Is It Compulsory for a Serious Devotee to Live in a Temple?

Is It Compulsory for a Serious Devotee to Live in a Temple?

I want to know that whether it is compulsory for a person, who is serious in Krishna Consciousness, to become a full time devotee or he can perform his duties being a congregational devotee?
Hari Bol — Srijana

Dear Srijan

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Shree Guru & Gauranga!

I have been requested by Shreeman Madhuvisha Dasa to respond to your inquiry.

Srila Prabhupada himself said that he did not live in a Temple. When asked about devotees not living in the Temple he responded by saying that it doesn’t matter whether one lives in a temple or outside… both must follow all the rules and regulations. According to my understanding of Krishna consciousness, it is a gradual process… It is as gradual as we want to make it.

The basic principle of Krishna consciousness is hearing and chanting. This can be done inside or outside of the Temple, but hearing and chanting is best done in the association of devotees. In the absence of others association, it can be done alone, privately. But hearing and chanting about Krishna must be done every day, as much as possible.

Srila Prabhupada compared living in a temple to a businessman who does much more business at the New York Stock Exchange, rather than hundreds of miles away. He compared ISKCON temples to “the stock of exchange of devotional service.” Lord Chaitanya stressed that association of devotees is paramount in regards to making advancement in Krishna consciousness. Indeed, Srila Prabhupada created ISKCON temples just for that purpose, so that devotees would benefit from each other’s association. One may live outside of the Temple, but one must not live apart from the association of devotees. Srila Prabhupada created the ISKCON Life Membership program and Sunday Feast program especially for those potential devotees, who, due to circumstances, could not live in a Temple. Srila Prabhupada also recognized that in the future, most people would not live in a Temple. Srila Prabhupada envisioned a world in Krishna consciousness. Obviously, the entire world can not live in even all of the ISKCON Temples we already have (almost 400 world-wide). Therefore, Srila Prabhupada said that only 50% of his mission was complete. The other 50% is what he described as “varnashrama” where people, not living in an ISKCON Temple, maintain Krishna consciousness while executing their material duties.

Herein lies the essential answer to your question. Although you may not wish to live in an ISKCON Temple, you have to make your own home a Temple by following all the rules and regulations, as if you were living in a Temple. As I said at the outset, Krishna consciousness is a gradual process. That gradual process is known as yukta-vairagya and also vairagya-vidya.

First we must understand what is the ultimate goal of Krishna consciousness. Once the ultimate goal is understood, everything else falls into place naturally and automatically. The ultimate goal is to feel love of Godhead in every sphere of one’s existential living condition. Love of Godhead is achieved by hearing and chanting without offense. In order to hear and chant offenselessly, one must become detached from material sense gratification. At first one vows to strictly follow the four prohibitions, namely, no eating of meat, fish and eggs, no sex outside of marriage for procreation, no intoxication, including even coffee, tea and cigarettes, what to speak of alcohol and other intoxicants or controlled substances, and no gambling. But this is just the beginning of what is called vairagya or detachment. As one naturally progresses day by day, year by year, one learns to become disinterested in the entire materialistic way of life centered around identification with the body.

There are so many unwanted things we become entangled in simply because of identification with the body. These unwanted things are known as “anarthas”. As one progresses in Krishna consciousness one become more and more keen to root out all unnecessary engagements, attachments, and entanglements which the devotee understands by hearing and chanting are impeding his/her ultimate success in achieving love of God. Finally, one completely surrenders without reservation to Krishna and is then able to taste love of God, the highest possible state of consciousness for the living being.

Hearing and chanting, means hearing and chanting from Srila Prabhupada’s main books, namely Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion & Chaitanya-charitamrita.

But one must do all of this in the association of other devotees. So if one does not live in a temple, one must find time to associate with devotees either by visiting the Temple, or attending functions in other’s homes where devotees congregate. Here in Southern California I conduct weekend seminars at different peoples’ homes where this hearing and chanting is done from 2-4 hours. I also do not live in a Temple, but following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, I make sure that every weekend, I am in the association of devotees.

