The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal
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The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal |
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Hare Ka! My name is Adi-purua Dsa from Buenos Aires. Im a disciple of rla Harikea Svm. Shortly after receiving second initiation in 93, I began Deity worship. My initiation was due to an emergency; when the two pjr's went to India for the festival, there was nobody to take care of Their Lordships. After one weeks training where I learned to bathe the Deity and perform the morning program, I became the pjr of our r r Gaura-Nitai Deities.
Although I live in the temple, I have to work outside in order to maintain my family. I have a job in the American embassy where I am able to perform some of my daily sadhana. During the week Im pretty busily engaged, but at the weekend Im free to spend time with my family.
I begin my day quite early because I like to take my time. Usually I get up at 1.00 A.M. and start my morning duties. I do the breakfast offering, prepare the offering plate with sweets, the madhuparka and the flower garlands. I select the outfits, crowns and jewels for the next day and also gather the different items for the pja plate. Sometimes when someone comes forward to offer magala-rat I can chant a few rounds then. alagram-la and rla Prabhupda are being worshipped by two other devotees. We are a nice little team and cooperate well together. Then after the morning program I go to work.
After worshipping the Deity now for 3 years it has become everything for me. As far as I can understand, worship is not just a service but rather a way of life. One has to be conscious of the Deity all day long, but my experience is that this is sometimes difficult. Nevertheless, its the service that I would like to do for the rest of my life.
My name is akuni Dev Ds, and I am head pjr of the Rijeka temple in Croatia. Before becoming a pjr, my first service was sakrtana, and then for some time I was a pjr assistant.
I was initiated by His Holiness rla Harikea Svm at Nava-Jiyda-Nsiha-Ketra in 1994 on Nsiha caturda.
At that time our head pjr was Mother Bahlik. She received our Deities, r r Gaura-Nitai, from H.G. Rohi-sta Prabhu. While helping with the arcana, I dreamt of actually being in the Deity room. Watching the pjrs bathe r r Gaura-Nitai left such an impression on me that I felt as if I was also bathing Them. In summer of 1994 that dream became reality. From that day to this I have been rendering service as head pjr.
In the morning, I wake up the Deities and perform magala-rat, then from 5.00 -7.00 A.M. offer pj, flower arrangements and garlands. I also do pj for rla Prabhupdas mrti. My helper, Candrakanti Dev Ds, prepares magala-rat sweets, fruit, milk and pur offerings. She also polishes and takes care of the paraphernalia every day. At 7.55 there is a breakfast offering and rat.
After morning program we honour prasdam, chant, then take rest. At 1 P.M. I offer bhoga-rat, and after that Gaura-Nitai take rest. Every day I read them verses from r Caitanya-Carit-mta. Then I take prasda, chant, read, and if I have time, associate with devotees. One of my hobbies is collecting photos from Deities around the world, which later on serve as an inspiration to me while sewing.
At 6.15 p.m. I wake the Deities, offer them bhoga and Gaura-rat, then at 8.30 put Them and rla Prabhupda to sleep.
The Rijeka Deity department has been financially self-supporting for a year now. We collect donations from congregational members and devotees, and sell magala-rat sweets, photos and other mh at every Sunday Feast. Twice a week I go to buy flowers for the altar, and sometimes a present (jewellery, candles, candle holders, clothes, ornaments...) for the pleasure of the Deities.
Sometimes I preach to devotees and congregational members about the importance of engaging in Deity worship. So, whenever they can, they bring fruits, flowers and other things that can be offered to the Deities.
In the r Caitanya-Caritmta it is described how one devotee of Lord Caitanya had a special service every year (to bring two silk ropes for the ratha-ytr festival of Lord Jaganntha. Nobody else was allowed to perform this service, only that devotee. This has inspired us to take on specific individual services for Their Lordships. So, for example one devotee is responsible to get clothes detergent, another to get cotton for polishing paraphernalia and so on. On special festivals devotees give expensive presents and offerings in letters, which I read to r r Gaura-Nitai.
After being away for a few days, when I come back to Deities I have the feeling that much more time has passed by, and become very anxious to serve Them. I most humbly ask (readers of ARCANA) for your blessings to perform my service for the pleasure of all the Vaiavas. Thank you very much.
© International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1998
Founder-chrya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda
