Srngara (dressing)

Expressions researched:
"srngara"

SB Canto 2

SB 2.3.22, Purport:

Especially for the householder devotees, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. As far as possible, every householder, by the direction of the spiritual master, must install the Deity of Viṣṇu, forms like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Sītā-Rāma especially, or any other form of the Lord, like Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Gaura-Nitāi, Matsya, Kūrma, śālagrāma-śilā and many other forms of Viṣṇu, like Trivikrama, Keśava, Acyuta, Vāsudeva, Nārāyaṇa and Dāmodara, as recommended in the Vaiṣṇava-tantras or Purāṇas, and one's family should worship strictly following the directions and regulations of arcana-vidhi. Any member of the family who is above twelve years of age should be initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, and all the members of the household should be engaged in the daily service of the Lord, beginning from morning (4 a.m.) till night (10 p.m.) by performing maṅgala-ārātrika, nirañjana, arcana, pūjā, kīrtana, śṛṅgāra, bhoga-vaikāli, sandhyā-ārātrika, pāṭha, bhoga (at night), śayana-ārātrika, etc. Engagement in such worship of the Deity, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, will greatly help the householders to purify their very existence and make rapid progress in spiritual knowledge.

SB 2.3.22, Purport:

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has defined the bona fide qualities of a spiritual master, and one of the verses in that description reads:

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Śrī-vigraha is the arcā, or suitable worshipable form of the Lord, and the disciple should be engaged in worshiping the Deity regularly by śṛṅgāra, by proper decoration and dressing, as also by mandira-mārjana, the matter of cleansing the temple. The spiritual master teaches the neophyte devotee all these kindly and personally to help him gradually in the realization of the transcendental name, quality, form, etc., of the Lord.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.4.26, Purport:

Severe austerities in the practice of devotional service are of many varieties. For example, in worshiping the Deity in the temple there are certainly laborious activities. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. One must decorate the Deity, cleanse the temple, bring water from the Ganges and Yamunā, continue the routine work, perform ārati many times, prepare first-class food for the Deity, prepare dresses and so on. In this way, one must constantly be engaged in various activities, and the hard labor involved is certainly an austerity. Similarly, the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service. In this way one can give up material desires, and as soon as one is freed from material desires, he is free from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

(cites verse)

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Śrī-vigraha. This is yajana yājana. Śrī-vigraha. This is Śrī-vigraha, Kṛṣṇa's arcā-mūrti. Kṛṣṇa has taken, advented, as avatāra, arcā-avatāra. Arcā-avatāra means made of stone, wood, metal, jewel, or coloring, painting. There are eight kinds of arcā-avatāra. So Kṛṣṇa has consented to descend before us to accept our service in a manner which we can do. If Kṛṣṇa remains in His virāḍ-rūpa, then it will be very difficult to capture Him. Kṛṣṇa remains in virāḍ-rūpa, but He becomes arcā-vigraha, a small deity, so that everyone can worship Him at home. It does not take much time, it does not take much place. To make dress of Kṛṣṇa you can utilize little cloth. Kṛṣṇa is agreeable to accept your service. And offering? Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). At any means you can worship Kṛṣṇa, and that is the business of brāhmaṇa and Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). One who has developed attachment for Kṛṣṇa, he has come to perfection, simply by developing. And this development of attachment is possible by this arcana-vidhi. Just like our, rising early in the morning, offering maṅgalārātrika, then changing the dress, garlanding, dressing, so many things. From morning, four, to, up to night at ten o'clock, there is program. That is real temple worship. Not that the temple is closed whole day and night, and the pūjārī goes for five minutes and bells the bell, again close. No. There is system. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau. So many activities in temple worship. So for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, neophytes, those who are serious to become, to awaken his attachment for Kṛṣṇa, they must take to this arcana-mārga. This is called arcana-mārga, temple worship. Everyone can establish a small temple in his house, and he can begin family-wise: himself, his wife, his children. That is wanted. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to see that every house has become a temple of Kṛṣṇa. That is our program.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:

We are taking care of this house. Why? Because it is temple. What is temple? Temple means Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but because we have got now our limited knowledge—we are not advanced—therefore we take a spot, the temple, and always think of Kṛṣṇa that "This is Kṛṣṇa's place. This is Kṛṣṇa's temple. We must take care of it." Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. These are the process of devotional service, that we worship the Deity, śrī-vigraha, nicely dressed, nicely worshiped, first-class food offered. This is called śrī-vigrahārādhana, worshiping, arcanam. Arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau, and again cleansing the temple very nicely everywhere. So this is our process, that we take everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. As soon as... Therefore we are very much vigilant, "Why you did not this? Why you do not this? Why...?" As soon as the feeling of devotional service will be lost, this temple will be a burden. This is the way. It will be such a big temple. To manage, it will be a great burden. So they are feeling burden. Therefore they don't mind if somewhere is broken sometimes. "All right, let us, whatever money we have got, let us eat first of all." This is the position. Vigraha and galagraha. You should understand. If we forget that "Here is Kṛṣṇa personally present. We have to receive Him very nicely. We have to give Him nice food, nice dress, nice..." Then it is service. And as soon as the feeling comes that "Here is a stone idol..." They say sometimes "idol worship." "And we have been instructed to dress Him, to give Him..., all botheration." Then finished. Finished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

Suppose we are worshiping Deity. That is the duty of brāhmaṇa; but somebody is called that "You cleanse this floor." So he should not think that "I am cleansing the floor; therefore I am lower than the person directly worshiping the Deity." No. Kṛṣṇa's pleasure wanted. If Kṛṣṇa sees that by washing the floor you are doing very nicely, Kṛṣṇa is pleased: "Oh, you are nice." Similarly, one man is decorating Kṛṣṇa with garland and... If Kṛṣṇa is pleased, that is the main point. Not that because you are on the Deity room you are very elevated, and the other man who is cleansing the door, he is not elevated. No. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. They are all equal. In whichever position you are, simply your endeavor should be how to please Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46).

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

So everything belonging to Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nothing should be neglected. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything should be... Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Every corner of this temple should be considered "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Then Kṛṣṇa conscious. Not that "Only in the temple Kṛṣṇa is there, not in the gate. Let it be open and thief may come and steal." No. Very, very careful. The idea is that devotee must be expert in understanding things very clearly.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice—you become directly in contact with Govinda. This Deity worship is also directly in contact with Govinda. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. This vigraha, the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because Kṛṣṇa is alakṣya, invisible, He has become visible for your facility, as you can see. Still... It is not that Kṛṣṇa is stone or Kṛṣṇa is wood or Kṛṣṇa is metal. Kṛṣṇa is always Kṛṣṇa. But He appears... Because you cannot see except wood, stone and metal, He appears like that, wood, stone or metal. But He's not wood, stone or metal. You'll get the same facility as Kṛṣṇa personally if you associate, when you associate. You will associate with Kṛṣṇa. But at the present moment, because Kṛṣṇa is invisible, therefore He has very kindly taken a form which is visible by you. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Do not think, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, stone Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So Kṛṣṇa is stone also, but He's not that stone that cannot act. Kṛṣṇa can act also in the stone form also. Kṛṣṇa act also in metal form also. And you will perceive that. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. The so-called stone also speaks with you. There are many instances like that.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:

Just like we are worshiping the Deity. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Śrī vigraha, the Deity worship. Ārādhanam, ārādhanam, worshiping. Śrī-vigraha ārādhanam. Śrī-vigrahārādhanam. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya. Nitya, daily. Not that ārādhana after one week or one month. No. Nitya, twenty-four hours. So you should have such program for worshiping the Deity that you may be engaged twenty-four hours, twenty-four hours. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya, nitya-nānā, nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra, dressing, decorating. Daily, new dress, or twice new dress, or four times new dress. As much as you can. Śṛṅgāra. This is called śṛṅgāra. Kṛṣṇa is opulent, the most opulent enjoyer. And we should supply. We should supply by which He can enjoy. Just like if somebody gives me a new dress, so I say: "Oh, it is a new dress. Very nice." So that is my enjoyment. Similarly if you satisfy Kṛṣṇa daily a very gorgeous dress. Just like today I see it is very nice. This kind of dress should be supplied to Kṛṣṇa. First-class clothing, first-class. Everything first-class. No third-class thing for Kṛṣṇa. All first-class. The gopīs must be first class, the dress must be first-class, the eating foodstuff must be first-class, the sitting place must be first-class, more than first-class. That is called: śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Cleansing the temple as clean as glass, always. Everyone remarks this that our temples are very clean. Yes. Temple means must be very clean. The more you cleanse the temple, the more your heart becomes cleansed. This is the process. The more you dress Kṛṣṇa, you become satisfied. At the present moment, we are accustomed to see my dress. "How costly dress I have got, I become satisfied..." No. When by dressing Kṛṣṇa you'll feel satisfied, that is spiritual satisfaction. That is spiritual satisfaction.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

One of the symptoms of guru is described by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, śrī-vigraha ārādhana: "He knows how to worship the Deity." Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Dressing the Deity and tan-mandira-mārjanādau, and cleansing the temple, keeping everything fit in the temple. So the guru knows it, how to do it, and he teaches his disciple.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi...

He is personally engaged, and he engages disciples. Not that you make a disciple and you keep him aside, "You cannot touch." This is going on. How? Then how he has become your disciple? If you have accepted him as disciple, how you can keep him aloof? No. "You are śūdra. You are mleccha." Therefore vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. You cannot make Vaiṣṇava... As soon as he becomes Vaiṣṇava, no more jāti. He is transcendental. Sa guṇān sama...

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

And that engagement into superior colorful life is devotional life. Just see superior. Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham. Su means very nice, and sukham means happy. The devotional service is so nice and happy. You see this devotional service. You always engage..., you are always engaged in the Deity worship, bring nice cloth. Instead of dressing yourself with nice cloth, dress Kṛṣṇa with nice cloth. Then your desire for dressing nicely will vanish. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Bhakta is satisfied when Kṛṣṇa is very nicely dressed. He doesn't care for his own dress. Therefore this colorful life is diminishing. Here we are trying to become very nicely dressed, to be attractive by others. But when one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he is no more interested in this colorful life. But he is interested in the colorful life of Kṛṣṇa. He is interested, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. He is satisfied. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. When he, the devotee, sees that Kṛṣṇa is very nicely dressed, Kṛṣṇa is very nicely ornamented with garland, with jewels, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā, daily changing, and the temple is very cleansed, and Kṛṣṇa is offered, catur-vidha-śrī-bhagavat-prasāda, carvya, coṣya, lehya, peya, varieties of prasādam, his life becomes happy in that way, not by enjoying them, but offering to Kṛṣṇa. This is another colorful life.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

So due to this nonsensical meaning, people are puzzled, that "Whom to surrender? Because Kṛṣṇa I do not see." No. Kṛṣṇa is always existing. So you can... Kṛṣṇa is existing, and to be perceivable by you, Kṛṣṇa has appeared before you. Here is the arcā-mūrti. The arcā-mūrti we are serving. It is not that... Don't think. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ. If you are rascal, they will think that "These people are serving a stone statue." The rascals will think like that, but that is not the fact. Here, practical serving of Kṛṣṇa. The same ācārya has taught that here is Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. Śrī-vigraha. This arcā-mūrti, śrī-vigraha, ārādhanam, you should worship. This is the ācārya-panthā. This is the paramparā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This devotional service, the worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple, to dress Him, as I explained another... Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau, all these occupational duties will help you to understand Kṛṣṇa. Although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but if you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa's service, then Kṛṣṇa reveals to you what He is. And that is wanted. That is the perfection of your life. As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become fit to go back to home, back to Godhead, and finish this business of repeated birth and death. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). This secret of success, people do not know, neither they can understand. They are not fortunate enough. But it is our duty to push on this movement by superior order. Anyone who will take advantage of this movement, he'll be saved from this repetition, birth and death.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

