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Deity room (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"Deities' room" |"Deities, washing the room" |"Deity room" |"Deity worship room" |"Deity's room" |"room above the Deity" |"room for the deities" |"sanctified room of our family deity"

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won't find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch. And yet the whole Hindu Muslim conflict, the whole struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah and the whole question of Kashmir problem in the UNSCO have arisen from this petty difference of bones only. In the Hindu temple the bone conchshell is already there but as soon as a Muhammadan throws a piece of bone of the ox in the temple—the whole trouble began, resulting in the partition of India and Pakistan.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- New York 27 April, 1966:

I shall try my best to get the sanction for the temple Exchange and if I am unable then I shall open the Radha Krishna worship and Sankirtana in the rented house as I am now doing. The present flat is about 100' X 25' and there is ample place even to have a room for the deities of Radha and Krishna. When returning from India I shall bring with me the deities either from Jaipur or from Vrindaban along with other things required and I shall start the temple in rented building

Kindly therefore send your permission for taking this boy with me as abovementioned. He has his passport and some couple of hundreds to spend in India. When we come to India you will be pleased to see the boy (American). He is coming of a good family and a sincere soul to this line of culture. There are others also in the class I am holding here but I wish to take with me only one of them.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 27 April, 1967:

I am sending herewith one picture of Jagannatha as they are situated in San Francisco. You have seen the place and now you can arrange for the Deity like the picture and I wish to follow the same principle in all our branches. The Deity room should not be separate from the common lecture room but it should be situated in such a place that all can see the Deity perfectly. But arrangement should be made in such a way that there would be one round curtain to cover the place when there is no class. They should not always be exposed, only during the class hours the curtain should be open. The picture enclosed herewith may be enlarged and sent me back again.

Regarding Easy Journey to Other Planets if you like this book just edit it nicely and we shall get it printed here with addition of my chanting essay.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 July, 1968:

Another thing, I shall not advise you to purchase horses for conveyance. It will be a botheration for you, because now you have not got sufficient assistance. If you keep horses you have to take care for them and for a little convenience of transportation, you have to take so much botheration to keep the horse fit.

I am so pleased to learn that you have got a Deity Room and you are performing jointly Kirtana, assisted by a newcomer, Harold Olmstead. He may be called Hrsikesa, there is no objection, but generally a Holy Name after Lord Krishna is offered to a devotee after his initiation. Anyway, you can call him Hrsikesa, and the same name will be continued after his initiation also. In the meantime, let him be trained up in our line of activities to observe the rules and regulations and chant Hare Krishna jointly with you.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Seattle 22 September, 1968:

Vamanadeva will be able to prepare a nice throne, and you have seen the New York Deities' dress and process of worship, so you can do in that way. There is nothing to be added new. The same principle should be followed, and the Deities should always be well-dressed in clothing and some ornaments and flowers and incense. The Deities should always be attractive. And the more we are engaged in decorating the Deities, washing the room, the more we are engaged in Deity worship, the more we become purified. That is practical. Brahmananda is also taking care of my Deity in New York, and he is practically experiencing and doing it. So if necessary you can take some information from him also.

This Seattle city is understood to be very big in area, and appears to be very peaceful also, because the population is less, and they are little responsive also. I think gradually this center will also grow very nicely.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 20 February, 1969:

I'm in due receipt also of the Krishna manuscript for the tape no. 3 & 4 and I've also received back the tapes concerned.

You can keep the curtains of the deity room open during Kirtana.

Lord Caitanya's advent day is on the 4th of March 1969. On that day you should keep fasting up to the moonrise in the evening, and the whole day may be utilized in performances in kirtana and reading of Lord Caitanya's teachings. In the evening after ceremony of kirtana is observed, light refreshments like fruit and milk, boiled potatoes may be taken and the next day general feasting and distribution of Prasadam to public may be observed.

Letter to Vibhavati -- Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1969 sent along with the Panca-tattva painting, and I am so glad to learn that you are also a good painter. Your first attempt has been almost successful, so I request you to continue to practice so that excellent paintings may be drawn by you. We require so many pictures for our temples which are already present and which will be opened in the future. Immediately upon receipt of your picture, I had it hung right above my Deity room. Wherever I go I convert one closet into my Deity room, so I shall always be seeing your picture there.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1970:

I thank you very much for your handkerchief which will be immediately engaged in the service of the Lord. It is so beautiful with lace edges.

