ISKCON Arcana Journal -1- ISKCON Deity Worship Memories

The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal

Memories

ISKCON Deity Worship Memories

by Tattvavit d€sa

THE BROOKLYN DEITIES maintained a corner building, Landlord and Landlady to seventy-some embodied jivas who by nature needed little space to take care of Them, so they all had a harmonious relationship.

But with me, it was different. Once, Madhusudana and I were clearing the Lord’s plates next to the sink in the p™j€r… room, and I embarrassed myself by pouring into my cupped palm the remaining sweet rice at the bottom of a bowl and sucking it in. “You are not”, he said, “supposed to eat in the p™j€r… room.

Another time in the p™j€r… room I asked the temple president why Govinda had a curved stick. (It was Gopijanavallabha and the first such stick I’d ever seen.) He said that maybe Govinda fought demons with that stick. He seemed to know a lot about the rough neighborhood that Govinda came from and also to have fraternal or paternal feelings for Him. I was just a dumb kid from Minnesota.

Gaurahari had knee pads that protected his knees while he knelt on the marble altar to dress R€dh€-Govinda. Jayadvaita used to perform the noon offering (one of the few times when the temple room was silent) and chant his G€yatr… on the step of the altar outside the Deity room, looking emaciated and ascetic.

Everyone took the Deity worship seriously except me; I just made offenses and therefore cannot glorify Their Lordships even though I am supposed to write about Them. I know one thing — R€dh€-Govinda came from Jaipur to Brooklyn. I still neglect Them! But Their boundless compassion accommodates this wretch.

They love ®r…la Prabhup€da. That’s why.