ISKCON Arcana Journal -1- Selected GBC resolutions related to Deity Worship

The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal

Selected GBC resolutions related to Deity Worship

We are here publishing certain GBC resolutions related to Deity worship either as a reminder, a prompting for discussion, or to inform, and as general reference for pujaris and managers.-Ed.

'Justice'

Deity Protection

25.2.1 All temples must make arrangements for the protection of installed Deities immediately. This is to include adequate protection during darana times when the curtain and doors are open. Locking iron gates are recommended. All GBC men must include details on how the Deities in each temple in their zone are being protected in their Annual Report.

Guru Pictures

25.2.2 The pictures of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktived€nta Sv€m… Prabhup€da, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhup€da, ®r…la Gaura Kiora D€sa Babaji, ®r…la Bhaktivinode µh€kura, and preferably Jagann€tha D€sa Babaji should always remain on all ISKCON temple altars.

25.2.3 25.2.3 A p™j€r… who is not initiated by ®r…la Prabhup€da shall keep the picture of his guru on the altar while offering €rat…. The picture must be substantially smaller than those of the predecessor €c€ryas in disciplic succession, or, if not substantially smaller, be placed on a lower level. After the €rat…, the picture should be removed from the altar. (‘87)

Deity Installation

Temple buildings and Property

25.3 No property in which the Deity of the Lord is installed may be sold without the approval of the GBC body.( '82)

25.3.1 Once Deities are installed in a temple, that temple shall never be closed.( '75)

25.3.2 A temple must exist at least one year as a viable preaching center before Deities are installed.( '76)

Removal

25.3.3 Installed Deities shall not be moved without permission of the GBC, at the annual ®r… M€y€pura meeting.( '78)

Ownership

25.3.4 Marble R€dh€-KŠa Deities shall only be installed in property owned by ISKCON. Exceptions may be made with the permission of the GBC at the annual ®r… M€y€pura meeting.( ‘78)

Mantras

If “nitya l…l€ pravi˜ha” is chanted in the beginning of the Jayadhv€ni prayers, the words “paramahaˆsa” and “parivrajak€c€rya” should not be used. If “nitya l…l€ pravi˜ha” is not chanted, the words “paramahaˆsa” and “parivrajak€c€rya” are appropriate.

Prohibited activities

25.6.3 The following activities are not allowed as part of ISKCON functions, whether conducted on ISKCON property or elsewhere:

A. Satya N€r€yana Kath€;. (This is a concocted form of worship).

B. Garbha dance, when it is conducted in association with the worship of Durga. (Garbha dance is usually performed as part of nava-ratri, a Durga festival. However, there are also garbha dances in glorification of KŠa. Temple authorities permitting a garbha dance must be confident that the performance is entirely KŠa centered.)

C. The reading of Tulsid€sa’s R€ma-carita-manasa. (R€m€yana readings should be from Valmiki’s R€m€yana, as Tulsid€sa’s work is tinged with impersonalism.)

D. Lectures advocating Mayav€da or other offensive philosophies.

E. The singing of the Hindi €rat… song “om jaya jagadia hari”. (This is a prayer for material benedictions).

Demigod Worship

A. Worship of demigods as independent gods is not permitted in KŠa consciousness. However, the Nectar of Devotion says that demigods should be respected. Worshipping demigods as vaiŠavas is authorized. For preaching, in order to teach people the right position of the demigods as great vaiŠavas, ISKCON temples may hold on special occasions ceremonies or pujas respecting and worshipping demigods as great vaiŠavas, provided:
i) The worship is only as a vaiŠava (This means that the deva/devi shall be offered: the pras€dam arotika items immediately after they are offered to Lord KŠa, KŠa pras€dam flower garlands, and KŠa pras€dam foodstuffs. No independent worship is offered. Only the chanting of Hare KŠa and ViŠu’s names is done, as Lord Caitanya did in South India.)
ii) Their status as servants of KŠa is made as clear as possible through signs, symbols, and iconography, and
iii) Offerings are of KŠa pras€dam.
B. Deities of demigods (incl. Lakshm… where no ViŠu is established), shall not be established without permission of the GBC. Where they are permitted or where ISKCON acquires a temple with already established m™rtis of demigods, they may remain, provided they are worshipped as vaiŠavas, as provided above.

Exceptions

It is permitted for other groups, at the discretion of the local ISKCON authorities, to rent space in ISKCON premises, outside the temple room, for their own ceremonies and functions, even for functions listed above (A-B), provided that the public understand clearly that the function is not being sponsored or conducted by ISKCON. However, no function on ISKCON property shall include any activity contrary to the four regulative principles. The GBC recommends that temples provide outside groups rental contracts clearly stipulating the above restrictions. ('96)

Marriage Ceremonies

25.6.4 Only initiated devotees of KŠa who are strictly maintaining their vows of initiation may be married before the Deities in a vaiŠava ceremony. An ISKCON devotee priest may perform a ceremony for uninitiated devotees, including the lighting of the sacred fire, but not before Deities, if he is reasonably certain that the devotees to be married are not engaged in regular and/or serious deviation from the four regulative principles. It is preferred that this ceremony not be held in the temple room if other facilities are available. An ISKCON devotee who is qualified under local law to perform religious ceremonies may marry other uninitiated devotees at his own risk. ('93)