I hope this answers your inquiry. If you have any further questions, please email me directly.

krishne matir astu

Posted By: Nirantara dasa

Srila Prabhupada’s Temple in Bangalore - INDIA

ISKCON TEMPLE - BANGALORE

Spread over 8 acres of land atop a hill, in the heart of Bangalore is ISKCON’s largest temple complex in the world. Also known as the Hare Krishna Hill, this is home to 5 temples of various forms of Lord Krishna: Sri Sri Radha Krishna-Chandra, Sri Krishna Balarama, Sri Nitai Gauranga, Sri Prahlada Narasimha and Sri Srinivasa Govinda.

Introduction

The temple complex which was inaugurated in May 1997 by the President of India, His Excellency Sri Shaker Deal Sharma, has been visited by over 5.1 million visitors since inception, including various dignitaries of the country. Mr. Ramakrishna Hedge, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Former Cabinet Minister, and a frequent visitor to Hare Krishna Hill since 1987, commented: “Every time I visit this incredible edifice, the abode of Sri Krishna, I experience a unique divine feeling. This temple represents the essence of all religions.”

Dr. Mural Menorah Joshi, Mrs. Rama Devi, Governor of Karnataka, Mr. HE.DO. Devegowda, former Prime Minister of India, Mr. I.H. Patel, Former CM of Karnataka, Mr. Rajinder Singh, Chief of the RSS and Mr. Ashok Singhal, President of the VHP are amongst the other dignitaries who have visited Hare Krishna Hill, seeking the blessings of the Lord. The distinct neo-classical architecture of the temple has attracted the interest of designers and artists from around the world. The design, which was developed by ISKCON devotees Madhu Pandit Dasa (President and Project director) and Jagatchandra Dasa, both graduates from the IIT Mumbai, combines elements of traditional South-Indian as well as modern styles of architecture in a harmonious blend, to provide a gorgeous residence for the Supreme Lord.

The temple complex is equipped with various facilities for the purpose of promoting the spiritual and cultural message of Lord Krishna and His pure devotee His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya and spiritual master of the entire ISKCON movement:

The Deities and Daily Programs

All activities on Hare Krishna Hill are centered around the principal Deities of Sri Sri Radha Krishna-Chandra. Beginning with the mangala-arati at 4:15 am, a typical day is filled with spiritually inspiring programs of aratis and kirtanas. The morning’s program includes a procession where devotees performing sankirtana, accompany the Deity of Srila Prabhupada on a palanquin to the various temples. The day ends with the festive shayana utsava, when the Lord tours His temple room on an ornamental palanquin before entering His sleeping quarters for rest. This daily utsava offered to the Lord is a unique feature of ISKCON Bangalore.

Free Prasadam for All

Every visitor to the temple receives a cup of free kichiri prasadam, made of rice and dahl. This is a humble attempt to fulfill the vision of our guru Srila Prabhupada, who, expressing utmost compassion, said in 1974: “God is the father; wherever there is the father, there cannot be hunger… No one within a ten-mile radius of our temples should go hungry.” The temple’s Pilgrims’ Prasadam Kitchen is provided with modern equipment to prepare large quantities of prasadam in a short time and can feed up to two thousand visitors per hour. Since May 1997, about 750 tonnes of prasadam have been prepared and distributed to the visiting pilgrims.

In addition to the free prasadam, this kitchen is also used to prepare varieties of sweet and salty items, which are offered to the Lord and made available as prasadam to the visiting pilgrims for a nominal price. ISKCON’s Bakery, which began operations only 2 years ago, is well-known in Bangalore for its eggless cakes and biscuits.

Puja on Birthdays of Donors

The temple was erected with donations received from nearly 25,000 donors in and around Bangalore city. These donors receive an invitation on their birthday to visit the temple along with their family and a special puja is offered to the Lord in their names.

