Home Deity Worship Course

Day-3
 Accessibility
Five manifestations of the Lord
• Para-Original form
• Vyüha - Quadruple expansions
• Vibhava - Pastime incarnations
• Antaryämé - The Supersoul
• Arcä -The Deity
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord – Para
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord – Vyuha
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord – Vibhava
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord – Paramatma
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord – Archa
 Accessibility
Five Manifestations of the Lord
Name Place Analogy Accessibility
Para the form of Lord in Ocean Inaccessible –
the spiritual world water unable to drink

Vyuha Caturvyuha forms in Water in the Inaccessible

Vaikuntha Cloud
Vibhava Forms in which He River water Accessible to
appears in different people in
TPC certain TPC
Paramatma In the heart Ground Accessible but
water one has to
endeavor -
meditation
Arca Visible to eyes Tap water Accessible for
Vigraha everyone
 Accessibility
Krishna is all pervading and present everywhere but becomes
accessible to the conditioned soul through His Deity.
e.g.-
1.Cow & Udder
2.Television Program
3.Tap & Water
 Qualifications for Arcana

The Pancaratra-sastra clearly defines the preliminary qualifications

a person must have to perform arcana. Family origins and social
position are not considerations; all that is required is strong faith in
Vishnu or Krsna.

By the authority of the Pancaratra scriptures, when the spiritual

master judges his disciple qualified with sincere faith, he gives the
disciple Vaisnava diksa, also known as panca-samskara

• Vaisnava name,
• Vaisnava tilaka,
• Vaisnava symbols,
• Vaisnava mantras,
• learning method of worshipping the Deity.

The disciple is then qualified to perform arcana.

 Qualifications for Arcana

Taking care of
Reading
Following household Home
Chanting Srila
regulative responsibility Deity
16 rounds prabhupad
principle and assisting worship
books
local temple
Purity and cleanliness are essential in deity worship. The Hari-
bhakti-vilasa describes six divisions of purity which must be
established:

Dress code
Wear Fresh cloths (silk is the best for pujaris. you can wear silk
many times before washing it, provided it has not contacted
anything impure items)

• Purity of place (sthana-suddhi)

• Purity of articles (dravya-suddhi)
• Purity of body (atma-suddhi)
• Purity of mind (citta-suddhi)
• Purity of mantra (mantra-suddhi)
• Purity of the deity (murti-suddhi)
 Cleanliness
(Internal )
Bhuta suddhi
my spiritual master's mercy has enabled me to know that I am
Krishna’s eternal servant, an infinitesimal spiritual being completely
apart from the gross and subtle body. And so by the order of my
spiritual master I have obtained the good fortune of serving his lotus
feet and, following in his footsteps, the lotus feet of Sri Sri Gaur nitai

Bhava-suddhi

the consciousness of the pujari must be pure

One's consciousness is pure by having a service attitude and
absorbing oneself in meditation. As bhava-suddhi intensifies, one
enters into the spiritual world of Krsna lila, and the ritual becomes
one's reality.
 Arati

The Sanskrit word arati literally means "before night." Ratri (night).

The waving of the lamp before the Deity thus implies the dispelling of
the night of our material existence with the light of devotion through which
God is revealed.

the Arati articles are satisfying to the senses and represent our offering
all the elements in the Lord’s creation back to the Lord for His satisfaction.

during the arati, the devotee unravels himself from the entanglement
of material nature by offering the Deity all of the material elements that colour
his consciousness.

While arati is a ritual that purifies the heart, a ritual leading to higher reality, it is
also a reality unto itself AA RATI. Such is the nature of bhakti, for devotion is
both means and end. As we have heard, even the gopis perform arati, thus
there is arati for the sadhaka and arati for the siddha.
 Offering of Subtle elements
Ahankara -During the arati, first and foremost the devotee offers
himself. In so doing, he removes ahankara, the material ego.

Mind - tradition, true to its emphasis on the efficacy of chanting the

sacred names of God, the offering of all the arati items is preceded by
uttering the name of the Deity one is worshipping.

Bhuddi – Knowing thinks what we are offering and maintaining the

time and number of rounds

In the case of krama mukti ,the devotee will meet all of the deities
presiding over the material elements and realize that they are
eternally worshipping the supreme Deity. Those who perform arati can
thus conceive that they are in presence of all of these deities in their
purest expression of devotion to Krsna, an experience witnessed at the
time of liberation.
 Arati
Panca nirajana

Aratrika using more items, current for sometime in Bengal, is derived

from some tantrik scriptures (kulottara tantra) which direct one to
perform panca nirajana. Offering 5 items: lamps, arghya water, clean
cloth, leaves or flowers and pranamas .

Full aratrika: The standard order of offering these items as follows:

incense, lamp, conch water, cloth, flowers, camara, peacock fan and
blowing conch.

