Now their family duty is that they are, this Singhania, Sir Padampat Singhania, they have got four or five brothers, and the mother is still living. And the order is that each and every family member must go every day and pay respect to the Deity. And if somebody is absent one day, then he must be fined. A fine is imposed. The, the big brother, Sir Padampat Singhania, if he's absent one day to pay respect to the Deity, he's fined ten rupees, or ten dollars. You see? And, and next day the brāhmaṇa, or the pūjārī, the worshiper engaged, he goes to collect the fine. He presents, "Yes, yes. I am sorry. Yes. Here is my fine." (laughs) So of course, this is self-imposed, but the idea is that they are spiritually conscious in this way. "Oh, I did not go yesterday to offer my respect to the Deity, Kṛṣṇa. So I must pay fine." This is also spiritual consciousness. This is also spiritual consciousness.
Pujari
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
In the beginning of the Bhagavat-sandarbha there are similar statements by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī compiled a book called Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā, edited the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, wrote a foreword to the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha and a commentary on the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, and installed the Rādhāramaṇa Deity in Vṛndāvana. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (184) it is mentioned that his previous name in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa was Anaṅga-mañjarī. Sometimes he is also said to have been an incarnation of Guṇa-mañjarī. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and Gopīnātha Pūjārī were two of his disciples.
CC Madhya-lila
(50) The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and approved songs should be sung. (51) Musical instruments should be played. (52) One should dance before the Deity. (53) One should circumambulate the Deity. (54) One should again offer obeisances. (55) One should offer different types of prayers and hymns at the Lord's lotus feet. (56) One should touch the lotus feet of the Lord with one's head. This may not be possible for everyone, but at least the pūjārī should do this. (57) The flowers offered on the previous day should touch one's head. (58) One should take the remnants of the Lord's food. (59) One should sit before the Lord and think that he is massaging the Lord's legs. (60) One should decorate the Lord's bed with flowers before the Lord takes His rest. (61) One should offer one's hand to the Lord. (62) One should take the Deity to His bed. (63) One should wash the feet of the Lord and then sit Him on the bed. (64) One should place the Lord on the bed and then massage His feet.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
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.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
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. That has come everywhere. I have seen in Nasik in many, many big temples there is no pūjārī, and the dogs are passing stool. Not only they're breaking. In Western countries also the churches are being closed-big, big churches. In London I have seen, very big, big churches, but they're closed. When there is meeting on Sunday, the caretaker, two, three men, and some old lady, they come. Nobody comes. And we are purchasing. We have purchased several churches.
It is an offense. Therefore, when you bring bhoga for the Deity, it should be covered so that we greedy men may not see it and try to taste it. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, they sometimes do that. Sometimes they take away something before offering to the Deity. These are great offenses. So Mādhavendra Purī thought it that he was a great offender; he should not live in this temple, he should go outside. So he went outside, and underneath a tree he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, just to pass over the night, then proceed toward Jagannātha Purī. So at night the Deity, Gopīnātha, was asking the pūjārī, the priest, that "I have kept one pot of kṣīra behind My back garment," pitavastra(?) "So you take this pot of kṣīra, condensed milk, to Mādhavendra Purī—he is sitting underneath a tree—and offer him." So the pūjārī wake up, and actually when he opened the door of the Deity room, he found that pot of kṣīra. So he could understand that "This Mādhavendra Purī is not an ordinary devotee, he is a great devotee; otherwise how the Lord has stolen this pot for him?" Since then, that Gopīnātha is famous as Kṣīra-corā Gopīnātha. Kṣīra-corā Gopīnātha, the Gopīnātha who stole the kṣīra for His devotee.
In the spiritual world even a small ant who is serving Kṛṣṇa by chance... Suppose if there is an ant and the flower is thrown into the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and the ant kisses the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he is as good as the pūjārī. This is spiritual world. So we should give everyone chance how to serve Kṛṣṇa. Then he will remain on the upper platform. Samatītya. Atītya mean transcending. Etan guṇān. Etan guṇān means because the material world is complicated with the modes of material nature, so this is called guṇa. So anyone who is engaged constantly in devotional service, sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26), he immediately transcends the influence of the material qualities. Sa guṇān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.
