Chapter 27 · Class prep
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BG 27.1
Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Lord, O master of the devotees, please explain to me the prescribed method of worshiping You in Your Deity form. What are the qualifications of those devotees who worship the Deity, on what basis is such worship established, and what is the specific method of worship?
Essence. Uddhava asks for the prescribed method of worshiping the Lord in His Deity form, the qualifications of devotees, the basis, and details of worship. Practical inquiry sets up practical answer.
BG 27.2
All the great sages repeatedly declare that such worship brings the greatest benefit possible in human life. This is the opinion of Nārada Muni, the great Vyāsadeva and my own spiritual master, Bṛhaspati.
Essence. Great sages repeatedly say such worship is the greatest benefit possible in human life — Nārada, Vyāsa, Bṛhaspati agree. Lineage agreement is highlighted.
BG 27.3-4
O most magnanimous Lord, the instructions on this process of Deity worship first emanated from Your lotus mouth. Then they were spoken by the great Lord Brahmā to his sons, headed by Bhṛgu, and by Lord Śiva to his wife, Pārvatī. This process is accepted by and appropriate for all the occupational and spiritual orders of society. Therefore I consider worship of You in Your Deity form to be the most beneficial of all spiritual practices, even for women and śūdras.
Essence. The instructions emanated from the Lord's mouth, were spoken by Brahmā to his sons and by Śiva to Pārvatī, and are accepted by all classes. The chain of transmission is honored.
BG 27.5
O lotus-eyed one, O Supreme Lord of all lords of the universe, please explain to Your devoted servant this means of liberation from the bondage of work.
Essence. Uddhava asks the Lord to explain the means of liberation from the bondage of work. The link between worship and liberation is named.
BG 27.6
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, there is no end to the innumerable Vedic prescriptions for executing Deity worship; so I shall explain this topic to you briefly, one step at a time.
Essence. There is no end to Vedic prescriptions for Deity worship; the Lord will explain briefly, step by step. Even the cosmos has too many rules — selection is necessary.
BG 27.7
One should carefully worship Me by selecting one of the three methods by which I receive sacrifice: Vedic, tantric or mixed.
Essence. One should worship by selecting one of three methods — Vedic, tantric, or mixed. Choose, don't survey.
BG 27.8
Now please listen faithfully as I explain exactly how a person who has achieved twice-born status through the relevant Vedic prescriptions should worship Me with devotion.
Essence. Please listen as I explain how one who has achieved twice-born status through Vedic prescriptions should worship with devotion. The audience is named.
BG 27.9
A twice-born person should worship Me, his worshipable Lord, without duplicity, offering appropriate paraphernalia in loving devotion to My Deity form or to a form of Me appearing upon the ground, in fire, in the sun, in water or within the worshiper’s own heart.
Essence. A twice-born should worship without duplicity, offering appropriate paraphernalia in devotion — to a Deity form, on the ground, in fire, sun, water, or the heart. Many media; one Lord.
BG 27.10
One should first purify his body by cleansing his teeth and bathing. Then one should perform a second cleansing by smearing the body with earth and chanting both Vedic and tantric mantras.
Essence. Purify the body by brushing teeth and bathing; a second cleansing by smearing with earth while chanting Vedic and tantric mantras. Cleanliness is approached methodically.
BG 27.11
Fixing the mind on Me, one should worship Me by his various prescribed duties, such as chanting the Gāyatrī mantra at the three junctures of the day. Such performances are enjoined by the Vedas and purify the worshiper of reactions to fruitive activities.
Essence. Fixing the mind on Me, worship through prescribed duties such as Gāyatrī at the three junctures; these practices purify karma reactions. Daily anchors do real cleansing.
BG 27.12
The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties — stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.
Essence. The Deity appears in eight forms: stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, mind, jewels. The Lord chooses many vehicles.
BG 27.13
The Deity form of the Lord, who is the shelter of all living entities, can be established in two ways: temporarily or permanently. But a permanent Deity, having been called, can never be sent away, My dear Uddhava.
Essence. Deity may be established temporarily or permanently; permanent Deities, once called, can never be sent away. Permanence is a covenant.
BG 27.14
The Deity that is temporarily established can optionally be called forth and sent away, but these two rituals should always be performed when the Deity is traced upon the ground. Bathing should be done with water except if the Deity is made of clay, paint or wood, in which cases a thorough cleansing without water is enjoined.
Essence. Temporary Deities can optionally be called and sent away; for ground-traced Deities both must be done. Bathing with water unless made of clay, paint, or wood — then with what touches don't damage. The Lord notes practical limits.
BG 27.15
One should worship Me in My Deity forms by offering the most excellent paraphernalia. But a devotee completely freed from material desire may worship Me with whatever he is able to obtain, and may even worship Me within his heart with mental paraphernalia.
Essence. Worship with excellent paraphernalia if possible; a devotee free of desire may use whatever he can obtain, even mental paraphernalia within the heart. Devotion fits one's means.
BG 27.16-17
In worshiping the temple Deity, my dear Uddhava, bathing and decoration are the most pleasing offerings. For the Deity traced on sacred ground, the process of tattva-vinyāsa is most dear. Oblations of sesame and barley soaked in ghee are the preferred offering to the sacrificial fire, whereas worship consisting of upasthāna and arghya is preferred for the sun. One should worship Me in the form of water by offering water itself. Actually, whatever is offered to Me with faith by My devotee — even if only a little water — is most dear to Me.
Essence. Bathing and decoration please most in temple Deity worship; tattva-vinyāsa for ground-traced Deities; sesame and barley in ghee for fire worship; and so on by medium. Each medium has its preferred offering.
BG 27.18
Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by nondevotees. But I am pleased by any insignificant offering made by My loving devotees, and I am certainly most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are offered with love.
Essence. Opulent offerings from non-devotees do not please; a small offering from a loving devotee does — especially fragrant oil, incense, flowers, palatable food. Love is the active ingredient.
BG 27.19
After cleansing himself and collecting all the paraphernalia, the worshiper should arrange his own seat with blades of kuśa grass whose tips point eastward. He should then sit facing either east or north, or else, if the Deity is fixed in one place, he should sit directly facing the Deity.
Essence. After cleansing and gathering paraphernalia, arrange a seat with kuśa-grass tips pointed east, sit facing east or north, or facing the Deity if fixed. Posture, direction, and seat all matter.
BG 27.20
The devotee should sanctify the various parts of his body by touching them and chanting mantras. He should do the same for My Deity form, and then with his hands he should clean the Deity of old flowers and the remnants of previous offerings. He should properly prepare the sacred pot and the vessel containing water for sprinkling.
Essence. Sanctify body parts by touching while chanting mantras; do the same for the Deity, then clean old flowers and remnants. Cleaning is part of worship.
BG 27.21
Then, with the water of that prokṣaṇīya vessel he should sprinkle the area where the Deity is being worshiped, the offerings that are going to be presented, and his own body. Next he should decorate with various auspicious substances three vessels filled with water.
Essence. Sprinkle the area, offerings, and own body with prokṣaṇīya water; decorate three vessels with auspicious substances for foot, arghya, mouth water. Auspicious preparation suffuses everything.
BG 27.22
The worshiper should then purify those three vessels. He should sanctify the vessel holding water for washing the Lord’s feet by chanting hṛdayāya namaḥ, the vessel containing water for arghya by chanting śirase svāhā, and the vessel containing water for washing the Lord’s mouth by chanting śikhāyai vaṣaṭ. Also, the Gāyatrī mantra should be chanted for all three vessels.
Essence. Sanctify each vessel with a specific mantra — hṛdayāya namaḥ, śirase svāhā, and so on; precision in mantra matches precision in vessel. Words and objects align.
BG 27.23
The worshiper should meditate upon My subtle form — which is situated within the worshiper’s own body, now purified by air and fire — as the source of all living entities. This form of the Lord is experienced by self-realized sages in the last part of the vibration of the sacred syllable om.
