Bhoga (Conversations and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"bhoga"

Notes from the compiler: Do not compile the hits that are in quoted verses

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Sudāmā: And how many full āratis should we perform, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Three main: maṅgala-ārati, bhoga-ārati and sandhya-ārati. These are main. Then you can offer śayana-ārati before going to bed. śayana-ārati. And these four, and dhūpa-ārati just after lighting, or before lighting. Then, after rest in afternoon, dhūpa-ārati. After dressing, dhūpa-ārati. So two, three dhūpa-ārati, and three, four full āratis. Three must be, and four also, four, full āratis. And dhūpa-ārati at least three, four. In this way.

Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Bhānu: The full ārati will be in the morning, maṅgala-ārati, there will be the noon ārati, supposed to be one in the evening. When should the other full ārati be?

Prabhupāda: When the Deities are going to bed. Before going to bed. Yes. śayana-ārati, it is called śayana-ārati. Sundara-ārati, bhoga-ārati, maṅgala-ārati. You write down. Maṅgala-ārati early in the morning, bhoga-ārati at noon, offering prasādam, then sundara-ārati just after half an hour or one hour sunset, then śayana-ārati.

Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Bhānu: Should the Deities be offered grains for breakfast?

Prabhupāda: No. Grains...Grains only bhoga-ārati and at night... Purī also grain. It is also grain. And during daytime, cāpāṭī, rice, dahl, like that. Breakfast, fruits, milk, sweets, breakfast. And early, maṅgala-ārati, condensed milk. And breakfast, butter, sugar candy, casein. You are calling Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme. You must offer Him nice things. Not a poor man gets like Him. He's the richest man. If a poor man can be supplied so many things, how the rich man should be offered? And as far as possible, distribute prasādam. (break) People should be called.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Not kīrtana. Kīrtana, ārati, bhoga, lecture, so many ways. I have explained this.

Guru dāsa: Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...big hotel, ISKCON Vegetarian Hotel.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Five star.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of the big points is...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore, at the present moment, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Demons, they are too much attached to material enjoyment, bhoga and aiśvarya. So they cannot take to it. Therefore our general principle is to perform saṅkīrtana, not to talk philosophy. When one is interested, then he can talk philosophy. Otherwise this talk should be amongst inner circles, with the students and the teacher, those who are submissive. Otherwise it should be avoided. It will create misunderstanding.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Materialistic means that is the ultimate end of materialistic life. Because they want new pleasure, new pleasure, new pleasure, so sometimes this, sometimes that... Sometimes they think the civilized way is better; sometimes the uncivilized way is better. That's all, this way and that way. That is called punaḥ punaś ca... And then you'll take again to civilized way of... I think some of the hippies are taking now. Yes. Because the same example, stool, this side or that side, it is stool. So these materialistic persons, they are trying to change from this side to that side, but it is stool. That is the... That they do not know. They are accepting stool as something very sublime, and therefore they are trying to change the position, sometimes this side, sometimes that side. Hitvā anyathā rūpam. This is anyathā rūpam, means a living being. Being spiritual, his business is spiritual, but he has accepted material as the platform of his happiness. That is his fault. So material thing, either this side or that side, it is material. Bhoga-tyāga. So therefore he is not happy. And we are trying to give him spiritual platform for happiness. That is real happiness.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1975, Honolulu:

Guru kṛpā: The trouble is is that even if we explain these things to most people, factually their only interest is how they can eat, and how they can gratify their senses, and they take these other scientists up as the extracurricular...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore it is said, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). "Those who have lost their identity, being captivated by bhoga and aiśvarya, they cannot understand." Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahataḥ. For slight, so-called happiness they are making big, big problems (projects?). Māyā... bharam. Bharam means big, big problems. (projects?). And sometimes they put forward their whim (?) for the next generation. Now, if Darwin's theory accepted, the monkeys never thought of the next generation, so how you have got this consciousness(?)? Why you are thinking of your next generation? What is the argument?

