View source for Visiting holy places

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[[Category:Visiting Holy Places|1]]
[[Category:The Twelve Elements of Regular Prescribed Duties]]
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<div class="section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_2" text="SB Canto 2"><h3>SB Canto 2</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 2.3.22" link_text="SB 2.3.22, Purport">
<div class="heading">People should visit holy places like Vṛndāvana where such temples and worship of the Deity are specifically maintained.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 2.3.22|SB 2.3.22, Purport]]:''' If one is unable to maintain a temple at home, he should go to another's temple where all the above performances are regularly executed. Visiting the temple of a devotee and looking at the profusely decorated forms of the Lord well dressed in a well-decorated, sanctified temple naturally infuse the mundane mind with spiritual inspiration. People should visit holy places like Vṛndāvana where such temples and worship of the Deity are specifically maintained. Formerly all rich men like kings and rich merchants constructed such temples under the direction of expert devotees of the Lord, like the six Gosvāmīs, and it is the duty of the common man to take advantage of these temples and festivals observed in the holy places of pilgrimage by following in the footsteps of great devotees (anuvraja). One should not visit all these sanctified pilgrimage places and temples with sightseeing in mind, but one must go to such temples and sanctified places immortalized by the transcendental pastimes of the Lord and be guided by proper men who know the science.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_3" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 3.3.26" link_text="SB 3.3.26, Purport">
<div class="heading">Pure devotees of the Lord are not enthusiastic to put aside their service to the Lord in order to go visit holy places of pilgrimage.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 3.3.26|SB 3.3.26, Purport]]:''' Pure devotees of the Lord are not enthusiastic to put aside their service to the Lord in order to go visit holy places of pilgrimage. A great devotee of the Lord in modern times, Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, has sung like this: "To visit holy places of pilgrimage is another bewilderment of the mind because devotional service to the Lord at any place is the last word in spiritual perfection."</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_5" text="SB Canto 5"><h3>SB Canto 5</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 5.18.11" link_text="SB 5.18.11, Translation">
<div class="heading">The process of visiting holy places can cleanse the heart only after a long time.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 5.18.11|SB 5.18.11, Translation]]: By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord. For a person who constantly and very eagerly hears narrations of the Lord's powerful activities, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead in the form of sound vibrations, enters within his heart and cleanses it of all contamination. On the other hand, although bathing in the Ganges diminishes bodily contaminations and infections, this process and the process of visiting holy places can cleanse the heart only after a long time. Therefore who is the sane man who will not associate with devotees to quickly perfect his life?'''</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Cantos_10.14_to_12_(Translations_Only)" text="SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)"><h3>SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 11.12.1-2" link_text="SB 11.12.1-2, Translation">
<div class="heading">Even by performing such activities as visiting holy places one does not bring Me under his control.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 11.12.1-2|SB 11.12.1-2, Translation]]: One may perform the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, engage in philosophical analysis of the elements of material nature, practice nonviolence and other ordinary principles of piety, chant the Vedas, perform penances, take to the renounced order of life, execute sacrificial performances and dig wells, plant trees and perform other public welfare activities, give in charity, carry out severe vows, worship the demigods, chant confidential mantras, visit holy places or accept major and minor disciplinary injunctions, but even by performing such activities one does not bring Me under his control.'''</div>
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<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 11.17.34-35" link_text="SB 11.17.34-35, Translation">
<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 11.17.34-35|SB 11.17.34-35, Translation]]: My dear Uddhava, general cleanliness, washing the hands, bathing, performing religious services at sunrise, noon and sunset, worshiping Me, visiting holy places, chanting japa, avoiding that which is untouchable, uneatable or not to be discussed, and remembering My existence within all living entities as the Supersoul—these principles should be followed by all members of society through regulation of the mind, words and body.'''</div>
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<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 11.19.4" link_text="SB 11.19.4, Translation">
<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 11.19.4|SB 11.19.4, Translation]]: That perfection which is produced by a small fraction of spiritual knowledge cannot be duplicated by performing austerities, visiting holy places, chanting silent prayers, giving in charity or engaging in other pious activities.'''</div>
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<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 11.19.33-35" link_text="SB 11.19.33-35, Translation">
<div class="heading">Visiting holy places is one of the twenty-four elements which bestow all desired benedictions upon those persons who devotedly cultivate them.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 11.19.33-35|SB 11.19.33-35, Translation]]: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Nonviolence, truthfulness, not coveting or stealing the property of others, detachment, humility, freedom from possessiveness, trust in the principles of religion, celibacy, silence, steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness are the twelve primary disciplinary principles. Internal cleanliness, external cleanliness, chanting the holy names of the Lord, austerity, sacrifice, faith, hospitality, worship of Me, visiting holy places, acting and desiring only for the supreme interest, satisfaction, and service to the spiritual master are the twelve elements of regular prescribed duties. These twenty-four elements bestow all desired benedictions upon those persons who devotedly cultivate them.'''</div>
