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IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS ON TEMPLE WORSHIP.‏

The program of the Temple worship is as follows: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there is Mangala Aratrik. At 8:00 a.m. there is dressing and decorating of the altar daily. Then, between 11:30 and 12:00 N., Bhoga Aratrik. At 5:00 p.m., opening of the door and Dhoop Aratrik as well as Boikalik Bhoga offering. In the morning we offer fruits and milk to the Deities, and at noon we offer rice, dal, capatis, vegetable, milk, sweet rice, and many other varieties. In the Boikalik Bhoga Aratrik we offer fruits again. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after dusk; and at 9:00 p.m. we offer Bhoga of Puri, vegetable, milk, sweetmeats, etc. Then there is Sandhya Aratrik after which the Deity rests. This is the general program of worship. We decorate the thrones with profuse flowers, changing the dress and ornaments daily, and as far as possible the Deity platform and the Temple room are kept neat and clean always. The devotees take bath twice daily.
(Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar--5th, February, 1970, Los Angeles).

For the beginners in devotional service to the Lord, temple worship is essential, and this is confirmed in the Vedic literature (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23).
(Bhagavad-Gita---11:54---purport).

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 17, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care. You can call your farm, Talavana. Concerning constructing a temple at the farm, it is feasible only if you have sufficient brahmanas to take nice care otherwise no. You have seen our Vrndavana temple, also the temple in Melbourne and Los Angeles. So things must be at this standard in order to have a temple. The standard must be very high. Neatness and cleanliness are the first business of temple worship. I shall see later on whether or not that Krishna Balarama can be installed there. You cannot paint the Deity with paint to make bluish. Don't manufacture ideas. What is standard you must follow. Don't make it a farce.
(Letter of Nityananda---4th.May, 1976, Honolulu).

We must always be careful to render firstly our routine devotional practices, and maintain always the highest standards of chanting, preaching, temple worship, rising early, cleansing, street sankirtana, etc.; business is secondary to our basic routine work. If the routine Krishna Consciousness program is neglected for other things, then everything else will fail.
(Letter to Hamsadutta---20th. January, 1972, Jaipur).

Temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come on the platform to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we shall always keep these principles in view and maintain our centers on this standard.
(Letter to Satsvarupa---28th. May, 1970, Los Angeles).

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