Vaiṣṇava, Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he is transcendental, nitya-siddha, he's thinking, identifying himself with his family. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not entering in the Jagannātha temple. The same thing, five hundred years ago they did not allow anyone except Hindus in the Jagannātha temple. The same thing is still going on. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura never by force entered. He thought himself, "Yes, I am low grade person, born in low grade family. Why shall I disturb the pūjārīs and others who are directly engaged with Jagannātha? No, no." Sanātana Gosvāmī, he did not go near the temple gate. He thought himself, "By touching me, the pūjārīs will be impure. Better I shall not go." But Jagannātha Himself was coming to see him daily. This is the position of devotee. Devotee is very humble. But to prove the devotees' quality the Lord takes care of them. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31).
Festival Lectures
The system is, the local magistrate becomes the official manager of the managing board of Jagannātha Purī. So at that time he was situated in Jagannātha Purī, and Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared at Purī. And the Ratha-yātrā, the Ratha-yātrā ceremony takes place, and sometimes the big ratha stops at interval. So the house in which Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared, in front of that house the ratha stopped. So his mother took the advantage and... Because Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was magistrate, so the son, the little baby, was brought before the ratha, and the pūjārīs allowed him to bring the child before the Deity, and the child was placed before the Deity and a garland was offered by Jagannātha. So that was the first sign of his becoming the ācārya. In this way there are many incidences.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1967 Conversations and Morning Walks
Hayagrīva: All right, this is third act, first scene.
Prabhupāda: So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after taking leave from His mother, left Bengal towards Orissa, and on the entrance of the district of Balasore there is a nice temple called Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha temple. And He saw the temple. Here the scene is to be arranged that there is nice temple and within the temple there is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity, Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha. The pūjārīs are there, ārati is being taken place, and at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered with His followers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, and He saw the Deity and danced before Him. And when the ārati was finished, prayer was finished, then He sat down, talked with His associates, Nityānanda and Gadādhara and Murāri.
Prabhupāda: In Sanskrit it is called (pid?) vastra, backside robe. So under the backside robe He kept one pot of condensed milk by stealing. So the pūjārī woke up and opened the door and actually saw that there was a pot of condensed milk. The priests were very much astonished that "Oh, He has stolen (laughs) kṣīra for His devotee." So the order was that "You take this pot and give to Madhavendra Purī. He is sitting underneath a tree." So they, with the pot of the condensed milk, they began to cry, "Oh, who is that Madhavendra Purī? Oh, you are so fortunate. The Deity has stolen condensed milk for you. Take it." So he came forward and he was so pleased that Lord has stolen. "Because I desired to taste so Lord has stolen one pot." So in this way. From that day He became famous, the thief of condensed milk, Kṣīra-corā. Kṣīra means condensed milk and corā means thief. So the temple became famous as the temple of the thief of condensed milk.
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee (3): One of the people connected with the temple has associated with us in Delhi and (indistinct) has invited us.
Prabhupāda: So first of all take information from the Pujari(?) in which train they have booked our seats for Delhi, and you write immediately one letter to Dhruva in Bombay and Tamal Kṛṣṇa also, that Dhruva may instruct the Delhi Birla's dharmaśāla to accommodate us immediately. So their dharmaśāla. It is Birla's dharmaśāla. First of all we have to see how they have made our seats.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śyāmasundara: Still, they're asking us to supply them pūjārīs.
- Prabhupāda: Huh?
Śyāmasundara: They're asking us to supply them pūjārīs. Out of all their community, not one man will volunteer to be the pūjārī.
- Prabhupāda: They're asking us for pūjārī?
Śyāmasundara: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: So why not take charge?
Śyāmasundara: At the Hindu center, didn't they ask, a couple, "Come and live there, be pūjārī," and...? I was hearing that.
