I hope I am putting this in the right forum!
I would like to ask about pictures and paintings of Krishna that we might have in the home. Are there guidelines for how we should handle such items?
I have dealt with some Buddhists and they have specific rules for photos of the Dalai Lama and other sacred people. One is never supposed to allow the photo to touch the floor. I had some photos developed of their mandala and they told me that if some of the photos do not turn out perfectly, you still can't throw them away because they are too sacred.
Are pictures of Krishna like that, and what about photos of Prabhupada?
I like to draw and paint and would like to attempt drawing a picture of Krishna but I want to make sure I do it properly and respectfully. Thank you, Hare Krishna!
Great Thread!
Hari Bol!
Thanks everybody for this wonderful topic. I had a question about this, and have been meaning to ask for quite some time. I have filled my house with pictures of Sri Krsna and Srila Prabhpada, ignorant of any protocol involving doing so. However, the only image of Lord Krsna I have in my bedroom is his universal form. Is this appropriate, or should I cover it at times? I eagerly await your input. Thanks!
Yours,
Josh
Cover At Times
Hare Krishna, Dear Josh,
Yes, cover when you are inappropriate, Krishna's Universal Form is still Krishna... :)
Navasi
Where to put Krishna-rupa...
Actually, I have no idea where I can place Krishna's image... I originally put an image of Krishna in my room on my drawer so I can perform puja to Him whenever I can, but after hearing this, should I move Him post-haste?
I can not place His image anywhere else in the house, because I live with my mother and she would highly disapprove. But I wish to perform puja to Him whenever I can without any obstruction... I can only place Him in my room; otherwise, I have no place where I can serve His image. :(
Any advice would be duely appreciated!
Haribol,
Madana bhakta.
Can place something in front
Can place something in front of the photo while you change? If you can that would solve the difficulty.
just out of curiosity...why
just out of curiosity...why is it so essential that Krishna not see you undressed etc? he's been watching your every move since birth. it's not like by covering up the photo you can 'hide' from him, so to speak
Because we worship Krishna
Because we worship Krishna in original form in Vrindavan. If your with Krishna in Vrindavan, the realization is not that Krishna is everywhere, rather Krishna is ones friend, child, or ones lover. In such personal exchanges we do not present ourselves to the other nude. Like in the KRSNA book we do not find that the associates of Krishna approaching Him nude thinking Him to be everywhere, rather it is a personal modesty. The form of Paramatma, the expanded form of Krishna is everywhere, but this is simply a temporary functional manifestation.
So the Krishna in His original form is not everywhere, but when the devotees worship the transcendental photo of Krishna with love Krishna appears.
such a good explaination
such a good explaination
i understand about not
i understand about not acting like krishna in vrindavana can see everything, since everyone is there simply to love and serve him, without knowing or caring if he is god or not.
is that true though.. that Krishna in his original form is not everywhere? i mean he's Krishna.. how can he NOT be. he's god. it can't be just that the paramatas are everywhere but the source of the paramatmas isn't. do you get what i'm saying?
Premanjana churita bhakti vilocanena
The pure devotees of the Lord (santa) see Krishna constantly (sadaiva) because their vision is filled with the ointment of love (premanjana). (Brahma Samhita). I would say that even in the material world where the Paramatama is all pervading, the pure devotees would still see the beautiful form of Krishna always, and Krishna would see them reciprocally. But still they would feel inappropriate to change clothes before a picture of the Lord.
Radhikesh das
Thank you.
Thank you, Radhikesh das,
the voice of reason and wisdom as always.,
Navasi
Krishna is aloof :)
Hare Krishna, Dear J,
Nityananda Chandra Prabhu is right, Krishna is not all pervading in His personal form but through His Paramatma expansion. I personally had asked the same question to a devotee especially after reading chapter 9 of Bhagavad Gita and he said that Krishna is aloof from creation and maintains this world by His energies and expansions. Maha Vishnu breathes out the universe, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu maintains them by entering into the universe and Ksirodakasayi Vishnu, the paramatma expansion of Lord Krishna maintains the living beings by entering their heart as the supersoul. Material energy takes care of the rest. Since Krishna is non-different from His spiritual and material energies which is all pervading, it can be concluded that He is also all pervading. You should read the concluding words of the Gita. Srila Prabhupada states there 'Nothing is different from the Supreme, but the Supreme is always different from everything'. This is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya.