Shata Koti Nama Japa Yajna

To promote world peace and harmony, a program to chant 1 Billion holy names of Rama and Krishna in the year 2000, on Hare Krishna Hill, was begun on January 1st this year. The venue for this program is the temple’s harinama mantapa, located just before one enters the first temple of Prahlada Narasimha. This mantapa is fitted with two sets of granite steps (each containing 108 steps) and on each step a pilgrim can chant the full Hare Krishna mantra once. To guide the pilgrim to chant properly, recorded chanting of Srila Prabhupada is constantly played from a CD player in the mantapa. After chanting on the 108 steps (which means after chanting the maha-mantra 108 times), the pilgrim enters the Narasimha temple through an exclusive entrance where he receives a free packet of a prasadam sweet. It has been observed that about 60% of the visitors choose to enter this mantapa and chant, before having darshan.

FOLK Program

The “Friends of Lord Krishna” (FOLK) program for bachelors between 19 and 29, has created a lot of enthusiasm for understanding the Vedic culture amongst the youth of Bangalore. This program is held on Saturdays and Sundays and consists of classes, discussions and practical sessions on Vedic philosophy and lifestyle. Meditation sessions are also held during these programs. Each program ends with a free prasadam feast.

Cow Protection

Vedic wisdom advocates cow protection as one of the primary elements necessary for a prosperous and healthy society. ISKCON Bangalore goshalla maintains 40 cows in its goshalla on Hare Krishna Hill. Milk from these cows is used to make various products for the service of the Deities.

Organic Farming

ISKCON encourages organic farming, in which grains, vegetables and fruits are grown naturally without the use of chemicals and fertilizers. ISKCON Bangalore’s 100-acre farm near Mysore, on the bank of the River Kaveri provides an active model of such farming. The farm’s products are made available in the temple’s natural foods shop on Hare Krishna Hill known as “Dharani”.

Dakshinakriti

ISKCON Bangalore has a scheme to promote and protect the traditional art and craft of South India. This project encourages and supports talented craftsmen by providing them an outlet for their work. It gives them an opportunity to sustain themselves through the creations of their artistic expression. Through this service, ISKCON Bangalore is bringing into focus the richness of Indian tradition and the need to recognize its importance in preserving our culture and heritage. The products made under this scheme are available at “Dakshinakriti”, the temple’s sculpture showroom.

Multivision Cinema

The Multivision Cinema at ISKCON Bangalore was conceived by devotees and produced in the United States. This is India’s first show combining visual projection and animatronics. The 14 projectors, Laser Disc players, the surround sound processors and the animatronics mechanisms are controlled by a special purpose computer which operates through electronic control units and software developed in Sweden. The 40-minute Cinema conveys a simple yet significant spiritual message and is priced nominally. Nearly 50% of the visitors to the temple choose to watch the cinema, which operates at specific times in the morning and evening.

Dwarakapuri

The temple complex also houses “Dwarakapuri”, a marriage hall with ultra-modern finishing and “Mathura”, a hall for seminars and conferences. These halls help generate revenue for the temple’s maintenance and preaching activities.

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

The Bangalore branch of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is housed on Hare Krishna Hill and is involved in translating and publishing Srila Prabhupada’s voluminous works in the Kannada language. Eminent Kannada writers Prof. L.S. Seshagiri Rao, Prof. N.S. Laxminarayana Bhat, Dr. Shivarudrappa, Dr. A.R. Mitra and several others are involved in translating the books. Since 1985, 123,000 Kannada copies of the Bhagavad-gita alone have been printed and distributed by the BBT. In all, 430,000 pieces of literature have been distributed since May 1997. At present, 39 titles of Srila Prabhupada’s works are available in Kannada.

Goloka Seva Trust

The Goloka Seva Trust promotes and maintains the valuable art of incense (agarbatti) making, using purely natural ingredients. At present the Goloka Seva Trust produces 73 varieties of incense that is meant for worship. The trust also conducts in-house research to develop varieties of non-toxic user-friendly incense and related products. These products are also made available at the temple’s counters for the visitors.

Srila Prabhupada Museum

The construction of the Srila Prabhupada Museum is scheduled to begin shortly. This museum will also be an architectural marvel in itself and will be dedicated to creating awareness amongst the general public about the glorious contributions of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya and spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.

