Sadhana Guide (Basic Guidelines of Worship and Conduct for Devotees)

“Rāgānugā is based on love. When you love someone, you naturally want to please that person and avoid those things that displease him. It is not that one has to take a special vow for this. Rāgānugā-bhakti is not based on vows or promises. It is based on a loving relationship with one's guru. In the beginning, such a relationship may not exist. Then one should at least have implicit faith that following one's guru is for one's own benefit.”

The real purpose of human life is to realize one's relationship with Bhagavān Śrī Krsna and attain love for Him. For this, the scriptures recommend accepting the shelter of a genuine guru, taking dīksā, and studying scriptures from him or under his guidance.

When a person takes shelter of a guru, he or she is expected to follow a certain mode of life. To facilitate the understanding of this lifestyle, I have compiled this booklet that gives the basic principles, duties, responsibilities, and code of conduct for a devotee of Krsna. Books like Hari-bhakti Vilāsa have elaborate descriptions of the duties of a Vaisnava, but here I have tried to simplify them, keeping in mind the lifestyle, responsibilities, capabilities, and availability of time of a modern-day devotee. An initiated disciple should read it carefully and try to apply these principles in his or her life.

In the procedure described for worship, there are Sanskrit ślokas and mantras, which may intimidate a beginner. Therefore, my recommendation to such persons is to just use the English translations in the beginning. Similarly, for the prayers, one can just recite the translation in the beginning, then gradually learn the original prayer in Sanskrit.

To follow the complete procedure of worship described here may not fit in one's daily schedule of duties. Therefore, one should follow as closely as possible, based on one's available time. The least one should do is offer fragrant oil, incense, a ghee lamp, flowers, and food to one's Deities or a photo of the Deities, and also offer the food which one consumes. This much is compulsory.

**Contents and Sample Pages**