Priesthood in sewa of Shri bhagwan

I was yesterday reading an article on Shri Banke Bihari Temple and got to know that sewa is performed only by the descendants of Goswami Jagganath. Is it fair enough to practice such worship rituals. Krishna is everyone's. Shouldn't there be an entrance test for the Prime Priest in every Temple.? Why only a single family should be the stakeholder of Shrimad Sewa Prasadam?

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  • We need to be practical some time. Therefore, the above. With due respect to all members and Wishes of ShriBhagwan.
    Hare Krishna
  • I feel the answers declared are absolutely true. But Prabhu ji i want to throw light on the days of this age i.e. Kaliyug. Priesthood, with exception to some, has become a profession to earn. I m from education city Kota. Here we have an old Mathuradheesh Temple, owning acres of land in the surrounding villages.
    To whom do these belong, ofcourse to Krishna, but is it not the priest family which would claim its ownership years after.
    At Shrinath ji Temple Nathdwara, the same happens. I here mention about corruption.
    I once was National Geography about the entrance test at Shri Tirupati, why cant all temples have such test?
    • Sevak

      Hare Krsna

      Thank you for acknowledging that the issue is not about worship to Krsna which is freely available to all. The issue is about money & property. 

      Priesthood, with exception to some, has become a profession to earn. 

      We need to understand and have deep faith the laws of Krsna, laws of nature, laws of karma. No individual, group, family, community, govt, nation can ever escape it. Anyone who misuses their advantage is bound to suffer. 

      Is it not the priest family which would claim its ownership years after.

      Firstly it is not sure if they will do at all. Even if the do, they will suffer for it.

      At Shrinath ji Temple Nathdwara, the same happens. I here mention about corruption.

      If what was said is true then the corrupt will suffer undoubtedly. Do u know anyone who has escaped ? 

      Why cant all temples have such test?

      It is naive to think that entrance tests can eradicate corruption, what to speak of removing the desire for sinful enjoyment.

      Please understand that this is material world. Everyone (almost) here is corrupt. This is a bitter truth to be swallowed. The one and only solution is to purify our own consciousness by taking shelter of holy names of Krsna. This doesn't mean that we need to tolerate any corruption against us. No we need to oppose. But issue highlighted is not exactly corruption nor is it against an individual. Please be sure that corrupt cannot escape. No chance !

      Hare Krsna

      • Sevak

        Hare Krsna 

        Srimad Bhagavatam predicts the corruption in name of religion during Kali yuga 

        śūdrāḥ pratigrahīṣyanti
         tapo-veṣopajīvinaḥ
        dharmaṁ vakṣyanty adharma-jñā
         adhiruhyottamāsanam

        Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.(SB 12.3.38)

        So the issue of corruption in the name of religion is already predicted. The situation in kali yuga will be so bad that it will be beyond rectification. Which is why Lord Chaitanya advented 500 years ago and did not try to reform the society, like Sri Krsna or Sri Rama did. The general social, economic, administrative systems etc are all beyond rectification. But there is still one great HOPE 

        kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
         asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
        kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
         mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

        My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. (SB 12.3.51)

        So the focus is on cleansing the consciousness by practice of Krsna consciousness and not the society. This is also exactly what Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said Srila Prabhupada when they first met.

        Hare Krsna

  • Sevak

    Hare Krsna

    Krishna is everyone's.

    True, hence anyone and everyone is free to worship Krsna. Anyone can install a deity of Sri Radha Krsna and start worshiping them according to the prescribed methods given scriptures. Most important ingredient for worship of Sri Radha Krsna is love. Sri Krsna Himself says this 

    patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
    yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
    tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
    aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

    If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it. (BG 9.26)

    Is it fair enough to practice such worship rituals.

    Yes,  Shri Banke Bihari decides who will worship Him. If a set of devotees are currently worshiping Him then that is what He wants. If  Shri Banke Bihari decides Arjun Saxena or Bharat should worship Him then that person will worship Him. It is perfectly fair because  Shri Banke Bihari is the absolute independent principle of cosmic manifestation. No other aspect/entity like a person, family, govt or entire material creation can stand against the will of Shri Banke Bihari.

    Shouldn't there be an entrance test for the Prime Priest in every Temple.?

    Of course there is. Test of whom does Shri Banke Bihari want to be worshiped by. 

    Why only a single family should be the stakeholder of Shrimad Sewa Prasadam?

    If only a single family is serving Shri Banke Bihari, then it is because Shri Banke Bihari wants to receive service from them. 

    This is one of the most important instruction of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for aspirants of service to Sri Krsna

    Please remember this - 

    tṛṇād api sunīcenataror api sahiṣṇunā

    amāninā mānadenakīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

    One who thinks himself lower than grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. ( Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)

    Hare Krsna

    • Hare Krishna,

      Perfect Reply by Bharat Prabhu! I appreciate it! nothing more to add.

      Lord has power to change day to night night to day. He made solar eclipse to appear from no where to make Arjuna kill Jayadratha in the Mahabharata. If He doesn't like those priests serving HIM,  He would have already impeached them of their positions.... They would be involved in some scandal already.

      Hare Krishna.

  • descendents are of two types - bodily descendants and disciplic descendants (disciplic successions). both are called descendants, and the disciplic descendants are more important. of course, a person can be both also. a single family is not  the stakeholder -- Lord accepts service from everyone, not just the Pujaris. externally it may seem otherwise but one shouldn't go by it -- a single family or person is not the 'stakeholder'. one shouldn't get fooled by externals

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