Holy Name vs Deity Worship | Tamil Gita | Chennai | 28 September 2026
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So, it is quite popular for people to go to temples. And of course, all religions have some sort of building they go to. All different religions have buildings and they congregate in these buildings. But there is a big difference. Churches and mosques have no form of the Lord in them. So, they gather to glorify the Lord but they don’t have any form. So, the temples have forms of the Lord in them. We call murti or archa vigraha. So, though there are many similarities between religions because they all accept the supreme being, the big difference is that most religions do not accept that God has a form. One reason of course is that any form we conceive of is limited. And so, we associate forms with material world.
So, God is non-material. He cannot have a material form. So, we say that God can have a spiritual form. But most religions don’t even accept a spiritual form. They have no form [Laughs]. So when we talk about God and His form, we should understand we are not talking about material forms that we see in this world. So when we say worship Krishna, surrender to Krishna, we are not talking about a material form that we are surrendering to. However, if God has a spiritual form, how could we understand it? So, we will have to say that you have to have spiritual mind, spiritual perception to perceive that form. So, at the present time, we don’t have that spiritual vision. So, therefore, we can’t really speak about the form of God because it will be a material conception. So, that of course is true. However, we see something further which is difficult for many people to accept. And that is that in the temple, we have forms of the Lord that everybody can see. And these forms are made by human beings out of stone or metal or wood. Therefore, they are very material [Laughs]. So, how you can worship these material forms? They are not spiritual forms. So, for this reason, many religions will reject these forms of God that we have in the temple and say that this is all useless. However, we should also understand that though the Lord has a spiritual form that is inaccessible to us with material eyes, the Lord also is all powerful. And the Lord can reveal Himself. He comes as avatars and reveals Himself in this material world. And those who have proper eyes, they can appreciate that form. Those who are unqualified will see the Lord, but they will not appreciate His spiritual qualities. So, though the Lord has a spiritual form, He can manifest Himself within this material world.
Still, how can we create the avatar form of the Lord with the form in the temple? So, the answer is that the Lord can also put His power into forms within this material world. And thus we don’t just worship any form. We only worship certain forms. The exact forms we can represent in metal or wood or stone are described in the scriptures. And not only the forms are according to scripture, but the whole process of making those forms is also done under regulation with rules. And after you make that form, and it is in the proper, according to scripture, then you can’t just worship it. You have to install the deity, we call pratishtha. So that form undergoes purificatory procedures and then the devotees call the Lord into that form.
So, since the Lord is controlled by His devotees, if the devotees call the Lord there, then He enters that form. But then after the Lord enters the form, He will stay there only if you worship Him regularly and properly. So therefore, these forms in the temple are not just ordinary forms or concocted forms. They are following certain procedures and they are worshipped regularly. Of course, a person enters a temple with material eyes, he will see material form. A person who has purely spiritual eyes will see a completely spiritual form. Of course, a person who has reached that high spiritual level does not have to go to the temple because Lord manifests within that devotee also. So the temples are particularly for those people who have some faith, they are not materialistic, but they haven’t reached the highest level.
So by seeing these forms in the temple, they don’t see a material form. At the same time, they can’t access the pure spiritual form, but they get some elevation due to seeing that form. In other words, the deity in the temple is an inspiration to advance further so we can actually see that spiritual form of the Lord. So these forms are therefore quite different from just imagining some form and sticking it in the temple and not worshipping it properly. Because establishing the deity requires that we carry out daily worship according to the rules and regulations, it becomes a little bit of a time consuming job. And it requires certain rules of cleanliness and punctuality. So in the modern world, everyday people, normal people may find it difficult to worship the deity in the temple. And thus some people they just visit the temple once in a while [Laughs]. However, to advance spiritually, we need daily practice.
So in Dwapara Yuga, which is over 5000 years ago, the process for everybody was this deity worship, but in Kali Yuga it is not practical. So instead the type of worship of the Lord in Kali Yuga is not deity worship but Nama Sankirtan, chanting the name of the Lord. So we approach the Lord not by seeing Him and offering Him seva but by uttering His name and hearing that name. So difference is that the chanting, the name of the Lord does not require all the rules and regulations that are required for daily worship. So it can be done at any time, in any place, by anybody. And you don’t have to learn all sorts of rules and regulations for it. Nevertheless, the result is much quicker and more powerful than even deity worship. And thus we can realize the Lord with His form, qualities and activities simply by chanting His name. And thus this is the recommended process taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We don’t reject deity worship, but it is not as important as chanting the holy name.
Hare Krishna!
Q & A :
1.) I learned Jagannatha Astakam and the last line it comes like Jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me. I really like this line. I just wanted to understand the meaning of this line.
Oh, that last line means, you’re praying to the Lord Jagannath, you please become visible to me. Nayana means the eye, patha means the path to the eye. So maybe your form become visible to me. That’s what it means.
2.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Maharaj though not eligible, we are given deities to worship and we are taught how to do worship and perform arati and all before 8 am like that. So, sometimes it takes some time. So, which should be given priority Maharaj? Chanting the names or doing this diety worship in the morning?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So, both are bhakti, so we don’t reject any bhakti. However, we put more stress upon chanting the name. And this brings success for all the other angas of bhakti. So, our chanting gives life to the deity worship. If we do the deity worship, we don’t chant, then the deity worship also becomes useless. So, therefore, we put a little more stress upon the chanting of the holy name.
Devotee: Yes Maharaj. Thank you, I’ve understood. Thank you, Hare Krishna.
3.) Maharaj, we have seen many temples. Some temples, very few people go, you know, not much taken care of. But if you go to some temple, it is so famous and many people, thousands of people go. You know, what makes the difference? Is there any astrological problem or what happens in that temple mainly?
So, yes, some temples are more popular. But the popularity may be based on material reasons. Many people go to temples to pray for material benefits. So, some temples are famous for giving those material benefits, so many people go there [Laughs]. Of course, the more serious people will go to the temple because it gives great spiritual inspiration. And if the deity is worshipped properly with devotion, then obviously the Lord will be pleased and it will be more powerful to inspire us.
4.) Maharaj can you please explain Lord Krishna’s three potency?
So, we have the Supreme Lord and how does He accomplish anything? The Supreme Lord, but how does He accomplish His actions? So, we say that He accomplishes through His Shaktis. So, how does He produce the material world? Through His material Shakti. Through that Shakti He manifests matter and then He inspires it to manifest into material worlds. How does He manifest the spiritual world with its different abodes or dhamas and with all its forms and activities? Through His spiritual Shakti. How does He manifest the Jivas? Through His Tatastha Shakti. Of course, these Shaktis are eternal and therefore they eternally manifest prakrti and Jivas and spiritual worlds. So, there is no beginning point. So, we can say that He continually supports and maintains the existence of material world, Jivas and spiritual world through these three Shaktis.
5.) I really want to take initiation. I’m trying to get the initiation also but now I’m not initiated. I try to chant the holynames. What’s the difference between taking initiation and practicing devotional service and without taking initiation and practicing devotional service?
Well, part of the difference may be mental. Because initiation has a particular ceremony, then we feel a little more secure with the ceremony. However, it is said in scripture that chanting the holy name and success in prema do not depend upon Diksha. Of course, if we want to achieve perfection in chanting, we do need guidance, we do need scripture, we do need knowledge. So, in that sense, we do need a Guru, a Guru to teach us. So, there is no particular ceremony for that. So, because it does not look so official, some people may not be so satisfied with having a Siksha Guru [Laughs]. However, scripture also says that Siksha Guru and Diksha Guru are equally to be respected. Of the two types of Guru, our Sampradaya following Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Prabhupada would emphasize that Siksha Guru more than the Diksha Guru.
So, of course then we have to ask, well, then, what use is the Diksha Guru? Ultimately according to scripture the Diksha ultimately means we get mantras for deity worship. And scriptures say you cannot worship the deity unless you have those mantras. So therefore, the ultimate difference between Siksha Guru and Diksha Guru is that Diksha Guru gives you mantras and qualifies you for deity worship. But as I have already said in this class, ultimately chanting the holy name is more important for us than the deity worship. And we don’t need Diksha for chanting the holy name, but we do need teachings. So, there are different ways in which we connect to the Sampradaya. We connect to the Sampradaya through the teachings, which we emphasize. But you can also connect to our Sampradaya through the Diksha Mantra.
6.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Dandavat pranam. I would like to know the difference. Some centers have photos to pray and we have statues in many temples. So, what is exactly the difference if there is any difference Maharaj? Hare Krishna.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Difference between? What’s that?
Devotee: Photos, Lord’s photos kept in the centers and they are worshipping the photos.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: And the actual deity?
Devotee: Actual deity.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Okay. So you can use the photo and if you install it properly, it can act as a deity also [Laughs]. So, Bhagavatam describes you can have a deity made out of stone, metal, jewels, painted picture, even sand or water, like that. There are different forms of the Lord you can worship. Of course, if it’s a picture, we still have a form, but then you’re limited. You cannot bathe the picture or you cannot decorate the picture and whatever [Laughs]. But in general, to worship the picture is much simpler. Now, of course, most of us are not going to install a picture, but we do worship. So, in that sense, it’s not the actual form of the Lord. And thus, it’s also not subjected to all the rules that we require for deity worship.
7.) Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj. The difference between Mayavadi tattva and impersonalist. And those who worship Shiva, whether they belong to Mayavadi or impersonalist, and how is their destination? Thank you.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well, there are different types of worshippers of Shiva [Laughs]. So, some of them are worshipping Shiva, but they ultimately say that all forms, including the form of Shiva are illusory and ultimately we should merge in Brahman. There are other worshippers of Shiva who say the form of Shiva is not a Maya form, it’s actually eternal and spiritual. Of course, we also say that the form of Shiva is another form of Vishnu, so he is spiritual. However, these worshippers of Shiva say Shiva is the supreme form. However, we will say that Shiva is an expansion of Vishnu. Of course many people worship Shiva because Shiva is called Asutosha. He is very easily satisfied. So he gives you lots of material benedictions very easily [Laughs]. So that of course is material worship. Others will worship Shiva for liberation. Others will worship Shiva like we worship Vishnu with bhakti [Laughs]. So, there are different types of worshippers of Shiva.
Devotee: She wanted to know what is their destination, where they will go?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Well, if you want to worship for material things, material destination. If you worship for mukti, you merge in Brahman. If you worship in a devotional way, you go to Shiva loka. If you worship him as a Vaishnava, then you can go to Vaikuntha [Laughs].
8.) Could you please explain about charity? When we willfully give and when we request to give of what attached like a property, etc., how to take decision?
So, of course, charity is part of Dharma. Even among devotional service Angas, we should give respect to all living entities. However, in giving charity, we also have to see who is qualified. And we also have to consider what is the highest charity. So, when the Vaishnavas are thinking of charity, they are thinking of what is the most beneficial thing we can give. And for the Vaishnava, more than giving material things to support your material body, giving of spiritual knowledge is the highest thing. So, the devotee thinks of being merciful to all living entities by preaching.
9.) Maharaj I started practicing devotional service but sometimes due to some relatives pressure I have to go to some Lord Shiva temple or some kula devata temple and different temples. But after going there I chant holy names. Is that right or wrong? I am just going there. I am praying to Krishna only there. Is it disrespect or is it ok?
Oh. Lord Caitanya Himself went to many Shiva temples. You can go to Shiva temple or other temples. But you see all of these different devatas as servants of Supreme Lord. So, all the devatas are devotees of the Lord. So, we can respect them as devotees.
10.) I worship Lord Shiva and pray that I should be devotee of Bhagawan like you. Am I correct?
Yeah. So we can pray to Shiva because he is a devotee. Just as we pray to other devotees to help us become a good devotee of the Lord.
Okay. Hare Krishna!
Devotees: HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!! Nitai Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol!!!