Prabhupāda: But we cannot become pūjārī...
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Gurudāsa: One of the nicest buildings. He had so many buildings in Vṛndāvana from his dynasty, but they have all been taken by unscrupulous pūjārīs.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Gurudāsa: They've been taken by unscrupulous pūjārīs that are just squatting illegally. And so he says, "All right, let them have it." But this one he has kept because it is so first class.
Prabhupāda: So we shall have to deal with this pūjārī.
Gurudāsa: This one...
Prabhupāda: Is nice?
Gurudāsa: Nice, and he jumps when the Mahārāja speaks. I don't think he will get rid of this pūjārī.
Gurudāsa: That is the system, that he stays there but we will do the pūjārī work.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Give him salary.
Gurudāsa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: He is being paid?
Gurudāsa: I think they must be.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, whatever he is being paid, we shall pay. (indistinct).
Gurudāsa: (indistinct) also knows it, because he announced to this chairman of the council that he will become the gardener and they will become the pūjārīs. So he is for that.
Prabhupāda: The poor man, unless he gets some income, he becomes (indistinct).
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śyāmasundara: Oh. So His purpose is individual for everyone.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Varieties of purposes. Kṛṣṇa is asking Arjuna to fight with the Kurus, or He's asking me to preach. I am not fighting. So Kṛṣṇa, (indistinct), He has got varieties of order, and your duty is to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa, that's all. What kind of order He'll give, you accept, just like you are doing, all my disciples. It is not that you are all doing the same thing. Somebody is pūjārī, somebody is preaching, somebody is collector, somebody is (indistinct), somebody is this, somebody is that. So there are different varieties, but your duty is to carry out my order.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Acyutānanda: I heard that after the death of Vallabhācārya, Sanātana Gosvāmī told his son to worship the Gopāla Deity. He engaged his son, Vallabhācārya's son, as a pūjārī in Govardhana. So then it came into their hands.
Prabhupāda: Hm? That may be, yes.
Acyutānanda: Then, when the Deity was moved, it was moved to Nāthadvāra, and now they, now they are...
Prabhupāda: When the Deity was given to them, they could do anything.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, purchase from Jagannātha temple. People would come to offer Him prasādam, so what is the cost of the prasādam, that was taken, and He purchased. Formerly, the system was, there was no hotel, but there were temples. You go and you can purchase very cheap price. I went with my father in my childhood in a place. My father would never take food at anyone's house or in the hotel. He will find out some temple and pay them and take prasādam. Still there are many temples. So I was about ten years old at that time, say, seventy years ago. So he paid two annas to the pūjārī and he gave us so much. It can be eaten by five, six men. Kicheri, vegetables, varieties. So much. Two annas.
Mahāṁsa: They are very political. They want to take charge of everything that they give money for.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Mahāṁsa: They want to take charge of everything that they give money for. Just like these temples which they have in New York, they will be in charge of them. They are the pūjārīs and things...
Prabhupāda: That means they are constructing their own temple.
Mahāṁsa: Yes.
Acyutānanda: That will be a Gaṇeśa temple.
Prabhupāda: That's all right, but He creates by His energy. Just like I am creating this institution, but I am not doing directly, but my men or my assistants, they are doing it. (sound like conch) What is this sound?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Intercom.
Prabhupāda: So why this intercom? Inter...?
Hṛdayānanda: To speak from one room to another.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It connects the pūjārī room and... It connects the pūjārī room, the office, your secretary, and up here, Bhavānanda Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...accepted, now He created and that... What is that next? Explain.
Hṛdayānanda: Now God is dormant, in a dormant condition.
Prabhupāda: What is that dormant?
Jayapatākā: I heard... They thought that was the criterion.
Prabhupāda: This is called makṣī maṇḍa kanani. (?) A clerk was making a fair book from the rough book. So he went to the toilet room and he was... Like this. So all of a sudden his boss came: "What you are doing here?" "Sir, I am trying to capture one fly." "And why?" "No, I am making the fair copy of the book, but in the original book, there is a fly smashed. (laughter) So I have to paste one fly." There are such fools. Makṣī maṇḍa kanani. "There is a fly, paste. So in the fair copy, there must be a fly, paste." (break) Yes. Unless there is pūjārī, what is the meaning of temple?
