Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 14
Arcana-vidhi: The Method of Deity Worship
Vedic, Tantric, and Mixed
अस्थिरायां विकल्प: स्यात् स्थण्डिले तु भवेद् द्वयम् । स्नपनं त्वविलेप्यायामन्यत्र परिमार्जनम् ॥ १४ ॥
asthirāyāṁ vikalpaḥ syāt sthaṇḍile tu bhaved dvayam snapanaṁ tv avilepyāyām anyatra parimārjanam
臨時の安置では招来と送還は任意でよい。だが聖なる地面に描いた神格には、この二つの儀礼を常に行うべきである。沐浴は水で行うが、土・彩色・木の像には水を避け、丁寧な拭浄のみが定められる。
Various classes of devotees worship the Deity of the Personality of Godhead according to their various stages of faith in the Lord. An advanced devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa understands his eternal loving relationship with the Lord and, seeing the Deity as the Lord Himself, establishes an eternal relationship with the Deity based on loving servitude to Him. Understanding Lord Kṛṣṇa to be the eternal form of bliss and knowledge, a faithful devotee makes a permanent arrangement for Deity worship, installing the Lord’s form made of, for example, stone, wood or marble.
FAQs
This verse explains that the method varies by the type of altar and the Deity’s worship style: when anointing is not to be done, bathing is prescribed; otherwise, one should cleanse by careful wiping/polishing, with allowances for temporary arrangements.
In the Uddhava Gītā, Kṛṣṇa gives Uddhava practical bhakti-yoga instructions for devotees living in the world, including how to worship the Lord properly under different circumstances and facilities.
Worship can be adapted to one’s situation without losing devotion: keep the Lord’s worship clean and respectful, follow a consistent method suited to your setup (home altar/temporary space), and prioritize sincerity and purity in practice.