Sincerely,
Mihir.
ahh i see, thank you so much
ahh i see, thank you so much for such a great explanation. you too nityananda prabhu
Yes thank you Mihir for your
Yes thank you Mihir for your elaboration and your welcome J, verses 9.5-9.10 of the gita discuss this subject. also there are verses in the 7th chapter Haribol
Covers
Hare Krishna, Dear Madana Bhakta,
You can keep your picture in your room, just create some sort of cover for when you are not 'presentable' before Krishna.
You can use a cloth, if you have the picture on your wall, just attach it so that it can be moved aside when you wish to see Krishna, do puja, etc... and then cover again later.
If it's on your dresser the same would apply, you can even use a piece of cardboard if that's what works best, as long as it is clean of course....
Anything will work, just to cover when you are not in the right state, then you can uncover when you are.
Love,
Navasi :)
Also :)
Also Rebecca, you should not place pictures of Krishna in your bedroom where you may be getting dressed, etc... You should not appear before Krishna without your clothes on.
It helps if you remember that Krishna is non-different from His picture....
Photos of Srila Prabhupad are different, His picture and Him are not the same thing, the way it is with Krishna.
Of course out of respect for Him you would also not place His picture in a bathroom or some other disrespectful place, like a closet for trash or something....
Navasi
I am doing that
Hare Krishna, Dear Mataji,
I have the picture of Lord Krishna in my bedroom where I change. I also have his picture hanging inside my cupboard. I change little away from the picture, is it ok then ?
Sincerely,
Mihir
Certainly
As long as you are not in view of the picture then it's fine.
Wonderful
Thank you so much for this mataji.
I Better Watch Where I Keep My BTG, LOL!
Thanks much for the excellent advice, dear Navasi! I've had somewhat of an instinct about that anyway -- for any image of any face, I feel a little exposed if I'm undressed, or in any other awkward position and have a face on a magazine grinning up at me. I've been keeping my Back To Godhead magazines at my bedside (and under it when I'm done ... I can't throw any of them out!) I've always pretty much taken for granted that God sees me anyway, no matter where I am or what I'm doing, but keeping specific images of Him, even on magazine covers, in respectful locations is a much nicer way.
Yes :)
That's good, and also you don't want to put your BTG's on the floor or any other scripture on the floor.
You can put them in a box, and then put the box under your bed, maybe that's what you mean.
You can keep BTG's or other books in your bedroom too, just cover the pictures, like if they are on your nightstand, put something over them, like a cloth or another magazine...
Yes, He sees you no matter what, (something to keep in mind lol )
but still, it's a matter of showing the proper respect. :)
Haribol, I would love to see
Haribol, I would love to see one of your Krishna paintings. Yes there are some guidelines for painting Krishna but it is not so ridged. Once Srila Prabhupada was shown many different painting of Krishna by different devotees, and they asked him which painting looked most like Krishna. Srila Prabhupada answer was that they all do. The devotees, then a little confused, later on showed Srila Prabhupada some pictures that the little school kids drew of Krishna and asked the same question. His answer was the same, they are all Krishna. He said "See, He has a flute and peacock feather in His hair."
During Srila Prabhupada presence he would personally review all painting to see if their was any need of adjustment. The main guideline that he gave was that nothing should be fabricated. Such books as KRSNA book and many others describe in great detail Krishna's appearance and activities, these narrations are our guides. Also one can look at the paintings done by devotees to see what items Krishna is always wearing. He always has a garland, flute (if in Vrindavan), jewelery, His eyes are lotus shaped, and the bottoms of his feet are pinkish. He wears a tilak mark on his forehead, ankle bells, and has always some wonderful earrings. Krishna is also never alone. He is alway painted with devotees or animals for they never leave his side. Radha as well is not painted by herself without Krishna. Don't place the paintings in the bathroom or someother unclean place. Hare Krishna
Thank you
ys
ncd