Rāmeśvara: The Māyāpura-Vṛndāvana Trust Fund? Oh.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And let me know that "I've transferred so much money."
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Then I will do it.
Jagannātha: The Deity pūjā has been improving in Vṛndāvana. Right now Nitāi is the head pūjārī there.
Prabhupāda: Then it's all right?
Jagannātha: And he is making many improvements.
Prabhupāda: No. He can, all of you can if you like.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He is favorable, keep in touch. (long pause)
Svarūpa Dāmodara: One thing I wanted to ask was about the ārati, in offering ārati, now we blow the conchshell, but, ah, coming out the pūjārī from the altar, outside, when the pūjārī blows the conchshell, he does this, especially in Atlanta, and I think in other temples also I have seen, the pūjārī comes out of the...
Rūpānuga: Yes, he comes on this side of the altar and blows the conchshell. Is that all right? It should be behind the curtain or in front of the curtain?
Prabhupāda: Behind the curtain?
Jayapatākā: How they can afford to maintain such a building?
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa will maintain. We can utilize it properly.
Jayapatākā: And we'll have British pūjārīs. For the glory of Queen Victoria.
Prabhupāda: Victoria. Let them send. Tell them that we shall bring. Victoria has... Let them send to worship Victoria with prasādam of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is real Victoria Memorial.
Hari-śauri: He's got to be a heavy man. I was telling Haṁsadūta when I was here I tried for so long to get the kīrtana going at night time, and they wouldn't turn up or they'd fall asleep, or this or that. And so many people would refuse to do it. I could only get maybe five or six men out of the whole temple who would volunteer to do it. So we worked it out, we made a list of all the people who could possibly chant at night. Everyone. I even put the pūjārīs down because we were short of men. Then we said...
Prabhupāda: No, pūjārīs they have to rise early.
Prabhupāda: Then why you are keeping so many devotees here?
Mahāṁśa: The main problem now is there were three pūjārīs, and one of them is here, and he doesn't want to go back to pūjārī work, so we have to find...
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Mahāṁśa: He doesn't want to go back to do pūjārī work, so there's only two pūjārīs and they were just complaining yesterday that it's very difficult to do so much Deity worship.
Prabhupāda: So why? Why he does not want to go?
Mahāṁśa: He wants to go traveling for a while.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Gargamuni: No, his fault was that he had some education. Anyone who was doing anything... This one boy who was translating your books, he was a very educated person. He was about thirty years old.
Prabhupāda: Hindu.
Gargamuni: Hindu. Yes. He was brahmacārī there at the āśrama. He was the chief pūjārī. But he joined us. We toured a few areas, and he came with us and arranged for everything. And he joined us, and he was translating.
Prabhupāda: (aside:) Now take this.
Prabhupāda: But Japanese are very intelligent, Bengalis are intelligent, by taking fish and rice. In Bengal ninety percent people, they take fish. Here also, Orissa, cent percent, even the Jagannātha pūjārīs. In Bihar also, fifty percent. The more you go towards Western part of India, you get more wealthy province, just like Uttar Pradesh, very wealthy province, enlightened. All the big cities are there: Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Lucknow. Every hundred miles you get a very nice city in UP, the best province in India. All the holy places-Vṛndāvana, Prayāga, Hardwar, Ayodhyā, many celebrated holy places. Ganges and Yamunā flowing, two sacred rivers. Both of them through in Uttar Pradesh. And all the cities are either on the bank of the Yamunā or Ganges. And that is the best province, state, in India. It has got fifty districts. And fifty districts means fifty towns. Little more or less important. But the Kanpur is the third important city in India. First Calcutta, Bombay, and next, Kanpur.
Yogeśvara: Part time, everyone is trying to do an hour a day.
