Throughout the world, devotees worship Lord Krishna with great reverence. Worshiping Lord Krishna and always thinking of Him helps one become absorbed in Him. As the Lord declares in the Bhagavad Gita, one who remains devoted to Him will surely attain Him. Understanding this makes one very eager to know how to worship Lord Krishna and always find the opportunity to please Him.
What Does Worshipping Lord Krishna Really Mean?
Worshiping Lord Krishna is not a ritualistic activity but an act of love and devotion. Devotees worship Him by offering incense sticks, lamps, flowers, and different food preparations while reciting prayers of glorification. The deeper meaning of worship lies in dovetailing our actions with the satisfaction of Lord Krishna. The actions can be dovetailed in four ways:
- By dedicating one’s life: Working under the instructions of scriptures and doing only those actions which please the Lord without considering one’s personal comfort is the best worship one can perform.
- By wealth: Worshiping by offering one’s wealth in the service of Lord Krishna.
- By the intelligence: Using one’s intelligence to understand the conclusion of Vedic scriptures and help others in the path of devotion.
- By words: Glorifying the Lord, chanting His names and engaging others in the worship of the Lord.
9 Simple Ways to Worship Lord Krishna
There are 9 processes of devotional service. Following any one of them firmly leads the path towards liberation.
1. Hearing (Shravanam)
The worshiping process begins with hearing about the Lord. Unless one has heard about Lord Krishna, he would not be interested in worshiping Him. This includes hearing His pastimes, name, and glories.
2. Chanting (Kiratanam)
Chanting is the glorification of the Lord. It includes reciting prayers, singing bhajans, or speaking about Krishna’s qualities and activities. This process of worship purifies one and bestows the Lord’s protection in all situations.
3. Remembering the Lord (Vishnu Smaranam)
As Lord Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, always think of Him while carrying out the prescribed duty of fighting. Similarly, we should always try to remember the Lord while performing our regular duties.
4. Serving the Lord’s Lotus Feet (Pada Sevanam)
It includes the caring of the deity in temple worship such as bathing, dressing and offering. Washing the Lord's lotus feet with milk and water, then distributing it among the devotees as Charnamrita.
5. Worshiping (Archanam)
This worshiping process includes offering incense, lamps, flowers, chamara, and vyajana to the Lord as a form of devotional service. Devotees offer these items with great respect and care, for Lord’s comfort and satisfaction.
6. Praying (Vandanam)
Offering humble prayers to Lord Krishna for protection, maintenance, care, and guidance in the path of bhakti. Praying daily in front of the Lord is an important part of worship as it reminds us that we are completely dependent on Him.
7. Servitude (Dasyam)
Servitude means carrying out the orders of the Lord. These orders or instructions are given through scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, in which the Lord teaches us about our duties as human beings.
8. Friendship (Sakhyam)
Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that He is the well-wisher and dear friend of everyone. Developing a feeling of closeness and trust toward Him, speak through prayers, share thoughts with Him, and depend on Him as a best friend.
9. Complete Surrender (Atma Nivedanam)
Offering oneself completely to Lord Krishna and accepting everything favourable to worship and rejecting everything unfavorable to His worship. Considering Lord as the complete shelter and not depending on anyone other than Him.
How Is Daily Krishna Worship Different From Janmashtami Worship?
| Daily Krishna Worship | Janmashtami Worship |
|---|---|
| Performed regularly as a part of one’s daily devotional service. | Performed on the auspicious day of Lord Krishna’s appearance. |
| Bathing the Lord with milk and water. | A grand Abhishek with panchamrita (milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar water) is performed. |
| No fast or vrat is observed. | Devotees observe a fast as per their capacity and devotion. |
| The mood of worship is that of serving the Lord as a servant, while recognizing Him as the maintainer. | The mood is that of caring for Lord Krishna, as He appears as a little child who receives loving service. |
| Few food preparations are offered to the lord. | 56 Bhoga is offered to the Lord. |
| Prayers of glorification and protection is offerd. | Prayers that are connected to Lord’s devotees and pastimes of Vrindavan are offered to please Him. |
| Worship is generally not performed at midnight. | The Lord is worshiped at mid night. |
Begin Your Krishna Bhakti With One Simple Step
Anyone can begin Krishna Bhakti without considering the time, place, or circumstances. One can start by hearing about the Lord, as Rukmini Devi did. By hearing about Krishna, one gradually develops attachment to Him. One should also chant His holy names as a form of seva to the Lord. These two processes are sufficient to make spiritual advancement and move toward the perfection of life. When practiced with firm faith and sincerity, they can free one from the cycle of birth and death and lead one toward liberation.
FAQs
How Can You Please Lord Krishna?
You can please the Lord by always thinking of Him while performing the prescribed duties.
Can Beginners Worship Lord Krishna?
Yes, anyone can worship Lord Krishna regardless of being a beginner or advanced, starting from hearing and chanting His names.
Is Formal Puja Necessary to Worship Lord Krishna?
Yes, formal Puja is a prescribed form of worship according to the scriptures and the teachings of the Acharyas.
Conclusion
The simple way of worshipping and pleasing Lord Krishna begins with hearing, followed by chanting, remembering, serving His lotus feet, worshipping, praying, serving lovingly, developing friendship with Him, and complete surrender. Anyone can begin the process of bhakti, worship Him, and progress toward liberation.
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