Essence. Meditate on the Lord's subtle form within one's body purified by air and fire, source of all beings — experienced by sages in the last part of oṁ's vibration. Inner Deity precedes outer.
BG 27.24
The devotee conceives of the Supersoul, whose presence surcharges the devotee’s body, in the form corresponding to his realization. Thus the devotee worships the Lord to his full capacity and becomes fully absorbed in Him. By touching the various limbs of the Deity and chanting appropriate mantras, the devotee should invite the Supersoul to join the Deity’s form, and then the devotee should worship Me.
Essence. Conceive the Supersoul in the form corresponding to one's realization, worship to full capacity, and by touching the Deity's limbs become absorbed in Him. Absorption is goal and reward.
BG 27.25-26
The worshiper should first imagine My seat as decorated with the personified deities of religion, knowledge, renunciation and opulence and with My nine spiritual energies. He should think of the Lord’s sitting place as an eight-petaled lotus, effulgent on account of the saffron filaments within its whorl. Then, following the regulations of both the Vedas and the tantras, he should offer Me water for washing the feet, water for washing the mouth, arghya and other items of worship. By this process he achieves both material enjoyment and liberation.
Essence. Imagine the Lord's seat decorated with personified deities of religion, knowledge, renunciation, opulence, and the nine spiritual energies; the seat is an eight-petaled lotus effulgent with various luminous features. Visualization is detailed.
BG 27.27
One should worship, in order, the Lord’s Sudarśana disc, His Pāñcajanya conchshell, His club, sword, bow, arrows and plow, His muṣala weapon, His Kaustubha gem, His flower garland and the Śrīvatsa curl of hair on His chest.
Essence. Worship in order the Lord's disc, conchshell, club, sword, bow, arrows, plow, muṣala weapon, Kaustubha gem, garland, and Śrīvatsa curl. The paraphernalia each get specific attention.
BG 27.28
One should worship the Lord’s associates Nanda and Sunanda, Garuḍa, Pracaṇḍa and Caṇḍa, Mahābala and Bala, and Kumuda and Kumudekṣaṇa.
Essence. Worship the Lord's associates — Nanda, Sunanda, Garuḍa, Pracaṇḍa, Caṇḍa, Mahābala, Bala, Kumuda, Kumudekṣaṇa. The Lord's companions deserve recognition.
BG 27.29
With offerings such as prokṣaṇa one should worship Durgā, Vināyaka, Vyāsa, Viṣvaksena, the spiritual masters and the various demigods. All these personalities should be in their proper places facing the Deity of the Lord.
Essence. With prokṣaṇa worship Durgā, Vināyaka, Vyāsa, Viṣvaksena, the spiritual masters, and various demigods — each in their proper place facing the Deity. The system honors many at once.
BG 27.30-31
The worshiper should bathe the Deity every day, as opulently as his assets permit, using waters scented with sandalwood, uśīra root, camphor, kuṅkuma and aguru. He should also chant various Vedic hymns, such as the anuvāka known as Svarṇa-gharma, the Mahāpuruṣa-vidyā, the Puruṣa-sūkta and various songs of the Sāma Veda, such as the Rājana and the Rohiṇya.
Essence. Bathe the Deity daily as opulently as possible, with sandalwood-scented water, uśīra, camphor, kuṅkuma, aguru — and chant hymns like Svarṇa-gharma, Mahāpuruṣa. Bathing is central and ritualized.
BG 27.32
My devotee should then lovingly decorate Me with clothing, a brāhmaṇa thread, various ornaments, marks of tilaka and garlands, and he should anoint My body with fragrant oils, all in the prescribed manner.
Essence. Decorate the Deity with clothing, brāhmaṇa thread, ornaments, tilaka, garlands, and anoint with fragrant oils in the prescribed manner. Care extends to dress and scent.
BG 27.33
The worshiper should faithfully present Me with water for washing My feet and mouth, fragrant oils, flowers and unbroken grains, along with incense, lamps and other offerings.
Essence. Faithfully present water for feet and mouth, oils, flowers, unbroken grains, incense, lamps, and other offerings. The list is concrete and orderly.