All About Badrinath Temple

Badrinath Temple

Badrinath temple is a major religious place among hindues. It is also called Badrinarayan temple. This famous temple is situated along the Alaknanda river, in the hill town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand state in India. The temple is dedicated to god Vishnu. The temple and town are one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. It is also one of the 108 Divya Desams, holy shrines for Vaishnavites.

The temple is open only six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), due to extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region.

The most important thing about this temple is one meter tall statue of Vishnu as Lord Badrinarayan, made of black Saligram stone. The idol depicts Vishnu sitting in meditative posture, rather than His far more typical reclining pose.

Holy River Alaknanda - Badrinath Temple

Architecture

The temple is approximately 50 ft (15 metres) tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof. The front is built of stone, with arched windows. A broad stairway leads up to a tall arched gateway, which is the main entrance. The architecture resembles a Buddhist vihara (temple), with the brightly painted facade also more typical of Buddhism temples. Just inside is the mandapa, a large pillared hall that leads to the garbha grha, or main shrine area. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.

Badrinath Temple Surroundings

The main shrine area houses the black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan, sitting under a gold canopy, under a Badri Tree. There are fifteen more murtis around the temple that are also worshipped. These include murtis of Nara & Narayana, Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Vishnu), Lakshmi, Narada, Ganesha, Uddhava, Kubera, Garuda (the vehicle of Lord Narayan), and Navadurga.  Hard sugar candy(mishri), Tulsi, and dry fruits are the typical prasad offered at Badrinath temple.

Manha Village - India's last village - Badrinath

History

It is said that in the ninth century Adi Shankracharya ji  discovered the image of Badrinarayan in the Alaknanda River and enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs. In the sixteenth century, the king of Garhwal moved the murti to the present temple.

Due to age and damage by weather calamities the  temple has undergone several major renovations. In the 17th century, the temple was expanded by the kings of Garhwal. After significant damage in the great 1803 Himalayan earthquake, it was rebuilt by the King of Jaipur.


Legend

There are many legends behind the establishment of the temple.

One legend explains the reason that Vishnu is shown sitting in padmasana, rather than reclining. According to the story, Vishnu was chastised by a sage who saw Vishnu's consort Lakshmi massaging his feet. Vishnu went to Badrinath to perform austerity, meditating for a long time in padmasana.  To this day, the area around Badrinath attracts yogis who come for meditation and isolation.

One more logical Legend explains both name itself and sitting posture as this place was full of Badri (Bael Fruit,'Ber' in hindi) bushes and Vishnu meditating for couple of hundred years,beloved Luxmi stood next to him sheltering him from scorching sunlight turned into a Badri herself called 'BADRI VISHAL' and her lord(Nath) became the BadriNath.

Another legend says that Shiva and Parvati were doing tapas in Badrinath. Vishnu came in disguise as a small boy, crying loudly and disturbing them. Parvati asked the reason for his crying and he replied that he wanted Badrinath for meditation. Shiva and Parvati found that it was Lord Narayan in disguise. They then left Badrinath and moved to Kedarnath.


Nambudiri Tradition

Although Badrinath is located in the far north of India, the head priest, or Rawal, is traditionally a Nambudiri Brahmin from the far south of India in Kerala. This tradition was begun by Adi Shankara, who was a Malayali. The Namboothiris are considered to be the most orthodox of all the Brahmins and they consider every other caste (including other Brahmins) as Sudras[citation needed] . The Rawal is assisted by Dimri Pundits belonging to Village Dimmer of Garhwal. Badrinath is one of the few temples in North India that follow the ancient Tantra-Vidhi of Shrauta tradition more common in South India. Devotees of all faiths and all schools of thought of Hinduism visit the place. Many religious heads of various Muths, such as Jeeyar Mutt (Andhra mutt), Sringeri, Kanchi, Udupi Pejavar and Manthralayam Sri Raghavendra Swamy Muths have their branches/guest houses.

