Arcana Dipika (Damaged Cover) - English

Arcana-dipika means "the lamp that illuminates arcana". The term 'arcana' signifies honor, or worship. As one of the nine processes of devotional service it refers to worshipping the deity form of the Lord. Arcana dipika teaches us how to perform this service and thus please the Lord through this process of worship. It contains the exact details of worship, waking, bathing and feeding the Lord, and putting Him to rest at night. It also includes exact details of the rules and regulations for brahminical cleanliness – all to help us develop pure bhakti.

"As long as a devotee remains on the neophyte stage, he cannot realize the supramundane, or transcendental, position of Bhagavan’s eternal devotees. By faithfully worshipping the deity of Vasudeva [Sri Krsna] with various items, the devotee gradually realizes the intrinsic nature of the transcendental name and mantra, which consequently diminishes his mundane conceptions. Without service to the deity, a living entity maintains a mood of intense

enjoyment toward material objects. Therefore, in order to enhance his reverential attitude toward Sri Bhagavan, the neophyte devotee is advised to perform all endeavours for Bhagavan’s pleasure, while simultaneously completely renouncing other activities. While performing arcana, a person must focus his attention on the arca-vigraha (deity) and on the process of arcana itself. By advancing in the process of arcana, a person enters the realm of bhajana
(internal devotional service).

Although the process of arcana is not the most important consideration in bhajana, bhajana is not opposed to the reverential service attitude required for arcana. In fact, the deity is a special incarnation of Bhagavan. Bhagavan's incarnations appear in this world at certain
times, but by the process of loving devotional service, both the Supersoul and the deity can be realized at all times. There is a basic difference between arcana and bhajana. Arcana is executed on the path of rules and regulations, and bhajana by taking shelter of the holy name. Although bhajana may externally appear to transgress the path of rules and regulations, it is a complete process of exclusivedevotional service to Sri Bhagavan.

By performing arcana of Bhagavan, one soon feels an immense pleasure within oneself, which is the cause of all varieties of perfections, or auspicious desires. Without performing arcana, it is not possible for a person attached to material enjoyment to break free from bad association and so forth. Sri Bhagavan Himself instructs us on the process of arcana, through the guidelines given in the sastras. Moreover, great sages like Brahma, Siva, Narada, Vyasa and others have recommended this process as the most beneficial for the supreme welfare of all individuals situated within the varnasrama system, including women and sudras."

