The desire to see God, to touch God, to talk to God is in itself probably the strongest argument for His existence; besides the logic and evidences from the scriptures, this direct experience is very significant indeed. Bringing Deity Worship from the insiders circle of elderly pujari-priests and making it part of the congregational development is probably the only way it may become part of the positive future for many places in ISKCON. While everyone hankers for direct experience of God in per
deity worship (11)
By Hamsa Avatar Das
ISKCON’s Mayapur Academy has announced its International Diploma Course in Deity Worship to be held from October 21, 2023 – February 26, 2024, at ISKCON Mayapur, situated on the banks of the Ganges River in West Bengal, India. The course will be taught in English.
The prestigious course promises to be a life-changing experience and a dive deep into the profound world of deity worship and everything in connection with it.
The Mayapur Academy curriculum was developed and is
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
There have been some people who have declared that the worship of Deities or images or the murti in the temples is but a recent invention of Vedic culture. However, that is not an accurate point. It is true that according to the different yugas or ages (such as Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga) there are different processes for spiritual development that have been more recommended than others. For example, meditation was the recommende
From Back to Godhead
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given on July 16, 1969, in Los Angeles
A talk given on the occasion of the installation of the deities Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha.
This function of installing the deity is authorized. Several times I have given the example that when you put your mail in a box on the street, because it is written there “US Mail” you know that it is an authorized box. And if you put your letters within this box, they will sure
From Back to Godhead
God is a person, and out of His infinite kindness He allows us even in
our present condition to render Him personal service.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the devotee Prahlada Maharaja, a great spiritual authority, says, “Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu [Krsna], remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship …, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming H
'Deity Worship at Home North America' will be the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry’s first formally structured online training ever
For congregation members and families in ISKCON, deity worship at home has long been a major part of their spiritual practice, as well as a way to bond in service to the Lord.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, with people encouraged to stay at home, such worship has become even more central.
There has been a strong interest in ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry’s “Deity Wors
By Madhava Smullen
The long-awaited new book, “Yamuna Devi: The Study of Seva-Puja,” is here. The work presents and expands upon the original “Deity Book,” a parchment-paged binder about deity worship and dress which Yamuna Devi, a much-loved ISKCON pioneer, and early Prabhupada disciple, created and brought with her to each ashram she resided in.
Guests frequently asked her to publish the book, and now, nine years after her passing, Dinatarini Devi, her companion in devotional life for 37 yea
On December 27th, 2020, around twenty New Vrindaban devotees celebrated 52 years of worshipping the beautiful Little Radha Vrindaban Chandra with an abhisekha bathing ceremony, chanting, feasting and retelling of the Deities’ illustrious history.
While some longtime residents of the rural West Virginia community – ISKCON’s first farm – were present, hearing the history was an inspiring revelation for the young devotees in attendance.
“To understand that Little Radha Vrindaban Chandra are the fir
Chaturatma Das leading kirtan in Ukraine, 2017, while traveling with Indradyumna Swami and Bada Haridas
During COVID-19, we are missing out on the association of devotees, as well as on many of the devotional activities we used to do in person. Lives of Service is a new ISKCON News interview series that we hope feels like sitting down for a chat at the Sunday Feast with an old friend or a devotee you’d like to get to know. Told in their own words, it’s an insightful, inspiring, lighthearted,
Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Amsu das on 13 August 1974:
“Regarding the worship of our Gaura Nitai by women pujaris, we worship Lord Chaitanya 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. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated by Lord Krsna: striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te’pi yanti param gatim. The principle is that everyone who is properly initiate
By Madhava Smullen
D Magazine of Dallas, Texas has published a ten-page feature article about the Dallas Radha Kalachandji temple in its September 2019 issue, exploring Deity worship in-depth, pujaris’ relationships with Krishna and what makes the Dallas ISKCON community special.
D Magazine is available at every grocery store in Dallas, and is one of the best-selling magazines per capita in the U.S. on local newsstands. Devotees are saying that its piece – entitled “The Wild Pursuit of Bl
