Is worshiping a decorative doll of Krishna, Radharani, etc. correct?
A devotee who used a nick name asked like this:
“I bow down to you, Prabhuji, and begin with my humble respects. My friend gave me a molded aluminium deity coated in a gold color, which was bought online.
I have placed it on a shelf, as I live in a shared room with friends. Sometimes I light an incense stick and offer a banana as prasadam.
Since it is also a form of deity, should I strictly continue worshipping it in the same way we do in a temple? I went through your previous posts and became worried. As aluminium is also a metal, does this count as proper deity worship? I have not performed prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā through a priest. I have only kept it on a shelf and occasionally offer incense. I pray to it every day before going to the office, after bathing, by folding my hands.
Is it okay to pray to that mold diety as I am doing now.As a you have only used name “diety” ,I am not even sure what is proper diety and what is not.Could you please guide me what I can do .I am not got initiated.
Best regards.”
REPLY:
I saw that small deity thru the flipkart link given by you.
It is not an actual deity. It is just a decorative structure of Radha Krishna.
You need not keep this decorative deity in Puja room or you need not use it for worshiping as done by you now.
(30 IMPORTANT RULES TO FOLLOW DEITY WORSHIP AT HOME! READ HERE!)
You can keep it as a decorative structure in the rack like keeping a child’s doll.
A deity means, it should be suitable for bathing and dressing.
This structure that cost just about INR 200 is not a deity. It is a doll only. Radha Krishna doll made up mof cheap aluminium metal with cheap coating.
This seems to be a doll that the parents buy and give to their children to play.
Such structures need not be considered similar to the actual deities.
Now, you buy a framed photo of Radha Krishna (and/or) Krishna (and/or) Narsimha deva (and/or) Gaura Nitai from your nearest ISKCON temple.
You can keep that photo in the rack instead of keeping the present structure.
Additionally, you can keep the photo of Srila Prabhupada and offer daily worship.
Instead of keeping that decorative doll for worship, keeping and worshiping the framed picture is better and recommended practice.
A deity is made up of metals like Copper or Gold or Pancha loka, etc. Aluminium is just a decorative metal to make structures. It is not used to make deities.
(DEITY CARE: BATHING & CARING DEITIES OF KRISHNA AT HOME! READ HERE!)
Moreover, the gold colour painting done on that structure is very weak and incomplete.
You can’t maintain sufficient cleanliness in the room where you are staying with friends.
So, avoid deities in such places. Avoid such decorative dolls also.
The devotees need not keep and worship the decorative dolls in puja room.
Keep them just for attraction and appeal for the visitors and the family members in the hall or kitchen or dressing room.
Is it wrong to keep these structures without worship?
No. In big temples, you can see some deities are kept in the rooms without worship and only some important deities are offered pujas and worship. Similarly, you can keep some doll nstructures of gods somewhere in your house safely.
When you form a proper family set up that will be suitable to keep and worship a deity, you can buy an actual deity and worship that properly.
Till that, worship the framed pictures that will give more satisfaction.
Worshiping pictures is not inferior. It is safe for growing devotees.
Hope you are clear now whether worshiping a decorative doll of Krishna, Radharani, etc. recommended.
(Is Shaligram Shila & Deity worship not recommended at Home For all? READ HERE!)