Morning Walk -- October 6, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: Africa, one side Atlantic, one side Indian. (break) ...is growing on the sand, and they say there is no life in the sand. (break—windy beach) ...Bhoga. Bhoga means sense gratification, and aiśvarya, opulence. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām: (BG 2.44) "Those who are lost of consciousness, such persons become attached to sense gratification and material opulence," bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām, "and not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Vyavasāyātmikā-buddhiḥ: "How to become spiritually liberated, they do not care for it." These things do not interest them.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Everything is Bhagavān but appears like different to the different vision. Therefore we take everything.... kṛṣṇa-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Everything..., in everything there is Kṛṣṇa's relationship. So there is no question of giving it up. Why shall I give it up? This is Kṛṣṇa's property. Why shall I give it up, prāpañcikatayā buddhyā, by mistaking it as material? Kṛṣṇa-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. So these Māyāvādīs, they say the brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This material world is false, and Brahman is reality." And we don't say that. Everything is reality because it comes from reality. When it is not used for Kṛṣṇa, that is unreality. It is not properly being used. Otherwise there is no such thing as unreality, because it is coming from reality. So why shall I give it up, tyāga? Neither tyāga, neither bhoga. Everything utilize for Kṛṣṇa. This is our way.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: So on the whole, what they are going to pay?

Viśvakarmā: About five hundred dollars.

Jagadīśa: Five hundred dollars!

Viśvakarmā: Oh, yes. I mean, I had some Indian men that gave three hundred dollars worth of bhoga just for your coming. Four men came with seventy pounds of butter, fifty pounds of sugar, so many preparation, ah, bhoga for offering. So I think they'll pay five hundred dollars. That's for catering. We give the prasāda, we give the hall for the evening. They can come, and the devotees will be there. We distribute prasāda to them, have kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: If kīrtana, prasāda distribution is there, you can allow. That is our main program.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Love means there is exchange. If you love somebody, if you have not given anything to that somebody, neither you have taken something from him, where is the love? Is that love? Means imperfect knowledge. You love... The conclusion is religion means to love God, and to love God means you must know who is God. There cannot be any other alternative. You must know the person who is God. Then you exchange. That we are teaching. We are asking our disciples to rise early in the morning, offer maṅgala ārati, then bhoga ārati. Are we so fools, rascals, that we are wasting time in worshiping a doll like that? Sometimes they think like that. But that is not the fact. You know definitely, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. He is God, and we must love Him like this." That is the superexcellence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We do everything definitely on positive platform.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Nandarāṇī: I remember in Delhi when they had only a few devotees, they were having three aratiks a day, a very simple program for Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: They can do that, simple, three.

Nandarāṇī: Can it be three, can it be simple?

Prabhupāda: Maṅgala āratik, bhoga āratika and sundara āratik, that's all.

Nandarāṇī: And changing Their clothes every day?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Every day.

Evening Darsana -- August 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Your mind, his business is to think something. But ordinarily the thinking is we accept something and reject something. Or accept the same thing and again reject the same thing. This business is going on. But if you think of question, there is no question of rejecting. Simply accepting. Then it is fixed up. Other things you accept and reject. Something we accept as "Oh, it is very good." Again, "No, no, it is not good." Accepting childish. Child is playing, one type of playing, "No, no, another one." That is material. And when you fix up, no rejection, simply accept it, that is Kṛṣṇa... So if you think of Kṛṣṇa... Just like here is temple. If you come and, as other devotees are doing, if you do, if you attend maṅgala-ārati, if you attend bhoga-ārati, always see, then offer obeisances, then naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa. Then as you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Just like if you touch with fire you remain always warm. Similarly man-manā, if you always think of Kṛṣṇa, you gradually become fully Kṛṣṇized, Kṛṣṇa's devotee, Kṛṣṇa's servant. That is perfection. There is no difficulty. People will not do that. That is the difficulty.

Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: But generally, generally, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu's process should be taken. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu represented Himself that "I am fool." He is not fool. He's representing the fools of this age. So if we take that process, it will be successful. It will be successful.

Commissioner: That also, (indistinct) that bhajana and every.

Prabhupāda: Yes, let them come. Let them come in the temple and there may be sumptuously offering of bhoga. Let them chant and take prasāda. In this chanting illiterate, literate, rascal, fool, lower, higher, everyone can join. And give them prasāda. See the effect.

Commissioner: Yes. That is also part of the, that is the other part of it. We are having dhana-prasthānam,(?) bhajana group, hari-kathā group...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 28-29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is no philosophy, no science, nothing at the temple. A small Deity, small.

Jayapatākā: Smallest. Even that, there's not regular bhoga or prasāda distribution, nothing. The people there, they came and asked me that "Why you don't establish, do some saṁskāra? You establish your mandira here." I said, "You tell the man here to give to us. Immediately I am putting one chada(?) on this nātha-mandira and distributing prasāda weekly, five hundred people." They surrounded, that man said, and practically everything less than physically grabbed him. They were yelling at him, "Why you are not giving?" Says, "If you don't do, then we'll make our own committee and give."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do that. They are simply... They can do.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1970:

Now first of all, let me inform you that in the Temple you finish Deity worship by 12 o'clock noon and then the Temple should be closed for 1 hour. Then after 1 o'clock you can continue earlier program for eight hours, as suggested by you, with out any impediment. Offer foodstuffs or Bhoga continually by batches as many times as you can manage and other things also—aratrik, kirtana and discussion may continue for eight hours from 1 to 9 p.m. I think this arrangement will be perfect.

I can understand from your letter that there is very good prospect of spreading our movement in London. I approve your scheme not to charge money for love-feast. Whatever voluntary contribution you receive, that is alright. So far items of foodstuff (Bhoga) and distribution of Prasadam are concerned, there is no need of increasing the number, better reduce it to five just like rice, dahl, capati or puri, little sweet rice and a nice vegetable, that is all. And on Sunday you can increase the items up to ten, but make everything very nicely.

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

So generally in all our Temples, Jagannatha Swami and Lord Caitanya Sankirtana pictures are invariably there, and gradually we are installing Radha Krishna Murtis in each and every center. The program of the Temple worship is as follows: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there is Mangala Aratrik. At 8:00 a.m. there is dressing and decorating of the altar daily. Then, between 11:30 and 12:00 N., Bhoga Aratrik. At 5:00 p.m., opening of the door and Dhoop Aratrik as well as Boikalik Bhoga offering. In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always.

Letter to Manmohini -- Los Angeles 21 February, 1970:

I am very pleased to note that you are nicely engaged in preparing Bhoga at the Boston temple and you are also going on Sankirtana. Please study very carefully all our books and learn our philosophy with the help of our many experienced students there in Boston, and remain happy in Krsna Consciousness under the care and guidance of Sriman Satsvarupa and Sriman Brahmananda as you are their younger sister.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970:

Regarding an assistant Pujari, Ilavati may be trained to assist you, but she may not conduct Arcana without being dvija. The system is that only one who is qualified with Gayatri initiation may directly worship the Deities (i.e. bathing, offering bhoga and aratrik, cooking for the Deities, etc.). But she may assist you by helping in all other respects. If for some reason you are unable to perform aratrik, there are other devotees, initiated brahmanas, who can make the offerings there.

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 1 April, 1970:

Regarding taking Lord Jagannatha to your next center, that will not be very good because you already do not have enough devotees to engage in Arcana. Unless there is a Deity worshipper available, we may worship Panca-tattva and Guru. That can be done by all initiated students whether they are once or twice initiated. Before an altar with pictures of Lord Caitanya, Pancatattva and Acaryas, everyone can offer Aratrik and Bhoga.

