals
and procedures of the Vedas. We don’t have the eligibility and the
proper spiritual impressions (samskars) to be able to strictly follow
the original Vedic teachings. Lacking the proper samskars, most of us
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don’t have the purity and the spiritual strength to properly
follow sadacara or to have a firm grasp of the highly complex and
sophisticated spiritual philosophy of the Vedic tradition.
However, Krishna is very merciful and he says in the Bhagavad

Gita, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa
mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. Even if one is short of proper conduct, even if
one cannot properly follow the sadācāra but has taken to Krishna
consciousness and is practicing it sincerely, he is to be considered a
sadhu. Therefore, Krishna has made it very easy for us to follow the
path of bhakti in this Kali-yuga. Mahaprabhu has gifted us with the
simple process of chanting the holy names as the only way to attain
perfection in this age:
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(Cc. Adi 17.21)
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is
chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is
no other way. There is no other way."
The various Vaisnava practices are more than signposts on the way.
They provide us with a way of elevating our consciousness to the
mode of goodness and transforming our hearts. They are like a portal
through which one can enter a different realm of reality. We can only
transcend from the mode of goodness; we cannot jump into spiritual
reality from the modes of ignorance and passion. Sadacar helps us to
elevate our consciousness to the mode of goodness.
There is great benefit in following the traditional, ancestral way of

practicing spiritual life. The undiluted, pure teachings of a particular
tradition, ensures the purity and potency of that tradition, which
comes down through the line of spiritual teachers - guru parampara -
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and its spiritual teachings. When changes are introduced and the
original teachings are watered down, the tradition gradually loses its
potency.
Therefore, it is necessary to present the original teachings in order to

set the ideal standard and maintain the purity and potency of the
pure bhakti tradition, its teachings and practices. The speciality of
this book of sadhana is that it shows the way sadhana has been
practiced in the traditional Nityananda line (Nityananda vamsha).
We hope the English readers of Sadhana Samput treat this book as a

source of inspiration for their sadhana and bhajan and not merely as
a collection of too many obscure rules and procedures that may
seem alien to our Western mind. Srila Premgopal Goswami
Prabhupada advises us to follow it as much as is reasonably and
practically possible for every one of us, but to not force it or try to do
more than is real for us. If we try to do too much or more than is
practically possible for us, we may become resentful and this is
counterproductive. It may reinforce our Judeo-Christian guilt trip of
feeling bad about ourselves, which may result in despairing and
giving up bhakti altogether. Forcing oneself does not work in spiritual
life. It is not favourable for our spiritual evolution and our bhakti. In
the 9th chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “This process of bhakti
is to be joyfully performed” and in the 3rd chapter He says, “What can
repression accomplish?”
Srila Premgopal Goswami has been teaching us that it is a

misconception to think that we can attain divine love, Krishna prema,
by forcing it to manifest or by artificially or mechanically following
the process of bhakti. Bhakti and bhava depend on mercy, the mercy
of Sri Guru, Sri Nityananda and Sri Gauranga. But when we please
them by seva, by humility and by faithfully following their
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instructions, we make it more likely for the floodgates of mercy to
open.
He says further, “Do little, but do it with love.” Whatever and
however much we do, if it is done without love and devotion, Krishna
does not accept it.
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
Bg. 9.26
(Krishna promised us): “Whatever one offers Me with love and
devotion, be it a leaf, a flower, some fruit or water, I will certainly
accept it.”
Our gurus in the Nityananda line are concerned to revive and
maintain the original, pure, traditional way of practicing bhakti
and sadacara (etiquette). Therefore, to please them and fulfil their
desire, we are presenting this English edition
In consultation with Srila Premgopal Goswami, we have simplified

this edition, provided additional explanations where necessary, and
adjusted the original content in order to make it user-friendly and
suitable for non-Indian devotees. Our main consideration has been to
make it clear, simple, consistent and easy-to-digest for our Western
devotees. We hope this revised edition will be helpful, inspiring and
pleasing to our readers. We beg forgiveness for any faults, omissions
and shortcomings. And finally, we humbly pray for the blessings of all
Vaisnavas. Joy Nitai! Jay Jay Sri Radhe!
Dasadasanudas – The compiler
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Introduction to Sadācāra
Why should we follow Sadacara? What will happen if we follow this?
We are all the eternal servants of Sri Radha Govinda and Sri Nitai
Gaura. Our duty is to serve Them. It is our good fortune that THEY
allow us, the fallen people of Kali Yuga, to do Their service, but how
can we serve Them, the Divine Couple with this contaminated body?
For this reason, we should learn to be pure and clean from the inside
and outside. If we see that the workers in our house are not clean,
would we allow them to serve us? In the same way if Sri Radhe
Govinda and Sri Goura Nitai look at us and see that we are not clean
both from the inside and the outside, do you think that THEY will
allow us to serve Them? Yes, THEY are very merciful to us, may be
They will forgive us this fault, but as a servant, we have to be as pure
and clean as possible, otherwise we will be known as an irresponsible
servant, who is not careful about his work and who doesn’t do it in a
clean way. We are so fortunate that we got the blessings to perform
this Seva with this material body. Shri Radhe Govinda, Shri Nitay
Goura, allow us to chant their name, to do puja, to
offer naivedyas, to touch their eternal bodies, which is softer then
butter, with this material body of us which is always full of stool,
urine, cough, phlegm and so many diseases. We should not misuse
these blessings and so we should not allow ourselves to do all these
activities without proper cleanliness. They will not curse us if we
don’t maintain this, because they are so merciful, but it is our duty to
serve them in a pure and clean way, for this reason we have to
maintain this Sadacara. When we are clean from the outside in a
good and shastric way, then we will get our inside clean and pure as
well. In the beginning it may be difficult for a neophyte, who is just
starting to practice Sadacara, to fallow exactly point to point these
rules, sometimes you will make some faults, but after continuing for
a couple of weeks, it will become very easy for you, it will become
“natural”, and then you will feel more relaxed, comfortable and pure
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in your mind, you will feel more energy for doing your Seva for your
Ishta. It helps to open the devotees’ heart to his Ishta. Maybe there
are some points that for a newcomer may be difficult to understand,
why I should follow this? But you will never get an answer by
speculating; if you just follow exactly what the Shastra says, then you
will realize in your heart the deep truth of this practice.
Pratah Jagaran (Waking up in the morning)

After waking up, you should first change your clothes before doing
japa, anik or any practice. It is very good that you take a shower in
the morning after you wake up. Your night dress has to be washed
too, because the clothes you use for sleeping at night become
contaminated and for this reason you have to clean them. Then you
should put on clean clothes to do your puja, ahnik etc. It would be
very good if you have special separate clothes for your bhajan
activities (Puja, ahnik, offering bhoga, etc.) and that they are made of
silk, wool or jute (patta vastra), not cotton.
Sauca (Toilet)
1. You should use wool clothes (loma vastra) when you go to the
toilet.
2. After you urinate, you should use water to clean your genitals,
wipe your feet with your wet hands and finally wash your hands.
3. Big toilet. After passing stools you should properly clean your
backside with water, then use water to wash your private parts, and
then wash your hand with earth and soap and finally your feet with
water. It is not good to use cotton clothes when you go to the toilet.
Better to wear a woollen chaddar or cloth. If you use cotton clothes,
then you have to wash them, you are not allowed to touch or do
anything wearing cotton clothes if they have been to the toilet.
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Bhojana (Honouring Prasadam)
1. You should only use the right hand for taking prasadam (the left
hand is used for cleaning one’s private parts in the toilet and should
not be used for taking prasadam) nor should you touch the plate or
any offered food with your left hand. If you use both hands you have
to wash both after eating and before touching anything else.
2. Before you eat, you should prepare everything for your eating. For
example, if you put butter or jam or anything on your bread, you
should spread it on all the slices you are going to eat before putting
them to your mouth, otherwise you will contaminate all the food on
the table. If this happens, be careful not to mix this contaminated
food with the uncontaminated food.
3. It is good that you drink your water with your right hand, if you
want to use your left hand for drinking water, be careful not to touch
the water container with your lips when you drink. Drink it without
touching the cup or bottle with your lips. If you touch it with your
lips, you have to wash your hand and the glass.
4. Serving food in used (contaminated) dishes or plates. It is
important to be careful not to touch the plate or dish which has
already been eaten from with the serving spoon. If you do so, you
have to wash the serving spoon and your hand before you serve
another person.
Puja and Arcanam (Worshiping and Serving the Deities)

1. It is a good habit to keep special, separate clothes, used only for
your puja and ahnik. It is better if they are made of silk or wool, not
cotton.
2. Before your puja, you should be careful that all the items to do
your puja are pure and not contaminated (washed after being used.
Once used, they become prasadi and cannot be used again unless
washed).
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3. Don’t mix offered and non offered items. If you mix them you
cannot offer any of the items, because they all become prasadi.
4. If you touch any prasadi (offered) items, you have to wash your
hands before you touch any unoffered items. If you touch unoffered
items without washing your hands, these items
become prasadi remnants and cannot be offered. (Editorial note: For
instance, the japa mala is prasadi so we should always touch water
before touching it and after touching it. The water purifies and acts
like a boundary separating clean from unclean, pure from
contaminated, prasadi from bhoga (foodstuffs to be cooked and
offered to the Lord), amaniya (that which has been cooked and
prepared for Thakurji but not yet offered) from prasadi (that which
has been offered), and prasadam which has been touched by the
mouth and is now yuta (also pronounced Juta, meaning unclean or
contaminated) from suci (pure).
General Rules for Sadacar

1. Whenever you touch your lips or your mouth (as well as your
nostrils or eyes), you should immediately wash your hands.
2. After taking food you have to carefully wash and rinse your mouth
and hands before touching anything else (otherwise you contaminate
whatever you touch).
3. Women are not allowed to continue their bhajan and sadhana, to
do Puja, serve the deities, cook or do Ahnik, neither should they
touch any item that is to be offered or used to do Puja from the first
to the fourth day of their monthly period even if the blood flow stops
before these four days, if it continues after these four days, they
should wait until the flow stops. They can, however, do their Harinam
Japa during this period. From the fifth day on or after the blood flow
stops and after taking shower and washing their Japa Mala and bead
bag they can resume everything.
4. After touching the feet it is not allowed to touch your bead bag,
chanting beads or anything sacred or to be offered. It is a good
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practice to wash hands before touching any of these. Keeping a little
spray bottle with you at all times is a practical way to maintain this
standard.
5. Devotees should not eat during their Harinam Japa. Before eating
they should put their bead bag away in a proper place.
6. It is a good practice to wash hands and feet and to put on your
Puja clothes before doing any service for your Deities.
Keep your Sadacar to get a taste from your Seva and Bhajan.
Jay Nitai! Jay Gaura!
Your ever well wisher,
Prabhupada Srila Premgopal Goswami, Bhagavat Ratna Acarya
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1. A Summary of Daily Practice (Morning time)
Additional Instructions for fine-tuning our daily practice
By Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī
Upon waking up, look at both hands and chant the following:
karāgre vasate lakṣmī
kara mūle sarasvatī
kara madhye ta govinda,
prabhāte kara darśanam
karāgre – kara-hand; agre-top of; vasate—dwells; lakṣmī- the Goddess of
fortune; kara-hand; mūle-at the root of; sarasvatī-the Goddess of learning
and knowledge; kara-hand; madhye-middle; ta-that; Govinda- Kṛṣṇa;
prabhāte -in the early morning; kara darśanam -take darshan.
Look at your finger tips to remember Lakṣmī (to give you the wealth
of bhakti), then look at root of your hands to remember Sarasvatī (to
give you the knowledge of bhakti and to control the tongue so it may
always be engaged in Harinam and harikatha), then look at the
middle of the palm to get darshan of Govinda and remember Him. In
that way you should look at your hands in the morning and
remember your hands are meant to be engaged in Krishna’s service.
2. Remember the smiling face of Śrī Gurudeva and offer him praṇāma
with Śrī Guru praṇāma mantra (or with your Guru’s praṇāma):
Śrī Guru praṇāma

Śrī Prema-bhakti-candrikā, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura
I was blinded by the darkness of ignorance but Śrī Gurudev has

anointed my eyes with spiritual knowledge and gave me divine
vision. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.
19
Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī praṇāma
baddhe vitanute bhaktim, mūkam āvartaye śrutim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande, śrī premgopālakam prabhum
Adapted from Cc Antya 1.1
I offer prayers to Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī, who

expands the bhakti in one’s heart and by whose mercy even a dumb
person can speak harikatha and elucidate the scriptures.
3. Remember Nitāi Gauranga and offer yourself to Them (or to the

Panca Tattva) with Their pranam mantra, remembering your svarūpa
as a twelve years old brahman boy (Nitāi das).

