Is tatooing Krishna on the body right?
A devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“hare krishna prabuji is it ok for married person or a single person 2 hav a ‘tatoo’ of krishna or any demi god on their bodies? please tag me if you answer”
REPLY:
As a policy decision, I do not tag the devotees respecting their privacy.
Tatooing Krishna on the body is not sinful, but unnecessary. I feel that there is no need to tatoo Krishna’s picture or name on your body.
Because, for married persons who live a s…x life, they may avoid such acts. I even do not support having the ringtones of Krishna songs in mobiles, as such tones ring even when the mobile user goes inside a toilet.
(20 HYGIENE TIPS FOR DEVOTEES IN USING TOILET & BATHROOM! READ HERE!)
Because, they carry the mobiles in their pockets in out stations/ schools/ colleges/ shopping malls, etc., and carry the mobile phones inside the toilet.
Though Krishna can’t be contaminated by any material activity, as a mark of our respect for Krishna, we can avoid such acts. Keep Krishna in your heart.
However, I like to state that tatooing Krishna on your body is not sinful and you will not be punished. All I said was, we may avoid such acts as a mark of respect to Krishna. The place where Krishna has to be stored is YOUR HEART and SOUL. That’s all.
REPLY BY SANKIRTAN DAS ADIKARI, ISKCON GURU.
“A Tattoo Won’t Take You Back to Godhead.
It is not a sin, but it also not recommended by Srila Prabhupada. Krishna consciousness is not so cheap that you can become Krishna conscious by getting a tattoo. If you truly want to become Krishna conscious, you must follow the prescribed method given by Srila Prabhupada in the Nectar of Devotion as follows:
How to Discharge Devotional Service:
(1) Accept the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master.
(2) Become initiated by the spiritual master and learn how to discharge devotional service from him.
(3) Obey the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion.
(4) Follow in the footsteps of great acharyas (teachers) under the direction of the spiritual master.
(5) Inquire from the spiritual master how to advance in Krishna consciousness.
(6) Be prepared to give up anything material for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. (This means that when we are engaged in the devotional service of Krishna, we must be prepared to give up something which we may not like to give up, and also we have to accept something which we may not like to accept.)
(Is it good for some devotees wearing indecent clothes publicly? READ HERE!)
(7) Reside in a sacred place of pilgrimage like Dvaraka or Vrindavana.
(8) Accept only what is necessary, or dealing with the material world only as far as necessary.
(9) Observe the fasting day on Ekadasi.
(10) Worship sacred trees like the banyan tree.
These ten items are preliminary necessities for beginning the discharge of devotional service in regulative principles. In the beginning, if a neophyte devotee observes the above-mentioned ten principles, surely he will quickly make good advancement in Krishna consciousness.
So if you want to become Krishna consciousness, kindly follow the above ten items. There is a devotee in New Zealand who become infected with HIV by getting a tattoo. I don’t recommend tattoos to anyone.”
What he says is correct. Let us avoid unwanted practices and emotional approach. Let us focus on the important recommendations of the great acharyas like Srila Prabhupada.
Unwanted practices spoil our time and mood.
Hope you are now clear whether tatooing Krishna on the body right?
(Is Wearing Krishna Pendant/Ring & Chanting with Tulasi mala Compulsory? READ HERE!)