As we have explained many times, that this arcā-mūrti . . . the rascal class of men, they cannot understand arcā-mūrti. They think that, "They are worshiping idol." Even amongst the Hindus there are so-called followers of Vedas, they also say that, "What is the necessity of worshiping Deity in the temple?" They made very vigorous propaganda in India to stop temple worship. For a short time it has got some reaction, but now it is finished. That rascal propaganda not to worship the Deity in the temple is finished. Nobody cares for that. They think that God is everywhere—except in the temple. (laughter) That is their view. And God is everywhere; why not in the temple? No. That is their poor fund of knowledge. They cannot accommodate. No. God is everywhere, but not in the temple. This is their intelligence, rascals. So we have to follow therefore ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2): one who has accepted ācārya . . . one who knows the śāstra and practically behaves according to the regulation of śāstra, he is called ācārya. Acinoti śāstrārthaḥ.
So all the ācāryas . . . in India there are many thousands and thousands of temples, very, very big temples, especially in South India. Some of them you have seen. Each temple is like a big fort. So all these temples were established by the ācāryas, not that the people whimsically established. No. Still there is very prominent temple, Bālajī temple, Tirupati, Tirumalai. People are going, and the daily collection is more than one lakh of rupees still. Although they have been propagated so vigorously not to visit temples, but people . . . that is the birthright in India—they are automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious. Automatically. Therefore all the demigods, they also desire to take birth in India. Automatically.
So the temple worship is essential. So those who are against temple worship, Deity worship, they are not very intelligent class of men—foolish, mūḍha. Again, the same word.
- na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
- prapadyante narādhamāḥ
- māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
- āsuri bhāvam āśritāḥ
- (BG 7.15)
Māyayāpahṛta jñānāḥ. They are talking very big, big words that, "God is everywhere," but they are forbidding temple worship. Apahṛta-jñānā. The knowledge is imperfect. A common man can say: "If God is everywhere, why not in the temple?" And if we have to worship God, why not in His original form? The original form, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, the original form so many people have seen. They have got photograph . . . not photograph, paintings. And it is confirmed in the śāstras, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam (Bs. 5.30). Kṛṣṇa is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā, from so millions and millions of years ago described by Lord Brahma, that veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ. He is always playing His flute, veṇuṁ. Venu means flute. Kvaṇantam. And eyes are like the petals of lotus flower. Veṇum kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam (Bs. 5.30). And on the head He has got the plume of peacock feather. In this way the description is there in the śāstra. And when Kṛṣṇa came . . . (aside) Let him . . . why do you disturb? Let him do that. Sit down. So śāstra says Kṛṣṇa is like this. And when Kṛṣṇa appeared on this planet the exactly the same description was there in His form.
We have to accept the form of the Lord as confirmed in the śāstra and as confirmed by the ācārya. Then it is perfect. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya tinete kariyā aikya. We have to understand something very rigidly by three things, the . . . it must be confirmed by the śāstra, and it must be confirmed by the ācāryas and by the spiritual master. Very simple thing. We have description of Kṛṣṇa in the śāstra, Brahma-saṁhitā, the treatise given by Lord Brahma. And this Brahma-saṁhitā was collected from South India in handwriting by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He delivered to His devotees. So the sādhu . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. Still, He is playing the part of a sādhu. Sādhu and śāstra, Brahma-saṁhitā. And because we have received from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are delivering to our disciples: "Here is Kṛṣṇa's form." The sādhu, śāstra, guru, it must be confirmed. Then we can accept. Not that whimsically if some rascal comes and becomes God by concoction. We cannot accept. It must be confirmed by . . . (aside) Why do you bother? Let them. No, no. As he likes. That's all.