We have got so many engagement. We are daily singing—I do not know whether you understand the meaning—śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira mārjanādau, yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam. We have got śrī-vigraha. The śrī-vigraha-sevā—all rising early in the morning, arrange for maṅgala āratrik, then dressing, then offering food, then āratrik, so many hours. The whole day can be used in that way. Then reading books, class, taking care of the temple. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Don't think that if one is engaged in the Deity worship and if one is engaged in the gardening work there is distinction. No. The one who is working as a gardener, he is as good as the one who is dressing the Deity, because it is Absolute plane. There is no difference between... Just like in the material world, if one is working as manager and the other is working as menial servant, there is difference of pay or difference of service. No. In the spiritual world there is no such thing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

So to engage the mind means, as it is said here, that pañcabhiḥ, the mind means controlling all the senses. So if you control the mind, then all the other senses will be controlled. So therefore it is advised that you engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. And vāk, vāṇī, pāyu, the voice, voice, arms, legs, anus and genitals. So voice should be engaged in vibrating Kṛṣṇa activities. You read Bhagavad-gītā, read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and talk about Kṛṣṇa. Then voice is engaged. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Always engage your voice in chanting or speaking about Kṛṣṇa. The mind is engaged automatically. Then arms, the hands, engaged in cleansing the temple. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira mārjanādau. This is the advice. This is business of guru, to engage. How the arms can be engaged? You can engage your arms for decorating the Deity, for sewing the clothing, dress, garland. In this way you can engage your arms. Voice in speaking about Kṛṣṇa, eyes to see Kṛṣṇa, how nicely decorated, come to the temple. For coming to the temple your legs will be used. And after coming to the temple, your hands will be used, your eyes will be used, your ear will be used, your tongue will be used. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take prasāda. In this way, if we engage all our senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are victorious. Otherwise, it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

Brāhmaṇa is the head, and the kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are yajamāna. So they should induce, just like we are inducing all over the world, "Open temple. Worship Kṛṣṇa." This is brāhmaṇa's business.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

This is the duty of the guru. He worships himself. Unless he knows how to worship, how he will teach them? So he acts himself as brāhmaṇa, and he teaches the disciple how to work as a brāhmaṇa. Śrī-vigraha. This is called yajana yājana. Paṭhana pāṭhana. He must be a learned brāhmaṇa, and he must teach others how to become learned brāhmaṇa, paṇḍita.

Lecture on SB 6.2.14 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1975:

So that "Kṛṣṇa" and seeing Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, chanting Kṛṣṇa Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī (BG 18.65). And if you worship Kṛṣṇa, offer ārātika, bhoga, decorate with flowers Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan mandira-mār... Even you wash this temple, you get the benefit. Somehow or other, be in touch with this temple, with the holy name, with the Vaiṣṇava. In this way, by constant association-saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ—by association of devotees, you become a Kṛṣṇa devotee.

Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

So anyway, we should always engage ourself twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Here it said, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. Sadā means twenty-four hours. We shall mold our life in such a way that... If somebody says, "How it is possible? We have got other business. How it is possible to simply engage in śravaṇaṁ kīr...?" Therefore smaraṇam. Whatever you are hearing, you should remember it. That is very easy. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). And always engage in serving. Just like śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. If you have no engagement, simply cleanse this temple. Tan-mandira-mārjana. That is also service. That is also service. Pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam. Then actually worshiping, decorating, vandanam, offering prayer, dāsyam, sakhyam. In this way remain always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Then you are to be considered the most learned.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1976:

Deity worship is pāñcarātriki-vidhi, and bhāgavata-mārga is hearing, chanting, like that. Both of them should be accepted, parallel line. Otherwise, one without the other will be later on troublesome. So you must continue. This temple means not only we shall decorate the Deity very nicely, cleanse the temple:

sri-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi...