The Rawal (chief priest) is selected by erstwhile rulers of Garwhal and Travancore. The Rawal has been accorded high holiness status by Garwhal rifles and also the state governments of Uttarakhand and Uttarapradesh. He is also held in high esteem by Royals of Nepal. For six months in a year (during March to pre november), he performs his duties as a temple priest. Thereafter, he either stays in Joshimutt or goes back to his ancestral village in Kerala. The current Rawal is Sh. Badri Prasad Namboothiri, who belongs to the 27th generation of Badrinath Nambuthiris. He is fluent in Sanskrit, Hindi, English, Malayalam, Garhwali, Tamil and Kannada. The duties of the Rawal starts at 4 A.M every day, with the Abhishekam. The Rawal should not cross the river till Vamana Dwadasi and must be a Brahmachari.


Panch Badri

The Badrinath temple is one of five related shrines called Panch Badri that are dedicated to worship of Lord Vishnu.

•    Vishal Badri: Badrinath Temple in Badrinath.

•    Yogadhyan Badri: located at Pandukeshwar. It also has an image of Badrinath in meditative posture. Legend has it that King Pandu installed a statue here named Yogadhyan Badri.

•    Bhavishya Badri: 17 km (10.6 mi) from Jyotirmath at Subain. Legend says that when evil is on the rise in the world, Badrinath will become inaccessible and Lord Badrinath will appear at the Bhavishya Badri temple. Thus it is the future, or Bhavishya Badri.

•    Vridh Badri: 7 km (4.3 mi) from Jyotirmath in Animath. Vridh Badri means 'Old Badri.' Legend says this is where the Badrinath image was originally worshipped, before being enshrined at the current Badrinath.

•    Adi Badri: 17 km (10.6 mi) from Karnaprayag. A temple complex consisting of sixteen small temples with intricate carvings houses a three foot black stone statue of Lord Vishnu.

Badrinathji Door opening Ceremony

The temple is open for six months of the year – from April-May to October-November (Vijaya Dashami), but its day of opening is determined on the day of the Basant Panchami (in February-March), in accordance with astrological configurations. Pujas are held during the opening and the closing of the temple.

The first ceremony on opening is the darshan of the Akhand Jyoti (eternal flame) in an ancient lamp which has remained lit all through the year, even when the temple closed for the winter. The Puja is performed in the darshan mandap which can only accommodate a few people while the devotees stand in the outer or sabha mandap for the holy glimpse while the puja is being performed after a dip in the holy Taptakund.


Aarti

The daily rituals at the Badrinath temple start very early, around 4.30 am with maha ab-hishek and abhishek puja, and end at around 8.30 -9 pm with the shayan aarti. The temple opens for darshan for the general public around 7-8 am and there is an afternoon recess between 1-4 pm. The Rawal of the temple performs the rituals. The procedures of daily pujas and rituals are supposed to have been prescribed by Adi Shankracharya. Unlike most Hindu temples, all the pujas (including the decoration of idols) are performed in the presence of the devotees.


Timings of temple

In morning it is open from 4:30 hrs. to 13:oo hrs. In evening it is open from 16:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs. The temple closes at 21:00 hrs after the divine song Geet Govind.


Places to visit

Tapt Kund:

Tapt kund is a natural hot water pool fed by a sulphur spring which is said to be the abode of Agni, the god of fire. It is customary to bathe before entering Sri Badrinath temple. This water has a temperature of 130 degrees C. To the left of this pool is the Surya Kund fed by a branch of the same thermal spring. These waters are said to be very nourishing to the body. The Alakananda flows swiftly just below these kunds and the boiling water falls into the icy waters of the river giving rise to clouds of steam.

Panch Dharas:

The Panch Dharas (five streams) which are famous in Badrinath are Prahlad, Kurma, Bhrigu, Ur-vashi & Indira dhara. The most striking of these is the Indira dhara, about 1.5 km north of the town Badaripuri. Bhrigudhara flows past a number of caves. The one on the right of river Rishi Ganga, orig-inally from the Neelkanth range is Urvashi dhara. Kurma dhara water is extremely cold whereas Prahlad dhara has lukewarm water, which glides majestically down the rocks of Narain Parvat.

Panch Shilas

Around the Tapt Kund there are five blocks of mythological importance called Narad, Narsimh, Barah, Garur & Markandeya Shilas (stone).

Standing between Tapt and Narad Kund is conical formed Narad Shila. It is said that the sage Narad meditated on this rock for several years. Standing in the waters of Alaknanda just below the Narad Shi-la is a huge stone looking like a lion with its gaping jaws and hooked claws. It is said that Bhagwan Narsimh after killing the demon King Hiranyakashyapa remained in the shape of a block of stone for-ever.

Near the Narad Kund the Barah Shila has the shape of boar. Barah is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The Garur Shila near the Tapt Kund had Garur (the carrier of Vishnu) fasted & meditated on this stone. Sage Markandeya on the advice of Narad left Mathura to meditate here in Badarivan and attained ulti-mate peace. Markandeya Shila is the stone on which the Sage meditated.


Brahma Kapal

To the north of Sri Badrinath temple is the spot known as Brahma Kapal where Lord Brahma is said to reside. Ceremonies for departed souls are performed here.

In a quest to ensure a heavenly abode for the dead ancestors, the shradh ceremony (propitiating rites) or the offering of pind is an important part of Hindu rituals. After offering pind here, it is believed, the spirits of the dead are permanently enshrined in Heaven and no more pinds are to be offered elsewhere.

The Brahma Kapal, on the bank of the Alaknanda is a flat platform a few yards north of the temple. Legend has it that when Shiva chopped off the fifth head of Brahma, it got stuck to his trident. Lastly with the blessing of Lord Vishnu at Badarivan, the head of Brahma fell down from the trident at this place & hence the name Brahma-Kapal (head).


Sheshnetra

1.5 km away is a boulder having an impression of the legendary snake, better known as the Sheshnag’s eye (Shesh meaning Sheshnag and Netra meaning eye).


Charanpaduka

3 km away is a beautiful meadow carpeted with wild flowers in the summer. Here is a boulder bearing the footprints of Lord Vishnu. It is said that when Lord Vishnu descended from Vaikunth (the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu) he stepped on this boulder. The area is a steep climb from the town and is full of caves & boulders.


Neelkanth

A pyramidal shaped snowy peak (6,597 mt) towering above Badrinath, presents a dramatic sight. It is popularly known as the ‘Garhwal Queen’.


How To Get There - Badrinath Temple

By Air
Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun.

By Rail
Nearest railheads are at Rishikesh and Kotdwara.

By Road
Badrinath is connected by good motorable roads with Rishikesh, Dehradun, Kotdwara and other hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region.

Local Transport
Taxis, horses, ponies.

Places To Stay in Badrinath
Chand Cottage, Shri KedarBadri Temple Committee.

Gujrat Bhawan, Shri Kedar-Badri Temple Committee.

Modi Bhawan, Shri Kedar-Badri Temple Committee. PWD Inspection House.

Hotel Devlok, (GMVN), Near Bus Stand.

Travellers Lodge, (GMVN), Bus Terminal.

Fairs & Festivals

Badri Kedar Festival

The Badri-Kedar festival, held at the sacred shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath is held in the month of June.


Mata Murti Mela

On the day of Mata Murti Ka Mela, the mother of Shri Badrinathji is worshipped, and a large fair held at the Badrinath Temple in the month of September.

Rise of Hinduism in USA. Is a Hindu USA upcoming?

United States. One in 10 Asian Americans identify themselves as Hindus, concluded the results of a report on Asian Americans and their religious affiliations, released July 19 by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Hindus and Buddhists counted together represent two percent of the overall population, the same share as Jews.

Ninety percent of Hindu Americans believe there is more than one way to interpret the tenets of their faith, and the majority celebrate both Hindu holidays like Diwali as well as Christmas, noted the report, titled: “Asian Americans: A Mosaic of Faiths.” The report lacked much novel information, and re-stated largely-held beliefs about Indian Americans and their religious practices.