4. Remember Rādhā-Krishna (in the particular form you worship) and

offer your everything to Them with Their pranam mantra, while
remembering your mañjarī svarūpa (or simply meditate that, “I am a
maidservant of Śrīmati Rādhikā!”).
Śrī Rādhā-Madana-mohana praṇāma

jayatāṁ su-ratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī
mat-sarvasva padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau
All glories to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Madana-Mohana who are engaged in
sublime amorous pastimes. I am lame, foolish and devoid of
intelligence. Therefore I take shelter at Your lotus feet which are my
only destination and my everything! (Cc Ādi 1.15)
5. Remember our Svāminī Śrīmatī Rādhikā and our ultimate

aspiration for mañjarī bhāva with the following mantra:
20
Śrī Rādhā praṇāma
tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi! rādhe! vṛndāvaneśvari!
vṛṣabhānu-sute! devi! praṇamāmi hari-priye!
“O Gaurāṅgī, Your complexion is like molten gold! O Rādhe! Queen of
Vṛndāvana! O Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja! O Devi! O dearmost
of Hari! Praṇāmas unto You again and again!”
6. Remember all worshipable spiritual personalities and invoke their

blessings with the Vande ‘ham Mangalacarana mantra or with the
following mantra:
gurave gauracandrāya rādhikāyai tadālaye
“I offer my respects time and again unto Śrī Gurudeva, Śrī
Gauracandra, Śrīmatī Rādhikā, Her followers and Her Vraja Dhama,
unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, and unto the devotees of His
devotees.”
7. Before putting your feet on the ground chant the following:

samudra-mekhale devi
parvata-stana-maṇḍite
viṣṇu-patni namas tubhyaṁ
pāda-sparśaṁ kṣamasva me
“O Mother Earth, the oceans are your clothes, the mountains are your
breasts, I offer pranam to you, O wife of Vishnu, please forgive me for
touching your sacred body with my feet.”
Expanded explanation: It’s an offence to touch someone’s body with one’s

feet, especially a superior, especially Mother Earth who maintains us and
protects us as her children. The rivers are her veins, the trees are her body
hairs, the soil is her skin, and all living entities are her children. This mantra
is chanted to help us connect with nature and to love all living entities. If
21
you love others you can love Krishna. Bhakti and prema will not manifest in
your heart unless you can love others (all living entities) and love nature
(Mother Earth).
jīve doyā nāme ruci vaiṣṇava sevana
iha vina dharma nāhi śuno sanātana
jīve doyā – kindness and compassion for all living entities; nāme ruci – taste
in chanting the holy name; vaiṣṇava sevana – service to the devotees.
“Listen O Sanātan (Gosvāmī), One should have compassion for all jīvas (spirit
souls), taste for chanting Harinam, and service mood (seva) towards
Vaisnavas (devotees). There is no question of any dharma without these.”
jīve doyā means compassion or love for all living entities - not just for
humans. That’s why meat eating is a sinful activity, offensive to other living
entities and to Mother Earth. nāme ruci means taste for chanting Harinam,
Krishna’s holy names. Vaisnava seva – service to the devotees. Everyone
should be considered a Vaisnava (even if their consciousness of being a
spirit soul and servant of Krishna has not awakened yet). This is because
Viṣṇu – Krishna in His form as the Supersoul – resides in everyone’s heart.
Therefore compassion and seva mood should be practiced towards all
others regardless of whether they see themselves as devotees or not.
viṣṇu pūjāo yadi jīve droha kore
pūjāo niṣphalā hoy āro pāpe more
“To love Krishna you should love all others, if you offend other living
entities your worship of Krishna will be useless and your sinful
reactions will increase.”
8. As you go through your morning routine (ablutions), chant the

Mangalacarana prayers or at least the first one (vande ‘ham). You
could also chant the Śrī Gurvāṣṭakam prayer or Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam, Śrī
Upadeśāmṛta, Śrī Gopī-gīta, Śrī Caṭu-puṣpañjali, or whatever prayers
and songs that inspire you and that you have managed to memorize.
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9. After washing yourself, wake up the Deities and offer Them
pranam (see the recommended procedure in the Deity Worship
section below). Then offer Thakurji some sweets or dry fruit, hot
sweetened milk, or even just a cup of (herbal) tea.
10. Follow the procedure for establishing the acaman, anointing your
body with Rādhā Kund tilak (see below) and sit facing either East or
North to chant your diksha mantras (aka ahnik).
11. Chant your Gayatri mantras. The Gopāl (mūla) mantra and the
Kāma-gāyatrī mantra (plus any other mantras given by Śrī Gurudeva)
klīṁ kṛṣṇāya govindāya gopījana-vallabhāya svāhā
klīṁ kāmadevāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no 'naṅgaḥ

pracodayāt
“Krishna is called Kāmadeva or Madan-Mohan, the Deity who
establishes our relationship with Krishna. Govinda, or puṣpa-bāṇāya,
who carries or shoots flower arrows (arrows of love), is the form of
Krishna who accepts our devotional service. Gopījana-vallabha
(Ananga – the transcendental Cupid) is the beloved of Śrīmatī
Rādhārānī (and the gopīs) and Krishna prema is the ultimate goal of
life.” “The word gopī denotes Rādhā and gopījana means the
followers of Rādhā, the sakhīs and mañjarīs.”
“There is no difference between the Kāma-gāyatrī mantra and the
Divine Couple, Śrī Rādhā-Krishna. They will manifest by chanting this
mantra.”
“The bīja root klīṁ is added to the Gāyatrī mantra and is explained in
the Brahma-saṁhitā as the transcendental seed of Kṛṣṇa prema, love
of God, or the seed of the Kāma-gāyatrī. The object is Kṛṣṇa, who is
the ever-fresh Cupid, and by utterance of the klīṁ mantra Śrī Rādhā-
Krishna are worshiped.” “K is for Krishna, L is for Their embrace
(love), I is for Īśvarī Rādhā, ṁ is for Their meeting.”
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12. After doing your bhajan, worship your Deities with a arati and the
mangal arati songs (see Sri Kirtanamritam) followed by the maha-
mantra, followed by the Jaya Dhvani prayer.
13. Perform the Tulasī Devi arati/parikrama with the appropriate

song and then offer your pranam to Tulasi Devi and to all Vaisnavas
with the following mantras:
Śrī Tulasī devi praṇāma
vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-prade devi! satyavatyai namo namaḥ
“I offer praṇāma again and again to Tulasī-devī, who is most dear to
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and who is also renowned as Vṛṇdā-devī and Satyavatī. O
Devi! You are bestowing kṛṣṇa-bhakti upon all!”
Śrī Vaiṣṇava praṇāma

I offer my praṇāmas unto the Vaiṣṇavas. They are just like wish-
fulfilling desire trees and being oceans of mercy they purify and
deliver the fallen conditioned souls.
14. Mantras to be chanted before taking Harinam:

tribhaṅga bhaṅgīnam rūpam veṇu randhraiḥ kārāncitām
gopī maṇḍala madhyastham śobhitam nanda-nandanam
Śrī Nanda-nandana Kṛṣṇa is standing in His three-fold bending form,
playing the flute. He shines beautifully encircled by the gopīs who
adorn Him by their presence.
namo nalina-netrāya veṇu-vādya-vinodine

rādhādhara-sudhā-pāna śāline vana-māline
24
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s, Śrī Padyāvalī 2
I offer praṇāma unto He whose eyes are like lotus flowers, who
merrily plays the flute, who is expert in drinking the nectar of Śrī
Rādhā’s lips, and who is adorned with a garland of forest flowers.
tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi na jīvāmi tvayā vinā

iti vijñāya devi (radhe) tvaṁ naya māṁ caraṇāntikam
Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 96
I am Yours! I am Yours! I cannot live without You! O Devi (Rādhikā),

please understand this and bring me to Your lotus feet.

śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda)
hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī rādhe govinda
Now we are ready to take Harinam (chant the Hare Krishna mahā-
mantra), preferably in solitude, but if not possible, chant it anyway.
Concluding words
The above are only general guidelines and every devotee should
adjust it according to one’s particular circumstances and individual
capacity. Let’s remember that what is important is not to memorize
all the mantras and slokas but to be inspired by them and allow
yourself to feel the feelings they invoke in your heart. Bhakti is the
ultimate love affair for the Divine Couple, not a matter of duty, not a
guilt trip, but an affair of the heart. Therefore, noticing the feelings in
our hearts is more essential than trying to figure it all out by the
25
mind. Do what you can within reason. At the beginning we need to
force ourselves to chant because the sweetness of Harinam tastes
bitter to our jaundiced tongue and mind. But if we continue to chant
regularly, Harinam will become sweet. Having said that, it’s necessary
to understand that we cannot force anything in spiritual life; that
bhakti is essentially about one’s individual expression of love and
affection for Śrīmatī Rādhikā and Her beloved Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī says, “Do little but do it with

love.” This is the key: Try to do everything with love. Do small things
with big love and allow yourself to feel the sweetness of bhakti. Let’s
bear in mind that these procedures are not merely empty rituals;
they are the portal for entering the mood we aspire for, spontaneous
love for the Divine Couple in mañjarī bhāva.
Practice makes perfect. We must chant Harinam and the diksha

mantras regularly, every day. Regular chanting is our heart’s
connection to Gurudev. Without regular practice we have no
connection with him; we are not really his disciples and he cannot
give us his mercy, his protection and his blessings. No chanting – no
connection, no connection – no protection from maya, no practice –
no perfection.
Śrī Guru and Nitai Gauranga are the most merciful, most munificent
benefactors of everyone and they bestow the highest benediction
and the ultimate perfection of prema, pure love. But if we fail to
practice regularly, to chant daily, then they cannot help us and our
bhakti will become covered. Regular practice is the substance of our
expression of love and gratitude for the unprecedented gift they
have bestowed upon us. Chant and be happy. Joy Nitai.
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2. Daily Sadacara (Basic Practices)
1. Rising Up (Nishanta Kritya - Duties performed before dawn)
As far as possible one should get up early in the morning (brahma
muhurta time, roughly two hours before sunrise, about 4 am). Upon
waking up (and before rising from bed) remember Sri Gurudeva’s
lotus feet and pay obeisances to him with guru pranama mantra (As
stated in HBV 3.22):
“I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened
my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer respectful obeisances
unto him.” (ajñāna is pronounced ‘agyana’. jñānāñjana - ‘gyanan-jana’)
(Editorial note: Usually there are no personal pranama mantras for

individual gurus in the traditional lines of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.
However, the editor would like to offer his personal pranama mantra
to Srila Premgopal Goswami out of his love and affection for him and
begs forgiveness for transgressing the conventional practice).
namaḥ oṁ viṣṇupādāya nityānanda priyātmane
śrī-śrīmad premgopal goswamin iti nāmine
I offer my humble obeisances to he who is situated at Visnu’s
(Krishna’s) lotus feet and who is very dear to Srimati Radhika - Sri
Srimad Premgopal Goswami Prabhupada.
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo

yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi
dhyāyaṁ stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī caranāravindam
Only by the mercy of Śrī Gurudeva can one receive the mercy of
Kṛṣṇa; without it, no one can get anywhere nor make any
27
advancement. Meditating three times a day on the glories of Śrī
Gurudeva and reciting stava-stuti, I offer prayers unto his lotus
feet. (Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam 8, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura)
Word for word of the first two lines: prasādāt—by the grace; yasya—
of whom (Śrī Guru); prasādaḥ—(one receives) the mercy; bhagavat—
of Kṛṣṇa; aprasādāt—without the grace; yasya—of him; na—(there
is) no; gatiḥ—goal, shelter, spiritual perfection; kutaḥ api—(to be
attained) anywhere.
Along with Sri Gurudeva we should also remember his associates -

the previous Vaisnava Acaryas (The disciplic line – guru parampara)
of both Navadwip (Gaura lila - sadhaka rupa) and Sri Vrindavan Dham
(Krishna lila - manjari rupa).
Then remember one’s worshipable Deities (istadeva) and chant Their

names (i.e. Nitai-Gauranga and/or Radha-Krishna):