So the temple worship should go on, at the same time, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam of Viṣṇu must go on. Two things, parallel. Then it will be done very nicely.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 11, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is not to keep one in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, especially those who are born in India. He says

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is principle, para-upakāra, because everyone is suffering. So in the lower stage, everyone should take part very diligently in the worship of the Deity, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-sṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārj anādau. One should be engaged, everyone should be engaged, śrī-vigrahārādhanam, with Deity worship. What is that Deity worship? Sri, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra. To decorate the Deity very, very nicely, śṛṅgāra. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau, and to keep the temple, all through, very clean. This kaniṣṭha-adhikārī should be fully engaged in these things, then he becomes gradually, I mean to say, elevated in the madhyama-adhikārī.

Lecture on SB 7.9.34 -- Mayapur, March 12, 1976:

Therefore kaniṣṭha adhikārī, those who are neophyte, they must take to Deity worship. By Deity worship he is elevated to the position of seeing the Lord within the heart. This is very important thing. You can see—He is there—but you have no knowledge, or even if you have knowledge, you are not competent to see Him. But if you practice Deity worship...

Therefore it is the duty of guru to engage the neophyte devotee always in Deity worship.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

It is the duty of the guru to engage his disciple in Deity worship, in cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating the Deity, so many engagements. So everyone should be engaged. If one is not competent to dress the Deity—everyone is competent—he can simply wash the temple and cleanse it. That will also help. There is no difference, that one who is cleansing the floor of the temple and one who is engaged directly in the Deity worship... There is no difference. They are all the same. Don't think that "I am engaged in cleansing the floor of the temple, and he is engaged in decorating the temple. I should be envious." No. There is no question of. Any kind of duty you are engaged... Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). If you cannot do something which is hard for you, you do anything for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of spiritual master, you'll get perfection.

Lecture on SB 7.9.48 -- Vrndavana, April 3, 1976:

That is Kṛṣṇa, that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am spread everywhere, all-pervasive. But in My person I am not there." Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). But a devotee should understand that Kṛṣṇa is on the throne and Kṛṣṇa is on the floor. Therefore we should be very careful to take care of the floor, to take care of the throne, to take care of the flower, to take care of the dishes. Everything you should worship like Kṛṣṇa. That is... You cannot neglect anything. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira mārjanādau. Everything one. You cannot say, "Kṛṣṇa is here, sitting. I can neglect this floor." That is foolishness. You should take as much care to worship the Deity, to decorate the Deity, as much care to keep the temple very, very cleansed. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. You cannot... You cannot say that "He is working on the garden; therefore he is inferior. I am working directly on the Kṛṣṇa altar." No. The person who is working in the garden, Kṛṣṇa's garden, he should be as careful as the man who is worshiping the Deity in the temple. That is wanted.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Therefore this arcana-mārga, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārj anādau yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi **. This is the first duty of the spiritual master, to engage the devotees in arcana-mārga. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya. Cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating with flowers, ornaments and... So that devotees, as soon as (they) see smiling Kṛṣṇa, pleasing Kṛṣṇa, they become pleased. They become pleased by seeing Kṛṣṇa pleased. They do not want to be pleased independently. That is not devotee. Devotee's pleasure is seeing Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Kṛṣṇa is also pleased when He sees the devotees are pleased.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

So we can become immediately liberated from this prison house of material existence if we accept this teaching of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). And therefore so many arrangement. We are having Kṛṣṇa Deity here, and every one of us, we are engaged as servant. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṇgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau. Somebody is engaged in cleansing the temple. All servant, we are. Somebody is engaged in dressing the Deity. Somebody is engaged in preparing nice foodstuff for Deity. Somebody is making flower garlands. Somebody is going to distribute literature to make people understand the glories of Kṛṣṇa. So in this way Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means everyone is engaged cent percent to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. So those who are sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord, they are all liberated. They are all liberated.