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Worshipping the Lord's Lotus Feet




Offenses in Deity Worship


In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided:

  1. to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin

  2. not to observe the prescribed festivals

  3. to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity

  4. to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's hands after eating

  5. to offer obeisances with one hand

  6. to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity

  7. to spread one's legs before the Deity

  8. to sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's hands

  9. to lie down before the Deity

  10. to eat before the Deity

  11. to speak lies before the Deity

  12. to address someone loudly before the Deity

  13. to talk nonsense before the Deity

  14. to cry before the Deity

  15. to argue before the Deity

  16. to chastise someone before the Deity

  17. to show someone favor before the Deity

  18. to use harsh words before the Deity

  19. to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity

  20. to blaspheme someone before the Deity

  21. to worship someone else before the Deity

  22. to use vulgar language before the Deity

  23. to pass air before the Deity

  24. to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it

  25. to eat something not offered to the Deity

  26. to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season

  27. to offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the Deity)

  28. to sit with one's back toward the Deity

  29. to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity

  30. not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master

  31. to praise oneself before the Deity

  32. to blaspheme the demigods.


Srimad-Bhagavatam 7:5:23-24

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.



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