Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.3.52-53
Mukti· LiberationHonor the Lord With Careful, Complete Worship
“One should worship the Deity along with each of the limbs of His transcendental body, His weapons such as the Sudarśana cakra, His other bodily features and His personal associates. One should worship each of these transcendental aspects of the Lord by its own mantra and with offerings of water to wash the feet, scented water, water to wash the mouth, water for bathing, fine clothing and ornaments, fragrant oils, valuable necklaces, unbroken barleycorns, flower garlands, incense and lamps. Having thus completed the worship in all its aspects in accordance with the prescribed regulations, one should then honor the Deity of Lord Hari with prayers and offer obeisances to Him by bowing down.”
What the purport teaches
- Worship includes the Deity’s transcendental limbs, bodily features, weapons such as the Sudarśana cakra, and personal associates. Each is honored with its appropriate mantra.
- The prescribed offerings include water, clothing, ornaments, fragrances, garlands, incense and lamps. The purport clarifies that unbroken barleycorns are for decorating the Deity with tilaka, not for the actual pūjā of Lord Viṣṇu.
- After completing the prescribed worship, the devotee should honor Lord Hari with prayers. One should also offer obeisances by bowing down before Him.
Try this today
Conclude your worship today by offering a prayer to Lord Hari and bowing down before Him.
Ask yourself
Do I give care to both the details of worship and the prayers that conclude it?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.