Sri Gurvashtakam

1. The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.

2. Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

3. The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

4. The spiritual master is always offering Krsna four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk, and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasada, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

5. The spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Radhika and Madhava, and Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

6. The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krsna's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

7. The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari [Krsna].

8. By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.

One who, with great care, loudly recites this beautiful prayer to the spiritual master during the Brahma-muhurta obtains direct service to Krsna, the Lord of Vrndavana, at the time of his death.

Setting up an altar

It is best to have an altar with steps, specially made from wood or other materials; it should be large enough so you can arrange all the pictures nicely on it. You should also keep a small table about three feet high, to hold the arati plate, in front and to the left of the altar(on the left side of someone facing the altar.) Another table, about one foot high, is required for offering food, and a mat is also necessary for standing or sitting while performing the worship.

A standard home altar should have the following pictures:

1) Radha- Krishna on the topmost step of your altar.

2) The Panca Tattva(Lord Chaitanya and His four principal associates) and Lord Narasimhadeva on the second step.

3) The Sampradaya acharyas : a)Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta swami Prabhupada, b)Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura, c) Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji, d) Bhaktivinoda Thankura, and e) Jagannatha Dasa Babaji and the six Goswamis of Vrindavana.

You should not place the pictures of those who are superior in the spiritual hierarchy below those who worship them. For example, never keep the photo of the guru above that of Krishna. The Panca Tattva worship Radha- Krishna and are worshipped by the Sampradaya acharyas.

How to perform Arati

Place the following items on the plate specifically kept for purpose (the “arati plate”) :-

The Articles Used in an Arati-Ceremony:

1. Large conch-shell (to blow)

2. A cup of fresh water and a spoon (acamana — for purification)

3. Incense sticks (at least three)

4. Ghee lamp (usually five wicks)

5. Small conch-shell (for offering water) with a stand

6. Container of water to be offered

7. Cloth or handkerchief

8. Small plate of flowers

9. Lighter or matches

10. Whisk (camara) and peacock fan

11. Bell

Acamana

Before offering arati, pay obeisances. Next , perform acamana as follows. Take the spoon from the acamana cup in your left hand, place water from the acamana cup in your right hand , and than sip it. Than say om kesavaya namah and put another drop of water in your right hand. Repeat this procedure

two times , after sipping water chant om narayanaya namah, and third time say om madhavaya namah. You ‘ ll use the acamana cup throughout the arati to purify your hands and all objects offered. To purify an object , simply put three drops of water on it. Between offering items, purify your hands each time

with three drops of water.

After performing acamana , first purify the blowing conch, take it in your right hand and blow three times. Purify it again, purify the right hand again.Open the curtains( which has hitherto been closed ) of the Altar while ringing the bell. (Upon seeing the Deities, all devotees present in the temple room should bow down and offer obeisances ; than they should stand up and begin kirtana. )

Place the arati plate on a small table, which is kept in deity room for the purpose. Now purify the incense (with three drops of water at the base)and light it. Its best to have an open oil lamp; next best is candle. Or you can keep an oil lamp permanently burning. In the rare case the neither a lamp nor

candle is available, use matches to directly light the incense.

Purify both hands and the bell. Pick up the incense in the right hand and bell in the left and start arati , ringing the bell above the waist all the time while offering each item.

Pancharanta - pradipa, the ISKCON Deity worship book , recommends worshiping in the following manner. First , briefly show each item beginning with the incense , to your guru , than to his guru, and so on , in this way showing each item to all the parampara gurus whose pictures are on the alter. The

idea is that you cannot offer anything directly to Krsna , so first bring it that your guru who brings it to his guru, who brings it to his guru , and so on. After thus taking permission from all your gurus, bring the item to Krsna and worship Him by moving the item in clockwise circles, first offering to the feet ,

gradually rising up to the head , and than moving the item all around the body. Then worship Radha, than Lord Caitanya , then Lord Nityananda , and finally the parampara gurus, starting from the most senior and finishing with your own guru.the idea is that we worship Radha with that which has been to

Krsna , we worship Lord Caitanya with that which has been offered to Radha and so on. Some systems of worship enjoin offering each item with fixed number of circle. That is also good, but dedicating one’s service to the lord is more important than counting circle.

The order of the items to be offered

1. Incense.

2. Ghee Lamp.

3. Water in a conch ( this is a different conch from the one blown at the beginning of the arati).

4. A handkerchief or cloth.

5. Flowers.

6. Camara.

7. Peacock fan (during the hot months).

You can count the circles in the following manner:

1. Incense seven circles around the whole body

2. Ghee Lamp four circles to the feet; two to the middle; three to the head; seven to the whole body

3. Water three circles to the head; seven to the whole body

4. Cloth seven circles around the whole body

5. Flowers seven circles around the whole body

6. Whisk seven waves to the whole body

7. Peacock fan seven waves to the whole body (summertime only)

After offering the Deities in this manner, you should offer the items to Tulasi devi, Guru parampara and to all the assembled Vaishnavas by circling the item three times.

When offering water in the conch , after offering water to each worshipable personality pour out three drops into a container kept for the purpose. After offering water to all the worshipable personalities, pour the balance left in the conch into the container. After offering flowers , place one or more at the lotus feet of all the personalities you worshiped.

In winter, when a cooling effect is undesirable, do not offer the fan. Remember to purify each item before offering it and to re-purify your hand after offering each item.

You should complete the arati in about twenty minutes , signalling its end by again blowing the conch three times. After purifying the conch with the three drops water , take the container with the water that was offered during arati and from the front of the Deity room sprinkle that water (from your right

hand) over the heads of assembled devotees. Next take some of the just-offered flowers from the alter and distribute them to the assembled devotees. Then remove the arati paraphernalia for cleaning. (the devotees in the temple room should end the kirtana.The kirtana should consist of different songs at

specific times.

• Sri-Sri-Gurv-astaka (Beginning of Mangal Arati)

• Sri Nrsimha Pranama (End of Mangal Arati)

• Sri Tulasi-kirtana (for Tulasi Arati, after Mangal Arati)

• Sri Guru-vandana (Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja)

• Jaya Radha-Madhava (sung before class)

• Prasada-sevaya (sung before honoring prasadam)

• Gaura-arati (sung in the evening)

After completing the songs at Mangala arati, tulasi puja, guru puja, and sandhya arati, continue the kirtana with Srila Prabhupada’s pranama mantra, Panca tattva mantra (three times) then continue with the Mahamantra- Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare- until the end of the arati.

Know your Guru Parampara on the Altar