The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal
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The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal |
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ISKCON Standards
by Badrinryana dsa
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The following is a summary of arguments for maintaining the traditional ISKCON standard regarding dressing Gaura Nitai deities with peacock feathers. |
THE GBC DEITY worship ministry has determined that worshipping
with a peacock feather is optional. That decision was made primarily out
of respect for and to accommodate the mood and tradition of Gaura-Nitai worship
found in certain schools of Vaiava tradition. It is not the Deity ministrys
intention that the standard in a particular temple is to be changed daily
at the whim of each and every pjr
. In other words, if we were dressing
the Gaura-Nitai Deities in Orissa, or the Pdaytr Deities, we would happily
not use peacock feathers, out of respect for and deference to the mood and
standard of those worshipping Them. All we are asking for is that the same
courtesy be offered by pjr
s dressing Gaura-Nitai Deities anywhere. 
1. ®astric Reference: from the book Gauraga-Praty-Aga-Varana...verses by ®r Advaita chrya and ®r Sarvabhauma Bhacrya (describing the wonderful features of Lord Caitanya).
His lovely curling locks are interwoven with creepers of glistening pearls, and His crest made of richly fragrant flower clusters is enhanced by the tail-feathers of a peacock (text 5)
(The Sanskrit word is "ikhanda"...which specifically means "peacock")
His round cheeks shine between jewel earrings and on His left ear a glowing peacock feather is jauntily cocked (text 8)
(Again, the Sanskrit word "ikhandakam" designating the peacock feather is used)
From these authorized verses, spoken by Lord Caitanyas own associates, we
can understand that the Lord did appear on occasion with a peacock feather.
Therefore, to dress the Lord with a peacock feather is not speculation or
simple sentiment.
2. Disturbing the Lords mood?
Sometimes the argument is put forward that the Lord usually appeared in His l l as a servant of the Lord...not the Lord Himself. The logic is presented that for us to worship Him as the Supreme Lord (which the wearing of a peacock feather designates) is a disturbance to the Lord's mood as a devotee. In that case then we should be consistent. Why do we offer tulas leaves to Lord Caitanya? From the astra and ®r la Prabhupda's instructions it is very clear that tulas leaves should only be used for the worship of Viu or Ka tattva. We also know that ®r la Prabhupda directly instructed on several occasions that tulas leaves should not be offered to himself or the other Vaiava cryas... They should not even be offered to ®r mati Rdhrn (he did say that they could be placed in Her hand, for offering to Ka).
But ®r la Prabhupda repeatedly stated that tulas leaves should be offered to Lord Caitanya.
One could also argue that if we do not wish to disturb the mood of the Lord, we should sing a different song than the Gaura-rat by ®r la Bhakti-vinoda µhkura. This song commemorates the blissful pastime of Lord Caitanya revealing Himself as the Supreme Lord. The event being described by ®r la Bhaktivinoda µhkura in this song is when the Lord sat down on the altar at ®r vsaga and accepted worship for 21 hours... revealing how He was in fact the source of all incarnations and the deliverer of His devotees. Verse 3 of this song states:
"Lord Caitanya has sat down on a jeweled throne, and the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, perform the rat ceremony."
Certainly He is being worshipped here as the Supreme Personality of Godhead...
and ®r
la Prabhupda selected this song to be sung every evening in all ISKCON
temples around the world. (For more information on the scene being described
by ®r
la Bhaktivinoda µhkura one can reference the Caitanya-caritmta Adi-l
l,
Chapter 10, verse 39, ...the sta prahariy bhva or mah parka ...the
ecstasy of 21 hours.)
3. Following ®r la Prabhupda:
Although the very emblem of humility, ®r la Prabhupda was always adamant that his full title as Founder-chrya be used on all buildings, letterhead, books, etc. He stated over and over again that he was establishing the standards for the next 10,000 years, and he warned us of our tendency to change, add, or subtract.
®r la Prabhupda established the mood in which we worship Lord Caitanya: as the supreme Lord: For our purposes we worship Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (It is worth noting that in some schools we are also criticized for our style of worship of ®r ®r Rdh-Ka. But again ®r la Prabhupda has stated, For our purposes we are worshipping Rdh-Ka as Laxm -Nryan.)
It is sobering to consider that within only 150 to 200 years after Lord Caitanyas appearance, His teachings had become all but lost. By the gradual erosion of a little change here, some adjustment there, a multitude of a sampradyic misunderstandings developed, and in the due course of time, the pure message and understanding was covered with speculation and sahajaism. As lines may initially look parallel, but with only the slightest angle of deviation eventually become far apart... there is concern that by over-emphasising Lord Caitanyas role as a great devotee only, we may be opening the door on an eventual misunderstanding of Him which excludes His actual status as the Supreme Lord Himself.
This is not as far fetched as it might initially sound. Past history tells us that this is exactly what has happened once already.
Therefore, our conclusion is that the surest and safest way to guard against
this potential danger is to simply and strictly follow the path and standards
laid out so kindly by ISKCONs founder-crya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivednta
Svm
Prabhupda, and for us that includes worshipping Lord Caitanya as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead... WITH A PEACOCK FEATHER.
Excerpt from
V O L U M E O N E daily
service N I T Y A S E V
Revision of a footnote text (p.94)
There is some controversy over whether Lord Caitanya should wear a peacock feather, since, although He is Ka Himself (as He revealed in some of His private l ls) He primarily exhibits the mood of ®r mati Rdhrn , the topmost servant of the Lord. Gaudiya Vaiava temples traditionally do not decorate Lord Caitanya with a peacock feather - Lord Kas unique insignia - for this reason. However, there is considerable evidence that ®r la Prabhupda never disapproved of decorating Lord Caitanyas Deity form in ISKCON temples with a peacock feather.
Many devotees see this as an indication that for the world preaching mission, ®r la Prabhupda deemed it best to emphasize the fact that Lord Caitanya is Ka Himself, to be worshipped in His Deity form in awe and reverence as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is clear that ®r la Prabhupda had no intention of encouraging devotees to follow misconceptions propagated by the Gaurga-ngar asampradya, since he specifically condemns their activities in his Caitanya-caritamta purports. Nor is it logical to say that by indicating Lord Caitanyas supremacy with Kas peacock feather one therefore subscribes to the Gaurga-ngar philosophy. Recognizing the principle that an crya may stipulate details of how the Deities which he establishes are to be worshipped, many devotees feel that it is appropriate to continue offering a peacock feather to Lord Caitanya as was done in ®r la Prabhupdas presence, and that to do so is not to ignore or reject any Gaudiya Vaiava principles.
However, if leaders of a particular temple deem it preferable to not use peacock feathers on Lord Caitanya, either for preaching or other reasons, they have the free option to follow the Bengali tradition. Still, recognizing the eternal quality of Lord Caitanyas occasional private lilas in which He revealed Himself as svayam bhagavan ®r Ka, (and recognizing that it is in this mood that we worship Lord Caitanya every evening by singing ®r la Bhaktivinoda µhkuras Gaura-rat song,) no one should insist that it is wrong to acknowledge His identity with Lord Ka by decorating His Deity form with the peacock feather insignia of Lord Ka.
© International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1998
Founder-chrya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda