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya (Gauranga), Prabhu
Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all the devotees of
Gauranga.
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
O Radha, O Krishna, I am calling Your names in the great hope that You will
be merciful to me and allow me to engage in Your loving devotional service,
serving You in Your confidential amorous pastimes in the kunjas of Vraja.
28
Before putting your feet on the ground offer respectful obeisances to
Mother Earth (Prithvi devi) with the following mantra:
samudra-mekhale devi
parvata-stana-maṇḍite
viṣṇu-patni namas tubhyaṁ
pāda-sparśaṁ kṣamasva me
“O Mother Earth, O Devi! I offer my humble obeisances unto you,
who are the consort of Lord Visnu. The oceans are your sari and the
mountains are your breasts. Please forgive me for touching your
sacred body with my feet.” (Sri Gaura-Govinda-Arcana-Smarana-
Paddhati, Dhyancandra Goswami).
(Editorial note: If you can’t memorise the above mantra or haven’t

memorised it yet, simply say “Hare Krishna, Radhe, Radhe!”, or “Jay
Nitai, Jay Gaura, Radhe Shyam!” and proceed with your morning
routine. This goes for all the unfamiliar mantras which follow).
Next, touch the ground or pay obeisances and say: Priya datyai bhuve
namah “I offer my obeisances to my Mother Earth.”
Other (optional) mantras upon waking up

You may also like to chant the mantras below while going through
your morning routine to help you get established in proper
consciousness.
Call upon Gauranga, Sri Radha and Sri Krishna
gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura he! Gaura gaura gaura
gaura gaura gaura gaura he! Gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura
pahi mam! Gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura gaura trahi mam!
(O Gauranga, protect me! O Gauranga, deliver me!)
29
Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe he! Radhe Radhe
Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe he! Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe
Radhe Radhe pahi mam! Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe Radhe
trahi mam!
(O Radhe! Please protect me and deliver me)

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he! kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he! kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi
mām! kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa trāhi mām!
(O Krishna, protect me! O Krishna, deliver me!)

prātaḥ prabodhito viṣṇo hṛṣīkeśena yat tvayā
yad yat karayas īśāna tat karomi tavājñayā
"O Viṣṇu, O Iśāna, O Hṛṣīkeśa, You have awakened me, and now I am
ready to do whatever You wish today." (Viṣṇu-dharmottara; Hari-
bhakti-vilāsa (HBV) 3.91)
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
In Kali-yuga there is no other way for the jīvas to be delivered than
chanting the holy name (Harināma). There is no other way, no other
way. (Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa, spoken by Mahaprabhu, Caitanya-
caritamrita Ādi 17.21)
jayati jana-nivāso devakī-janma-vādo

yadu-vara-pariṣat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam
sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ su-smita-śrī-mukhena
vraja-pura-vanitānāṁ vardhayan kāma-devam
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is He who is known as jana-nivāsa, the ultimate resort
of all living entities, and who is also known as Devakīnandana or
Yaśodā-nandana, the son of Devakī and Yaśodā. He is the guide of the
30
Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything
inauspicious, as well as every person who is impious. By His presence
He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and
inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the
gopīs of Vṛndāvana. May He be all glorious and happy! (Srimad
Bhagavatam –SB- 10.90.48)
phullendīvara-kāntim indu-vadanaṁ barhāvataṁsa-priyaṁ

śrī-vatsāṇkam udāra-kaustubha-dharaṁ pītāmbaraṁ sundaram
gopīnāṁ nayanotpalārcita-tanuṁ go-gopa-saṅghāvṛtaṁ
govindaṁ kala-veṇu-vādana-paraṁ divyāṅga-bhūṣaṁ bhaje
I worship Govinda, whose complexion is the colour of a blossoming
blue lotus flower, whose face is like the moon, who is fond of
wearing a peacock feather in His crown, whose chest bears the mark
of Śrīvatsa and is adorned with the Kaustubha gem, who is attired in
beautiful yellow garments, whose handsome form the gopīs worship
with sidelong glances, whose companions are multitudes of cows and
gopas, who plays sweet melodies on the flute, and whose body is
decorated with glittering ornaments. (Sri Padyavali 46, Srila Rupa
Goswami)
(Ed: Alternatively, one may wish to chant other prayers, such as Sri
Siksastakam or simply sing the maha mantra, while going through the
waking up, ablutions and bathing routine).
2. Serving one’s Body (Toilet/Bathroom procedure)

After passing urine clean your genitals with water using your left
hand and wash your hands with soap (and/or clay if you wish to
follow the traditional way). After passing stool, wash your anus with
water using your left hand and then clean your hands thoroughly
with soap (and/or clay), then wash your feet and take a shower.
However, activities such as cutting one’s nails and brushing one’s
teeth should be done before the shower. Before cleaning your teeth
31
(in the Vedic tradition this is done with a Neem stick) you can say the
following mantra:
ayur balam yasu varcah prajah pasu vasuni ca
brahma pragan ca medan ca tvam nau dehi vanaspate
I am praying to Vanaspate the healing tree (like the medicinal Neem)
to bestow upon me the following: Long and healthy life, strength,
name and fame, household animals (like cows), spiritual knowledge
and intelligence. May these nine benedictions manifest by your
grace.
(Ed: On certain days like Ekadashi do not use your toothbrush but a
Neem stick to clean your teeth or if that is not available, use your
finger with toothpaste and water. (Don’t put your toothbrush to the
toothpaste tube, put the paste on your finger and then apply it on
the toothbrush otherwise you contaminate the whole tube of
toothpaste).
3. Bathing Procedures (Snan Vidhi)
Put on a clean cloth for bathing (Ed: preferably gamcha, a thin Indian
towel. The gamcha towel should be washed after using it because
the skin follicles come off on it and it is therefore considered
contaminated. The gamcha is thin and therefore easy to wash and
dry which is more practical than the heavy Western towels. One
should not exspose one’s genitals even in the shower out of respect
for Krishna, the demigods and other subtle beings who are present
everywhere). Bathing in a river (facing upstream) a pond or a lake
(facing east) is preferable but if not available, take a shower (or
bucket shower) and chant the following mantra:
kuruksetram gaya ganga pravasa puskarani ca
tirthan etani punani ca snanokale bhavanteha
32
I am inviting all the holy rivers and ponds (purifying bathing places) to
reside in my bathing place. (Ed: If you bathe in a holy place like the
Ganga, Yamuna or Radha Kunda, no need to chant the above
mantra).
sagaragna nirgosa danta hasta surantaka
jagat srastar jagan mardin namami tvam suresvara
While bathing, I am calling upon the tirtha pati (Krishna – the
husband of the holy ponds and rivers) and paying my obeisances to
Him, asking permission to bathe.
Take soap (or clay, or soap mixed with clay) with water and rub your
body to clean it (Ed: Traditionally sadhus lived in the forest and used
mud or clay to clean their bodies. The elements like the sun, the wind
and water are all purifying and earth contains all the five elements,
being thus the most natural unguent for cleaning).
Now recall the month (mass), the day (tithi), the particular fortnight
(shukla pakśa - the ‘bright’, waxing moon of the lunar calendar,
or krishna paksa – the ‘dark’, waning moon fortnight) and chant the
following mantra:
śrī krishna pritaye snanam aham kariśe
I bathing (or taking a shower) to please Sri Krishna.
After bathing recall the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna etc. and chant the
following mantra:
idam arghyam (Ganga/Yamuna, etc) tirthaya samarpayami
I offer arghyam (sanctified, scented water) and my pranam to (the
name of the bathing place, i.e. Radha Kunda). Spoon up water in your
palms and offer it to your bathing place four times, clockwise, in
gratitude.
33
(Ed: When finished bathing, wrap a woollen chaddar or a
dry gamcha over the wet one, drop the wet one to the floor, wring it
out and dry your body with the wet gamcha. Then rinse it to clean it
and hang it to dry).
Take a shower or bathe as early as possible, first thing in the

morning, after waking up and passing stool. But if not practical, take
your bath/shower whenever possible. When tying the shikha (The
pony tail on top of the head kept by male devotees), chant the kama
gayatri mantra (or the maha mantra if you don’t have diksha).
After you have finished bathing put on fresh, clean cloths. Don’t wear
the same cloths you wore at night or the previous day (Ed: Once
worn, cloths become contaminated and should be washed before
being worn again. It is a higher standard to change all of one’s cloths
every day if practically possible, therefore keeping our energy pure
and clean – in the mode of goodness).
4. Preparation for Chanting

Purification of one’s sitting place (asana):
The asana is a special mat, preferably wool (or a woollen shawl –
chaddar). Use it only for your bhajan (japa and ahnik) or puja.
Holding the hands in the pranama-mudra (namaskar gesture) chant:
pṛthvi tvayā dhṛtā lokā
devi tvaṁ viṣṇunā dhṛtā
tvaṁ ca dharāya māṁ nityaṁ
pavitraṁ cāsanaṁ kuru
"O Mother Earth, O goddess who sustains all of the world's people
and who is sustained by Lord Visnu. May you always give me your
support and provide me with a pure seat upon which I can worship
the Lord."
34
Then purify the asana (meditation sitting place) by sprinkling three drops
of acaman water on the asana.
3. Acaman pot installation (Pancapatra sthapana)
(Pancapatra sodhana viddhi - Rules for purifying the pancapatra acaman)