I am so glad to learn that Columbus center is doing very well, and that sincere souls are being attracted there. Please decorate the new Deity room and altar as nicely as possible. I well remember your excellent chopatties, and I am happy to know that you are know preparing nice foodstuffs for the Deities.

If you all will spread this Samkirtan Movement, going on Samkirtan Party in the streets, regularly read our literatures and always keep engaged in Krishna Consciousness activities, you are sure to increase the joyfulness of your own lives and influence all others with whom you come in contact to join you in this program of going back to home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 20 March, 1970:

Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness—that will satisfy Krsna.

Regarding your dream, it is a great blessing to you that Krsna warned you. So you should never be negligent. Always be careful, then in due course you will feel the Bhava.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

When the matter is prepared, then we can get it printed anywhere to our satisfaction. Therefore, the most important thing is to get the composing and layout done.

I am so glad to know that Himavati is taking such nice care of the Deities. I have seen the pictures. It is far improved than before. The more you keep the Deity room and paraphernalia clean, the more you heart becomes cleansed from dirty things.

Pictures for our books are being done now in Boston, so Vasudeva may make as many pictures as possible of Pancatattva and Acaryas, especially your Spiritual Master and my Spiritual Master. Upendra in Australia is already asking for these pictures, so increase the number of these pictures as many as possible.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 8 June, 1971:

m 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.

You can show in sequence in a painting how Narada Muni is leaving the material body and accepting a spiritual body and entering into Lord Visnu and again coming out through Brahma's heart.

Arjuna was not present when Krishna spoke Bhagavad-gita to the sun god. He was present on a different occasion. So the picture is all right. The painting of the chariot of the body is nice.

Letter to Yamuna -- ENGLAND 11th August, 1971:

It is not advisable at this time.

Frankly speaking the Deities are not as opulent as when They were being taken care of by you. So if you want to come back here and take care of Them I have no objection. But you are taking care of the Calcutta Deities, so what is the difficulty there? Does the 'democratic management' not allow you to go to the Deity room? What is the difficulty? Let me know frankly. Very soon we will have Deities installed in Mayapur also.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 26 December, 1971:

Regarding my yellow fever shot certificate, the hospital is somewhere on Hastings; most probably it is called Seaman's Hospital and it is somewhere in front of Victoria Memorial monument. Acyutananda knows definitely.

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 Madhudvisa -- New Vrndavana 7 September, 1972:

I am so glad to learn that your Sankirtana movement is going on nicely. In this part of the world also, we have got several buses which are going all over your country and doing nicely. Yesterday I have seen one Sankirtana bus presented by Rupanuga Maharaja, complete with kitchen, shower, and deity room. It is completely self-sufficient and can keep 8 to 10 men. Their program is to remain on the road going from town to town and village to village. Lord Caitanya wanted this business, so by the parampara system through my Guru Maharaja and my humble self, the matter is handed over to you. Now it is up to you American boys and girls to do the needful.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Vrindaban 19 November, 1973:

These are tangible services that you are doing, recognized by my Guru Maharaja and Krsna. Brahmananda was saying that two years ago when he was in Paris they were collecting 40 francs on Sankirtana, now you are collecting 1500 dollars. So has the time changed, or is it because you are there? Krsna will surely bless you.

I saw your Deity room packed up when I was there, so I think its going on like that, surrounded by police cars. Anyway your temple is centrally located and in a good quarter, so certainly it will be successful. When I go to London next, I will certainly visit. The picture of Radha-Paris Isvara is very nice. Radharani's attitude is very nice. She is giving her blessings to everyone.