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<div class="section" id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="CC_Madhya-lila" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="CC" link="CC Madhya 20.57" link_text="CC Madhya 20.57, Purport">
<div class="heading">Visiting holy places is simply another type of bewilderment.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.57|CC Madhya 20.57, Purport]]:''' Since an advanced devotee carries Lord Viṣṇu within his heart, he is a moving temple and a moving Viṣṇu. An advanced devotee does not need to go to holy places, for wherever he stays is a holy place. In this connection, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura states, tīrtha-yātrā pariśrama, kevala manera bhrama: visiting holy places is simply another type of bewilderment. Since an advanced devotee does not need to go to a holy place, why does he go? The answer is that he goes simply to purify the place.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Nectar_of_Devotion" text="Nectar of Devotion"><h3>Nectar of Devotion</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="OB" link="NOD 18" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 18">
<div class="heading">If one associates with a pure devotee or visits holy places like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā, and if an ordinary man develops such attachment for Kṛṣṇa and fortunately performs devotional activities in the association of pure devotees, he can also rise to the platform of pure devotional service.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:NOD 18|Nectar of Devotion 18]]:''' Such shadow attachment or parā attachment can develop if one associates with a pure devotee or visits holy places like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā, and if an ordinary man develops such attachment for Kṛṣṇa and fortunately performs devotional activities in the association of pure devotees, he can also rise to the platform of pure devotional service. The conclusion is that transcendental attachment is so powerful that if such attachment is seen manifested even in some common man, by the association of a pure devotee it can bring one to the perfectional stage. But such attachment for Kṛṣṇa cannot be invoked in a person without his being sufficiently blessed by the association of pure devotees.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="Krsna,_The_Supreme_Personality_of_Godhead" text="Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead"><h3>Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="OB" link="KB 78" link_text="Krsna Book 78">
<div class="heading">Vedic method of visiting holy places.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:KB 78|Krsna Book 78]]:''' Once upon a time, Lord Balarāma heard that an arrangement was being made for a fight between the two rival parties in the Kuru dynasty, one headed by Duryodhana and the other by the Pāṇḍavas. He did not like the idea, and He tried to act as mediator to stop the fighting. Finding it impossible, and not wishing to take an active part on behalf of either party, He left Dvārakā on the plea of visiting various holy places of pilgrimage. He first of all visited the place of pilgrimage known as Prabhāsa-kṣetra. He took His bath there, and He pacified the local brāhmaṇas and offered oblations to the demigods, Pitās, great sages and people in general, in accordance with Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. That is the Vedic method of visiting holy places. After this, accompanied by some respectable brāhmaṇas, He decided to visit different places on the bank of the river Sarasvatī. He gradually visited such places as Pṛthūdaka, Bindusara, Tritakūpa, Sudarśana-tīrtha, Viśāla-tīrtha, Brahma-tīrtha and Cakra-tīrtha. Besides these, He also visited all the holy places on the bank of the Sarasvatī River running toward the east. After this He visited all the principal holy places on the bank of the Yamunā and on the bank of the Ganges. Thus He gradually came to the holy place known as Naimiṣāraṇya.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="OB" link="KB 84" link_text="Krsna Book 84">
<div class="heading">One who visits holy places of pilgrimage just to take a bath there but never associates with great personalities, sages and mahātmās—such a person, even though in the form of a human being, is nothing but an animal like an ass.”</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:KB 84|Krsna Book 84]]:''' My dear revered sages and respectable kings, you can take it from Me that a person who accepts this material body made of three elements—mucus, bile and air—as his own self, who considers his family and relatives his own, who accepts material things as worshipable, or who visits holy places of pilgrimage just to take a bath there but never associates with great personalities, sages and mahātmās—such a person, even though in the form of a human being, is nothing but an animal like an ass.”</div>
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<div class="quote" book="OB" link="KB 86" link_text="Krsna Book 86">
<div class="heading">People visit holy places of pilgrimage, and after prolonged association with such activities for many days by touch and by worship, they gradually become purified.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:KB 86|Krsna Book 86]]:''' People are accustomed to go to the temples of God. They also visit holy places of pilgrimage, and after prolonged association with such activities for many days by touch and by worship, they gradually become purified. But the influence of great sages and saintly persons is so great that by seeing them one immediately becomes completely purified.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Lectures" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972">
<div class="heading">People should visit holy places like Vṛndāvana where such temples and worship of the Deity are specifically maintained.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972|Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972]]:''' Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kīrtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man from the hellish cinema attractions and rubbish sex-songs broadcast everywhere by radios. If one is unable to maintain a temple at home, he should go to another's temple where all the above performances are regularly executed. Visiting the temple of a devotee and looking at the profusely decorated forms of the Lord well dressed in a well-decorated, sanctified temple naturally infuse the mundane mind with spiritual inspiration. People should visit holy places like Vṛndāvana where such temples and worship of the Deity are specifically maintained.</div>
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