Another important function during the month of Karttika is to visit the temple of Krsna at least once a dayand offer Krsna a light. The Lord becomes very pleased to see a sincere effortto worship Him and bestows benediction of pure devotional service during thismonth if the offering is done with sincerity. Please do not miss a single dayand visit the Hare Krsna Center Montreal, which is a unique place where the bona spiritual master is respected with full awe and reverence and see the effect of how your Krsna consciousness florishes. Srila Prabhupada says:
In Vrndavana we shallhave Urja-vrata for one month. You also could observe urja-vrata here from thenext Ekadasi, one month. I have already instructed Karandhara to have a skylamp and put candle in the evening to the Deity for one month. Each one, asmall candle should... Departure -- LosAngeles, October 5, 1972
He also describes:
It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, "Persons who are impelled by pure devotionalservice in Krsna consciousness and who therefore go to see the Deities of Visnuin the temple will surely get relief from entering again into the prison houseof a mother's womb." The conditioned soul forgets the trouble of livingwithin the mother's womb during birth, but it is a very painful and terribleexperience. In order to make an escape from this material condition, one isadvised to visit a temple of Visnu with devotional consciousness. Then one canvery easily get out of the miserable condition of material birth.
(NOD Going to the Temple of Visnu or to Places of Pilgrimage)
HOW TO VISIT THETEMPLE OF THE LORD
Please bring tealights, flowers, flowergarlands, incense, fruits or any other offerings which you think Krsna might like: Srila Prabhupada explains how to visit the temple of Krsna so the visit has more potency in yourdevotional advancement:
Any devotee coming into the temple should always offer something to the Deity-fruit, flowers,incense, etc. If one cannot offer anything in cash, something else must beoffered. In India the system is that all the ladies and gentlemen who come inthe morning to visit the temple bring so many things. Even one morsel of riceor one morsel of flour can be offered. It is a regulative principle that oneshould not go to see a saintly person or the Deity in the temple without anyoffering. The offering may be very humble, or it may be priceless. Even aflower, a little fruit, a little water-whatever is possible-must be offered. Sowhen a devotee comes to offer something to the Deity in the morning, he is sureto smell the good flavor of the incense, and then at once he will becomecleansed of the poisonous effect of material existence.
(NOD Smelling the Incense)
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