Short aratrika: According to scripture the minimum aratrika will consist

of incense, lamp, flowers, camara and peacock feather fan.
 Arati
Conch - shell blown at the beginning and end of each Arati drives away
inauspicious elements.
Bell - The sound of the bell is dear to the Lord and embodies all music.

Dhoop-The incense represents the purified state of mind, and one's

intelligence is offered in the discrimination required with regard to timing and
order.
Dip- The lamp represents the fire element (heat),

Argyam &Vastram-The water and the accompanying handkerchief

correspond with the water element (liquidity).

Puspam- the flower represents the earth (solidity), for all fragrance is found
therein.

Camara seva- Royal ,remove flies, fan the ether (space).

Vyajana seva- the peacock fan for the air (movement),

 Lamp offerings
The lamp should have an uneven number of wicks: one, five,
seven, nine etc.
Wicks should be made of fresh white cotton with ghee. If ghee is not
available good smelling oil may be used. Camphor may also be
offered as nirajana.

Brahma vaivarta purana says that one should offer four times to the
feet two times to the naval three times to the head and seven times to
all the limbs of the lord's body in clockwise direction

adau catus pada talaikadese

dvau nabhi dese ca mukha mandale trin
Sarvesu gatresu ca sapta baran
aratri kam tan munayo vadanti
After offering the lamps to the lord one should offer to the lord’s
associates, srila prabhupad and then wave in the direction of the
devotees.
 Arati
Conch water

Hari bhakti vilasa states that one should offer conch water three times
above the head.

One who receives this water one his head will be free from all
difficulties and sickness

Raja seva: service offer able to royalty in the form of of camara and
peacock feather fan are added. This fan is not offered during the cold
season or on chilly days or mornings.

It is also customary to blow the conch shell before and after the
aratrika. Though as an auspicious sound it may be blown at any time
during the worship of the lord like abhishek etc. After blowing the
conch it should be wash outside of the Deity room.
 Arati Procedure
Purification before Entering the Deity Room:

Wash your feet, sit on an asana and perform acamana . Offer flower
(pushpanjali) to guru and chant following mantra

sri-guro paramananda premananda phala-prada

vrajananda-pradananda sevayam ma niyojaya

'My dear spiritual master, who gives the fruit of the highest bliss- the
bliss of love of Godhead - please engage me in the blissful service of
Sri Krsna, who bestows bliss upon the land of Vraja.

Offer obeisance to your spiritual master and Srila prabhupad by saying

their pranam mantras and requesting his blessings to perform the day's
activities.
Prepare arati plate
 Arati Procedure
Sri Gaur nitai
Arati Procedure:

Present the item as taking permission first to your spiritual master by

waving it in three graceful circleswaving it in one cricle to param
guru, waving one circle to Sri Nithyananda prabhu and then start full
Arati with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

[With the consciousness that you are offering it on behalf of your

spiritual master and with the blessings of Srila Prabhupada, offer it with
the full number of circles (listed below)]

Sri
Sri Sri
Caitanya Tulsi Srila Srila
Nithyananda Narshimha
Maha Maharani prabhupad Gurudev
prabhu dev
prabhu
 Arati Procedure
Arati paraphernalia should be offered gracefully, in a
meditative mood. But do not be either too slow or too fast, and do not
perform it in a showy manner, but as a humble servant of your spiritual
master and the assembled Vaisnavas—stand to the left of the altar

Offered items should not be mixed with unoffered items. You

should place offered items outside the aarti plate and do not keep
offered items back on the same plate.