Use your middle finger in the ankush mudra (see mudras below) to
draw a triangle surroundered by a circle on a metal plate or on the
floor in front of you by using the water from the acaman as shown in
the diagram below. This should be drawn anti clockwise (both
clockwise and anti clockwise are mentioned in sastra but our guru
does it anti clockwise).
Next put one drop of water from the acaman on the upper corner of
the triangle (1) and chant the appropriate mantra below:
First drop - Upper corner of the triangle (1)

adhara-saktaye namah [Obeisances to the Source of all Potencies]
Second drop - Lower left corner (2)

anantaya namah [Obeisances to the Infinite Lord]
Third drop - Lower right corner (3)

kurmaya namah [Obeisances to the Sustainer of the Earth]
Fourth drop - Centre of the triangle (4)

klim krishnaya namah - [Obeisances to Krishna the all-attractive Lord]
(The bija mantra klim is pronounced kling)
35
1
2 3
Next place the acaman pot in the centre of the circle and placing your
middle finger above the water in the ankush mudra (shown below)
without touching the water chant the mantra below. Cover the right
hand with the left one and turn your finger in clockwise circles above
the water while chanting the mantra. We invite the seven holy rivers
to reside in the acaman pot and invoke their presence, thus
sanctifying the water in the pot:
gaṅge ca yamune caiva godāvari sarasvati
narmade sindho kāveri jale ‘smin sannidhiṁ kuru
“O seven holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu

and Kaveri, kindly come and reside in the water of this acaman pot (thus
purifying and sanctifying the water in it).”
36
Mudras
Then perform the chakra-mudra, followed by the dhenu-mudra (cow),

matsya-mudra (fish) and avagunthan mudra above the acaman pot. Next
chant the gopal mantra ten times above the acaman. If you don’t have
diksha yet, chant the panca tattva mantra and the Hare Krishna mantra
once. Now the achaman pot is installed and one can proceed to perform self
purification with the acaman followed by tilak application.
Note: The drawings below include two different perspectives of the dhenu
mudra to make it easier to see how it is done. But the order of the mudras is
as follows: chakra, dhenu, matsya and avagunthan. These mudras are
optional. If you just do ahnik you can choose to skip the mudras. However,
the mudras are essential for arcana-puja (Deity worship) and must be done
if you do deity puja after the ahnik.
37
38
Performing Acaman (Atha vaisnava acaman viddhi)
We purify ourselves by doing acaman (also known
as pancapatra acaman). Doing acaman means symbolic cleansing
and purification of the body and mind through the use of sanctified
water and the names of Krishna.
First purify your left hand with one acaman drop using the mini
acaman spoon. Then with the left hand put one drop of acaman
water on the palm of your right hand and invite Krishna to reside in
that drop of water by chanting His name:
śrī keśavāya namaḥ
Now sip the drop of water from the base of the palm of your hand.
Then purify your hand by putting another drop on the right hand and
discard the water onto the ground beside or behind you.
Next put another drop of water on the palm of your right hand and chant:
śrī nārāyaṇāya namaḥ
Again sip the water. Then purify your right hand by puttimg another
drop of water on it and discarding it. Next put a third drop of water
on your right hand and chant:
śrī mādhavāya namaḥ
Sip the water; purify the right hand with another drop of water and
discard it. Now put a drop of water on your right hand and chant:
śrī govindāya namaḥ
and discard the water. Now take the spoon in your right hand, put a drop
onto the left hand and chant:
śrī viṣṇave namaḥ
and discard the water. Next, apply tilak.
39
4. Applying Tilak (Tilak dharan/sthapan viddhi)
Put a few drops from the acaman water with the acaman spoon on
the palm of your left hand and with your right hand take the tilak clay
and rub it into the water in your left hand making it into a paste.
First we put the index finger with the tilak between the eyebrows
and then we press it upwards towards the hair line. Repeating this
upward motion three times will clear the space between the two
lines. Then we make the bamboo leaf shape on the nose. Both parts
should be touching each other.
Then we can trim the tilak mark with any ring finger or the little
finger to give it a neat shape. Afterwards we draw the rest of the tilak
marks on your body as shown in the drawing below. We use the
index finger because it stands for guru and bhakti in the Traditional
Lines as far as applying tilak is concerned. The mantras for each tilak
mark are all different names of Krishna which signify His different
forms according to different pastimes. The Tilak symbols serve to
purify our consciousness, protect us energetically and remind us of
Krishna.
(Editorial): In other sangas they use Champaka Kalika leaf symbol

(also said to be a Tulasi leaf). In the Nityananda line we draw a
bamboo leaf which is thinner and longer as shown below. Some
variations of this draw the upper two lines in an upside down V
shape. The OM bija is not used in our line before the names of
Krishna but one can chant Śrī instead. It is not practical to draw a full
tilak mark on the back so simply make an elongated sign instead.
40
Placement of the Tilak Signs
41
1. The Order of Placing the Twelve Tilak Marks
1. Forehead śrī keshavaya namah
2. Above the navel śrī narayanaya namah
3. Chest (Solar Plexus) śrī madhavaya namah
4. Throat śrī govindaya namah
5. Right waist śrī vishnave namah
6. Right forearm śrī madhusudanaya namah
7. Right shoulder śrī trivikramaya namah
8. Left Waist śrī vamanaya namah
9. Left forearm śrī sridharaya namah
10. Left shoulder śrī hrishikeshaya namaḥ
11. Back of the neck śrī padmanabhaya namah
12. Lower back śrī damodaraya namah
Wipe the rest of the tilak on the top of the head and say: śrī vasudevaya namah
(or: Śrī Radha-Krishnabhyam namah).
42
2. Second Acaman for self purification
After completing the application of the twelve tilak marks, do
acaman once again and chant the following mantra for self
purification:
apavitraḥ pavitro vā
sarvāvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā
yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
sa bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ
Whether I am pure or contaminated, and regardless of my external
circumstances, simply by remembering the lotus-eyed Krishna,
Pundarikaksa, I will become pure, internally and externally.
(Ed: This is called snanam mantra, bathing mantra. It can be used

instead of bathing when circumstances, like traveling, prevent us
from washing properly).
3. Installation of Krishna’s twelve names in the twelve

tilak marks
Next touch all twelve tilak marks on your body in sequence using the
three middle fingers and chanting the name for each tilak mark (i.e.
Śrī Keshavaya namah, Śrī Narayanaya namah, etc.). Use the right
hand except for the three marks on the right (Śrī Vishnave namah, Śrī
Madhusudanaya namah, Śrī Trivikramaya namah) where the left
hand is used. The Vaisnava tilak represents the temple of Sri Hari and
now we are installing the twelve names of Krishna which represent
twelve different forms (murtis) of Krishna in the twelve temples of Śrī
Hari (represented by the twelve tilak marks), thus we sanctify our
body as a temple of Śrī Krishna (meant for His service and worship
and not merely for our sense enjoyment).
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Further Explanations of Krishna’s twelve Tilak Names
Every tilak mark has a different name of Krishna describing the
particular quality or pastime of Krishna associated with that name.
After putting tilak marks in all the twelve positions, we touch each
position and utter the appropriate mantra while contemplating its
meaning.
1. Forehead Śrī keshavaya namah
Obeisances to He who killed the Keshi demon. He removes our demoniac
tendencies and our unwanted habits and thoughts. (Rasik meaning: He who
decorates Radha’s hair in the kunja).
2. Above the navel Śrī narayanaya namah
Obeisances to Krishna the Shelter and Protector of all beings
3. Chest Śrī madhavaya namah
Obeisances to Krishna the beloved of Radha, the Beloved of Krishna in the
Kunja
4. Throat Śrī govindaya namah
Obeisances to Krishna the protector of the gopis, gopas, cows and senses
5. Right waist Śrī vishnave namah
Obeisances to the Lord of the Universe, (or) Obeisances to the Lord of the
Vaisnavas
6. Right forearm Śrī madhusudanaya namah
Obeisances to Krishna the killer of the Madhu demon, (or) to Krishna who
tastes the honey nectar of Radha’s lips, just like a bee.
(Optional meditation: May Madhusudana – the Lord of Sweetness who is
relishing the prema of Srimati Radhika like a bee in a lotus flower, inspire
greed for madhurya rasa (the sweet mellow of transcendental amorous
love) in my heart).
7. Right shoulder Śrī trivikramaya namah
Obeisances to He who covered the whole universe in three steps. Or:
Obeisances to the Lord of Three: Radha, Krishna and Prema
44
Optional Meditation: May Lord Trivikram conquer my senses, mind and false
ego with His three steps. May I offer my head at His lotus feet like Bali
Maharaja).
8. Left Waist Śrī vamanaya namah
Obeisances to the Brahmana Dwarf incarnation of Krishna
(Meditation: May Lord Vamanadeva help me to open my heart to the whole
world, being merciful and kind to all. May he inspire me to practice
compassion to other conditioned souls and share my experience of bhakti
with them).
9. Left forearm Śrī sridharaya namah
Obeisances to He who holds the Goddess of Fortune Laxmi devi on His chest,
(or) He who embraces Srimati Radhika in His arms.
10. Left shoulder Śrī hrishikeshaya namaḥ
Obeisances to Krishna the master of the senses
11. Back of the neck Śrī padmanabhaya namah
Obeisances to He who manifested Lord Brahma from His lotus navel, (or)
Who is the object for Srimati Radhika’s blossoming lotus of prema.
12. Lower back Śrī damodaraya namah
Obeisances to He who allowed Himself to be bound up by mother Yashoda’s
love.
Once you have completed the twelve tilaka marks, wipe the remaining tilak
on top of your head and say Śrī vasudevaya namah (Obeisances to the
Lord of pure transcendental goodness).
Drawing the Tilak Markings (Urddha pundra nirman viddhi)
aradhyo nasika mulam lalatantam likhen mridam
nasikayastrayo bhaga nasamulam pracaksate
samarabha brhubhur mulamantaralam prakalpayet
“Starting from the root of the nose up, draw the tilak mark on the
forehead. The bamboo leaf shape on the nose should be about three
45
quarters of the nose down. The middle space between the two
vertical lines should be clear.”
4. Notes on Applying Tilak (Tilak dharan viddhi)

We apply the tilak with the index finger or with ring finger2. We use the
index finger because smriti shastra (quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa) says that
by using it for applying tilak we will get Radha-Krishna seva.
Meaning of the different fingers (Tilak racananguli niyam)

anamika kamadokta madhya mayuskari bhavet
angusthah puntidah proktas tarjjani moksha sadhana
[Word for word:] anamika-ring finger; kamadokta- desire fulfilling
[indicating jnana & yoga, the attainment of mystic perfections, not bhakti];
madhya-middle finger; mayuskari-long duration of life; bhavet-will be;
angustha-thumb; puntidah- physical well being, health; proktas-it is said;
tarjjani-index finger; moksha-liberation; sadhani-the goal [the combined
words moksha-sadhani means ‘that which will bring you to your ultimate
goal, liberation or bhakti].
2
The tilak is also commonly applied with the ring finger – simply follow
whatever your diksha guru instructed you. The ring finger stands for
Nityananda (Guru tattva), The middle finger for Gauranga (Radha-Krishna),
the little finger for Srivasa (Vaisnava tattva), the thumb for Gadadhara
(shakti tattva) and the index finger for Advaita – Sadashiva (Shiva tattva).
This also explains why we keep the index finger out of the bead bag. The
bead bag stands for the rasa mandala (arena) and the beads for the 108
main gopis. Sadashiva (Gopeshvara Mahadeva) guards the entrance to the
rasa dance but cannot enter. The index finger is considered the ruling and
chastising finger so it is not used for offering anything to Krishna. For
instance, when offering grains to the fire in a fire sacrifice we use the
thumb, middle finger and ring finger but not the index finger.
46
Applying tilak with the ring finger fulfills one’s self desires (bhukti, mukti,
siddhi); using the middle finger bestows a long life; using the thumb bestows
good health and by applying tilak with the index finger one will get
liberation or bhakti). (HBV 4.6.221, from Smṛti sastra)
If it’s not practical to wear tilak (i.e. in the work world), apply the
tilaka marks with Radha Kunda or Ganga water (or acaman water
turned into sanctified water with the mantra gange ca yamune
caiva above). The tilak should be applied sitting down in a pure place
on a clean woollen mat. One should not apply it standing up or in an
unclean place (like the toilet or the bathroom, etc.)
urddha pundrai vihinasthu kincit karma karoti yah
ista purtadhikam sarvam nisphalam svannya samsaya
urddha pundrai vihina sthu sandhya karmadhikam caret
tat sarvam rakṣasam nityam narakam cadi gacchati
“The worshipable deity will not accept the worship of a devotee who
fails to apply the tilak on his/her body. Therefore any devotional
activity should be performed with tilak.”
5. Hari-bhakti-vilasa on the importance of Tilak

