from Srila Prabhupada about the importance of cleanliness

galaxy18 · July 6, 2009

Teachings of Queen Kunti: Chapter Four :Approaching Krsna, the All-pervading Truth

The worship of the Deity of Krsna in the temple is also direct contact with Govinda. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau (Sri-gurvastaka 3). The vigraha, the Deity of Krsna, appears by Krsna's mercy. Because Krsna is alaksya, invisible, He becomes visible to give us the facility to see Him. It is not that Krsna is stone, wood, or metal. Krsn'a is always Krsna, but because we cannot see anything beyond material elements like wood, stone, and metal, He appears in a form made of these elements. But He is neither wood, metal, nor stone. When we associate with the Deity, we associate with Krsna personally. Because Krsna is invisible, He very kindly takes a form that is visible to us. This is Krsna's mercy. Do not think, "Oh, here is a stone Krsna." Krsna is everything, and therefore Krsna is stone also, but He is not the kind of stone that cannot act. Even in the form of stone or metal, Krsna can act as Krsna, and one who worships the Deity will perceive that. Svayam eva sphuraty adah. The Deity, although apparently stone, may speak with a devotee. There are many instances in which this has happened.

I am very pleased, therefore, when my disciples nicely dress the Deity, offer the Deity nice foodstuffs, and keep the temple very clean. Sri-mandira-marjanadau. Marjana means "cleansing." Whether one dresses Krsna or cleanses the temple, the spiritual benefit one receives is the same. Don't think, "I am only a cleanser, and he is a dresser." No, the person who is dressing the Deity and the person who is cleansing the temple are the same because Krsna is absolute. Therefore, one should engage in Krsna's service in any way, and one's life will be successful. This is the Krsna consciousness movement.

Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1972 720530SB.LA

Magnanimous. And the most magnanimous is Lord Caitanya. Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradayate. Magnanimous. Giving krsna-prema, which is very rare. Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. It is very difficult to understand what is Krsna, and Lord Caitanya is distributing Krsna like anything. Therefore maha-vadanyaya, magnanimous. Mild. Mild and meek. Clean. Always cleanliness. Because you have surpassed the stage of brahminical life. Therefore, must be very clean. By taking bath, by washing cloth, keeping the kitchen very clean, everything clean. Temple... Tan-mandira-marjanadisu. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. The temple should be bright always, clean.

Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1973 730428SB.LA

We should supply by which He can enjoy. Just like if somebody gives me a new dress, so I say: "Oh, it is a new dress. Very nice." So that is my enjoyment. Similarly if you satisfy Krsna daily a very gorgeous dress... Just like today I see it is very nice... This kind of dress should be supplied to Krsna. First-class clothing, first-class... Everything first-class. No third-class thing for Krsna. All first-class. The gopis must be first class, the dress must be first-class, the eating foodstuff must be first-class, the sitting place must be first-class, more than first-class. That is called: sri vigraharadhana nitya nana srngara tan mandira marjanadau. Cleansing the temple as clean as glass, always. Everyone remarks this that our temples are very clean. Yes. Temple means must be very clean. The more you cleanse the temple, the more your heart becomes cleansed. This is the process.

Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1976 761023SB.VRN

Tapo divyam. To understand spiritual position, my spiritual position, Krsna's spiritual. So that is tapasya. These are the tapasyas. To rise early in the morning. That is also tapasya. Not that every day we have to ring bell--dung, dung, dung, dung--Get up!

Get up! "No, I am sleeping." No, have to accept. These are the tapasyas. We cannot avoid. If we actually want to avoid this body, working like cats and dogs, like animal, then we have to undergo tapasya. Very simple tapasya. In this age it is not possible that as big big saintly persons they go to the forest and undergo meditation in Himalaya mountain under the snow and so many... No food, no shelter, secluded place, there are so many animals. That kind of tapasya is not possible in this age. You remain. We have constructed big big nice building. But because the building is there you simply come here as free guest and make life very easy for eating and sleeping. That is not tapasya. That is not tapasya. You must be very careful how to keep the temple very cleanse, yourself clean, worshiping the Deity. That is recommended. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira- marjanadau. This is also tapasya. If you cannot read, if you cannot do any other thing, so try to keep the temple, every corner of this temple is Krsna.