Prabhupāda: So what they do, others?
Yogeśvara: Well, from the other forty devotees left there is the staff of pūjārīs, press, temple maintenance. So not so many are left for doing full-time work on the land.
Prabhupāda: You are not getting new devotees to join?
Yogeśvara: In Paris.
Prabhupāda: Yes. From Paris or here... In Paris... From Paris you can bring in the farm.
Prabhupāda: No. I don't think he's so mean-minded. No. He's not mean-minded. He's a good boy. I've studied.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ravi Shankar has taken advantage of him. These two pūjārīs, the two brothers...
Prabhupāda: They're ideal.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...they look like they're out of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. They appear as two persons right out of that book.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Very good boys.
Bali-mardana: It is all by your grace.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Sydney Deity.
Bali-mardana: This is... Balarāma here is the president of Melbourne, and he is also pūjārī.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma.
Bali-mardana: Balarāma dāsa.
Prabhupāda: This is Gaura-Nitāi.
Prabhupāda: And good, good paper. Then in script we shall write the title.
Brahmānanda: So "This is to..." The title will be... He has here, "devotional service in the field of..." Let's say the field is pūjārī worship.
Prabhupāda: So keep that blank.
Brahmānanda: So that would be the title, Pūjārī Worship?
Prabhupāda: No, title...
Brahmānanda: That would be something else.
Prabhupāda: Something else.
Brahmānanda: So the title could maybe come on the top, like...
Prabhupāda: You can... Where is our paṇḍita? Call him. (chuckling) What is the meaning of kovida?
Pradyumna: "Very expert." Sevā-kovida or...
Prabhupāda: That "kovida" we shall give. "Pūjā-kovida", "Pracāra-kovida," Like that.
Prabhupāda: What is that? First of all, if they are third class, then blowing in the oven, fire.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Blowing in the...?
Prabhupāda: The oven. (laughter) He is third class. And the second class, blowing in the conchshell, pūjārī. And first class? Blowing in the ear and becoming spiritual master. (laughter) But their business is...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Blowing.
Prabhupāda: Either here or in the conchshell or in the fire, first, second, third. This is a very..., said three way.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of course, he might be thinking, "Well, I'm a pūjārī, so the temple should pay me money to maintain my family."
Prabhupāda: If we have got brahmacārī pūjārī, why should we maintain a gṛhastha? He is not only one pūjārī. We have got sannyāsī, brahmacārī. Why should we maintain a gṛhastha? And where is the means? After all, these things are to be adjusted. I can give you the ideas. The pūjārīs were given in Vṛndāvana the temple, and they made it a source of income. Just like the gosāis are doing. Their pūjā goes to hell.
Prabhupāda: Mean these gṛhastha pūjārī. Gradually the pūjā will go to hell. They'll gradually glide down how to maintain family by showing the Deity. That is... The gosāis are doing. People have sentiment to give something to the Deity, and they will depend on that income. Bas. This is the position of these Vṛndāvana temple. What is the position of the Rādhā-Ramaṇa? Deterioration. It is not being properly done. They'll sell the property.
Prabhupāda: Very good. You are my old disciple. So I'll be very pleased if you keep the principles—it doesn't matter wherever you live—and spread Kṛṣṇa conscious wherever you feel happy, and do not forget the real business. She is helping you?
Gaurasundara: Yes, very much. She's doing all the pūjārī work and taking care of the Deities.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Gaurasundara: Pūjārī. Making clothes.
Prabhupāda: How big the Deities are?
Jayatīrtha: These Deities are superexcellent Deities.
Harikeśa: The pūjārī, he will not leave the temple under any circumstances, Aṣṭaratha dāsa. No matter what, he will not leave the temple. I tried to force him to come to London to see you. He said he cannot do it.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
I hope you have duly received my letter of the 18th instant in the meantime. By the by while reading some of the literatures of your great institution, it has come to my notice that you have in your mind about the various temples and their respective Pujaris also.
