The difference between idol worship and Deity worship is like that. Unless authorized process is accepted, it is idol worship. That is the general rule. If somebody thinks that, "There is a box, red and blue, on the street. Why shall I so to that box? Let me have similar box at my door, and it will be cleared by the postman because it is blue and red," oh, that will not be. Because the box which you put at your door, that is not authorized.
Similarly, we have to worship the Deity according to the authorized system. Just like in our Gauḍīya-sampradāya there is authorized system by the Gosvāmīns, and there is a big book which is called Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. So everything is stated there, how the Vaiṣṇava family should have their all function . . . it is called Vaiṣṇava-smṛti. Śruti and smṛti. So we have to follow this regulation of the śruti, Vedas, and smṛti. Smṛti means derived from the Vedas. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says:
- śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pāñcarātrikī-vidhiṁ vinā
- aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate
- (Brs. 1.2.101)
Without following the rules and regulations of Vedic injunctions, without reference to the regulative principles mentioned in different smṛtis, without reference to the Purāṇas and without reference to the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī . . . the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī means it is a special concession for this age. Vaidika-vidhī and pāñcarātrikī-vidhī. Vaidika-vidhī is very authorized, but this Vaidika-vidhī is specially meant for those who are highly elevated Brahmins.
In this age it is accepted as a fact by the śāstras, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age nobody is actually bona fide Brahmins by birth. Formerly they used to be. The family tradition, the garbhādhāna system, the saṁskāra were strictly followed; therefore a son born of a Brahmin father was accepted as a Brahmin — not immediately, but going through the process.
But in this age, because it is very difficult to find out a person who is born of a qualified brāhmiṇ, therefore Nārada Pañcarātra is there. So these Gosvāmīns, Rūpa Gosvāmī especially, recommends, śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañc . . . (Brs. 1.2.101). Either you follow the principles of śruti, Vedas, followed by smṛti, purāṇādi, or you follow the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī. The pāñcarātrikī-vidhī . . . just like we are introducing in this temple for worshipping Deity, but actually the Deity can be worshipped by the bona fide Brahmins.
There was agitation in India, perhaps you know, that Gandhi stamped some persons as harijana. Harijana. They were coming from the bhaṅgīs. Bhaṅgīs means sweepers or the cleaners of the toilet room. So Gandhi accepted them. The government was creating . . . British government was creating faction between the caste, low caste. So Gandhi thought that, "I shall make these bhaṅgīs and camars as harijana, as great devotees." But simply by rubber-stamping, how one can become devotee? That is not possible. Without going the pāñcarātrikī-vidhī, they remain the same unclean drunkard and the all nonsense habits. And simply by rubber-stamping, harijana? No.