Why do we offer food/arati to Srila Prabhupada's statue

[Guest guest]

Just as the subject states, why do we offer food and arati to the statues of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhakti Siddantha in our temples?

 

He isn't God. He taught us that once the soul leaves, the body is nothing but a used shell. So why don't we just follow his teachings and only offer food/arati to Krishna deities?

 

Why would Prabhupada care if we offered arati to his statues? He wants us to serve Krishna, not him.

 

I understand that it is to show respect to the guru, but not to statues of him once he leaves this body and go's to Krishna

[Guest guest]

i also would like to know more about this.......haribol

[Nicolas_Bhai]

Bogg sometimes comes to the disciple as a offering and to respect the Guru that´s all.- and to us to take a part in His devotional service.

 

Madhya 22.71

It should be understood that a madhyama-adhikari, a second-class

devotee, is fully convinced of Krsna consciousness but cannot support his convictions with sastric reference. A neophyte may fall down by associating with nondevotees because he is not firmly convinced and strongly situated. The second-class devotee, even though he cannot support his position with sastric reference, can gradually become a first-class devotee by studying the sastras and associating with a first-class devotee. However, if the second-class devotee does not advance himself by associating with a first-class devotee, he makes no progress. THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY THAT A FIRST-CLASS DEVOTEE WILL FALL DOWN, EVEN THOUGH HE MAY MIX WITH NONDEVOTEES TO PREACH. Conviction and faith gradually increase to make one an uttama-adhikari, a first-class devotee.

 

 

By asociating i think bOGG IS NOT NEEDED INDEED BUT IT WILL TAKES ITS PART, THAT WAY.

aS PRASADAM.

 

HARI BOL !

 

 

[Nicolas_Bhai]

First-class devotee * Mahabhagavata, uttama-adhikari. does NOT fall down.

 

You are correct when you say that when the Spiritual Master speaks it should be taken that Krishna is speaking. That is a fact. A Spiritual Master must be liberated

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

We are not Mayavadis. If you goto Mayavadi temple they have ONLY Guru picture. Because they think that thier Guru had now become God. Devotees have Guru picture and God. We don't FORGET Guru once we know Krishna is God. This is not our way.

[Guest guest]

I'm not saying we should forget guru, but why offer bhoga/arati to his statue.

 

Can't we just honor him by spreading his teachings and giving him credit when it is due. There are guru pranam prayers we chant, and we glorify him during arati.

 

It just doesn't make sense to make offerings to the statue. It's good to have the statue in the temple so that we can remember him, but why the bhoga?

 

 

[Guest guest]

somehow, i feel reallly uncomfortable with the word "statue". Perhaps i'm incorrect, but isnt the "statue" of Srila Prabhupada (or any guru) actually a murti? We dont call deities as "statues" because we believe the diety is God personified to enable us to worship Him. Similary, isnt the murti of Prabhupada a personification of him? Yes, he isnt God or a deity, but isnt his murti representative of him in his temples?

Hare Krishna!

[Guest guest]

once the murti is installed, it will get hungry so it is important to reguarly feed it

[Guest guest]

whether it gets hungry or not, it is our duty and obligation to feed him and offer him prasad. That is why we change his clothes, give him the mala, etc. He is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO STATUE!!!!

 

Hare Krishna!

[Nicolas_Bhai]

i have seen... tears fell off to his chick in some temples.

that devotees have seen so; out of extasy about the krtan.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I offer my humble obeisance unto him!

 

Srila Prabhupada is NOT A STATUE in temples. Just like we invite GOD to be in the MURTHI, we invite our GURU to do the same.

 

Second, it is our tradition that Guru is our connection to GOd and hence in that perspective treated with the highest love and devotion just like we do to God.

 

So we offer incense, flowers and food just as if Srila Prabhupada was alive.

 

But if you see Srila PRabhupada as a statue then it is just that -- A STATUE.

 

So this is a no brainer, just because Srila Prabhupada left his body, doesnt mean that is the end.

 

We saw him in VAPU before now we see him VANI and now see his VAPU through his murthi.

 

I also have heard about Srila Prabhupada crying and so forth and also i have heard his murthi laughing at devotees.

 

I have read a devotee see Srila Prabhupada after he left the planet in spiritual form!

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Nicolas_Bhai]

also have heard about Srila Prabhupada crying and so forth and also i have heard his murthi laughing at devotees.

 

I have read a devotee see Srila Prabhupada after he left the planet in spiritual form!

 

Haribol!

___

 

and so How it could be..

Can You tell us all?

 

I´ll love to lsten...

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna Prabhu!

 

Below is the link to the spiritual form story.

 

http://www.indiadivine.org/hinduism/articles/112/1/Mystical-Vision-of-Sri-Prabhupada-Swamiji

 

The one where Srila Prabhupada's murthi crying and laughing, i read it somewhere but dont remember where.

 

I will post a link once i find where.

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Prabhupada is eternally liberated [nitya-siddha]. Pure Vaishnava devotee. Just like when He was present here, disicples had His pictures on the alter. So in same way they have His diety. Guru is representative of God.

[Nicolas_Bhai]

I said, "I heard Prabhupada's voice, yes, it was so real. Tell me, was he here?"

 

He said, "Yes. He just walked through this hall, opened the door, stepped down the doorsteps, opened the gate and went out turning left.".......

 

... /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

Swamiji said, "Prabhupada looked like he knew this place very well."

 

 

----

. All right.

 

*I saw Hare Krishna swamiji there facing the front hall, in front of his room, with his eyes filled with tears and his face so bright than ever.

 

thank you anand it will bear plain, to see it.

[Thomas256]

samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-

tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam

praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya

vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

 

 

Haribol!