Performing arati (Books)

Expressions researched:
"arati is performed" |"arati is performed" |"arati performance" |"arati was performed" |"arati was performed" |"aratrikas are performed" |"bhoga-aratrika was performed" |"maìgala-ärati performance" |"perform arati" |"perform bhoga-arati" |"performing mangala arati" |"performing mangala-arati" |"performing mangala-aratrika" |"performs arcana by the arati ceremony"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "perform* arat*"@5

SB Canto 2

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.

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. Simple theoretical book knowledge is not sufficient for a neophyte devotee. Book knowledge is theoretical, whereas the arcana process is practical. Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that is the guaranteed way for attainment of spiritual perfection.

SB Canto 9

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.

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.

CC Madhya-lila

After that, ārati is performed, and the prasādam is distributed amongst family members and guests.

CC Madhya 3.41, Purport:

This is the ideal householder's life. The husband and wife live together, and the husband works very hard to secure paraphernalia for worshiping Lord Viṣṇu. The wife at home cooks a variety of foods for Lord Viṣṇu, and the husband offers it to the Deity. After that, ārati is performed, and the prasādam is distributed amongst family members and guests. According to the Vedic principles, there must always be a guest in a householder's house.

CC Madhya 3.58, Translation:

It is the system, after offering food, to perform bhoga-ārati. Advaita Prabhu asked the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, to come see the ārati. The two Lords and all others present went to see the ārati ceremony.

CC Madhya 3.59, Translation:

After ārati was performed for the Deities in the temple, Lord Kṛṣṇa was made to lie down to rest. Advaita Ācārya then came out to submit something to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Madhya 4.66, Translation:

After the last offering of tāmbūla and pan, bhoga-ārātrika was performed. Finally everyone offered various prayers and then obeisances, falling flat before the Deity in full surrender.

CC Madhya 4.80, Translation:

Mādhavendra Purī offered water to Gopāla for washing His mouth, and he gave Him betel nuts to chew. Then, while ārati was performed, all the people chanted, "Jaya, Jaya!" ("All glories to Gopāla!").

Six ārātrikas are performed in the temple, and food is frequently offered to the Deity and the prasādam distributed. This is the method of worshiping the Deity according to the rules and regulations set by the predecessors.

CC Madhya 4.87, Purport:

In the scriptures it is stated, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A qualified brāhmaṇa must be expert in the occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa. His duties are mentioned as six brahminical engagements. Paṭhana means that a brāhmaṇa must be conversant with the Vedic scriptures. He must also be able to teach others to study the Vedic literatures. This is pāṭhana. He must also be expert in worshiping different deities and in performing the Vedic rituals (yajana). On account of this yajana, the brāhmaṇa, being the head of society, performs all the Vedic rituals for kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. This is called yājana, assisting others in performing ceremonies. The remaining two items are dāna and pratigraha. The brāhmaṇa accepts all kinds of contributions (pratigraha) from his followers (namely, the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). But he does not keep all the money. He keeps only as much as required and gives the balance to others in charity (dāna).

In order for such a qualified brāhmaṇa to worship the Deity, he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Thus the Vaiṣṇava's position is superior to that of the brāhmaṇa. This example given by Mādhavendra Purī confirms that even though a brāhmaṇa may be very expert, he cannot become a priest or servitor of the viṣṇu-mūrti unless he is initiated in vaiṣṇava-mantra. After installing the Deity of Gopāla, Mādhavendra Purī initiated all the brāhmaṇas into Vaiṣṇavism. He then allotted the brāhmaṇas different types of service to the Deity. From four in the morning until ten at night (from maṅgala-ārātrika to śayana-ārātrika), there must be at least five or six brāhmaṇas to take care of the Deity. Six ārātrikas are performed in the temple, and food is frequently offered to the Deity and the prasādam distributed. This is the method of worshiping the Deity according to the rules and regulations set by the predecessors. Our sampradāya belongs to the disciplic succession of Mādhavendra Purī, who belonged to the Madhva-sampradāya.

CC Madhya 4.204, Translation:

When many people crowded around Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He regained His external senses. In the meantime, the offering to the Deity had been finished, and there was a resounding ārati performance.

CC Madhya 4.209, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that night at the temple engaged in congregational chanting. In the morning, after seeing the maṅgala-ārati performance, He departed.

One rises early in the morning, chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, performs arcana by the ārati ceremony and worships the Deities.

CC Madhya 19.5, Purport:

A puraścaraṇa is a ritualistic ceremony performed under the guidance of an expert spiritual master or a brāhmaṇa. It is performed for the fulfillment of certain desires. One rises early in the morning, chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, performs arcana by the ārati ceremony and worships the Deities. These activities are described in Madhya-līlā, Fifteenth Chapter, verse 108.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 16.88, Translation:

The offering of food known as gopāla-vallabha-bhoga was then given to Lord Jagannātha, and ārati was performed with the sound of the conch and the ringing of bells.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

It is recommended that one should rise from bed at that time and, after finishing daily ablutions, take to spiritual activities by performing maṅgala-ārati and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Krsna Book 33:

After the rāsa dance was over, the night (the night of Brahmā, a very, very long period, as mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā) turned into the brāhma-muhūrta. The brāhma-muhūrta takes place about one and a half hours before sunrise. It is recommended that one should rise from bed at that time and, after finishing daily ablutions, take to spiritual activities by performing maṅgala-ārati and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This period is very convenient for the execution of spiritual activities.