Letter to Yamuna, Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 April, 1970:

Both mangal aratrik and sundar aratrik can be changed according with sunrise and sunset. We are not concerned with the time, but with the sun's movement. Sundar aratrik may be performed one half to one hour after sunset. So the decoration of the temple room and offering Bhoga to the Deities should be done as nicely as possible as it is within our capacity. This is the sign of love. So I am confident of your love for Krsna and do everything nicely for His pleasure. Whenever it is necessary you are quite at liberty to ask me for direction.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 17 May, 1970:

So the program which you have listed for the students and your daily schedule are very nice, and your schedule is fully approved. Just see that everything—Aratrik, Bhoga offering, etc. is done strictly on time. When every moment one is engaged it is called avyarta kalatvam which means not to spoil even a single moment of life without Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1970:

Regarding your second question, after being bathed, Lord Jagannatha catches fever and at that time you may carry Him along with Balaramaji and Subhadra to my room for recovering. During this time, up to Rathayatra, any repairs may be made. In Jagannatha Puri during this recuperation period the Deities are completely repainted. But that is especially in Jagannatha Puri that this is done so. Then Lord Jagannatha reappears on the day of Rathayatra festival. During His convalescence Bhoga is offered as usual, but no visitors are allowed to see the Lord.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 24 November, 1970:

Regarding staying in the various Temples of demigods that is quite alright, but you should not take prasadam from the demigods if you are offered. Our method is to follow the system as it is done in Jagannatha Puri. There, the bhoga is first offered to Lord Jagannatha and then His Prasadam is distributed and offered to various demigods who reside in some nearby Temples. Then the remnants of such Prasadam may be taken by us.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to John H. Morgan -- Allahabad 16 January, 1971:

You write to say that you have become frustrated with so many dualities of the material world and that sometimes you are engaged in sense gratification and sometimes renouncing. This is called bhoga-tyaga, or alternating between sense gratification and renunciation. A living entity cannot remain steady in one or the other because changes are going on. That is the nature of the material world. Just like the businessman who works so hard the whole week long and then on the weekend takes rest and tries to forget his business. But bhakti, or devotional service, does not change. It does not even finish with the end of the body, but it continues eternally.

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 8 June, 1971:

The two men sitting up on Lord Jagannatha's altar are pujaris. They are just sitting there and anyone coming to make offering to the Deity, they are accepting and returning tulasi and caranamrta. So they are very busy. And when there is bhoga offering, no visitors are allowed in the temple. The floor is immediately washed and pots and trays of foodstuffs are placed in the room. And each time Jagannatha is offered prasadam, there is enough for one thousand men. Similarly he is offered 56 times in a day. And they don't purchase any ingredients from the market. They have got their own agricultural field and big management. Another temple in South India is called Tirupati where daily they collect Rs 100,000/-. The floor of Jagannatha temple is made of stone and the room is dark behind Lord Jagannatha. Generally in India the Deity room is very dark; no electricity and only two lamps.

Letter to Indira -- London 9 August, 1971:

So you should induce other centers to cultivate Tulasi. One circular should be sent to every center that they should import Tulasi Devi from either St. Louis or Hawaii and at every offering of bhoga to the Deities there must be one Tulasi leaf on the plate. The leaves may be ordered from St. Louis or Hawaii and as soon as possible each center should arrange to care for Tulasi Devi nicely according to the instructions of you or Govinda Dasi who have both become expert.

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

The Deity should be gorgeously decorated with flowers, ornaments, and new dresses. I think in this connection Yamuna is very expert. For dressing at least Yamuna should be in charge and for offering of bhoga Dayananda may go on with his duties. At least two devotees should take care of the Deities constantly.

