The devotional practices permitted without bathing only if it is unavoidable!
A Girl devotee asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu, I seize this opportunity to thank you for all your posts that have really helped me, I have some questions,can you please reply me:
Can someone read the bhagavad Gita without having taken a bath?Or even chant maha mantra? or do our prayer in the mandir of our house? (we do not have a deity only pictures).Is it an offence to do without taking a bath?
If due to circumstances one cannot offer prayer in the mandir of our house, can we just put a curtain to close it ? or it is an offence to stop worshiping for some time?
Thank you in advance. Please do not disclose my name. Haribol”
REPLY:
(1) One can read Bhagavad Gita and chant even without taking bath. However, if anyone had engaged in sense gratification activities during the previous night, they may take bath first and then read or chant.
(2) Also the women in monthly periods may take bath in the morning first and then read or touch spiritual books. However, they may avoid chanting with tulasi mala, but, chant using fingers or counting machine available in ISKCON centers.
(A-Z TIPS TO FOLLOW AND AVOID BY WOMEN DEVOTEES DURING MONTHLY PERIODS! READ HERE! )
(3) Others SHOULD COMPULSORILY wash their teeth, hands and feet and then start to read or chant.
(4) The instructions given above apply for chanting also.
(5) If you are sufficiently healthy, you should cook for Krishna only after taking bath. Even cutting the vegetables, washing the grains, etc should be done only after taking bath.
(6) Understandably, one should not offer food to Krishna without taking bath.
(7) One should visit a temple only after taking bath atleast in that day’s morning and had not involved in contaminating activities after that, one can go to the temple without taking bath.
(8) Even if you clean the altar or shelf where the deities/ pictures are kept and worshiped, you should have taken bath.
(TOUCHNG & WORSHIPING THE DEITIES – RULES & BENEFITS! READ HERE!)
(9) One should NEVER offer puja/ worship to any deity or even the pictures in either home or temple without taking bath. One should go near the deity only after taking bath in the morning. Even after taking bath, if one passes urine in toilet, he must take bath again and then touch the deities. Bathing again is not necessary for picture worship. No relaxations in these rules because the deities are nothing but the Lord Himself in the form of Archa Vigrahas.
(10) If you have a deity in your home, it must be worshiped daily. It must be offered food daily. Because that deity is Krishna Himself and He is the Prime member of our family. So, we must take care of him daily. However, in case, you have to leave your home for a certain period, Krishna will bear. However, if possible, you can take a picture of the Lord and Guru parampara (if initiated) to the place where you go and offer prayers and bhoga to Him there. Till you return, you may screen the deities. And, during the days of monthly periods, if there is no one to offer prayers and bhoga to Lord, you may close the deities with a screen for 3-4 days. It is not offensive if screened in unavoidable situations.
Hope you are clear about the devotional practices permitted without bathing only if it is unavoidable!
(HONOURING THE DEITIES OF KRISHNA – PROPER WAY – PART-1! READ HERE!)