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In India, people have worshiped the Lord’s form for centuries, and now the practice is flourishing in the West. An article from old Back To Godhead magazine by Visakha-devi dasi. An Age-old Tradition Comes to the Western World In India, people have worshiped the Lord's form for centuries, and now the practice is flourishing in the West. by Visakha-devi dasi When Krsna the Supreme Lord appeared five thousand years ago to enact His pastimes, good people rejoiced to be in His presence, to live on the same earth with Him. Yet, when Lord Krsna no longer visibly walked the earth, how did these people, His devotees, react? We'd expect that they were unbearably lonely. But for thousands of years devotees in India have known that we can personally see and serve the Lord in His Deity form. Now, to the Western mind this idea may seem unfamiliar, but it's easy to understand. For instance, the post office may be far from our homes, so the postal officials install authorized mail boxes around the city for our convenience. Those boxes are as good as the post office itself. Similarly, the authorized form of the Lord is as good as the Lord Himself, and the Lord, in His form as the Deity, accepts the service we offer Him. Although the average person might suppose that the Deity only represents the Lord, the mature devotee understands that the Deity is the Supreme Lord Himself. For that reason, he worships the Deity with respect and love. Since 1966, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has started more than eighty temples worldwide to share the open secret of Deity worship. The Deities pictured at right stand on the altar of the temple at ISKCON's Los Angeles community, New Dvaraka. (Dvaraka is a city in India where the Lord performed many heroic activities during His advent on earth five thousand years ago.) The Deity on the left is Dvarakadhisa, "The Lord of Dvaraka." Just like royalty, Lord Dvarakadhisa and His queen, Srimati Rukmini-devi, enjoy the best of everything: a gorgeous room, an elaborate wardrobe of morning, evening, and nighttime clothes, and all kinds of personal service. Every morning at 4:15 A.M., Labangalatika-devi dasi gently places on the marble altar a silver plate laden with milk sweets and slices of fruit. Then she offers the food to the Lord by reciting prayers. (The devotees make seven such offerings throughout the day.) "It's not that God becomes hungry," Labangalatika explains. "Krsna is complete in Himself. He doesn't require anything from us. But if we serve the Lord in some way, if we please Him, then by His grace we can understand Him." From 8:45 to 11:00 A.M., the doors to the Deities' room remain open so that anyone can come, offer respects, and perhaps offer some fruit or flowers for the Lord's pleasure. By 11:00 A.M., the largest offering of the day is ready. Generally, this offering consists of twenty-five dishes (including succulent vegetables, thick creams, breads, sweets, rice, soup, and cheese), and on special days there may be as many as three hundred savory items. After the noontime offering, the Lord "rests" until 3:45 P.M., when the devotees greet Him with prayers and incense and frosted cakes, cakes floating in milk, rice pudding, nectar drinks, cheese pies, cookies, honey, and other things. Preparing all this food requires a team of ten devotees working nearly 'round the clock, seven days a week. Seven full offerings a day also means a lot of dishwashing, and Racitambara-devi dasi and her family help out. "When I first came to the temple, Deity worship didn't attract me," she says, "but now it's my favorite work. Sometimes nondevotees argue with me, 'God is everywhere. Why must I come to the temple to worship Him?' I explain that God is everywhere -- the entire creation is His energy -- but it's very difficult to see God everywhere, and it's impossible to serve Him like that. Therefore, the Lord kindly appears as the Deity, so that we can serve Him with our body, mind, and words." "After decorating the Deities with store-bought jewelry for two years," says Lal Krsna dasa, "I got an inspiration and a desire to personally handcraft Their jewelry. I didn't have any experience; so I got a book and some basic tools, and Krsna provided the intelligence." At first a part-time experiment, Lal Krsna's jewelry-making soon turned into a full-time engagement. One necklace takes three or four days of designing and crafting, and a whole set of jewelry (including crowns, necklaces, chokers, bracelets, foot-bells, and earrings) might take a month. But Lal Krsna's determination and devotion are unswerving. "High-class people have everything custom-made," he reasons, "and Krsna's the highest-class person of all." Along with a few other devotees, Tungabhadra-devi dasi spends her whole day making the Deities' beautiful clothing. The elaborate outfits of silk, satin, velvet, and chiffon reveal expert designing and exquisite hand-tailoring. Even so, the seamstresses never feel complacent. "Spiritual life is never stagnant or static," Tungabhadra explains. "We're always trying to improve the quality of our service." Flowers add a fragrant dimension to Deity worship. The devotees use artistic combinations of mums, roses, gardenias, and carnations to decorate the altar and garland the Deities. Dinesvara-devi dasi, a newly initiated devotee from Paris, spends her afternoons polishing the vases, arranging the flowers, and making the Deities' garlands. "Since I started doing things for the Deities," she says, "It's easy for me to understand that God is not a threatening, foreign force -- He's a person." Arati is a celebration of welcoming the Lord. Just as we would help a guest feel at home by offering him gifts and refreshment, so the devotees offer the Lord incense, camphor, clarified butter, water, a napkin, a flower, and cooling fans. As the arati ceremony begins, a pujari, or priest, steps to the edge of the Deity room and sounds a conchshell heralding the celebration. Then he offers the incense sticks, the lamps of flaming camphor and butter, the water (in a conchshell), the napkin, the flower, the peacock fan, and the yak-tail whisk, in that order. The pujari presents the first five items to the Deities with graceful, circular hand motions. Then he sends pleasant breezes over Their Lordships with the fan and whisk. In the Los Angeles temple the devotees make seven such offerings at regular times each day. In contrast with the quietly reverent pujari, the devotees in the temple room are exuberant. As the half-hour arati starts, the lead singer chants prayers and the congregation joins in responsively, all to the accompaniment of rhythmically ringing hand cymbals and pulsating mrdangas (oblong clay drums struck from both ends). At first the group simply sways from side to side, in time with the singing. But soon the pace quickens, and some people start dancing as the music moves them. In a moment others have caught up the mood. The joy is contagious. Even a newcomer watching the bright-faced devotees (as they laugh, clap, jump, and whirl with arms upraised) can see that here is another dimension, where Krsna is the heart of everything and transcendental bliss prevails. The Birth of Lord Krsna >>> Ref. VedaBase => The Birth of Lord Krsna

