FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.56

लब्ध्वा द्रव्यमयीमर्चां क्षित्यम्ब्वादिषु वार्चयेत् । आभृतात्मा मुनि: शान्तो यतवाङ्‌मितवन्यभुक् ॥ ५६ ॥
labdhvā dravyamayīm arcāṁ
[labdhvaa dravyamayeem archaam]
kṣity-ambv-ādiṣu vārcayet
[kshity-ambv-aadishu vaarchayet]
ābhṛtātmā muniḥ śānto
[aabhritaatmaa munih shaanto]
yata-vāṅ mita-vanya-bhuk
[yata-vaan mita-vanya-bhuk]
labdhvā — by getting dravya-mayīm — made of physical elements arcām — worshipable Deity kṣiti — earth ambu — water ādiṣu — beginning with vā — or arcayet — worship ābhṛta-ātmā — one who is fully self-controlled muniḥ — a great personality śāntaḥ — peacefully yata-vāk — controlling the force of talking mita — frugal vanya-bhuk — eating whatever is available in the forest.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
labdhvā dravyamayīm arcāṁ
labdhvā
by getting
dravya-mayīm
made of physical elements
arcām
worshipable Deity
kṣity-ambv-ādiṣu vārcayet
kṣiti
earth
ambu
water
ādiṣu
beginning with
vā
or
arcayet
worship
ābhṛtātmā muniḥ śānto
ābhṛta-ātmā
one who is fully self-controlled
muniḥ
a great personality
śāntaḥ
peacefully
yata-vāṅ mita-vanya-bhuk
yata-vāk
controlling the force of talking
mita
frugal
vanya-bhuk
eating whatever is available in the forest.
It is possible to worship a form of the Lord made of physical elements such as earth, water, pulp, wood and metal. In the forest one can make a form with no more than earth and water and worship Him according to the above principles. A devotee who has full control over his self should be very sober and peaceful and must be satisfied simply with eating whatever fruits and vegetables are available in the forest.

It is essential for a devotee to worship the form of the Lord and not only meditate upon the form of the Lord within his mind with the chanting of the mantra given by the spiritual master. The worship of the form must be present. The impersonalist takes unnecessary trouble to meditate upon or worship something impersonal, and the path is very precarious. We are not advised to follow the impersonalist way of meditating on or worshiping the Lord. Dhruva Mahārāja was advised to worship a form made of earth and water because in the jungle, if it is not possible to have a form made of metal, wood or stone, the best process is to take earth mixed with water and make a form of the Lord and worship Him. The devotee should not be anxious about cooking food; whatever is available in the forest or in the city among the fruit and vegetable groups should be offered to the Deity, and the devotee should be satisfied eating that. He should not be anxious to have very palatable dishes. Of course, wherever it is possible one should offer the Deities the best foodstuffs, prepared within the category of fruits and vegetables, cooked or uncooked. The important factor is that the devotee should be regulated ( mita-bhuk ); that is one of the good qualifications of a devotee. He should not hanker to satisfy the tongue with a particular kind of foodstuff. He should be satisfied to eat whatever prasāda is available by the grace of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The peaceful sage, controlling mind and speech, eating limited amounts of what is available in the forest, should worship a form made of stone or other materials, or even in the earth or water. Dravyamayīm means a form made of stone or other solid materials. Obtaining such a form one should worship it. One can even worship the Lord in the earth and in water. Ābhṛtātma means “fixed mind.”
You can make a form of the Lord from earth and water in the forest; the devotee must remain sober, peaceful, satisfied with what fruits and vegetables come. The form must be present; pure mental worship is not the highest standard.
Reflection Questions
  • Why am I resisting installing a physical form for daily worship?
  • Where do I confuse mental worship with the convenience of not actually doing anything?
📝 My note

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