1. The Padma Purana states: "O Brahmana! For the sake of My pleasure,
My devotee will put on tilak with a steady mind every morning and
evening, and during My worship and fire sacrifice. Tilak brings
auspiciousness, protects one from danger and destroys fear. Therefore
one should always wear tilak."
2. The Skanda Purana says that if one performs sacrifice, offers charity,
performs austerities, fire scarifies or reads the Vedas without wearing
tilak; all his activities go in vain.
3. The Padma Purana mentions that one should not see the face of
someone who does not wear tilak. If this happens, he should purify
himself by looking at the sun.
4. He who wears tilak marked with clay, even a candala (low class person),
is a pure soul and is worshipable; there is no doubt about that. Lord
Narayan along with Laxmi Devi is seated in the beautiful space inside the
47
tilak. Therefore, the body of those who wear tilak is the sacred temple of
the Lord. When a person wears tilak marks while performing sacrifice,
charity, austerity, japa, etc., all his pious activities become imperishable.
5. The Brahmanda Purana says that whether one is impure, devoid of
proper etiquette or committing sinful activities in his mind, if he wears
tilak he always remains pure.
6. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: "It does not matter where a
person who wears tilak dies. Even if he is a candala, he goes to My abode
riding on a celestial airship and becomes worshipped there."
7. The Lord also said: "When a person wearing tilak eats in somebody's
house, I deliver twenty generations of his host from hell."
8. One must apply clay from the base of the nose (between the eyebrows)
to the top of the forehead. 3/4 of the upper part of the nose should be
covered with tilak in a leaf-like shape and the cavity of the tilak should
start from the base of the eyebrows. The Padma Purana says that one
should not draw tilak with anything other than the index finger.
9. They are the lowest of the Brahmanas who apply the tilak without
making a space in the middle. This drives Visnu and Laxmi away from
there.
10. The Padma Purana quotes Maharshi Gautama: "Oh Maharaja
Ambarish! In order to become free from the greatest of sinful activities
just behold the person who wears tilak with gopi-chandan."
11. According to Kashi Kunda, Yamaraja said: "Oh my messengers of
death! Listen carefully. When you see someone with tilak made of gopi-
chandan on the forehead, avoid him like a blazing fire." (Hari-bhakti-vilasa
4.6.1-11)
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6. Consecrating the Body as a Temple of Krishna with Tilak
Shastra recommends decorating the body as a temple of Sri Krishna
(Sri Hari Mandir lakshan) with tilak marks. The definition of Sri Hari
Mandir according to Hari-bhakti-vilasa:
nasadi kesa parjantam urddha pundram susobhanam
madhye cidra samayukta tad vadadhari mandiram
The tilak symbols, when properly and neatly applied, transform the
body into a temple of Sri Hari (Krishna).
Editorial Note: We wear tilak for purification, protection and connection. It

is like a portal, turning our body into a gateway to the spiritual realm, a
vehicle for entering spiritual consciousness. The tilak marks turn our body
into a temple of Lord Hari and therefore meant for His service and not
merely for our own sense enjoyment. The leaf of the tilaka represents a
bamboo leaf which reminds us of Krishna’s flute. In the Nityananda line we
only wear the bamboo shaped tilak mark. Radha and Krishna reside in the
space between the upper lines which also represents the path to Vrindavan.
Mahaprabhu has said that without tilak any devotional activity is useless
and therefore He would not look at the face of anyone without tilak.
Therefore it is mandatory to put tilaka on before doing ahnik, chanting japa,
worshiping the deity or offering food. The tilak signs bestow auspiciousness,
protect us energetically from bad influences and draw the attention of the
Divine Couple. The tilak marks show one to be a bhakta (a devotee of the
Lord). The particular tilak we wear indicates that we belong to a particular
line or disciplic succession. It shows our loyalty to our Gurudeva, and the
particular devotional mood we aspire for. One may wear either Radha
Kunda (blackish) tilak or Gopi chandan (yellow) tilak. Wearing Radha Kunda
tilak is an open declaration that one desires to be a maidservant of Srimati
Radhika. After Mahaprabhu manifested Radha Kunda, He began to wear
Radha Kunda tilak and ordered all his followers to do the same because this
tilak gives a direct connection to Srimati Radhika (Stated in Sri Caitanya
Bhagavat and Caitanya Mangal). However, ultimately we have to follow the
instructions of our particular guru regarding controversial issues or apparent
discrepancies in the scriptures and the practice of bhakti.
49
7. Mantras upon completion of Tilak
I offer my most humble dandavats pranams unto Sri Guru who has
opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance,
with the torchlight of knowledge.
I offer my obeisances time and again unto Śrī Gurudeva, Śrī
Gauranga, Śrīmatī Rādhikā and Her associates and Her Dhama Sri
Vrindavan, unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, and unto the devotees of
His devotees.
5. Tarpana – Propitiating the Deities (Tarpan viddhi)

Tarpan means to satisfy, to please or to propitiate. Tarpayami means
“I am offering oblations to You“ or “I am pleasing You with this
offering.“ We are propitiating the demigods, sages, ancestors, guru
parampara (the disciplic succession of gurus), Niati-Gauranga and Sri
Sri Radha-Krishna. Tarpana is performed as a preparation for
chanting the diksha mantras (also called ahnik). If you don’t have
diksha, skip this part.
After uttering each of the following mantras offer one sacrificial drop
from the pancapatra acaman pot into a second acaman pot.
1. Devan tarpayami [May the demigods be pleased with me!]

2. Rishin tarpayami [May the saints and sages be pleased!]
3. Pitrin tarpayami [May the forefathers/ancestors be pleased!]
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4. Guru-parampara tarpayami [May Sri Guru and our disciplic
line of gurus be pleased with me!]
5. Śrī Nitai-Gauranga tarpayami [May Sri Nitai Gauranga be
pleased with me] (This is optional but nice to add)
6. Śrī Radha-Krishna tarpayami [May Sri Radha-Krishna be

pleased with me!] (Offer three drops with this mantra)
7. Śrī Radha-Krishna parivar vargam tarpayami [May Sri
Radha-Krishna’s family and associates be pleased with us].
Next chant the Śrī Kṛṣṇa mula mantra (Gopāl mantra) or the maha
mantra if you don’t have diksha yet.
klīṁ kṛṣṇāya govindāya gopī-jana-vallabhāya svāhā
(Followed by the offering mantra):

idam arghyam kliṁ rang radha krishnabhyam nivedyami namah
Translation of the Gopal mantra: ”I offer myself to the all-attractive
Krishna (Madan Mohan), the protector of the cows and the lover of
the gopis (Govinda), the beloved of Srimati Radhika and the
gopis (gopījana-vallabhā) who is controlled by Srimati Radhika’s
prema.” (The line below the mantra means: I offer arghyam, scented
water and my respects to Sri Radha-Krishna.)
(Please note, the Gopal mantra – like all the diksha mantras - should
be chanted in the mind – not audibly).
Now we are ready to perform further devotional activities like ahnik
(chanting the diksha mantras), chanting japa, mangal arati, puja and
kirtan (the water in the throw out pot becomes caranamrita and
should be drunk at the end of the ahnik procedure).
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6. The Diksha Mantras – (also known as ahnik)
This section is only for those initiated with the diksha mantras by Sri
Guru.
One should be in a clean state (having bathed and put on tilak and
fresh cloths). Sit on a clean mat (asana, used only for chanting), in a
clean and pure space, facing East or North (or facing the Deities). One
should wear a panca-mala around the neck and a Harinam chaddar
(shawl). One could also do short pranayam before chanting the
diksha mantras to help focus one’s attention better.
Diksha mantras are given by Gurudeva at the time of initiation. The
most important mantras are the Guru mantra, Gopal mantra and
Kama Gayatri mantra. Although known as Gopal mantra and Kama
Gayatri, their proper names are Radha-Krishna bija mantra & Radha-
Krishna gayatri mantra because they are actually Yugal mantras,
designating both Radha and Krishna. One should chant the mantras
as it is instructed by one’s guru.
Self Purification mantra (Atma Suddhi) - To be chanted before ahnik

nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā
kintu prodyan nikhila-paramānanda-pūrṇāmṛtābdher
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
“I am not a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra, nor a brahmacārī,
gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Being transcendental to this gross
and subtle body, I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the
lotus feet of the master of the gopīs (or He who is controlled by the
love of the gopis), Śrī Krishna, who is the ultimate shelter of
everyone, full of transcendental bliss, and an ocean of unlimited
nectar.” (Cc Madhya 13.80)
52
This mantra, chanted by Mahaprabhu at the Ratha Yatra in Puri, is to
help us give up our material self-identity, our purusha abhiman (self
concept of being the controller and enjoyer), deha abhiman (thinking
oneself to be this temporary material body) and our ahankar (false
ego, misidentifying with the body and mind and thinking oneself to
be the doer). In other words, we are not who we think we are and we
don’t really know who we are as long as we haven’t realized
our svarupa, spiritual identity. Therefore sadhakas cultivate the
mood of the above śloka as follows: “I am not this body, I am not my
mind either, I am not young or old, male or female, black or white,
British or Indian. I am not Christian or Hindu or any religious, national
or class designation. I am an eternal spirit soul and my real, eternal
identity is that of a loving (maid) servant of the Divine Couple in
Vraja.” Unless one firmly identifies oneself with one’s eternal
spiritual form (svarupa or siddha deha) there is no question of
entering raganuga bhajan and experiencing the sweetness of Yugal’s
pastimes.
Gopāl mantra (aka the mūla-mantra, Radha-Krishna jugal mantra,

mantra-raj and Krishna bija mantra)
klīṁ kṛṣṇāya govindāya gopī-jana-vallabhāya svāhā
”I offer myself to the all-attractive Krishna (Madan Mohan), the

protector of the cows and the lover of the gopis (Govinda), the
beloved of Srimati Radhika and the gopis (gopījana-vallabhā) who is
controlled by Srimati Radhika’s prema.”
This mantra is to be chanted 108 times on a special japa mala
consecrated by Sri Guru and used only for the Gopal mantra. After
completing each ahnik mantra we offer the mantra we have chanted
to the istadeva (presiding deity) of the mantra with the following
appeal:
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guhyāti-guhya-goptā tvaṁ
gṛhāṇāsmat-kṛtaṁ japam
siddhir bhavatu me deva
tvat-prasādāt tvayi sthite
"O Lord, You are the protector of the most confidential secrets.
Please accept my offering of this confidential mantra. O Lord, by Your
mercy may I attain spiritual perfection (siddha deha) and may my
consciousness be always absorbed in You."
guhyāti-guhya-goptā - protector of the greatest secrets; tvam -
You; gṛhāṇa - please accept; āsmat - by us; kṛtam - done; japam - japa;
siddhiḥ – perfection, siddha deha; bhavatu - may be; me - of me; deva - O
Lord; tvat-prasādāt - by Your mercy; tvayi - in You; sthite – (may my
consciousness) be situated.
After chanting the guhyāti-guhya-goptā tvaṁ mantra we put a drop

of water from the acaman into the throw out pot and chant the
word:
Samārpayāmi
(I am worshiping You by this mantra, I am offering myself to
the ishtadevata (presiding deity) of the mantra).
kāma-gāyatrī-mantra (Radha-Krishna mantra)

klīṁ kāmadevāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi
tan no 'naṅgaḥ pracodayāt
“I invoke the Transcendental Cupid (Sringar Rasa-raja Sri Krishna), I
meditate on His five flower arrows (His mind enchanting features: His
beauty, taste, sound, fragrance and touch). Let this lover of Srimati
Radhika and Their amorous pastimes manifest in my heart.“
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This mantra is to be chanted either 10 or 108 times (as instructed by
Srila Gurudeva at the time of initiation), counting ten on the fingers
of the right hand and counting each set of ten on the left hand plus
the final set of eight at the end to make up 108.
Now chant the offering mantra:

guhyāti-guhya-goptā tvaṁ, gṛhāṇāsmat-kṛtaṁ japam
siddhir bhavatu me deva, tvat-prasādāt tvayi sthite
And offer a drop of water with samarpayami
Guru mantra
aiṁ śrī-gurave namaḥ
“I offer obeisances (or I offer myself) to Sri Gurudev.”
aiṁ is pronounced aing (or oing by Bengali speakers)
Now chant the guhyāti-guhya-goptā tvaṁ mantra and offer a drop of
water with samarpayami.
The basic requirement is to chant the mula mantra (Gopal Mantra)

