View source for If one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an acarya or gosvami

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{{terms|"better to accept some menial service for maintaining oneself then to get some money by showing the Deities to the innocent public"|"if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an acarya or gosvami"|"keep Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as a means of livelihood"|"showing the Deity to earn livelihood"|""}}

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{{compiler|Syamananda| Visnu Murti| Labangalatika}}

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[[Category:Earning a Livelihood|2]]

[[Category:Display|2]]

[[Category:Deity|2]]

[[Category:Temples|2]]

[[Category:Acarya - Devotees of God|2]]

[[Category:Gosvami|2]]
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<div class="section" id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="CC_Antya-lila" text="CC Antya-lila"><h3>CC Antya-lila</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="CC" link="CC Antya 3.223" link_text="CC Antya 3.223, Translation and Purport">
<div class="heading">Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an ācārya or gosvāmī</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:CC Antya 3.223|CC Antya 3.223, Translation and Purport]]: Advaita Acarya was always absorbed in thoughts of how to deliver the fallen souls of the entire world. "The entire world is full of nondevotees," He thought. "How will they be delivered?"'''

Srila Advaita Acarya sets the standard for acaryas in the Vaisnava sampradaya. An acarya must always be eager to deliver the fallen souls. A person who establishes a temple or matha to take advantage of people's sentiments by using for his livelihood what people contribute for the worship of the Deity cannot be called a gosvami or acarya. One who knows the conclusion of the sastras, follows in the footsteps of his predecessors and endeavors to preach the bhakti cult all over the world is to be considered an acarya. The role of an acarya is not to earn his livelihood through the income of the temple. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that if one earns his livelihood by displaying the Deity in the temple, he is not an acarya or gosvami. It would be better for him to accept service even as a sweeper in the street, for that is a more honorable means of earning one's living.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="CC" link="CC Antya 9.68" link_text="CC Antya 9.68, Purport">
<div class="heading">Materialistic persons sometimes take to professional devotional service and keep Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as a means of livelihood. None of this, however, is approved.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:CC Antya 9.68|CC Antya 9.68, Purport]]:''' Becoming a devotee of the Lord to serve material purposes is a great mistake. Many people become showbottle devotees for material profits. Indeed, materialistic persons sometimes take to professional devotional service and keep Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as a means of livelihood. None of this, however, is approved. In the book known as Sapta-śatī, as mentioned by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, one can discover how a person worshiping the goddess Durgā begs her for different varieties of material profit. Such activities are very popular among people in general, but they are the attempts of foolish, blind people (sei jñāna-andha).</div>
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<div class="section" id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur" link_text="Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur">
<div class="heading">He said like that. "By showing the Deity to earn livelihood is condemned. Better become a sweeper, municipal sweeper, and sweep the road and earn money."</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur|Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur]]:'''

Yaśodānandana: Instead of requesting ten paisā, they may be requested to offer something to the Deity.

Prabhupāda: Why? Nothing. Let them come and see. That's all.

Yaśodānandana: [break] Our Deity is not beggar.

Prabhupāda: No. He is bestower. He gives everything. If anyone voluntary gives, that's all right. You should not ask. [break] ...instead of doing this. (Bengali) He said like that. "By showing the Deity to earn livelihood is condemned. Better become a sweeper, municipal sweeper, and sweep the road and earn money." He said like that. That is better, honorable. He is working and getting money, instead of making a good show of Deity and earn money. This is not required. If you want to earn money, go, work according to your capacity and earn money. Don't cheat people. That is Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="Let" link="Letter to Satya Pal -- Hamburg 31 August, 1969" link_text="Letter to Satya Pal -- Hamburg 31 August, 1969">
<div class="heading">Srila Prabhupada said that it was better to accept some menial service for maintaining oneself then to get some money by showing the Deities to the innocent public and being satisfied thereby.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Letter to Satya Pal -- Hamburg 31 August, 1969|Letter to Satya Pal -- Hamburg 31 August, 1969]]:''' There is immense possibility of spreading this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the Western world, if it is administered properly. You have rightly said "You alone are completing this aim of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by giving your full dedication to Lord Krishna and Radha." I think, however, that all of my Godbrothers should come out of India and preach this cult all over the world to fulfill the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But they are busily engaged in constructing temples all separately, and they are satisfied if there is a temple and a little income to provide them with food and clothing, without any spirit of preaching propaganda. Srila Prabhupada said that it was better to accept some menial service for maintaining oneself then to get some money by showing the Deities to the innocent public and being satisfied thereby. Now there is great necessity to train preachers in all the camps of our Godbrothers and send them all over the world. Of course, they must be impregnated with real preaching spirit, without any material profit. Whenever I ask somebody to take this job, they are silent. They are simply satisfied with some Mathas, and they have forgotten the preaching spirit of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja.</div>
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