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WORLD December 27, 1999 VNN5163 Comment on this story Arcana Dipika BY PURU DAS ADHIKARI  USA, Dec 27 (VNN) — Preface - For the English Edition The title of this book, Arcana Dipika, means "the lamp that illuminates arcana." The term arcana signifies honor or worship. As one of the nava-laksana, the nine processes of devotional service, it refers to worshipping the Deity form of the Lord. Arcana Dipika teaches us exactly how this service is performed and how to please the Lord through this process of worship. By the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; the Six Goswamis and other contemporary followers of Sriman Mahaprabhu; and more recently, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja the process of Deity worship, which is the authentic method of approaching Sri Bhagavan, has been successfully introduced to the entire world. Arcana Dipika was originally presented in Hindi and Bengali by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Mahraja, respectively. Those versions were written for readership already familiar with some of the methods and procedures of arcana. In this translation, the English edition, we have included supplementary explanations for the understanding of those who are unfamiliar with the Vedic culture and the traditional methodology used in the process of arcana. Additionally because the Vedic system is orthodox and may appear extremely rigid from the perspective of people of other backgrounds, as far as possible we have tried to organize and simplify the procedures while preserving the original method. Here, we must include a word of caution. Although Arcana Dipika teaches the process of worshipping the Deity, arcana cannot be practiced merely by following this book. In order to practice arcana in its pure form, which awakens bhakti, one needs to be initiated by a bonafide spiritual master. It is by the grace of such a pure devotee that a person in the conditioned state is able to obtain the adhikara or the qualification to worship the Deity of the Lord. It is a privilege to be admitted into the circle of those who have established a relationship with Sri Bhagavan and who daily offer their worship to Him. This process of arcana is a prescribed method to easily develop prema-bhakti, the innate propensity of the jiva to love God. By engaging in this process-under the inspiration and guidance of the guru-gradually in the heart there is an awakening of affection for one's worshipable object and the blossoming of hope to attain suddha-bhakti, unalloyed devotion to Krsna. The Editors. Introduction It is enjoined in the sastras, 'sampradaya-vihina ye mantraste viphala matah': mantras which are not received from a guru-parampara, bona fide disciplic succession, yield no result. The chanting of such unauthentic mantras does not lead to perfection. Therefore, Sri Bhagavan, the embodiment of all auspiciousness, has displayed unlimited compassion towards the jivas of Kali-yuga by introducing the topmost process of sadhana-bhajana. In this age of Kali, our sole subject of consideration, for the benefit of the Sri Gaudiya Vaisnava community in the line of Madhvacarya, is the process of worship, especially the rules and regulations recommended by Svayam Bhagavan Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the saviour of the fallen souls. These teachings of Sriman Mahaprabhu have been presented to us in the form of authorized sastras through the medium of Srila Rupa Gosvam·, Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, Gopala-bhatta Gosvami and other Vaisnava acaryas. Sri Bhagavan Himself is the only worshipable object of the Vaianavas. Only those who are initiated into the visnu-mantras and who engage in the worship of Visnuu are Vaisnavas. Therefore, the acceptance of visnu-diksa and the consequent engagement in the worship of Visnu is the primary symptom of Vaisnavism. It is imperative for an initiated person to embrace and relish the prescribed conduct and obligatory duties of the Vaisnavas which have been presented upon the merciful order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by the Vaianva acaryas in the form of fresh butter churned from the sastra-ocean. It is mentioned in various sastras that all people from the four varsas and asramas have the right to become Vaisnavas by accepting the viisu-mantras and then engaging in the worship of Visnu. All the fruitive endeavors of an uninitiated person are meaningless. Due to not having received visnu-diksa, such a person has not established a relationship with Sri Bhagavan and therefore cannot be acknowledged as a bona fide Vaisnava. Only when one's sambandha-j–ana awakens after undergoing d·ksa-samskara and receiving the visnu-mantras in accordance with the sastric injunctions is he genuinely established as a true Vaisnava. The chanting of the maha-mantra does not depend upon any rule or regulation related to the formal acceptance of initiation. Then, what is the need of accepting formal initiation if we can attain perfection simply by chanting the names of Sri Bhagavan? Many people have this misconception. The process of diksa awakens in the heart of a jiva a particular relationship with Sri Bhagavan. By the influence of that relationship, avidya or ignorance of one's constitutional identity and other anarthas vanish in sequence. Without undergoing upanayana, the samskara of receiving a sacred thread, the son of a brahmana does not possess the eligibility to study the Vedas. It is only after receiving this upanayana that he obtains the necessary eligibility. Similarly, an uninitiated person does not possess the necessary qualification to perform the worship of Sri Bhagavan. Only after accepting diksa does he obtain the eligibility. Transcendental knowledge awakens in one's heart by the effect of receiving diksa, and he truly becomes a human being. Diksaa-samskara enlightens one in transcendental knowledge and destroys one's accumulation of unlimited sins. Therefore, tattvaj–as or those who know the truth call this process 'd·kĆa'. As a chemical reaction turns bronze into gold, by receiving diksaa a person attains dvijatva or the status of being twice-born. Hence, it is imperative to accept initiation and thus establish a particular relationship with Sri Bhagavan. By destroying the sins and sufferings of a weak-hearted jiva and by purifying and enlightening him, the process of diksa first elevates him to the sattva-guna and ultimately establishes him in the stage of transcendence. Guru-padasrayas tasmat krsna-diksadi sisanam-it is one's foremost duty to take shelter of the lotus feet of a sad-guru who is thoroughly established in a bona fide disciplic succession and then accept initiation from him. The guru is non-different from a manifestation of Sri Hari. Bhagavan Sri Hari Himself is the guru of all jivas. If the guru is pleased with someone, Sri Bhagavan will also be pleased with that person. If Bhagavan is displeased with someone, he can still be protected by a sad-guru, but if the guru is displeased with someone, then even Sri Bhagavan cannot protect him. Guru-krpa or the mercy of the guru is the exclusive hope for a person who has taken shelter of him. The gurus can be classified into three categories: sravana-guru, diksa-guru and sisa-guru. Sri guru, the worshipable Deity (Bhagavan) and the mantra serve the same purpose. One who considers them to be separate will not attain perfection. Hence, by understanding guru-tattva in truth and thus accepting shelter of the guru's lotus feet as recommended in the sastras, one is sure to be liberated from the bondage of material existence. By taking shelter of the lotus feet of a sad-guru, a jiva can achieve the topmost goal (parama-purusartha). Those who have taken shelter of the lotus feet of a sad-guru and received diksa from him realize that Sri Bhagavan is the supreme Lord and everyone's worshipable Deity. Amongst the sixty-four limbs of bhakti, the nine-fold limbs of devotion (navadha-bhakti) and the five-fold limbs of devotion (pa–canga-bhakti), devotion constantly accompanied by the performance of kirtana (kirtanakhya-bhakti), is described as being the topmost. "Yadyapy anya-bhaktih kalau kartavya, tada kirtanakhya bhakti-sanyogenaiva" -this statement shows the supremacy of kirtanakhya-bhakti in the age of Kali. Still, in order to remove the weakness of heart and mundane conceptions of a kanistha-adhikari or neophyte devotee who is initiated into the visnu-mantra, arcana is specifically required. Therefore, for the convenience and benefit of devotees engaged in arcana, this Arcana-dipika is being published. It considers the distinctions and special characteristics of the births known as saukra (birth from semen), savitrya (receiving the sacred thread from a brahmana) and daiksya (initiation into the visnu-mantras by a bona fide guru). It also establishes through sastric evidence and reasoning that only those who are initiated into the visnu-mantras have the eligibility to perform arcana of Bhagavan and that their arcana becomes complete and perfect only when accompanied by the performance of kirtana of the maha-mantra. A jiva can never achieve liberation from the entanglement of the material energy if he disregards bhagavat-seva, the loving devotional service of Bhagavan. Therefore, the process for performing arcana of Sri Bhagavan has been established on the basis of Sri Narada-pa–caratra and other smrtis. The Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends that after receiving the visnu-mantras from a sad-guru and learning the procedure of arcana from him, one should worship his favourite Deity of Bhagavan Sri Hari. The consciousness of the conditioned soul is very flickering and similar to that of an ignorant child. Only by the mercy of the acarya does he develop a reverential attitude towards the transcendental Deity and become fortunate to receive instruction on the worship of advaya, nondual Sri Visnu. Those who are adverse to hari-seva disregard the path of arcana and instead engage in the activities of karma and the cultivation of j–ana. But those who perform arcana according to the rules of pa–caratrika know bhakti-yoga to be the topmost. Impurity exists in any endeavour devoid of the worship of Sri Bhagavan. In the absence of a proper relationship with Bhagavan, one tends to worship many demigods. In such consciousness, one cannot properly perform the arcana of ¨r· Hari. Those attached to household life have envious natures and agitated minds. Due to this, they become entangled in various types of imaginary paths and disrespect the arcana process. When the jiva becomes free from the influence of his material ego and accepts his eternal occupation of servitude, then his worshipable Sri Bhagavan manifests before him in the form of a Deity to accept his service. Yena janmasataih purva vasudevah samarcitah, tanmukhe harinamani sada tisthanti bharata. The mahajanas, the exalted devotees of Sri Bhagavan, have commented on this verse as follows: To achieve the eligibility to genuinely enter nama-bhajana, the jiva must first be elevated from the kanitha-adhikari stage to the madhyama-adhikari stage by rendering service to the arcavatara, the Deity form of Bhagavan. The process of Deity worship has been mentioned in both the Pa–caratra and the Bhagavatam. Therefore, Svayam Bhagavan Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said: krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana Caitanya-caritamrta, adi-lila 7.73 One can obtain freedom from material existence simply by chanting the maha-mantra. Indeed, by chanting krsna-nama one obtains Krsna's lotus feet. As long as a devotee remains a kanistha-adhikari, he cannot realise the supramundane or transcendental position of Bhagavan's eternal devotees. By faithfully worshipping the Deity of Vasudeva with the help of various items, he gradually realises the svarupa of the transcendental name and mantra, which consequently diminishes his mundane conceptions. Apart from the arca-vigraha, the Deity of Bhagavan, the jiva maintains an intense enjoying tendency towards all the other perceivable objects. Therefore, in order to enhance his reverential attitude towards Sri· Bhagavan, the neophyte devotee is recommended to perform all of his endeavours for Bhagavan's pleasure while simultaneously completely renouncing other activities. While performing arcana, one must focus his attention on the arca-vigraha and the process of arcana itself. By advancing in the process of arcana, one enters into the realm of bhajana. Although the process of arcana is not the priority in bhajana, still bhajana is not opposed to the reverential service attitude required for arcana. In fact, the arca-vigraha is a special incarnation of Bhagavan. Bhagavan's incarnations appear in this world at certain times, but both antaryam·, the Supersoul and the arca-vigraha can be realised at all times by the process of loving devotional service. There is a basic difference between arcana and bhajana. While arcana is an activity performed with a reverential attitude, bhajana may appear to transgress such a reverential path. Still, by taking complete shelter of the chanting of harinama, bhajana is in itself a complete process of exclusive devotional service to Bhagavan. By performing arcana of Bhagavan, one soon feels immense pleasure within oneself which is the cause of all varieties of perfections and auspiciousness. Without performing arcana, it is not possible for a person attached to material enjoyment to break free from bad association and so forth. Sri Bhagavan Himself instructs us on the process of His arcana through the guidelines given in the sastras. Moreover, great sages like Brahma, Siva, Narada, Vyasa and others have recommended this process as the most beneficial for the supreme welfare of all individuals situated within the varnasrama system, including women and sudras. Arcana is classified in three categories-vedic, tantric and mixed. The altar or sacrificial arena, fire, the sun, water and the heart are either places of arcana or objects of arcana. The Deity can be of eight kinds: carved from stone, carved from wood, made of clay, paint, sand, jewels, gold or other alloys or mentally conceived (manasic). Furthermore, the Deity can also be either moveable (cala) or stationary (acala). Bathing the Deity with mantras, worshipping the Deity at different sandhyas (intervals), cleansing the Deity, changing the Deity's clothes and decorating the Deity with ornaments, sprinkling purified water on the different instruments and ingredients employed in arcana, offering padya (ingredients used for bathing feet), arghya-acamanya (ingredients used for washing the mouth), incense, scents, a lamp, flowers and food, worshipping the Deity's eternal devotees in the guru-parampara, chanting the mula-mantra, the recitation of hymns, offering prostrated obeisances, reciting prayers and honouring the garlands, candana (sandalwood paste), flowers and other items offered to the Deity are limbs of arcana. Constructing a temple for the proper installation of the Deity, organizing processions and observing festivals related to the Deity are also integral limbs of arcana. Thus, by performing arcana unto Sri Hari with bhakti-yoga, single-minded pure devotion, one attains loving devotional service of His lotus feet. Being a special avatar of Bhagavan, the Deity captivates the faith of the arcaka, the devotee who performs arcana and bestows auspiciousness upon him. Those who consider the arca-vigraha to be composed of certain structural ingredients and maintain an enjoying mentality towards Him, have no faith in Bhagavan Sri Visnu. If anyone considers Bhagavan to be an object of his enjoyment and pretentiously engages in arcana, then certainly he possesses either very weak faith or no faith at all. With great faith one should perform the worship of the Deity of Bhagavan with sixteen varieties of paraphernalia. Sincere household devotees should worship Sri Bhagavan with the best ingredients. The uttama-adhikaris or premi-bhaktas who have developed great love for Bhagavan are beyond the rules and regulations of varÉa¶rama. Being immersed in their mood of intense devotion, they perform bhava-seva, worship endowed with ecstatic emotions, with easily attainable ingredients. Wealthy household-devotees should worship the Deity with the best ingredients and observe various devotional festivals according to their capacity. Behaving in a miserly fashion in this regard makes one wicked and consequently his service-attitude begins to deteriorate. It is stated in the Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa: krtyanyetani tu prayo grhinam dhanani satam likhitani na tu tyaktaparigraha-mahatmanam Mentioned herein are obligatory duties concerning the process of arcana which are recommended for wealthy, virtuous householders. They do not pertain to fully renounced sages. Lastly, I would like to submit that although I am completely unworthy, I am being presented as the editor of this volume, but in fact the Hindi edition of this volume published by Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti has been released only by the exclusive persistence and service-attitude of my godbrother Pujyapada Tridandi Svami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja. For proofreading and various other associated activities the services of Tridandi Svami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Padmanabha Maharaja, Sriman Subhananda Brahmacari, Sriman Navina-krsna Brahmacari and other devotees are highly appreciated. There may be some printing mistakes due to its being published in a short period of time. We shall feel blessed if the honorable Vaisnavas study the contents with the sole purpose of grasping the essence. Foundation day of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti Aksaya Trtiya, 18 Madhusudana, 500 Gaurabda, 28 Vaisakha, 1908 Bharatiyabda, 12th May 1986. Sri Guru-vaisnava-dasanudasa (Tridandi-bhiksu) Sri Bhaktivedanta Vamana Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of Arcana Dipika can contact me in New York at 718/961-7409 or email me at <PuruDas@ compuserve.com> or unclepuru@hotmail.com Please note diacritics have been deleted from the aforementioned article due to computer failure to translate from the original files to cyberspace. About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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