Offer all the items, except the camara and peacock fan, by
moving them in clockwise circles while ringing a bell with your left
hand (above waist level), fixing your attention on the Deities.
 Mantras
Guru Çré gurave namaù
Previous guru Çré parama-gurave namaù
Lord Caitanya Çré gauraya namaù
Lord Nityänanda Çré nityänandäya namaù
Lord Kåñëa, Lord Jagannätha, Govardhana-çilä, Çré kåñëäya namaù
Çalagräma-çilä and Dvärakä-çilä
Çrématé Rädhäräëé Çré rädhäyai namaù
Lord Balaräma Çré balarämäya namaù
Çrématé Subhadrä Çré subhadräyai namaù
Çré Sudarçana Çré sudarçanäya namaù
Çrématé Tulasé-devé Çré tulasyai namaù
Nåsiàha Çré nåsiàhäya namaù
Prahläda Çré prahlädäya namaù
Lakñmé-Nåsiàha Çré lakñmé-nåsiàhäbhyäà namaù
Lord Rämacandra Çré rämäya namaù
Çrématé Sétä çré sétäyai namaù
Çré Lakñmaëa Çré lakñmaëäya namaù
Çré Hanumän Çré hanumate namaù
 Arati Procedure -Sri Gaur nitai
FB  Full Body; LF Lotus Feet; N Navel; F  Face
Items  Srila
Gaur Nitai Nrsimha Tulsi Guru dev
Circles  prabhupad
Dhoop stick (esa
dhupaa + mula- 7 FB 7 FB 3 3 7 FB 7 FB
mantra)
Ghee lamp (esa 4 LF, 2N,
4 LF, 2N, 3F, 4 LF, 2N, 3F, 4 LF, 2N, 3F,
dipa + mula- 3 3 3F,
mantra) 7 FB 7 FB 7 FB
7 FB
Arghya(idam
arghyam + mula- 3F, 7FB 3F, 7FB 3 3 3F, 7FB 3F, 7 FB
mantra)
Handkerchief (idam
vastram + mula- 7 FB 7 FB 3 3 7 FB 7 FB
mantra)
Flowers (ethani
puspani + mula- 7 FB 7 FB 3 3 7 FB 7 FB
mantra)
Camara (esa
camara-seva + 7 7 3 3 7 7
mula mantra)
Peacock fan (esa
vyajana-seva + 7 7 3 3 7 7
mula mantra)
 Arati Procedure -Sri Radha krishna &
Sri Gaur nitai
Items 
Krsna Radha Gaur Nitai Nrsimha Tulsi SP GM
Circles 
Dhoop stick (esa
dhopa + mula- 7FB 7FB 7FB 7FB 3 3 7FB 7FB
mantra)
Ghee lamp (esa 4 LF, 2N, 4 LF, 2N, 4 LF, 2N, 4 LF, 2N, 4 LF, 2N, 4 LF, 2N,
dipa + mula- 3F, 3F, 3F, 3F, 3 3 3F, 3F,
mantra) 7 FB 7 FB 7 FB 7 FB 7 FB 7 FB
Arghya(idam
arghyam + mula- 3F, 7FB 3F, 7FB 3F, 7FB 3F, 7FB 3 3 3F, 7FB 3F, 7FB
mantra)
Handkerchief
(idam vastram + 7FB 7FB 7FB 7FB 3 3 7FB 7FB
mula-mantra)
Flowers (etani
puspani + mula- 7FB 7FB 7FB 7FB 3 3 7FB 7FB
mantra)
Camara (esa
camara-seva + 7 7 7 7 3 3 7 7
mula mantra)
Peacock fan
(esa vyajana-
7 7 7 7 3 3 7 7
seva + mula
 Arati Procedure
Completing the arati:

• After completing the arati, blow the conch three times outside the
Deity room.
• Transfer arghya water into the sprinkler
• Then with joined palms offer pranama prayers softly to your spiritual
master and Their Lordships.
• Next remove the arati paraphernalia for washing, clean the area.
• At last offer dandavat-pranamas (prostrated obeisances) outside
the Deity room
• Chant the aparädha sodhana mantras.
 Aparadha-sodhana-mantras
(Verses for Requesting Forgiveness for One's Offenses)

All pujaris need to recite these mantras after completing any deity service (Arati/
offering/ Dressing etc.)

mantra-hénaà kriyä-hénaà bhakti-hénaà janärdana

yat püjitaà mayä deva paripürëaà tad astu me

O my Lord, O Janärdana, whatever little püjä or worship that has been performed
by me, although it is without devotion, without proper mantras, and without the
proper performance, please let that become complete.

yad-dattaà bhakti-mätrena patraà puñpaà phalaà jalam

äveditaà nivedyan tu tad gåhäëänukampayä

Whatever has been offered with devotion-the leaf, the flower, the water, the fruit,
the food offering-please accept it out of Your causeless mercy.
 Aparadha-sodhana-mantras
(Verses for Requesting Forgiveness for One's Offenses)

vidhi-hénaà mantra-hénaà yat kiïcid upapäditam

kriyä-mantra-vihénaà vä tat sarvaà kñantum arhasi

Whatever has happened without the proper chanting of the mantra, or without
following the proper procedure, kindly forgive all that.

ajïänäd athavä jïänäd açubhaà yan mayä kåtam

kñantum arhasi tat sarvaà däsyenaiva gåhäna mäm
sthitiù sevä gatir yäträ småtiç cintä stutir vacaù
bhüyät sarvätmanä viñëo madéyaà tvayi ceñöitam

Whatever inauspicious things I have done out of ignorance or unknowingly, please

forgive that, and accept me as Your insignificant servant. Let my normal condition
be service, let my movement be holy pilgrimage, let my thought be remembrance of
You, let my words be glorification of You. O Visnu, let my activities, with my
whole mind, body and soul, be engaged in You.
 Aparadha-sodhana-mantras
(Verses for Requesting Forgiveness for One's Offenses)

aparädha-sahasräëi kriyante 'har-niñaà mayä

däso 'ham iti mäà matvä kñamasva madhusüdana

Thousands of offenses are performed by me day and night. But thinking of me as

Your servant, kindly forgive those, O Madhusüdana.

pratijïä tava govinda na me bhaktaù praëaçyati

iti saàsmåtya saàsmåtya präëän saìdhärayämy aham

O Govinda, Your promise is that Your devotee will never perish. By remembering
this over and over again, I am able to retain my life-airs.