Most Asian American Hindus maintain traditional religious beliefs and practices. Two-thirds of Buddhists surveyed believe in ancestral spirits, while three-quarters of Hindus keep a shrine in their home, concluded the report, adding however that 30 percent of the Hindus surveyed and 20 percent of Buddhists report having attended religious services of another faith, outside of special occasions such as weddings or funerals.

A majority of Indian Americans identify as Hindus, concluded a Pew report released last week.
Seen above are deities at a San Francisco Bay area-based Hindu temple.

U.S.  Hindus tend to be inclusive in their understanding of faith. Most Hindus, for instance, reject the notion that their religion is the one true faith and say instead that many religions can lead to eternal life, or in the case of Buddhists, to enlightenment, noted the survey.

The 182-page report focused on the four major religious groups of Asian Americans: Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and the religiously unaffiliated. Muslims compromise an additional four percent of Asian Americans, but their numbers in the survey were too small to include in the analysis, said an introduction to the report.

ALL ABOUT THE '' HINDU TEMPLE ''

Introduction:
Unlike other organized religions, in Hinduism, it is not mandatory for a person to visit a temple. Since all Hindu home usually have a small shrine or ‘puja room’ for daily prayers, Hindus generally go to temples only on auspicious occasions or during religious festivals. Hindu temples also do not play a crucial role in marriages and funerals, but it is often the meeting place for religious discourses as well as ‘bhajans’ and ‘kirtans’ (devotional songs and chants).


History of Temples:
In the Vedic period there were no temples. The main object of worship was fire that stood for God. This holy fire was lit on a platform in the open air under the sky, and oblations were offered to the fire. It is not certain when exactly the Indo-Aryans first started building temples for worship. The scheme of building temples was perhaps a concomitant of the idea of idol worship.

Locations of Temples:
As the race progressed, temples became important because they served as a sacred meeting place for the community to congregate and revitalize their spiritual energies. Large temples were usually built at picturesque places, especially on river banks, on top of hills, and on the sea shore. Smaller temples or open-air shrines can crop up just about anywhere - by the roadside or even under the tree.
Holy places in India are famous for its temples. Indian towns - from Amarnath to Ayodha, Brindavan to Banaras, Kanchipuram to Kanya Kumari - are all known for their wonderful temples.

Temple Architecture:
The architecture of Hindu temples evolved over a period of more than 2,000 years and there is a great variety in this architecture. Hindu temples are of different shapes and sizes – rectangular, octagonal, semicircular – with different types of domes and gates. Temples in southern India have a different style than those in northern India. Although the architecture of Hindu temples is varied, they mainly have many things in common.

The 6 parts of a Hindu Temple:
1. The Dome and Steeple: The steeple of the dome is called ‘shikhara’ (summit) that represents the mythological ‘Meru’ or the highest mountain peak. The shape of the dome varies from region to region and the steeple is often in the form of the trident of Shiva.

2. The Inner Chamber: The inner chamber of the temple called ‘garbhagriha’ or ‘womb-chamber’ is where the image or idol of the deity (‘murti’) is placed. In most temples, the visitors cannot enter the garbhagriha, and only the temple priests are allowed inside.

3. The Temple Hall: Most large temples have a hall meant for the audience to sit. This is also called the ‘nata-mandira’ (hall for temple-dancing) where, in days of yore, women dancers or ‘devadasis’ used to perform dance rituals. Devotees use the hall to sit, meditate, pray, chant or watch the priests perform the rituals. The hall is usually decorated with paintings of gods and goddesses.

4. The Front Porch: This area of the temples usually has a big metallic bell that hangs from the ceiling. Devotees entering and leaving the porch ring this bell to declare their arrival and departure.

5. The Reservoir: If the temple is not in the vicinity of a natural water body, a reservoir of fresh water is built on the temple premises. The water is used for rituals as well as to keep the temple floor clean or even for a ritual bath before entering the holy abode.