A thorough reformation of the management of these temples are required for spreading Theistic knowledge through these centres. No intelligent person is now attracted in such temples, because the purpose of these temples have been lost sight of due to negligence on the parts of both the public and pujaris. As a matter of fact, therefore, no new temples or places of spiritual enlightenment are constructed now in the newly constructed colonies of different cities. There are some of the signs of materialistic trend.
We have to create tangible interest in the temples for spiritual advancement of knowledge. With that purpose in view, it is necessary that the priests and pujaris must be enlightened men both in Theism and Sanskrit language also. They shall be primary teachers of the Bhagavad-gita in different temples. Both these temples and their management have to be reformed in the present context.
1969 Correspondence
I am very glad to learn that Visakha is fully engaged in taking care of the Deities. Please offer my blessings to her and try to behave with her as a very kind husband. She will be a very nice girl, helping you both materially and spiritually. She is a very nice girl. Regarding your questions about pujari, pujari means who will always be with the Deities. That is pujari. So far as the difficulty with bathing, you can heat up some water in the morning and wash yourself over with a sponge or a cloth.* That will be all right if there is no hot water for regular showers.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding an assistant Pujari, Ilavati may be trained to assist you, but she may not conduct Arcana without being dvija. The system is that only one who is qualified with Gayatri initiation may directly worship the Deities (i.e. bathing, offering bhoga and aratrik, cooking for the Deities, etc.). But she may assist you by helping in all other respects. If for some reason you are unable to perform aratrik, there are other devotees, initiated brahmanas, who can make the offerings there.
Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness—that will satisfy Krsna.
I am very glad also to know that you are engaged as Pujari there. Try to learn this art of Arcana very nicely. You can consult in this connection Himavati, Yamuna and also Silavati. I wish that all our girl devotees be expert in the matter of Arcana and cooking. The temple and altar should always be very clean and decorated with flowers and incense.
I do not know what Kirtanananda Maharaja has told you, but where there is want of pujaris only Panca Tattva picture should be worshiped by performance of Kirtana and as soon as Jagannatha or Radha Krsna Deities are installed you will require some qualified pujaris immediately. If there is scarcity of such qualifies pujaris, each center should be satisfied only by worshiping Panca Tattva of Lord Caitanya by performance of Sankirtana.
The more you advance in Krsna Consciousness, the more you will feel such ecstasy. This is Krsna's grace. So remain fixed up in the service, at the same time try to train others because we shall have to open so many centers. Unless we have got very trained up pujaris it will be difficult for us to install Deities. There is a good advertisement of us in India, and if some Indians come to our temple and see that the arcana worship is not being done properly, then there will be great criticism.
The Gayatri is chanted morning, afternoon, and evening. The pujari chants Gayatri at each offering. Regarding the "Sayyothana" ceremony. In that part of the year it is very hot so they pour water mixed with milk over the Deities. Lord Jesus Christ is a saktyavesa Avatara., an empowered living entity or jiva. In order to attain such a position one must be pure, so in this sense Lord Jesus Christ was a pure devotee. Of course, humanitarianism is not a sign of the pure devotee, but unless he did like that no one would hear him. So Lord Jesus Christ was acting a part suitable for the particular circumstances.
Regarding Deity worship, Silavati and Yamuna Devi may be considered expert, so if some new hands come and take their help, that is a good proposition. Once established, however, Deities should not be removed. We should treat the Dieties as the Personality of Godhead, and to invite Him to come to your home you must worship regularly. You cannot remove. If there is scarcity of pujaris, then Deities should not be installed, only pictures of Guru and Gauranga should be worshiped. Irregularity in worshiping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as they are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshiping Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sri Radha Krishna is not good.
Please see that the schedule of offerings is done regularly without any break. To worship the Deity or to worship Panca-tattva means that there can be no upsetting of the schedule of offerings. You have seen our L.A. temple and how nicely the pujaris are doing everything. So, in the same way, try and make your worship equally nice. In that way you will have the full blessings of Srimati Radharani.