BG 27.34
Within his means, the devotee should arrange to offer Me sugar candy, sweet rice, ghee, śaṣkulī [rice-flour cakes], āpūpa [various sweet cakes], modaka [steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with sweet coconut and sugar], saṁyāva [wheat cakes made with ghee and milk and covered with sugar and spices], yogurt, vegetable soups and other palatable foods.
Essence. Within means, offer sugar candy, sweet rice, ghee, rice cakes, sweet cakes, modaka, śaṣkulī, āpūpa, saṁyāva — a generous spread. Food becomes worship.
BG 27.35
On special occasions, and daily if possible, the Deity should be massaged with ointment, shown a mirror, offered a eucalyptus stick for brushing His teeth, bathed with the five kinds of nectar, offered all kinds of opulent foods, and entertained with singing and dancing.
Essence. On special days massage the Deity with ointment, show a mirror, offer a brushing stick, bathe with five nectars, offer opulent foods, and entertain with singing and dancing. Festivity is part of worship.
BG 27.36
In an arena constructed according to scriptural injunctions, the devotee should perform a fire sacrifice, utilizing the sacred belt, the sacrificial pit and the altar mound. When igniting the sacrificial fire, the devotee should bring it to a blaze with wood piled up by his own hands.
Essence. In a scriptural arena perform fire sacrifice with sacred belt, pit, altar; ignite the fire with wood by careful procedure. Fire-sacrifice integrates Deity worship.
BG 27.37
After spreading kuśa grass on the ground and sprinkling it with water, one should perform the anvādhāna ritual according to the prescribed rules. Then one should arrange the items to be offered as oblations and should sanctify them with water from the sprinkling vessel. The worshiper should next meditate upon Me within the fire.
Essence. Spread kuśa grass, sprinkle with water, perform anvādhāna, arrange and sanctify oblations with sprinkling water. Even sequence is itself the worship.
BG 27.38-41
The intelligent devotee should meditate upon that form of the Lord whose color is like molten gold, whose four arms are resplendent with the conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower, and who is always peaceful and dressed in a garment colored like the filaments within a lotus flower. His helmet, bracelets, belt and fine arm ornaments shine brilliantly. The symbol of Śrīvatsa is on His chest, along with the glowing Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers. The devotee should then worship that Lord by taking pieces of firewood soaked in the sacrificial ghee and throwing them into the fire. He should perform the ritual of āghāra, presenting into the fire the various items of oblation drenched in ghee. He should then offer to sixteen demigods, beginning with Yamarāja, the oblation called sviṣṭi-kṛt, reciting the basic mantras of each deity and the sixteen-line Puruṣa-sūkta hymn. Pouring one oblation after each line of the Puruṣa-sūkta, he should utter the particular mantra naming each deity.
Essence. Meditate on the Lord's molten-gold form with four arms holding conch, disc, club, lotus, peaceful and dressed in flame-colored cloth — visualizing in elaborate detail. The visualization is rich and exact.
BG 27.42
Having thus worshiped the Lord in the sacrificial fire, the devotee should offer his obeisances to the Lord’s personal associates by bowing down and should then present offerings to them. He should then chant quietly the mūla-mantra of the Deity of the Lord, remembering the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality, Nārāyaṇa.
Essence. Worship the Lord in the fire, then bow to the Lord's personal associates, present offerings, chant the mūla-mantra quietly, and offer the remnants. Worship has many recipients in sequence.
BG 27.43
Once again he should offer the Deity water for washing His mouth, and he should give the remnants of the Lord’s food to Viṣvaksena. Then he should present the Deity with fragrant perfume for the mouth and prepared betel nut.
Essence. Offer water for mouth again, give remnants to Viṣvaksena, present fragrant perfume and prepared betel nut. Polite final touches honor the Lord.
BG 27.44
Singing along with others, chanting loudly and dancing, acting out My transcendental pastimes, and hearing and telling stories about Me, the devotee should for some time absorb himself in such festivity.