C O N T E N T S: 
Editors' Preface to the Third English Edition
Introduction
The Glories of Worshipping the Supreme Lord (Excerpts from Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa)
Mangalacarana [Jaya-dhvani]
The Deity and the Process of Worship [The five limbs of arcana (pancanga-arcana)]
Daily Duties [Duties performed in the Brahma-muhurta {Brushing the teeth-traditional procedure, Bathing, Mantra for taking bath by mind (manasa-snana), Tying the sikha, Putting on one's cloth, Applying tilaka, Mantra to invoke holy rivers (tirtha-avahana-mantra)], [Performing acamana {Sadharana-acamana (ordinary acamana), Visesa-acamana (detailed acamana)}], [Chanting the diksa-mantras given by the guru (sandhya-upasana)]
Waking the Lord [Prayers to be chanted before entering the deity room, Prayers to be chanted upon entering the deity room, Washing the mouth of the Lord, Cleaning the deity and the altar]
Mangala Arati
Offering Foodstuffs [Early morning offering (balya-bhoga) {Offering maha-prasada, Cleaning the temple}]
Picking Flowers and Tulasi Leaves {Mantra for purifying flowers (puspa-suddhi-mantra)}
[Special considerations for tulasi {Mantra for offering obeisances to tulasi (pranama-mantra), Mantra for bathing tulasi (snana-mantra), Mantra for picking leaves from tulasi (cayana-mantra), Mantra for begging forgiveness for any offences committed (aparadha-ksama-prarthana-mantra)}]
Preparation for Arcana (Procedures performed in the morning), {Sanctifying the asana (asana-suddhi), The various paraphernalia for arcana, The process of establishing the articles, Establishing water in the panca-patra, Prayers to the conch shell (sankha-stuti), Glories of the conch shell (sankha-mahatmya), Establishing the -bathing- conch shell, Mantra to sanctify the bell (ghanta-suddhi-mantra), Establishing the bell, Mantra for offering incense (dhupa-dana-mantra), Mantra for offering the ghee lamp (dipa-dana-mantra),
[Ingredients used during worship {Padya (water for foot bathing), Arghya (a symbolic offering of oneself), Madhuparka (sweet liquid food), Acamaniya (mouthwash), Pancamrta (five ambrosial ingredients), Gandha (scented candana)}], [Articles to be offered {Sixteen articles, Twelve articles, Ten articles, Five articles}], [Purification of oneself (bhuta-suddhi) {Mantra for purification of oneself (bhuta-suddhi-mantra)}], Meditation on the self (atma-dhyana-mantra)
Arcana of Sri Guru [Obeisances to Sri Guru-varga, Mantra to meditate on Sri Gurudeva, Arcana procedure, Prayers to Sri Gurudeva (stuti), Obeisances to Sri Gurudeva, Obeisances to the Vaisnavas, Maha-mantra]
Arcana of Sri Salagrama-sila and the Deity
Arcana of Sri Gauranga [Meditation on Sri Navadvipa-dhama, Mantra for meditation on Sri Gaura, Offering praise (jaya-dana), Arcana procedure, Prayers (stuti), Obeisances (pranama), Panca-tattva, Maha-mantra]
Arcana of Sri Radha-Krsna [Meditation on Sri Vrndavana-dhama, Meditation on Sri Radha-Krsna,
Arcana procedure, Obeisances (pranama), Five verses to the Divine Couple (padya-pancaka), Five verses describing one’s pitiful state (vijnapti-pancaka), Worship of Sri Krsna’s paraphernalia (upanga-puja), Offering maha-prasada]
Arcana of Sri Tulasi-devi [Prayerful entreaty (prarthana), Mantra for offering bath (snana-mantra), Mantra for offering arghya (arghya-mantra), Mantras for worshipping (puja-mantras), Obeisances (pranama), Prayers (stuti)]
Mantras for Honouring Caranamrta [General mantra for honouring caranamrta, Mantra for honouring the caranamrta of Sri Gurudeva, Mantra for honouring the caranamrta of Sri Gaurangadeva, Mantra for honouring the caranamrta of Sri Radha-Krsna]
Worship of Other Deities [Arcana of Sri Nityananda {Meditation on Sri Nityananda, Procedure, Mula-mantra, Obeisances (pranama)}], [Arcana of Sri Varahadeva {Meditation on Sri Varahadeva, Procedure, Mula-mantra}], Mula-mantras
Noontime Bhoga Offering and Arati {Procedure for offering bhoga [Bhoga-arati kirtana], [Procedure for noontime arati (madhyahnabhoga-arati)]}
Putting Sri Bhagavan to Rest
Duties performed at other times of the day [Afternoon duties, Evening duties, Nighttime duties]
Mantras to Sanctify the Pancamṛta Ingredients (pancamrta-sodhana-mantras)
Worshipping the Lord by Verses from the Purusa-sukta Prayer
Prayers Begging Forgiveness for Offences (aparadha-ksamapana-mantras)
Special Instructions to be Followed [Length of visnu-tilaka or urdhva-pundra, Procedure for paying obeisances (pranama-vidhi)]
Offences -aparadha- [Offences to the deity (seva-aparadha), Offences to the holy name (nama-aparadha)]
The Glories of Maha-prasada (To be sung before honouring maha-prasada)
Arati Songs [Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharajer Arati, Srila Prabhupada-arati, Sri Gaura-Govinda Mangala-arati, Sri Gaurasundara Sandhya-arati, Sri Yugala-arati, Sri Tulasi-arati]
Taking Vows (Sankalpa)
Prayers for Auspiciousness [Remembrance of Sri Visnu and prayers for peace and auspiciousness (mangala-santi), Prayers to invoke well being (svasti-vacana), Prayers to invoke auspiciousness (mangala-vacana)]
Sri Krsna-stotram
Appendix - Sanskrit Names to be used while Performing a Sankalpa [Year (samvatsara), Course of the sun (ayana), Season (rtu), Month (masa), Phase of the moon (paksa), Sun sign (rasi sthite bhaskara), Lunar day (tithi), Day of the week (varanvitayam), Constellation (naksatra-samyutayam)]
Glossary of Arcana Terms
Commonly Used Mantras  

TITLE: Archan Deepika - English 
Original Bengali edition compiled by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vaman Goswami Maharaj
Translated from the Hindi rendition of Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj
PUBLISHER: Gaudiya Vedanta Publications
EDITION: Third, 2017
ISBNs: 9781633161566 978-1-63316-156-6 1-63316-156-0 1633161560
LCCN: 2017900115 2017-900115
PAGES: 210, with 5 Cards Insert
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 495 grams

NOTE - THE COVER OF THIS BOOK IS VERY SLIGHLY DAMAGED, HENCE OFFERED AT DISCOUNT