108 times on a special japa mala designated specifically for chanting
this mantra. The other mantras are to be chanted 10 times (unless
otherwise instructed by one‘s Gurudeva), counting on the hand (see
diagram and explanation below).
After the completion of ahnik (aka gayatri or diksha mantras), chant

the following auspicious invocation prayer:
vande ‘haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca
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I offer pranamas to the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva (who includes
diksha-guru and bhajana-shiksha-guru), guru-varga (our entire
disciplic succession) and all other Vaisnavas, to Sri Rupa Goswami, his
elder brother Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami,
Jiva Goswami and their associates, to Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri
Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His
associates, and to the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Krishna
accompanied by Sri Lalita, Vishakha and all the
other sakhis and manjaris.
Yoga pith meditation

We first chant the Navadvip mantras (Gaura lila), then meditate on
Navadvip yoga pith. Then we chant the Vrindavan mantras (Krishna
lila) followed by Vrindavan yoga pith meditation. Then we chant the
Harinam maha mantra – japa of the holy name. Yoga pith meditation
is for advanced bhajan so we will not expand on it here. This
meditation should be explained in person by Srila Gurudeva.
Counting the mantras

Touch the middle part of the ring finger of the right hand (1) with the
thumb and then continue moving it in the sequence shown in the
picture below. For chanting the Gopal mantra 108 times we use a
special Tulasi japa mala consecrated by Sri Guru specifically for
chanting this mantra. This mala should not be used for any other
mantras.
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7. The Hare Krishna Maha-mantra
Mantras to be chanted before starting japa of the Holy Name

(Jaya-dhvani (glorification) of the Panca tattva and the Six Goswamis):
hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī rādhe govinda)
jaya śrī rūpa, sanātana, bhaṭṭa raghunātha, śrī jīva,

gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa raghunātha (ṣaḍ-gosvāmī-prabhu)
hare krishna hare krishna

Krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
“O Rādhe, O Kṛṣṇa, O Rāma (Rādhā-Ramana)! Please engage me in
Your loving devotional service. O Śrīmatī Rādhikā, O Krishna, I am
calling Your names with the great hope that You will be merciful to
me and engage me in serving Your sweet, confidential, amorous
pastimes in the kunjas of Vraja. O my sweet Lords, please let me be a
servant of Your love, O Swamini please let me be Your
faithful kinkari.”
Use counter beads and chant 16 rounds of japa (unless otherwise

instructed by Gurudeva). Chanting extra rounds is better whenever
possible but the quality of chanting is equally important. When
chanting remember the meaning of the maha mantra and meditate
on rasika ślokas and the pastimes they evoke (See the Mantra Mayi
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Upasana book). If we do not do our bhajan regularly, our feelings for
bhakti will gradually diminish and dissipate. Srila Premgopal Goswami
says, “No bhajan – no feelings.”
Conclude your japa with the following rasika mantra:
namo nalina-netrāya veṇu-vādya-vinodine
rādhādhara-sudhā-pāna-śāline vana-māline
“I offer praṇāma unto He whose eyes are like lotus flowers, who
merrily plays the flute, who is expert in drinking the nectar of
Rādhikā’s lips, and who is adorned with a garland of forest flowers.”
Optional: Further Glorification of the Holy Name (Nam Mahima).

Before taking Harinama (‘doing japa’ - chanting the maha mantra on
a japa mala of Tulasi beads) we may like to chant the following ślokas
for inspiration:
tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute

tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye
karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate
karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām
cetaḥ-prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate
sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ
no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ
kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī
(Vidhagda-madhava 1.15; Cc Antya-līlā 1.99)
Dancing in the mouth, the holy names produce passionate love and a
desire for multitude of mouths. Sprouting in the holes of the ears, the
holy name awakens a yearning for millions of ears. As a companion in
the courtyard of the heart, the name conquers all the senses. I am at
a loss for words to properly describe the nectar born of the two
syllables of Krishna’s name (kṛṣ - attracts; ṇa – gives supreme bliss -
ananda; removes obstacles).
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Two other prayers to the Holy Name (Śrī Nāma-vandanā)
jayati jayati nāmānanda-rūpaṁ murārer

viramita-nija-dharma-dhyāna-pūjādi-yatnam
katham api sakṛd āttaṁ mukti-daṁ prāṇināṁ yat
parama amṛtam ekaṁ jīvanaṁ bhūṣaṇaṁ me
All glories, all glories to the name of Kṛṣṇa-Murāri, the enemy of lust
and the embodiment of divine bliss! It halts the cycle of birth and
death and relieves one of all painful endeavors in practicing religion,
meditation, charity, deity worship and austerity. It awards liberation
to one who utters it even once. Kṛṣṇa-nāma stands alone as the
supreme nectar and sole treasure of my life. (Śrī Bṛhad-
Bhāgavatāmṛtam 1.9)
madhura-madhuram etan maṅgalāṁ maṅgalānāṁ

sakala-nigama-vallī-sat-phalaṁ cit-svarūpam
sakṛd api parigītaṁ śraddhayā helayā vā
bhṛgu-vara! nara-mātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma
Kṛṣṇa-nāma is the sweetest of the sweet and the most auspicious of
all that is auspicious. It is the fully-ripened fruit of the Veda’s
flourishing creeper (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam) and the embodiment of
pure knowledge, cit-śakti. O best of the Bhṛgu dynasty! Even if
someone chants the holy name only once, with faith or indifference
(helā), he is immediately delivered from this ocean of birth and
death! (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.234)
Chant with the mood that, “I am an offensive jiva with no real friends
in this world but Radha-Krishna are my eternal friends.” Pray like this
and with a sweet mood meticulously chant the maha mantra
consisting of 32 syllables and 16 words. Chant these ślokas and pray
to Harinam “O Harinam, please let me be more humble than a blade
of grass, more tolerant than a tree, offer respect to all others without
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expecting any for myself. In this mood I can chant Your name purely
and constantly.” (tṛṇād api sunīcena, taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā
mānadena, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ).
Japa Mala meditation

The japa mala is a rosary (garland) of 108 Tulasi beads for chanting
the maha mantra. The 108 beads stand for the 108 principal gopis in
the rasa lila arena. The knot between each bead is Sri Krishna
expanded into 108 forms and accompanying each of the 108 main
gopis. The 109th bead, the head bead (also called the Sumeru head),
is the Divine Couple Sri Radha-Krishna. This is a sweet meditation on
the crest jewel of Krishna’s pastimes, the rasa lila in the forests of
Vraja. Another version considers each bead to be the Divine Couple
and the knots to be the manjaris, bringing Radha and Krishna
together, assisting and expanding Their amorous pastimes. One
should take Harinam with love and affection, and relish the Divine
Couple’s pastimes (in one’s manjari svarupa) in the kunjas of
Vrindavan.
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8. Mangal Arati and Tulasi Devi Worship
The order of kirtans in the morning is as follows: Nishanta Lila,
Mangal Arati kirtans, Guru mahima (Sri Gurvashtakam), Tulasi
parikrama kirtan, Hare Krishna mantra kirtan. These are usually
chanted during Mangal Arati along with the early arati worship of
Gurudeva and the Deities. Mangal Arati and puja are usually
performed as early as possible after doing acaman and tilak.
Ahnik may be done before or after mangal arati. At the end of the
mangal arati we worship Tulasi Devi with the Tulasi pranama mantra
below and circumambulate Tulasi Devi while singing the glories of Sri
Vrindavan (Jaya Radhe Jaya Krishna Jaya Vrindavan - Tulasi and
Deities parikrama kirtan). We may also do Tualsi puja accompanied
by the kirtan namo namah tulasi krishna preyasi – Tulasi Arati kirtan
(Otherwise this may be done after the evening Arati). The usual
procedure is to perform mangal arati and diety worship/deity seva
after doing ahnik and before nam japa. However, those who worship
the Dieties at home as part of their morning routine may perform the
Mangal Ararti and puja at first, then proceed to do tarpana and
chant ahnik and japa. One has to adjust one‘s routine according to
time and circumstances. Householders in the West sometimes prefer
to complete their ahnik and japa before doing Mangal Arati in order
not to disturb the neighbours as well as to give everyone else in the
family (like the children) a chance to participate in a late Mangal Arati
- the worship of Nitai Gauranga and Radha-Krishna .
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Tulasi (Vrinda Devi) pranam mantra
vrindayai tulasi devyai priyayai keshavasya ca,
krishna bhakti prade devi satyavatyai namo namah
“I offer my obeisances again and again to Srimati Tulasi Devi who is
very dear to Sri Krishna, who bestows Krishna bhakti and who is also
known as Vrinda Devi and Satyavati. (she who embodies truth).”
The above mantra is chanted at the beginning and end of Tulasi
parikrama. Next we offer obeisances to each other and to all
Vaisnavas with the following mantra:
Vaisnavas pranam mantra (offering obeisances to all Vaisnavas and
Vaisnavis, as well as to each other)
(For easier pronunciation here is this śloka without diacritics)
vancha kalpa taru bhyash cha kripa sindu bhya eva cha
patitanam pava nebhyo vaishnave bhyo namo namah
I offer my humble obeisances to all the devotees, who are the
saviours of all and who are like oceans of mercy and wish-fulfilling
desire trees.
Tulasi snan (bathing) mantra

govinda-vallabhāṁ devīṁ bhakti-caitanya-kāriṇīṁ
snāpayāmi jagad-dhātrīṁ kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāyinīm
O Devi, I am bathing you who are very dear to Govinda, who gives life
to the devotees [or who is the life of bhakti], who are the mother of
the entire world and who bestows Krishna-prema.
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9. Offering Bhoga (foodstuffs) to Thakurji
(Thakurji - The Lord’s Deity form)
etad sa-tulasi patra naivedyam jalam ca

sri radha-krishnabhyam nivedayami
I am offering this food preparation (bhoga) with Tulasi leaves and

water to the Divine Couple Sri Radha-Krishna for Their pleasure.
Then chant the Gopal mantra over the offering 10 times. If you don’t
have diksha offer the food with the Panca tattva matra and the
maha-mantra. Ring the bell or clap your hands three times to let
Radha-Krishna know you are entering the altar room/inner sanctum,
or opening the curtain. Put the bhoga offering in front of The Deities,
do acaman first, then offer acaman to Radha-Krishna (idam
acamaniyam kling rang radha-krishnabhyam namah), put a Tulasi
leaf on each preparation and sprinkle a drop of water from the
acaman pot on each one, then utter the above mantra. Now place
your right hand covered with the left hand above the offering and
chant the Gopal mantra 10 times. Close the curtain or screen to give
Thakurji privacy and wait for some time to let Them eat. After a few
minutes clap your hands three times and ring the bell to let Krishna
know you are coming. Enter the altar room (or open the curtain), ring
the bell, offer acaman to Radha-Krishna (and/or other deities), then
offer Them tambula to refresh Their mouths. Then offer the (now)
prasadam to your Guru and his associates (idam maha prasadam
aing gurave namah, idam maha prasadam aing sarva sakhebhyo
namah).
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10. Essential Slokas
1. The Definition Śloka of Pure Bhakti
anyābhilāṣitā śūnyaṁ
jñāna-kārmādy anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
“The cultivation of activities which are meant exclusively for the
pleasure of Sri Krishna, or in other words, the uninterrupted flow of
service toSri Krishna, performed through all endeavours of the body,
mind and speech, and through the expressions of various spiritual
sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge
aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity),
and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring
happiness to Sri Krishna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional
service.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11/Cc Madhya 19.167)
2. The Essence of All Instructions

tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānu-
smṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya
tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-jana anugāmī
kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram
The bhakti-sadhakas should perform kirtana and smarana
(remembrance) of Sri Krishna’s name, form, character and pastimes.
Thus they should gradually engage their tongues and minds,
withdrawing them from absorption in sense objects which cause
aversion to Sri Krishna. Residing in Vraja-mandala they should follow
in the footsteps of Sri Krishna‘s associates who have deep
attachment (anuraga) for Him, and thus fully utilize every moment of
their time. This is the essence of all teachings. (Śrī Upadeśāmṛta, 8)
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3. Gopi Bhava śloka
Below are two ślokas which summarize in a nutshell the mood and
conception of Raganuga bhakti - Vraja bhava - especially manjari
bhava. This encapsulates the essence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s
teachings and the unprecedented and confidential gift He has given us.
ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas-tad-dhāma vṛndāvanaṁ

ramyā kācid-upāsanā vraja-vadhū vargeṇa yā kalpitā
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalaṁ premā pumartho mahān
śrīcaitanya mahāprabhor matam idaṁ tatrādaro naḥ paraḥ
“Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krishna is the supreme object of worship. Sri
Vrindavan Dhama is as worshipable as Krishna because it is the place
of His pastimes. Amongst all forms of worship, the gopis’ worship of
Krishna is supreme. Srimad-Bhagavatam provides the flawless
evidence of this truth. This is the ultimate teaching of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu.” (Śrīnath Pandit (aka Cakravartī), Caitanya-manjusa)
4. Manjari Bhava śloka

anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ (1)
(Śrī Vidagdha Mādhava, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
“May that Lord, who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, be
transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your hearts.
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold and the mood of
Srimati Radhika, He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless
mercy to bestow what has not been given before - mañjarī-bhāva,
the service of Śrīmatī Rādhikā as Her confidential maidservant.”
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11. Deity Worship procedure (a brief description)
1. Self-purification and Tilak
2. Waking up the Deities
3. Mangal arati
4. Tulasi puja/parikrama
5. Ahnik
6. Pūjā
7. Bhoga offering mantras
8. Putting Thakurji to rest
This is the ideal order but one should adjust it according to time and
circumstances.
1. Self-purification
First do acaman sthapan (establishing the acaman – See page 36)
and then purify yourself with:
Sri Keshavaya Namah, Sri Narayanaya Namah, Sri Madhavaya namah
(Sri Govindaya namah, Sri Vishnave namah).
Then sprinkle a drop of acaman water on your head and chant the
self-purification mantra.
apavitrah pavitro va
sarva vastham gato 'pi va
yah smaret pundarikaksham
sa bhaya bhyantaram sucih
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“Whether I am pure or contaminated, and regardless of my external
circumstances, simply by remembering the lotus-eyed Krishna,
Pundarikaksa, I will becomes pure, internally and externally.”
2. Waking up the deities

Wake up Sri Guru and the Deities by ringing the bell and chanting the
following mantras. First awaken Gurudev by touching his feet and
chanting:
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha śrī guro
tyaja nidrāṁ kṛpāmaya
O most merciful Gurudeva, please arise, please arise and give up your
sleep.
Touching the feet of Śrī Gaurāṅga and then Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu,
awaken Them with:
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha gaurāṅga
jahi nidrāṁ mahāprabho
śubha-dṛṣṭi pradānena
trailokya-maṅgalaṁ kuru
O Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, please arise, please arise and give up Your
sleep. Please bestow your benediction upon the three worlds with
Your auspicious glance.
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha nityānanda
jahi nidrāṁ saṅkarṣaṇa
śubha-dṛṣṭi pradānena
trailokya-maṅgalaṁ kuru
O Nityānanda Prabhu, please arise, please arise and give up Your
sleep. Please bestow your benediction upon the three worlds with
Your auspicious glance.
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Next, while touching the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, awaken
Them by chanting:
go-gopa-gokulānanda
yaśodānanda vardhana
uttiṣṭha rādhayā sārddhaṁ
prātar āsīj jagat-pate
O joy of Gokula, O joy of the cowherd boys and the cows! O You who
increases Mother Yaśodā’s bliss! O Lord of the universe! Please arise
along with Śrī Rādhā, for it is almost morning.
Afterward, meditate that these personalities have risen and taken

their seat on the altar. Physically place the Deities on the altar if they
were removed to a separate bed the previous night.
3. Offering Acaman
Offer Gurudeva and Thakurji acamaniyam (water to purify their

hands and mouth) with the mantras:
idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ aiṁ gurave namaḥ – offer a drop of ācamana

water into the throw-out pot
idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ klīṁ sri gaura-candraya nivedyami – offer

ācamana drop into the throw-out pot
idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ niṁ nityānanda-candraya nivedyami – etc.
(If short of time, do Them together: idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ niṁ klīṁ nitāi-
gaurāngabhyām nivedyāmi namaḥ)
idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ klīṁ kṛṣṇayā nivedyami
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idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ klīṁ raṁ rādhikāyai nivedyami
(If short of time, do Them together: idaṁ ācamanīyaṁ śrīṁ raṁ

rādhā-kṛṣṇābhyāṁ nivedyami namah)
Then offer Them tambula (betel nuts) to refresh their mouths with
idam tambulam plus the mula mantras.
Then offer Gurudeva and Thakurji pranam with either the Guru
pranam mantra:
O Gurudeva, you are so merciful. I offer my humble pranāma to you
and am praying from the core of my heart that, with the torchlight of
divine knowledge, you open my eyes which have been blinded by the
darkness of ignorance.
Or with the Samaṣṭigata praṇāma

Śrīnath Pandit, Mukta Phala commentary
I offer my respects time and again unto Śrī Gurudeva, Śrī
Gauracandra, Śrīmatī Rādhikā, Her followers and Her Vraja Dhama,
unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, and unto the devotees of His
devotees.
Or with Śrī Kṛṣṇa-praṇāma
he kṛṣṇa! karuṇā-sindho! dīna-bandho! jagat-pate!
gopeśa! gopikā-kānta! rādhā-kānta! namo'stu te
I offer my unlimited praṇāmas unto You, O Kṛṣṇa! You are the ocean
of mercy, the friend of the fallen, Lord of creation, and master of the
cowherd community! You are Gopī-kānta, beloved of the gopīs, and
above all You are Rādhā-kānta, the beloved of Śrīmatī Rādhikā!
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4. Mangal Ārati
In ārati we offer everything first to Krishna and then to the other

deities ending with our Guru parampara and Gurudeva because we
cannot offer Krishna the remnants of Krishna’s associates and
servants (After Krishna all items must be offered to Thakurji above
Their navel).
Say the name of the object you offer, viz. idam dhūpam (Here is
incense) followed by the mula mantra of each deity: idam dhupam
kling krishnaya nivedyami, idam dhupam kling rang radhikayai
nivedyami, idam dhupam kling gaura-candraya nivedyami, idam
dhupam ning nityanada-candraya nivedyami, idam dhupam (oing
advaita-candraya nivedyami), idam dhupam aim (guru parampara)
gurave namah. (Optional)
Items to be offered: dhūpa (incense), dīpa (Ghee lamp), jala (water),

vastra (cloth), puṣpa (flowers), peacock fan, camara (Yaktail fan). The
first five items correspond to the five material elements.
Incense: idam dhūpam (plus the bija mantra of Krishna, then

Radha, then Gaura, Nityananda, Gurudev)
Ghee lamp – idam dhīpam
Water (in Conch shell) – idam jalam (idam jala shankam)
Cloth - idam vastram
Flowers (with candan) – esha (sa candan gandha) pushpanjali
Peacock fan – no mantra; Chamara – no mantra
71
Flower garlands - idam sugandha malyam - may be offered at the
end of ārati or later after Śringar (dressing and decorating
Thakurji).
While arati is being offered we sing the two Mangal arati songs (to
Gaura-Nitai and to Radha-Krishna) followed by “Jaya Radhe, Radhe
Govinda jaya Radhe Radhe” (See our song book, Sri Kirtanamritam).
5. Tulasi Puja/Parikrama (See below)

6. Ahnik (See Sadhana Samput or separate paper of the
mantras and instructions given by Gurudeva at diksha)
7. Pūjā
7.1 Manasi Pūjā (aka aradhana - worshipping mentally, offering 16

or 32 articles by mind)
7.2 External Pūjā (aka arcana)
In pūjā we first meditate on Sri Guru, then Nabadwip Yogapith and

then the Vrindavan Yogapith. This is because we can only approach
Nitai-Gauranga through Sri Guru, and we can only approach Radha-
Krishna through Nitai-Gauranga. Therefore we first offer all the
items (upacars) to Guru, then Gauranga, then Nityananda, then
Krishna and then Radha (then other deities). Say the name of the
object you offer, viz. idam dhūpam (Here is incense) followed by the
mula mantra of each deity:
(By mind we offer pūjā first to our Guru parampara, then parameṣṭhi
guru, then paratpara guru, then paramguru, then our own Guru -
aiṁ śrī guru-paramparāyai namaḥ, aiṁ parameṣṭhi gurave namaḥ,
72
aiṁ paratpara-gurave namaḥ, aiṁ parama-gurave namaḥ, aiṁ
gurave namaḥ).
Say the name of the object you offer, viz. idam dhūpam (Here is
incense) followed by the mula mantra of each deity: i.e idam dhupam
aim gurave namah, idam dhupam kling gaura-candraya nivedyami,
idam dhupam ning nityanada-candraya nivedyami, idam dhupam
kling krishnaya nivedyami, idam dhupam kling rang radhikayai
nivedyami.
Items to be offered in this order: dhūpa (incense), dīpa (Ghee lamp),

jala (water), vastra (cloth), puṣpa (flowers), peacock fan, camara
(Yaktail fan).
The five arati articles represent the five elements. Incense – space,
ghee lamp – fire, conch shell – water, flower – earth, fan – air.
Bell - By ringing the bell (gantha) we are calling ‘Please hear me, O
Thakurji’. Bell ringing and conch shell blowing invoke auspiciousness
and dispels material contamination (bad vibes).
(Optional: Scent/fragrance usually offered in temples in India -

Imani gandhyani (atar – flower essence or frankincense or maer
or any other fragrant resin. If not available, - offer incense
stick/s).
Incense: idam dhūpam (plus the bija mantra of Guru, then

