Obeisances

[Guest guest]

Dear prabhuji,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

> I have a few questions about paying obeisances:

> 1. When we first enter the temple should we first offer obeisances to the

> vaishnavas present or to Srila Prabhupada?

 

First to Srila Prabhupada.

Second:

if altar doors/curtains are closed then

to Sannyasis

starting from senior most among the ones present.

then to Temple President and other Senior Vaisnavas

starting from senior most among them and working downwards

then to rest of the vaisnavas individually or a common one.

if altar doors/curtains are open then

obeisances to the vaisnavas in mind

and then physical dandavat obeisances to the deities.

 

 

> 2.Are obeisances to be offered when the altar-curtains are closed?

 

I was taught this in my new-bhakta-program:

Whenever we enter the temple room, we may or may not be able to see the

Deities (due to doors/curtains being open or closed), but the Deities are

there and They can see us. So we MUST pay obeisances to Them too.

 

In case of the altar being closed, opinions may differ as to pay obeisances

to the Deities first or to the assembeled vaisnavas first. In any case both

have to be done.

 

But obeisances to Srila Prabhuapda in case of altar being closed or open

remains always first.

 

----

 

Before leaving temple room we generally pay obeisances to all the Deities

first and finally to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Hope things were in order here.

 

yfs

Avadhut das