Temple Conduct

Srila Prabhupada explains:


TEMPLE CONDUCT:

One must be completely freed from all material attachment and be situated on the plane of transcendence, which alone will help the devotee get in personal touch with the Personality of Godhead. The best method is that one should live at a place where the transcendental form of the Lord is worshiped. The temple of the Lord is a transcendental place (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.6.21 purport)

It is also notable that according to Vedic injunction, to live in the forest is to live in the mode of complete goodness, whereas to live in the city is to live in the mode of passion, and to live in a brothel or drinking house is to live in the mode of ignorance. However, to live in a temple is to live in Vaikuntha, which is transcendental to all the modes of material nature. This Krsna consciousness movement affords one the opportunity to live in the temple of the Lord, which is as good as Vaikuntha. Consequently a Krsna conscious person does not need to go to the forest and artificially try to imitate Maharaja Prthu or the great sages and munis who used to live in the forest." (SB 4.23.5 purport)

"As each and every ISKCON Center is my life and soul for preaching this movement, I hope you are doing your best to conduct the regular routine duties of the Temple--chanting regularly the beads, observing the restrictive regulations, taking Sankirtana Party to the streets, and selling our magazines and books" (Letter 8/4/70 L.A.)

IN THE TEMPLE OF KRSNA, NO MUNDANE VIBRATIONS
Written by Kapindra Swami

When all the activities in the temple are under the direction of the spiritual master, just to please him, then the atmosphere becomes surcharged with Krsna consciousness. In such an atmosphere it is conductive to remember Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is the goal of life. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-gita, Always think of Me, Be fully conscious of Me, always abiding in Me, remembering Me alone, etc.
Furthermore the highest principle is to always remember Krsna and never forget Him. Therefore every vibration should be Krsna conscious. This makes the temple atmosphere conductive to remember Krsna. Otherwise it causes agitation. Improper dress and behavior cause agitation for devotees.

The devotees want to remember Krsna, for at the time of death, by such remembering the devotee attains the same eternal nature as Krsna and returns to the kingdom of Krsna, which is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss.

Srila Prabhupada said the temple is not in the material world, but in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. So let us work cooperatively to maintain the transcendental Vaikuntha atmosphere. In that understanding everything spoken or heard should and must be in direct connection with the service of Lord Sri Krsna. Not indirectly. Krsna katha means talking the subject of Krsna or in the direct service of Krsna.

Incoming and outgoing calls for all the volunteers part time or full time must be in direct relationship with Lord Sri Krsna. It wouldnt be proper to make exceptions. Our advancement towards the kingdom of Krsna depends fully in our faith in carrying out the orders of the spiritual master. If there is some need to phone out or receive a call, it should be worked out before so another arrangement can be made (street phones, cell phones). It is important for all of us that the temple remain a holy place 24 hours a day - for all of our eternal benefit. Everything began (the creation) with the word or sound. Therefore pure transcendental SOUND will bring us back to Krsna. The temple is a protection for devotees from material sound or material energy. We have to strive to always maintain this.

The temple is a sanctuary for those who are afraid of the material energy. Therefore the temple must be free from all material energy in order to serve its purpose, following the pure instructions of Srila Prabhupada.