In the magazine the picture on page 11 of the arati is very nice. Krsna is looking also upon me. It is a nice pose. I am looking to Him, and He is looking to me. Kindly send me some copies.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Madhavananda -- Los Angeles 1 January, 1974:

In regard to security, yes there should be security. There should be 1 or 2 men who are in charge of the Deity room. I have written a letter to Mukunda in this connection and I hope you will together see that this is done. I am asking you to take a new heart and try to cooperate with each other there. There is always some difference because we are not impersonalists, we are personalists and everyone is different. However we have our standard so everything must be conducted on the basis of Krsna Consciousness as I have taught it. You and your wife are there and you are both experienced members so why not take advantage and try to improve the situation there rather than think of moving? If we have to constantly move until we find the situation where there is no personal difficulty in relationships then we may never get down to our real work. Just put our differences aside and work for the greater cause to organize a nice Temple there. I will be glad to hear from you on these points.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 1 January, 1974:

I have received one letter from Madhavananda in which he mentions that the Deities at the Bhaktivedanta Manor are not protected. So you are the president of the Temple and therefore you are responsible for all areas. Who is in charge of the Deity room? It must be secured at night, every window and door must be locked and you must personally see to this. You have had sufficient experience at Bury Place that the Deity was attacked. You have already experienced that so you should not be negligent in this matter. Please see that adequate security is given to the Temple, especially to the Deities, so that They will not be exposed to any attack. I have answered Madhavananda on various points so you may see his letter. The main thing is that if the matter is to go ahead there must be a cooperative spirit between yourself, Madhavananda, Syamasundara and the others.

Letter to Uttamasloka -- Mayapur 24 October, 1974:

Whatever money we are getting it is from Krishna, so nothing should be misspent.

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

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 2 December, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 5, 1974 with enclosed plans of the newly purchased house. It all appears very wonderful. It is very good that the Deity is facing East. Yes, the room above the Deity should be kept vacant. Yes, you can store Ratha Yatra festival gear or books there, also. The proposed pinnacle should not have Om, but shastic or cakra, Krsna's weapon.

So everything is nice, and I shall be glad to come for the Deity installation and temple opening in January. We shall come from Honolulu via Fiji.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Honolulu 31 May, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 23, 1975 and have noted the contents. Your report is very nice to hear. If you give the right protection to the cows, then they will give so much milk, that the ground of New Vrndavana will be muddy with milk. European and American civilization will be finished on account of this sinful activity of killing the cows. Actually, one should not circumambulate when the Deity is open. It is stated in the Nectar of Devotion. I think you can close the doors to the Deity room during Tulasi puja and then open them again afterwards.

Regarding my coming to New Vrndavana, yes, I can stay there for the month of August. That will be very nice.

Letter to Sukadeva -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

Do I have to say on this matter? So Gurukrpa has given you the instruction. So therefore you should issue some warrant. But why has Gurukrpa advised you if you are unable to do it? Why are you asking me this question? Stop this business.

Regarding putting in the new temple floor, marble, and extending the Deity room, yes, that is nice. And your plans to have marble Panca-Tattva Deities, that is also good. You ask whether you should make your life's endeavor to have a temple on every island, but I say first of all improve the present temple, then talk of others.

Regarding your request for initiation. I am accepting the following as my initiated disciples and their names are as follows: Steve Frederick Ricciardi—Puranarsi; Eric Duncan Botts—Santiparayana; Michael Stanely Misiak—Dharmajivana; David John Smith—Ādi Karta; Ronald McClelland—Sarvasatya; Michael Delare Bodhaine—Munisvara; Carissa Annette Crammer—Mahavisnupriya. And for second initiation I accept the following as twice-born brahmanas: Godruma das Brahmacari, Bharata das Brahmacari and Daksa das Brahmacari.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Srila Prabhupada -- Unknown Place 13 March, 1977:

Krsna did that; when the demons came to demolish the temporary temple you had constructed, they were stopped by 'outside' intervention just as they were about to remove the roof of the Deity room. Now, in fulfillment of your promise you have erected a most wonderful temple structure, certainly the best in Bombay, if not in India. These are proofs of your pure, unalloyed devotion and your determination to serve Him under any circumstance, 'ahaituki apratihata.'

Just now in the west, the demons are combining to try and stop this wonderful movement of yours, but that will never be. Because you desire the welfare of all living entities Krsna will spread this movement everywhere and the demons will be vanquished.

Page Title:Deity room (Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:07 of Sep, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=22
No. of Quotes:22