Devotees in the temples

Expressions researched:
"devotees in the Temple" |"devotees in the Temple" |"devotees of the Temples" |"devotees of the Temples"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Unless you are fully trained, don't establish Deity to make a farce. Better learn it perfectly in the temple, and when you think that the members of the household are also now as good as the devotees in the temple, then you must establish the Deity.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Still there are such rules and regulations. So Deity worship, it is the duty of all householders, Deity worship. That means automatically all the members become devotees. But it must be done according... there are sixty-four kinds of offenses. In The Nectar of Devotion you'll find. Deity worship... For chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there are ten kinds of offenses. But Deity worship, there are so many offenses. These are described. "You cannot sit down before the Deity like this, you cannot yawn before the Deity, you cannot talk nonsense before the Deity." So many things are there. So therefore it is said that "strictly following the direction and regulation of arcanā-vidhi." So you are being trained up. In India they are trained up since centuries. Their culture is different. They automatically can adopt, immediately. They're trained up. You are not trained up as yet. You are being trained. So unless you are fully trained, don't establish Deity to make a farce. Better learn it perfectly in the temple, and when you think that the members of the household are also now as good as the devotees in the temple, then you must establish the Deity. That is required. Next.

Pradyumna: "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. ..."

Prabhupāda: Hm. This is Deity worship. Not that sleeping up to 9:00 and Deity worship. This is farce. That is not allowed. That will be offense. All the members must rise early in the morning, just we are doing in the temple. At 4 a.m. take bath, cleanse, and offer ārātrika. That is the beginning of Deity worship. And all the members should be so trained up... Suppose one is absent for some business, the other members should take it. There will be so many assistants, but the Deity worship must go on very nicely. Then?

1968 Correspondence

That is our business—we shall chant Hare Krishna or read Srimad-Bhagavatam or or associate with devotees in the temple, so that program shall go on continually for constantly remembering Krishna, and we shall not forget Him, even for a moment.

Letter to Candravali -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

You are always at liberty to inquiry from me about all such questions in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and I am so glad that you are reading all these books so carefully. That is our business—we shall chant Hare Krishna or read Srimad-Bhagavatam or or associate with devotees in the temple, so that program shall go on continually for constantly remembering Krishna, and we shall not forget Him, even for a moment.

If you think that program is nice then I have no objection to your going there and living with the devotees in the temple.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Los Angeles 20 November, 1968:

Yes, I have noted that you would like to go to the New York center for some time. If you think that program is nice then I have no objection to your going there and living with the devotees in the temple there. Yes, try to convince your brothers gradually to come to the temple and take up this Krishna Consciousness. It will be a great service.

1969 Correspondence

I am very glad that you are attending Kirtana and eating prasadam and transcendentally enjoying the association of the devotees in the temple. Kindly continue this method and you will be more and more enlightened.

Letter to Mr. Mottissey -- Montreal 16 July, 1969:

This Bhakti yoga is very pleasing, practical, and readily understandable how far we are making progress. But in practicing Bhakti yoga, we can make immediately an estimation of our progress. For example, all our students, they are completely refrained from 4 principles of prohibition in which they were addicted in their previous life. But since they are initiated, they are not taking any meat, they are not taking any intoxicants, including tea, coffee, and cigarettes, and so many other things but very nicely they are keeping the balance. So this is practical example that at least he is saved so much botheration, and unnecessary expenditures in the matter of eating and drinking. Sometimes I think when I see on the street strewn cigarette butts, that if people in general give up cigarette smoking, how much money they can save daily without any effort. And if they contribute the money for spreading Krishna consciousness, we can prosecute so many activities to change the face of the world. So Krishna Consciousness movement is all good from all sides. From social , political, economical, hygienic and many other points of view. And at last it is the greatest gift because at the end, we become associated with Krishna. I am very glad that you are attending Kirtana and eating prasadam and transcendentally enjoying the association of the devotees in the temple. Kindly continue this method and you will be more and more enlightened.

1970 Correspondence

I am not only establishing Temples, but I am creating the devotees of the Temples.

Letter to R. D. Birla -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

I want to establish many Radha Krishna Temples in all important towns and countries of the Western World. I am not only establishing Temples, but I am creating the devotees of the Temples. There are many thousands of disciples in America, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. So I am in need of many pairs of Radha Krishna Murtis, and from the letter of Sri Balmukund Parikh I learn that you are interested to donate such Murtis for being installed in different parts of the Western countries.

1972 Correspondence

So as the wife of a GBC member you have got the responsibility to help your husband to maintain the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness both in yourselves and in all the other devotees in the Temple.

Letter to Krsna Bhamini -- Bombay 4 January, 1972:

I am glad to know that you are continuing on work on the children's version of Isopanisad. We will require such books for use in our Dallas, Texas school. Please do this work very thoughtfully; Krishna will give you good direction in how to do it. I have seen today the slides of the paintings from our Bhagavad-gita. Many of them are super-excellent. If we introduce these books in all the bookstores, schools, colleges, libraries and everyone's home our religion will be the only religion in the world very soon. This prediction has been made publicly here in one newspaper, by a Japanese philosopher, that within ten years Krishna Consciousness will be the world religion. If you all keep preaching in such a pure way this will undoubtedly prove true. So as the wife of a GBC member you have got the responsibility to help your husband to maintain the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness both in yourselves and in all the other devotees in the Temple.

1974 Correspondence

If you have further questions you may write me or consult with the devotees in the temple.

Letter to Brian Fleming -- Mayapur 6 March, 1974:

You write that you are becoming very involved in Krsna Consciousness but your wife is not very interested and you want to know from me whether you should leave her. It is not necessary to leave your wife. The important thing is that you yourself become Krsna Consciousness, she cannot check you one way or another, but you must yourself surrender to Krsna and be engaged in devotional service. We do not say that one has to leave home. Either you leave home or remain there, and whether or not she becomes Krsna Conciousness, you go on with your progressive interest and participation in this great movement. By and by if you are strong in your determination, she may also follow you. If you have further questions you may write me or consult with the devotees in the temple. Actually I have already answered all questions in my books such as Bhagavad-gita, so kindly read them and chant Hare Krishna Mantra.

I am very concerned to hear you have left the association of Trivikrama Swami and the devotees in the temple in Taiwan.

Letter to Sri Ballavh -- Geneva 4 June, 1974:

I am very concerned to hear you have left the association of Trivikrama Swami and the devotees in the temple in Taiwan. For one thing you cannot remain in firm Krsna Consciousness without the association of devotees and for another thing you were being counted on to make a strong contribution to the mission in Taiwan. We must stand united. If the few men we have in a far away place like Taiwan become scattered, then we will not be able to stand. I know you are always experiencing difficulties in living with devotees, but we must be tolerant and endure the personal differences, being humbler than a blade of grass, and stick to our duties to the spiritual master.