Don't think that only Krsna is here in the temple room. No. Krsna is everywhere. Especially this temple where Krsna live. Every part of this temple, every part of is Krsna. Otherwise why it is recommended tan-mandira marjanadisu? This is tapasya. You should always remain engaged doing something for Krsna. Don't think this is very first-class, this is last- class. No. Advaya-jnana. Krsna and Krsna's temple the same thing. Don't think that "Oh, I am given this work to cleanse the temple and that man is given this work to worship the Deity." There is no difference. Aradhya bhagavan vraj tad dhama vrndavanam. As Krsna is aradhya, worshipable, similarly His dhama, His place, this Vrndavana, is also worshipable, As good as Krsna. What to speak of temple. Whole Vrndavana.

Prabhupada's Lectures Caitanya-caritamrta 1976 760817CC.HYD

So this temple, do not think that it is Hyderabad place. No. It is Goloka Vrndavana. You should be very careful. Aradhya bhagavan vraje ta naya tad dhaman vrndavana.. As Krsna is worshipable, similarly His place is also worshipable. Not that His place is different from Him. No. Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur says sri vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira- marjanadau. As the worship of the Deity is important, similarly sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. keep the temple very cleansed, very attractive #-hat is also Deity worship. Those who are here working, they should keep this temple as clean as possible. Then Krsna will be satisfied. Krsna's body, this temple. Do not think it otherwise. Temple should be worshiped in that way. Therefore I ask you not to come with shoes. Even the temple is not opened. It's still Krsna's temple. It is not different from Krsna. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara. should always remember that. The temple management very nicely means to render service to Krsna.

So we are going to open this temple. Those who are in charge, they must take care of the temple. Cleanliness. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. The more we have got men, engage them. And do not think that temple cleaning and Deity worshiping are different. Do not be envious that this person has been given the in charge of decorating the Deity and I have given to wash the temple where there are not Deity. No. It is the same thing. There is no difference. It is spiritual. spiritual, Just like either you worship Krsna's lotus feet or you offer a garland to Krsna on His head, it is the same thing.

Prabhupada's Lectures General - 1977 770204AR.CA

Yes.(Bengali) So this is the duty of all disciples under the guidance of the spiritual master, to decorate. Sri vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara. Srngara means decoration. Amongst the various paraphernalia of worshiping the Lord, the srngara is very essential, Srngara and tan-mandira-marjanadi, and cleansing the temple. The more you cleanse the temple, the more you decorate the Deity, more your heart becomes cleansed and you become spiritually decorated. So cleanliness is next to godliness. And after cleansing, taking bath regularly, keeping the temple very neat and clean and worshiping the Deity, dressing, decorating, ornamenting. These are the general process. So if we follow the process regularly, then we gradually become advanced in spiritual consciousness, material world and spiritual world. Material world means dirty things and spiritual world means clean. So the living entities, they are called tatastha-sakta. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.

Room Conversation Melbourne, May 22, 1975 750522RC.MEL

So keep yourself always engaged in the service of the Lord. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau. Sri-vigraharadhana, this arcana process, beginning from mangala-aratrika up to the sayam-aratrika, everything should be done very nicely. And the temple should be made very clean. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. To dress the Deity is as much important as to cleanse the temple also, not that temple will remain dirty, simply you are dressing the Deity.

No. Everything within the temple should be kept very, very neat and clean. And the more you keep the temple neat and clean, you will be neat and clean within your heart. And then your understanding will be very easy. We cannot understand Krsna because our heart is piled up with many garbages. That we have to cleanse. Then it will be easy to understand Krsna. So I am very much pleased that we have secured this nice building. Keep it very neat and clean and go on chanting.

many more quotes by Srila Prabhupada on cleanliness and various other topic can be read at:

League Of Devotees