1. The documents discuss the importance of opening temples to teach people how to make home temples and worship God within their homes. 2. It is encouraged for devotees to open independent centers and for households to worship at home, while maintaining the standard of Krishna consciousness. 3. Applying unity in diversity, multiple entities can preach cooperatively in a geographical area to expand Krishna consciousness.

1. Lesson Four
Why Do We Open Temples?

3. “The temple center is started just to present
example to the neighboring residents how they can
make a small temple in each and every home.”
(Letter to Tamala Krsna, 1st June 1969)

4. “[W]e require many Deities for our temples as well
as for our many devotees who want to worship
Radha Krishna at home. So we want to introduce
this Deity worship in this country and as such, we
may require 100’s of pairs of Deities of different
sizes.”
(Letter to Acyutananda, Jayagovinda, 13 October 1968)

5. “We want every house to be a temple, not that our
place should be the only place for the people to
come. No, this should be the process: that they
learn at our place, then establish the same thing at
home.”
(Letter to Bhavananda, 14 April 1972)

6. “Everyone can establish a
small temple in his house,
and he can begin family-
wise: himself, his wife, his
children. That is wanted.
This Krishna consciousness
movement wants to see that
every house has become a
temple of Krishna. That is
our program.”
(Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.1,
Ahmedabad, 13 December 1972)

7. What is a “temple”?

8. “To live with devotees or to live in a temple
means to associate with the sravana-kirtana
process.”
(Cc Madhya 19.152, purport)
“Temple means education in spiritual life.”
(Room Conversation, Hyderabad, 22 August
1976)
“Temple means to give chance to everyone,
even to the child, to advance one step to
Krishna consciousness.”
(Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.14,
Bombay, 14 November 1974)

9. “Money is what money does.”

11. A temple is what a temple does.

13. “It is not very difficult to open a center for our
activities. You can remain in any apartment as
husband and wife, and invite persons there to hear
your chanting and topics, that is our center, and let
it be gradually improved.”
(Letter to Anapurna, Ananda 4 September 1968)

14. “As far as possible, every householder, by the
direction of the spiritual master, must install the
Deity . . . and one's family should worship.”
(SB 2.3.22, purport)

15. “Everyone can execute the cult of Krsna
consciousness at home . . . It is not that we have to
open different centers all over the world. Whoever
cares for the Krsna consciousness movement can
install Deities at home . . . especially householders
who live with a wife and children – can start a
center at home.”
(Cc Madhya 3.190, purport)

16. Surapal Das and
Krishna-mayi Devi Dasi

17. ISKCON Las Vegas

20. How to deal with “independence”?

22. “With reference to the boys holding kirtanas
independently, our propaganda should be like that.
That people may open different centers of their own,
or each and every householder may have his own class
at home. Not that everyone is required to join the
society; they may take the idea from the society and
introduce in their private life. And if possible, let us
sell to them the paraphernalia of Kirtana, karatalas,
mrdanga, Deities, etc.
(Letter to: Rayarama, unknown date)

23. “I have just received one letter from the black
devotees in Cleveland who wish start their own
ISKCON Center independently of the white
devotees there. In principle, it is alright, birds of a
feather will flock together. We should not
discourage them in any way from opening their
own center, but I want you to go there and see
how their things are going on and that the
standard of Krishna consciousness is being
maintained on the highest level.

24. “. . . so you kindly go there and do the needful and
give them all facilities such as pictures, mrdangas, and
other Krishna consciousness paraphernalia. It is not
that we should remain separate from them as they are
sincere souls and there is no objection if they want to
remain separate from the white people . . . As soon as
hearing from you in this regard, I shall be glad to give
them due initiation and my blessings so that they may
continue in their own way.”
(Letter to Satsvarupa, 24 August 1972)

25. “We are not independent. If we want to live
independently, that means we voluntarily become
dependent on the influence of material nature.”
(Lecture, New York, 5 August 1966)
“To become dependent on another's maintenance is
very degrading; therefore, according to the Vedic
system, everyone should live independently. Only the
sudras are unable to live independently.”
(SB 5.13.6, purport)
Understanding ‘independence’
– philosophically & socially

26. “Independent”

27. “Independent”

28. “Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training
men to be independently thoughtful.”
(Letter to Karandhara, 22 Dec 1972)

29. ISKCON Law (5.6.2.5.7.1) –
Facilitating the Preaching of the
Congregational Devotees
“Temple Presidents and ISKCON Leaders
shall encourage and facilitate the important
preaching role of non-resident devotees as
they introduce Krsna consciousness to their
neighbors and business or work associates.
The non-resident devotees should get
respectful treatment, encouragement
and prasadam.”

30. • Whereas ISKCON has grown into an
organization with multi-faceted preaching
programs;
• Whereas it may not be possible for a single
temple or project to cover all such preaching
programs;
• Whereas the GBC would like to encourage
ISKCON members’ individual initiatives to
preach;
GBC resolution (307–2008)
“Jurisdiction of ISKCON centers”

31. Resolved:
That multiple ISKCON entities can be
accommodated in a particular city or geographical
area. Such entities should work cooperatively with
existing ISKCON temples and projects. Any
concerns that arise in the course of expanding
ISKCON's preaching in this fashion should be
worked out amongst the leaders of those projects,
and/or by the Zonal Secretary(s) for that area.
Resolved:

32. “we have opened about
102 centers all over the
world. But we want to
open thousands . . . Just
like here we have opened a
center in Gandhigram
[Juhu]; but in Bombay such
hundreds and thousands
centers can be opened. It is
so big city. Similarly, there
are other cities. It is
required.”
(Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.30,
Bombay, 30 November 1974)
100

33. “I am . . . suggesting that all our men meet in
Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and
senior men present we should discuss how to
make unity in diversity.”
(Letter to Kirtanananda, 18 October 1973)

34. Free market
Association
Education
Children’s
Activities
Mood
Engagement
Prasadam
quality

35. “Standard”

36. Lesson’s Summary:
1. We open temples to teach people how
to make a temple in their home.
2. These home-temples and their
outreach should be encouraged, not
discouraged.
3. We should endeavor to apply unity in
diversity.