6. The Walkway: Most temples have a walkway around the walls of the inner chamber for circum-ambulation by devotees around the deity as a mark of respect to the temples god or goddess.

Temple Priests:
As opposed to the all-renouncing ‘swamis’, temple priests, variously known as ‘pandas’, ‘pujaris’ or ‘purohits’, are salaried workers, hired by the temple authorities to perform daily rituals. Traditionally they come from the Brahmin or priestly caste, but there are many priests who are non-Brahmins. Then there are temples that are set up various sects and cults like the Shaivas, Vaishnavas and the Tantriks.

There’s No Need to Leave Home and Join the Temple…

“The brahmana Kurma begged Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “My dear Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the waves of misery caused by materialistic life.” It appears that he was materially very happy. Now, being glorious, he wanted to leave all these material opulences. He wanted to travel with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

It is not advisable in this Age of Kali to leave one’s family suddenly, for people are not trained as proper brahmacaris and grhasthas. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised the brahmana not to be too eager to give up family life. It would be better to remain with his family and try to become purified by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra regularly under the direction of a spiritual master. This is the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If this principle is followed by everyone, there is no need to accept sannyasa.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krsna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.”

This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the maha-mantra: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad-Bhagavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of living engrossed in material activities, people throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra at home with their families.

One should also refrain from sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Out of these four items, illicit sex is very sinful. Every person must get married. Every woman especially must get married. If the women outnumber the men, some men can accept more than one wife. In that way there will be no prostitution in society. If men can marry more than one wife, illicit sex life will be stopped. One can also produce many nice preparations to offer Krsna—grain, fruit, flowers and milk. Why should one indulge in unnecessary meat-eating and maintain horrible slaughterhouses? What is the use of smoking and drinking tea and coffee? People are already intoxicated by material enjoyment, and if they indulge in further intoxication, what chance is there for self-realization? Similarly, one should not partake in gambling and unnecessarily agitate the mind. The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum bonum of spiritual realization.

The Krishna consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His advice to the brahmana Kurma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the Hare Krsna mantra and preach the instructions of Krsna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further advised the brahmana Kurma, “If you follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your spiritual advancement. Indeed, if you follow these regulative principles, we will again meet here, or, rather, you will never lose My company.”

This is an opportunity for everyone. If one simply follows the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, under the guidance of His representative, and chants the Hare Krsna mantra, teaching everyone as far as possible the same principle, the contamination of the materialistic way of life will not even touch him. It does not matter whether one lives in a holy place like Vrndavana, Navadvipa or Jagannätha Puri or in the midst of European cities, where the materialistic way of life is very prominent. If a devotee follows the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he lives in the company of the Lord. Wherever he lives, he converts that place into Vrndavana and Navadvipa. This means that materialism cannot touch him. This is the secret of success for one advancing in Krsna consciousness.

At whosever house Sri Caitanya accepted His alms by taking prasadam, He would convert the dwellers to His sankirtana movement and advise them just as He advised the brahmaaa named Kurma.

The cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change his status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn’t matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and in that way one’s life will be spiritually successful.

One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee.” Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any disciples. One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.

There are many sahajiyas who decry the activities of the six Gosvamis—Srila Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha dasa, Bhatta Raghunatha, Jiva and Gopala Bhatta Gosvamis—who are the personal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and who enlightened society by writing books on devotional service. Similarly, Narottama dasa Thakura and other great acaryas like Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya and others accepted many thousands of disciples to induce them to render devotional service. However, there is a class of sahajiyas who think that these activities are opposed to the principles of devotional service. Indeed, they consider such activities simply another phase of materialism. Thus opposing the principles of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they commit offenses at His lotus feet. They should better consider His instructions and, instead of seeking to be considered humble and meek, should refrain from criticizing the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who engage in preaching. To protect His preachers, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given much clear advice in these verses of Sri Caitanya-caritamata.

While on His tour, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would spend the night at a temple or on the roadside. Whenever He accepted food from a person, He would give him the same advice He gave the brahmana named Kurma. He adopted this process until He returned to Jagannatha Puri from His South Indian tour.