Letter to Sivananda -- London 2 September, 1971:

Unless there is solid temple arrangement I don't advise you to install the Deity. Deity installation means regular worship without fail and for good. Just like in Jagannatha Puri. That temple was established over thousand of years ago and it is still going on. Always they have prasadam ready for at least a thousand people and bhoga is offered 56 times in a day.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 26 December, 1971:

The schedule to be followed in worshiping the Deity is as follows. Morning Aratik may be performed at 4:30 until 5 am. Then immediately following the Deity room should be washed clean and the dirty utensils removed. Then everyone can chant before the Deity until 6:30. The Deity should then be bathed and dressed and fresh flowers put. It should not take longer than one hour to bathe and dress the Deity if one actually knows how it is done. But it may take longer so you may offer the bhoga at 8:00. The idea of bathing the Deity after offering bhoga is not correct. So please follow this schedule as I have advised.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Calcutta 21 February, 1972:

Later on, if we get many devotees and friends, we may develop there like we are presently doing in Bombay, where we have just purchased a large 20,000 sq. yd. plot for putting up the first "Hare Krishna City," which will be a cooperative housing society wherein businessmen and professional people, or other substantial people, who are also devotees of Krishna, may purchase flats or apartments in a multi-story apartment house and may live there whenever they like. Below we are having in Bombay a very, very nice temple, with continuous bhoga being offered throughout the day so that dwellers in the apartments can take prasada whenever they want and they will be offered all varieties to please everyone. I have heard that Americans like to go to the Caribbean islands in the winter where it is very warm, so if they are devotees also, as we may gradually recruit them, they may want to have their apartments there to take advantage of the climate and the pure devotional atmosphere at the same time. So let us see what develops.

Letter to Giriraja -- Tokyo 23 April, 1972:

Generally people make a plea that why are there so many hungry and naked. So we invite all hungry and naked people to come to us and we will give them food and clothing and Krishna consciousness as well. This will attract the general public and there will never be any shortage of food-stuffs, so continue regularly. In Bombay there are many generous persons who like food distribution programs, and actually, our temple should be the via media for feeding the poor with food and spiritual knowledge. Our Bombay program should be based on giving Krishna consciousness through the English medium and distribution of prasadam without any discrimination. This will enhance our prestige and will accelerate our spiritual life as well. The temple program of arati, kirtana, bhoga offerings, discourses, etc. should continue. There should be no neglect of that program.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Sudama -- Calcutta 26 January, 1973:

You have my sanction to take with you Gaura Nitai deities. Carefully worship Them, attending to Them with regular aratis and bhoga offerings. Be very careful to maintain a strict standard of worship, and whenever you arrive at a temple you can place the Deity on the altar.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973:

Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha? You are not paramahamsa that you can do whatever you like. So my advice to you is that you remain ideal Vaisnava internally and externally, and everyone will respect you. Don't be agitated. They will come back because they are chanting maha mantra. You keep your standard and try to help them, but don't become influenced by them. Regarding the Deity worship, it must go on nicely. Govinda dasi was doing very nicely. Decorate with flowers and incense and have arati and offer bhoga.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Bombay 12 October, 1973:

So your Sankirtana Parties are collecting very nicely, especially Amsterdam. As long as we go on preaching in this way, we will not starve. It is good that the Berlin party is travelling. To be stagnant is not good. Just like I am an old man, but I am always travelling. I am glad that the Hamburg Deity worship is going on nicely. Wherever there is Deities there must be first class care, arati, bhoga, cleanliness, dressing, regular classes. If this is not possible, then better to travel. Your translation process is very good, so do it nicely.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Dhananjaya, Aksayananda -- Honolulu 18 June, 1975:

You can go on offering ten plates. In the Radha-Damodara temple, the offer Bhoga to the Six Goswamis. Offer ten full plates, 8 puris, 2 kacoris, 2 samosas, varieties of sweets (2 each), and varieties of vegetables. Make many palatable things such as Jhuri, Dhal-mot, Jalebis, Rauta and many other nice dishes. You can keep a nice stock of these things, so that when a big man comes you can give him a nice plate of free prasada. In this way, our temple will become very popular, because everyone will know that if they come to our temple, they will receive very nice prasada. For the other guests, continue to sell the prasada daily. This is very nice program. Make all the prasadam very first class.