So far as your casting of Murtis there during the winter months, that sounds very nice. If you could produce plaster Murtis of Lord Caitanya the same size in height as Kartamashai Murtis you produced earlier, that would be very nice. And then your good wife Dinadayadri, acting as pujari there, can take nice care of that Murti. Husband and wife working conjointly in Krishna Consciousness is the perfection of household life. So both of you go on working in this way to strengthen and improve our wonderful New Vrindaban community project and Krishna will be very pleased.
1971 Correspondence
You write to say that you are considering the possibility of celebrating feast days with festivals on the street. That is very good program, so do it nicely. Aratik ceremony may be done also, if possible. Otherwise, it is not necessary. So long as there is Guru-Gauranga worship, Yamuna Prabhu may act as pujari. Otherwise, one must be initiated to tend the Deity.
As of yet, I have not received the check for $50 for ten tulasi beads. Yes, if you feel that she is qualified, the girl Carol may receive Gayatri initiation also so that she can take up pujari business full time.
Presently I am in Bombay and very soon I shall be going to London and perhaps to Moscow. From there I shall be going to N.Y. and on to Los Angeles, perhaps for Rathayatra on June 27th, 1971. At that time, if she is qualified, then she may take over pujari duties there in Laguna Beach. That will be very nice. And you can help her in Deity worship also.
The two men sitting up on Lord Jagannatha's altar are pujaris. They are just sitting there and anyone coming to make offering to the Deity, they are accepting and returning tulasi and caranamrta. So they are very busy. And when there is bhoga offering, no visitors are allowed in the temple. The floor is immediately washed and pots and trays of foodstuffs are placed in the room. And each time Jagannatha is offered prasadam, there is enough for one thousand men.
I am very encouraged to hear that people are coming. So please manage temple affairs nicely. Nanda Kumar is expert pujari and his wife is already going there. The Deity worship must be done very very carefully. I have already seen how Nanda Kumar is doing and it is all right. Everything must be kept very clean.
I am especially pleased that you are finding great pleasure in serving Their Lordships in Hamburg Temple as pujari. I think that under your care They have become very gorgeous and satisfied. It is the sole aim of life to be constantly absorbed in thoughts about Radharani and Krishna, and because you are so determined to become fully Krishna Conscious, Krishna has given you this opportunity to realize that aim by serving Him directly.
To supervise this essential Krishna Conscious activity requires a very fastidious person, one who can remember everything and be very conscientious to prepare everything nicely, be timely, like that. If you are very much attracted to pujari work then you should be given opportunity in some one of our ISKCON Temples to practice it very nicely. For that you consult with the officers and GBC.
Regarding your last question, what I was supposed to have said to the pujari in Bombay, I never said like that. How could I say like that. The deity is the Master, the pujari is His servant, that's all.
1972 Correspondence
One thing is, if we make our Deity worship program extremely opulent and gorgeous, and if all of the devotees are always attending arati and holding kirtana in front of the Deities, that will be the best program for attracting the Indian people to Krishna Consciousness Movement. So you try to give the pujaris all assistance to improve the standard of Deity worship and always render Radha and Krishna the most sincere attention.
I have recently received several letters from the others there in Vrndavana, wherein they have mentioned there may be some illicit relationship between Devananda Swami and your wife, Yamuna devi. I want to know if there is any substance to this claim, you may be frank and honest with me as much as possible because I am very much in anxiety on this account. Therefore I have asked Devananda to leave India for working as pujari in Nairobi. Also enclosed please find the copy of one letter from the accountant there in Vrndavana. The report is not very good, so you please give me your side of the situation and explain these things.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 19, 1972, and I am simply surprised that you want to give up your child to some other persons, even they are also devotees. For you, child-worship is more important than deity-worship. If you cannot spend time with him, then stop the duties of pujari. At least you must take good care of your son until he is four years old, and if after that time you are unable any more to take care of him then I shall take care. These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them.
1973 Correspondence
You manufacture ideas and then I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these things? Who has given you such freedom? Pujari should operate entirely under the supervision of temple president and GBC, not independently. The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don't ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that's all.
No, Haridasa Pandit is not the namacarya Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Pandit was the pujari of the temple. As far as the old Govindaji temple is concerned, that is now rejected. It is now newly situated. Both the old Govindaji and Madan Mohan temples were desecrated by the Mohammedans and partly destroyed, but Govindaji deity was removed. The old temples are rejected and these temples are both now newly situated as you will see in the photos.
1974 Correspondence
Regarding your deity. So long as you are not living separately, you may put your deity on the regular temple altar, and as they are caring for the deity and feeding and dressing and cleansing, so the temple pujari may also give your deity the proper care and worship.
At present Vaikunthanatha Prabhu is doing the typing of the tapes, so if you remain there and work in the pujari department nicely, then that will please me.
Regarding the worship of our Gaura Nitai by women pujaris, we worship Lord Caitanya in His householder life when He was with His wife, and not as a sannyasi. So, it is alright for women to do this service. But, besides this, service is spiritual and there can be no material designation.
Prabha Visnu should go on Sankirtana, and Madhavananda should be president. Everything must go on. The women are doing nicely, so why are they being changed from the pujari to the Sankirtana? These things should be done by the President. These are internal things, and you should not interfere. I do not approve of your changing the women. It should be the choice of Madhavananda who should be the pujari.
I note that you are planning to come to India, and I have no objection. We will be needing experienced pujaris for our Vrindaban temple.
1975 Correspondence
There should also be one pujari room for keeping the Deity paraphernalia nearby the Deity.
So it is good that Shakti Mati is again living in the temple. Keep her nicely. She is woman, so you call her Mother. As soon as you call her Mother, that I am so fallen please save, you are so great, then she will be very pleased. She is very talented and can organize the Pujari Dept. You say that the devotees are not enthusiastic, but this is important for spiritual life.
I am in due receipt of your two letters dated August 6th and August 15th together with the revised plans for the temple. The pujari room on the first floor behind the temple is not meant as living quarters for the Pujari. It is meant for storing the Deity paraphernalia, making flower garlands, etc. No toilets should be on this floor. Water taps will be needed however for washing the Deity utensils and prasadam plates of the Deity.
1976 Correspondence
If you are needed there, it is all right for you to miss the festival. You will have to accept the decisions made by the other GBC. You can gradually train Nanda Kumar. He is undoubtedly a good pujari.
For worshiping the Deities in Bombay, including Sita-Rama, there is absolutely no change in worship. Adopt the same method as in our Vrindaban centre, simply with 3 pujaris just like in Vrindaban. They are all Visnu-tattva, Ramacandra, Radha-Krsna, Gaura-Nitai. No additional kirtanas, simply do exactly as in Vrindaban. I want to know what it would cost to have Kaliya-Krsna Deity (with four mermaids offering prayers, Nagapatnis), and also Radha-Krishna with Lalita and Visakha, and also Guru and Gauranga; what would be the approximate cost for production and transportation of these Deities to Fiji Island?
So far as your engagement is concerned, you are already engaged as pujari, so do that and whenever you get time preach Bhagavad-gita.
1977 Correspondence
I have now instructed Ramesvara Swami and Bali Mardan dasa Adhikari, who I have sent to Australia to help manage there, to make all the final arrangements for the Deities, pujaris, etc. Ramesvara will contact you very soon about these details. So far my going for the opening of the temple, and installing the Deities, if my health is physically fit, then I can come in late April or early May, and if the temple can be opened then. So please go on and do everything nicely and I will try to see you then.
Please continue to increase the deity worship and teach others to become a very good pujari like you. When I see my disciples doing deity worship nicely that engladdens me. 'Sevonmukhe hi jivadau/ svayam eva sphuraty adah', God realization is possible only by service. That is the only way. He is adhoksaja. 'Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajantam priti purvakam/ dadami
| Page Title: | Pujari |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 29 of Nov, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=7, Con=29, Let=39 |
| No. of Quotes: | 77 |