Gauranga, Nityananda, Krishna, Radha)
Ghee lamp – idam dhīpam
Water (in Conch shell) – idam jala shankam
73
Cloth - idam vastram
Flowers (with candan) – esha (sa candan gandha) pushpanjali
Peacock fan – no mantra; Camara – no mantra
Flower garlands - idam sugandha malyam - may be offered at the

end of ārati or later after Śringar (dressing and decorating Thakurji).
idam sarvam (all the other items we haven’t offered, 16 or 32

upacars which are offered when we perform manasi puja or manasi
upasana - worshipping Thakurji by mind).
8. Food (bhoga) offering
Here we offer the bhoga first to Krishna and then to the other deities
ending with Gurudeva. The reason is that we cannot offer the
remnants of Gurudev to Krishna or to Nitai-Gauranga. Once we offer
the bhoga to Krishna it becomes His maha prasadam remnants which
are then offered to everyone else.
In the morning offer Thakurji some milk sweets or dry fruits, hot
sweet milk, (or even just a cup of tea) with a Tulasi leaf and a drop of
water (Same procedure for any bhoga offering). If Tulasi leaves are
not available, touch the offering with a Tulasi mala or pendant
instead.
etat sa tulasi patra naivedyam jalam ca klim krishnaya nivedyami
etat sa krsna mahaprasadam naivedyam jalam ca kling rang

radhikayai nivedyami
74
(If no time, do both Radha-Krishna together: sri radha krishnabhyam
nivedyami namah)
etat sa tulasi patram naivedyam jalam ca kling sri gaura-candraya

nivedyami
etat sa gaura mahaprasadam naivedyam jalam ca ning nityananda-

candraya nivedyami
(Or together: etat sa tulasi patra naivedyam jalam ca sri nitai-
gaurangabhyam nivedyami namah)
After a few minutes re-enter the altar room. Before entering, let
Thakurji know you are about to enter by clapping your hands three
times (in gradually increasing volume so as not to startle Thakurji)
and ring the bell. Offer Thakurji acamaniyam and tambula again:
idam acamaniyam klim rang radha krishnabhyam nivedyami
idam acamaniya klim nitai-gauranga nivedyami
idam tambulam klim rang radha krishnabhyam nivedyami
idam tambulam klim nitai gaurangabhyam nivedyami
Now offer the maha-prasadam to Sri Guru and his associates with:
Either - idam mahaprasadam aing sri gurave nivedyami namah
Or - idam mahaprasadm aing sri guruvargebhyo nivedyami

namah (guruvargebhyo means Guru varga/our Guru parampara)
idam mahaprasadam aing sarva sakhebho nivedyami namah

(Gurudeva’s associates and disciples)
75
9. Putting Thakurji to rest
We put Thakurji to rest twice, once after midday bhoga (Bal Bhog)
offering, and once at night.
After the evening ārati, remove the crowns, vaṁśī (flute), and other
ornaments from the Deities, and pray to Them to lay down on Their
beds for śayana, or rest, by saying:
āgaccha śayana-sthānaṁ priyābhiḥ saha keśava
divya puṣpātya-śayyāyāṁ sukhaṁ vihara mādhava
“O Keśava, kindly come to Your bed along with Your beloved Śrīmatī
Rādhikā. O Mādhava, this effulgent bed of fragrant flowers is made
for Your auspicious amorous pastimes.”
Gauranga – āgaccha viśrāma-sthānaṁ sva-gaṇaiḥ saha gauranga

kṣaṇaṁ viśrāmya sukhena līlāya vihāra prabho
Nityananda – āgaccha viśrāma-sthānaṁ nityānanda jagat guroh

tava rūpe maha viṣnor anante śayanam kuru
Then invite Srī Gurudeva and his associates to their resting place:
āgaccha viśrāma-sthānaṁ sva-gaṇaiḥ saha śrī guroḥ
O Gurudeva, kindly come to your resting place along with all your
associates.
The Gopal deity bija mantra is kling gopalaya svaha (the same as the
Krishna bija mantra). Giriraja bija mantra - kling girirajaya svaha.
Śalagram śila worship is only for brahmanas and is not recommended
for those of us who have taken birth in the West (just as the brahman
thread and the chanting of the Brahma Gayatri mantra is a
varṇāśrama-dharma requirement for brahmanas only and is not
necessary for non-brahmanas).
76
Abhishek
The ingredients for abhishek are (in that order): Milk, yogurt, honey,
ghee, sugar (or sugar water; fruit juice may also be used). After giving
snan (bathing) the deity with these five items the resultant liquid
becomes pancamrita – fivefold nectar – which we honour after the
abhishek. After bathing Thakurji with these five items we bathe Them
with water, dry Them with a clean towel and redress Them. Then we
offer Them Bhoga and then perform Their ārati.
Tulasi Mantras and Prayers

Śrī Tulasī-praṇāma
vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-prade devī! satyavatyai namo namaḥ
I offer praṇāma time and again unto Śrīmatī Tulasī-devī, also known
as Vṛndā and Satyavatī, who is very dear to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and who
bestows kṛṣṇa-bhakti.
Tulasi snan mantra (The mantra for bathing Tulasī devī)

govinda-vallabhāṁ devīṁ
bhakti-caitanya-kāriṇīṁ
snāpayāmi jagad-dhātrīṁ
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāyinīm
O Devi, I am bathing you who are very dear to Govinda, who gives life
to the devotees [or who is the life of bhakti], you are the mother of
the entire world and you bestows kṛṣṇa-prema (Tulasi devi is also
Bhakti devi).
77
Mantra for picking leaves and manjaris of Tulasī
tulasy amṛta-janmāsi
sadā tvaṁ keśava-priyā
keśavārthe cinomi tvāṁ
varadā bhava śobhane
O Tulasī, you manifested from nectar and you are very dear to Śrī
Keśava. Now I am collecting your leaves for the service of Keśava. O
bestower of benedictions; be pleased with me.
Forgiveness mantra (aparādha-kṣamā-prārthanā-mantra)

cayanod bhava duḥkhaṁ ca
yad hṛdi tava vartate
tat kṣamasva jagan-mātaḥ
vṛndā-devi namo ‘stu te
O mother of the universe, please forgive me if I have caused you any
pain by picking your leaves. O Vṛndā-devi, I offer my humble
obeisances unto you. You manifested from nectar and you are very
dear to Śrī Keśava. Now I am collecting your leaves for the service of
Keśava. O bestower of benedictions, be pleased with me.
Concluding words
Let’s remember that what is important is not to memorize all the

many mantras and slokas but to be inspired by them and let the
feelings they invoke into our hearts. Bhakti is the ultimate love affair
for the Divine Couple, not a chore, not a guilt trip, but an affair of the
heart. Therefore noticing the feelings in our hearts is more essential
than trying to figure it all out in the mind. Srila Premgopal Goswami
Gurudeva says, “Do little but do it with love.” Do small things for
78
Radha-Krishna with big love and let yourself feel the sweetness of
bhakti. Radhe! Radhe!
This English version of Sadhana Samput is only an approximation of

the original book compiled by Prabhupada Śrī Madangopal Goswami
and is by nature incomplete. The compiler begs Srila Gurudeva and
the readers to forgive any mistakes, omissions and
misunderstandings. We hope this revised edition will be useful and
inspirational for all our respected readers.
79
Śloka Index
ājānu-lambita-bhujau, 5 maryādā-laṅghane, 8
ajñāna-timirāndhasya, 4, 20 nāhaṁ vipro na ca, 55
anamika kamadokta, 48 namaḥ oṁ viṣṇupādāya, 28
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt, 70 namo nalina-netrāya, 26, 62
anyābhilāṣitā śūnyaṁ, 68 nasadi kesa parjantam, 51
apavitraḥ pavitro vā, 45 nityānanda priyātmane, 4
ārādhyo bhagavān, 69 patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ, 12
aradhyo nasika mulam, 47 phullendīvara-kāntim, 32
ayur balam yasu varcah, 33 prātaḥ prabodhito viṣṇo, 31
baddhe vitanute bhaktim, 21 pṛthvi tvayā dhṛtā lokā, 36
baddhe vitanute bhaktiṁ, 5 sagaragna nirgosa, 34
etad sa-tulasi patra, 67 samudra-mekhale devi, 22, 30
gaṅge ca yamune caiva, 38 śrī gaurāṅga-nityānanda, 6,
govinda-vallabhāṁ de, 66 21, 26, 29
guhyāti-guhya-goptā tvaṁ, 57 śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, 6, 27
gurave gauracandrāya, 4, 22 tan-nāma-rūpa, 68
harer nāma harer nāma, 10 tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi, 22
idam arghyam sriṁ, 54 tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi, 26
jaya śrī rūpa, sanātana, 61 tribhaṅga bhaṅgīnam rūpa 26
jayatāṁ su-ratau, 21 tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ, 62
jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor, 6 urddha pundrai, 49
jayati jana-nivāso, 32 vāñchā-kalpa, 25
jayati jayati nāmānanda, 63 vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś, 5, 66
jīve doyā nāme ruci, 23 vande ‘haṁ śrī-guroḥ, 4, 58
karāgre vasate lakṣmī, 20 viṣṇu pūjāo yadi jīve, 23
klīṁ kāmadevāya vidmahe, 24 vrindayai tulasi devyai, 66
klīṁ kṛṣṇāya govindāya, 24 vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai, 25
kuruksetram gaya ganga, 34 yadyapio tumi, 8
madhura-madhuram, 63 yasya prasādād bhagavat, 29
Madhurena Samapayet - All is well that ends in sweetness
80
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Śrī Śrī Guru, Śrī Śrī Nitāi-Gaurāṅga, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa jayataḥ!

Prabhupad Srila Premgopal Goswami

vande ‘haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

I offer pranamas to the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva (who includes

jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī

All glories to Śrī Rādhā and Madana-Mohana who are engaged in

Śrī Pañca-tattva mantra (2)

hare krishna hare krishna

Krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama

rama rama hare hare

Why follow sadācāra - the proper devotional conduct for practicing

The word sadācāra is a combination of two words:

2. The heart of a saintly person is completely pure and his activities

3. Vaisnava etiquette generates opulence, increases fame and

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted us to follow Vaisnava etiquette:

Mahaprabhu told Sanatan Goswami, “In affairs of spiritual

The elevated consciousness of Vaisnavas is reflected in their actions

The rules and regulations of bhakti are like signposts on the

Niyamāgrahaḥ means practicing the scriptural rules and regulations

How strict should one follow sadācāra? If we had to follow

However, Krishna is very merciful and he says in the Bhagavad

There is great benefit in following the traditional, ancestral way of

Therefore, it is necessary to present the original teachings in order to

We hope the English readers of Sadhana Samput treat this book as a

Srila Premgopal Goswami has been teaching us that it is a

In consultation with Srila Premgopal Goswami, we have simplified

Pratah Jagaran (Waking up in the morning)

Puja and Arcanam (Worshiping and Serving the Deities)

General Rules for Sadacar

Jay Nitai! Jay Gaura!

Your ever well wisher,

Prabhupada Srila Premgopal Goswami, Bhagavat Ratna Acarya

Śrī Guru praṇāma

I was blinded by the darkness of ignorance but Śrī Gurudev has

I offer prayers to Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī, who

3. Remember Nitāi Gauranga and offer yourself to Them (or to the

(jay) śrī gaurāṅga-nityānanda śrī advaita-candra

4. Remember Rādhā-Krishna (in the particular form you worship) and

Śrī Rādhā-Madana-mohana praṇāma

5. Remember our Svāminī Śrīmatī Rādhikā and our ultimate

6. Remember all worshipable spiritual personalities and invoke their

7. Before putting your feet on the ground chant the following:

Expanded explanation: It’s an offence to touch someone’s body with one’s

8. As you go through your morning routine (ablutions), chant the

klīṁ kāmadevāya vidmahe puṣpa-bāṇāya dhīmahi tan no 'naṅgaḥ

13. Perform the Tulasī Devi arati/parikrama with the appropriate

Śrī Vaiṣṇava praṇāma

14. Mantras to be chanted before taking Harinam:

namo nalina-netrāya veṇu-vādya-vinodine

tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi na jīvāmi tvayā vinā

I am Yours! I am Yours! I cannot live without You! O Devi (Rādhikā),

(jay) śrī gaurāṅga-nityānanda śrī advaita-candra

Prabhupāda Śrīla Premgopāl Goswāmī says, “Do little but do it with

Practice makes perfect. We must chant Harinam and the diksha

(Editorial note: Usually there are no personal pranama mantras for

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo

Along with Sri Gurudeva we should also remember his associates -

Then remember one’s worshipable Deities (istadeva) and chant Their

(jay) śrī gaurāṅga-nityānanda śrī advaita-candra

(Editorial note: If you can’t memorise the above mantra or haven’t

Other (optional) mantras upon waking up

(O Gauranga, protect me! O Gauranga, deliver me!)