The aim of this facebook page is to establish a fully self sufficient - Krsna consciouss village where at least 200 devotees can live, based on the teachings and principles of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We have chosen Slovenia as an appropriate country for this project, since the land is very fertile and the people are very friendly. The weather is also stable and balanced, which is good for maintaining a farm. From my research, the land is also quite cheap and abundand, with a lot of fresh water springs. Slovenia is also trying to have new people move into it, so the immigration laws are relaxed and not too strict, which works in our favour since the BLISS is an international organization. The BLISS has already established a temple in London and with this project we are taking a step even further. By creating a whole village of BLISS members, this will give an environment for all kinds of devotees, like family couples to come, work in nature and create something meaningful, and also raise beautiful, intelligent, Krsna conscious children :) We will also provide a place to live for brahmacaris and a seperate ashrama for the matajis. Our goal is to train up anyone who shows sincere interest in Srila Prabhupada's teachings and mission. The guiding principle of the village is 'simple living, high thinking', but getting to that point is not so simple, there is a lot of planning and research required. So let us make a collective effort of studying all the topics required for establishing this project and truly understanding what we need to get started. For example, topics like permaculture, self sufficiency, natural building materials, caring for cows and other animals, composting, keeping the ground healthy and thriving, caring for fruit trees and so on. This list goes on and on, these are just a few topics I have slightly dipped my toes into already. However this project will also require legal research for example how to establish a community, registering the activity, immigration laws for foreigners, fundraising and buying the land,how to select good land having the rights to build and expand etc... Sometimes it seems like this whole system is very fragile and the bubble is just about to burst. The modern world is facing many difficulties right now such as the covid epidemic, climate change, the food supply chain can break at any moment, money inflation because it is based on debt and so on. This can serve us as a wake up call for realizing that a local based food and water supply is an absolute necessity. When we produce locally we do not need to rely on so many factors of technology and material nature, and this makes such a self-sufficient community stand very strong on its own, even during times of the greatest crisis. When sticks are gathered together in a bunch they are hard to break, but when you seperate them, then they are easier to break, one by one. So let us join our intelligence and work together in order to please Srila Prabhupada by following his perfect instructions. If we please the spiritual master, then surely Krsna will also be pleased. https://www.facebook.com/blissvillageslovenia/

His Grace Purujit dasa gives a fresh class on the ancient Vedic literature Srimad-Bhagavtam everyday, and you can tune in to learn how to start, practice and advance in your spiritual life according to he most authorized teachings of Srila Prabhupada, the greatest exponent of the Vedic knowledge in the world.

This album (A Change of Heart) was created by one nice disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Mangalananda prabhu. He remembers pitching the album to Srila Prabhupada: Mangalananda: I found a guitar in the basement of the temple in Columbus, and I asked a devotee if it would be okay if I used it during kirtan. He said, "Sure." So I did that. Then when I was in Detroit I found a guitar in the boiler room where the brahmacharis slept. I picked it up and composed, "Krishna Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," which was quotes from the Bhagavad-gita put to song. Kirtanananda really liked that song, and he had me travel with him and sing it after he had lectured. That was the birth of the Road Show, which was a group of devotees traveling together playing songs and music for Krishna. It began as a little project. Later on, in Los Angeles, after the Road Show was dissolved, I had the idea of making a record of devotional tunes so that people could hear about Krishna. Krishnakanti and I made a little demo of several songs. One day Prabhupada came to do some recording, and afterwards, as he was getting up to leave, I went up to him with the song lyrics in my hand. I was really nervous. I said, "Prabhupada, I have these songs I would like you to hear." He looked at me, took the lyrics from me, and sat back down. It moved me deeply when he sat back down to listen to what I had to say. I have a photograph of myself shaved up sitting with Prabhupada while he looks at the lyrics. We played a version of, "You Are Not That Body" from the Change of Heart album and then the song, "Bhagavad-gita." Prabhupada seemed to like what he heard. Then he said, "So?" I said, "Some of the big men don't think this is such a good idea." Prabhupada said, "Sometimes you have to let cows moo." Then he said, "Do it. It will be successful." He gave our project his blessings.