Essence. Sing along, chant loudly, dance, act out His transcendental pastimes, hear and tell stories about Him — absorb in such festivity for some time. Worship is also play and story.
BG 27.45
The devotee should offer homage to the Lord with all kinds of hymns and prayers, both from the Purāṇas and from other ancient scriptures, and also from ordinary traditions. Praying, “O Lord, please be merciful to me!” he should fall down flat like a rod to offer his obeisances.
Essence. Offer homage with Purāṇic and other hymns, even ordinary traditions; pray for mercy and fall down like a rod in obeisance. Body involvement closes the loop.
BG 27.46
Placing his head at the feet of the Deity, he should then stand with folded hands before the Lord and pray, “O my Lord, please protect me, who am surrendered unto You. I am most fearful of this ocean of material existence, standing as I am in the mouth of death.”
Essence. Standing with folded hands and head at the Deity's feet, pray: 'O Lord, protect me, surrendered to You; I am fearful of this ocean of material existence, in death's mouth, please give me shelter.' The prayer is unguarded.
BG 27.47
Praying in this way, the devotee should respectfully place upon his head the remnants I offer to him. And if the particular Deity is meant to be sent away at the end of the worship, then this should be performed, the devotee once again placing the light of the Deity’s presence inside the light of the lotus within his own heart.
Essence. Respectfully place the Lord's remnants on his head; if the Deity is temporary, send Him away properly. The end of worship is itself a ritual.
BG 27.48
Whenever one develops faith in Me — in My form as the Deity or in other bona fide manifestations — one should worship Me in that form. I certainly exist both within all created beings and also separately in My original form, since I am the Supreme Soul of all.
Essence. Whenever faith develops in Me — in Deity or other bona fide form — worship Me there; I exist within all created beings and also separately in My original form. Worship follows faith, not vice versa.
BG 27.49
By worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this life and the next.
Essence. By Vedic and tantric methods of worship one gains desired perfection in this life and the next. The promise is double.
BG 27.50
The devotee should more fully establish My Deity by solidly constructing a temple, along with beautiful gardens. These gardens should be set aside to provide flowers for the regular daily worship, special Deity processions and holiday observances.
Essence. More fully establish the Deity by constructing a temple with beautiful gardens; gardens supply flowers for daily worship, processions, holidays. Worship has architecture.
BG 27.51
One who offers the Deity gifts of land, markets, cities and villages so that the regular daily worship and special festivals of the Deity may go on continually will achieve opulence equal to My own.
Essence. One who offers land, markets, cities, villages so daily worship and festivals continue achieves opulence equal to the Lord's own. Endowment matches its fruit.
BG 27.52
By installing the Deity of the Lord one becomes king of the entire earth, by building a temple for the Lord one becomes ruler of the three worlds, by worshiping and serving the Deity one goes to the planet of Lord Brahmā, and by performing all three of these activities one achieves a transcendental form like My own.
Essence. Installing the Deity makes one king of earth, building a temple makes one ruler of three worlds, worship and service take one to Brahmaloka — all three together bring one to the Lord. Scaling devotion scales destinations.
BG 27.53
But one who simply engages in devotional service with no consideration of fruitive results attains Me. Thus whoever worships Me according to the process I have described will ultimately attain pure devotional service unto Me.
Essence. One who engages in devotional service without considering fruits attains the Lord; whoever worships by this described process ultimately attains pure devotional service. Fruit-free worship has the highest fruit.
BG 27.54
Anyone who steals the property of the demigods or the brāhmaṇas, whether originally given to them by himself or someone else, must live as a worm in stool for one hundred million years.
Essence. Whoever steals demigod or brāhmaṇa property — even originally given by oneself — lives as a worm in stool for a hundred million years. The penalty is severe and named.
BG 27.55
Not only the performer of the theft but also anyone who assists him, instigates the crime, or simply approves of it must also share the reaction in the next life. According to their degree of participation, they each must suffer a proportionate consequence.
Essence. Not only the performer of theft but assisters, instigators, and approvers share the reaction proportionately. Tolerance of theft is theft.