A class on the Srimad-Bhagavatam by His Grace Purujit dasa, streamed from our Facebook page. BLISS London holds class on the ancient yoga literature Srimad-Bhagavatam every single day at 8 AM GST. Join practitioners of Krishna consciousness and newcomers also from all around the world in exciting discussions concerning the advancement of spiritual life.

The Srimad-Bhagavtam is an ancient literature that contains all kinds of knowledge, up to the highest degree; the pastimes of the supreme personality of Godhead Himself. This morning and for the last few mornings His Grace Purujit prabhu has been discussing Krishna's entering into His city of Dvaraka and the transcendental significance of this pastime. Please join us for exciting and deep live discussions here on our Facebook page.

There may be a lot of questions when we start chanting Hare Krishna; and one of them that frequently comes up is, "How loud can we chant?" or "can we chant in the mind?" Srila Prabhupada answers an inquisitive student in this conversation excerpt. English guest: Your Grace? Must your chanting always be audible? I ask this, because I was chanting in the train. The train makes a noise. Now, I am surrounded by people. Prabhupada: No? English guest: I can chant audibly? Prabhupada: Audible . . . if you chant even silently, it is also audible. You have to turn your attention, is it not? English guest: Yes. Prabhupada: Audible, if you don't make any sound, still it is audible. Syamasundara: We hear it. English guest: Would it be a good thing to chant audibly on a train full of people? Prabhupada: Yes. Why not? They will also hear. They will be benefited. Yes. Haridasa Thakura used to do that. What to speak of human being, even animals, the insect, trees, if they hear, they will be benefited. It is so nice. (aside as guests enter) Aiye. Accha. Jaya. Whoever hears, he will be benefited. Just like sunshine—anyone comes in the sunshine, he will be benefited.

A Srimad-Bhagavatam class by His Grace Purujit dasa, the founder of the Bhaktivedanta Lives In Sound Society. The classes are now discussing the pastimes of Krishna in Dwarka and their special significance, according to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. You can watch the classes live on our Facebook page.

A class on the Srimad-Bhagavatam by His Grace Purujit dasa, streamed from our Facebook page. BLISS London holds class on the ancient yoga literature Srimad-Bhagavatam every single day at 8 AM GST. Join practitioners of Krishna consciousness and newcomers also from all around he world in exciting discussions concerning the advancement of spiritual life.

Distributing the various books written and translated by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is one of the primary and dear most activities of BLISS London. It gives the devotees a great opportunity to spread the teachings of Krishna consciousness to those whom might ordinarily never come across it. By distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, people are given a chance to make their life perfect in spiritual realization by hearing from Srila Prabhupada about Krishna. We meet so many receptive and beautiful souls out on the streets of London that we decided to start documenting it! Here is just a fraction of the thousands of smiling faces who got the mercy of sankirtana this year. More photos will be added every time we go on sankirtana; in other words, almost every day, so be sure to check out the gallery regularly.

Although one of the most attractive features of the Hare Krishna movement in the western countries especially is the revelation of the form of God, sometimes people challenge us that God cannot be seen, so why are we worshiping His form? Srila Prabhupada gives a rather simple answer here in this nice conversation with Bob Cohen and his fiancé Barbara. Barbara: Have you ever seen Krsna? Prabhupada: Yes. Barbara: You have? Prabhupada: Daily. Every moment. Barbara: But not in the material . . . not in the material body? Prabhupada: Huh? No in . . . he has no material body. Barbara: Well in the temple here they have pictures of Krsna . . . Prabhupada: That is not material. You are seeing material . . . Barbara: Uh-huh. Prabhupada: . . . because you have got material eyes. Because your . . . you have got your material eyes, you cannot see the spiritual form. Therefore He kindly appears to be in material body so that you can see. This is the point. Because He has kindly made Himself just fit for your seeing, that does not mean He is . . . he has material body. Just like President Nixon, if he kindly comes to your house, it does not mean that his position and your position is the same. It is his kindness, out of love, he may come to your house, but that does not mean he is on the same level with you. Similarly, because we cannot see with our present eyes what is Krsna, therefore Krsna appears before us as painting, as made of stone, as made of wood. And Krsna is not different from these paintings and wood, because everything is Krsna.

This is a class given by His Grace Purujit dasa on the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita. The BLISS London holds Bhagavad-gita classes every day at 7pm, and people from all the world are participating in he class by hearing and asking questions to deepen their understanding of the ancient and timeless wisdom of the Gita. If you would like to see some select classes we are uploading them to our YouTube channel so you won't miss out!