Ten Preliminary "Do's"

1) Take Shelter of Guru

When one becomes dissatisfied with material pleasure and begins to desire spiritual satisfaction, one should find a person who is learned in the spiritual subjects of scripture Sri Krishna, and who is equipoised and thus not attracted to or repulsed by material things.

2) Receive initiation and instruction about Krishna

The spiritual master(s) performs three sacred duties: (1) Diksha — prepare the disciple for enlightenment. (2) Shiksha — instruct the disciple about how to please God. This also includes, (3) shravana — tell the disciple all about the personality and nature of the Supreme Godhead.

3) Happily Serve Guru

One should serve one’s guru in a happy, un-begrudging mood. This begins to instill selflessness and love in one’s vaidhi-sadhana..

These three items are the foundation ("pradhan") upon which vaidhi-sadhana is built. To obtain steady inspiration for Bhakti from the scripture, one should seek a person who is deeply learned and realized in them, learn from and happily serve that person.

4) Follow the saint's path.

The guru’s instructions, and the disciple’s application of them should be congruous to the instructions and application of persons who were previously successful on the path of vaidhi-sadhana.

5) Inquire about eternal religious principles.
One should eagerly inquire about sad-dharma from guru and from saintly people. "Sad-dharma" means the nature of the soul and God, their relationship, and the activities of that relationship.

6) Accept hardship if required in pleasing Krishna

Unless one is ready to often sacrifice one’s personal agenda to please one’s beloved, the relationship will not blossom.

7) Reside in a sacred place like Dvaraka and the Ganges

8) Satisfy ones personal needs in moderation

Acquiring too much will disturb vaidhi-sadhana, as will not acquiring enough. One should obtain wealth and comfort in moderation, as reasonably required for the peaceful existence of one’s mind and body.

9) Respect the holy days of Hari

10) Respect beings associated with Hari

Including the Pipal, Banyan, and Tulasi plants, the cows, teachers, and the saintly.

TEN PRELIMINARY "DONT'S"

11) Don’t keep company with persons adverse to God

As will be stated in #18, one should not be unkind to any entity, but one naturally shys away from people with unkind opinions about one’s beloved.

12) Don’t be attached to having students and disciples
Accepting students or disciples may seem important, but it is dangerous because it draws out desires for gain, honor, and position.

13) Don’t start huge projects
According to Vishvanath Chakravarti, this especially refers to building temples. Again, this seems favorable, but it is dangerous because it tends to bring out desires to expand one’s influence and properties. Further, it draws one’s energies away from the primary practices of hearing, chanting, and remembering. One must therefore be cautious regarding such projects.

14) Don’t study or teach with mundane motives

Cultivating knowledge also seems harmless or even favorable, but it is dangerous because it too can exacerbate material desires similar to the previous two practices. One should not study to impress others with one’s understanding and thus gain wealth and respect.

15) Don’t be unkind, even if you are dissatisfied

16) Don’t be overwhelmed by strong emotions like lamentation
In the midst of dissatisfaction or loss one should placate the mind by remembering the benevolent Sri Krishna, rather than becoming harsh or morose.

17) Don’t disobey other gods

18) Don’t harm any being in any way

Krishna is everyone’s father and mother. Like any parent, he is very pleased with a person who is kind to his child, and very angry towards a person who is unkind to any one of them. One should also obey one’s older brothers and sisters, the demigods, who look after the house on behalf of their parents.

19) Carefully avoid offenses in worship and meditation on God's name

Jiva Goswami lists 64 offenses in worship and 10 offences towards Krishna’s name. We will examine these in another article.

20) Don’t tolerate malice or insult to Krishna or his devotee

The Main Practices of Vaidhi Sadhana

Having listed the 20 preliminary items, Rupa Goswami begins listing the main practices of sadhana. I will organize them according to the nine main categories of bhakti.

Pada-Sevanam — Service for/by the feet, legs, and body

21) Mark the body with Vishnu’s symbols.
22) Mark the body with the name of Hari.
23) Wear things like garlands, perfumes, and clothes that have been offered to the Deity

24) Dance enthusiastically in front of Krishna.
25) Bow to Krishna.
26) Stand up to greet Krishna.
27) Follow Krishna as he goes along.
28) Travels to Hari’s place — a holy place or temple.
29) Circumambulate Krishna.

Archanam — Worship

30) Worship ("archana") — Offer specific things to the Deity in the proper way, accompanied by mantra, after one has purified oneself.

31) Ancillary services ("paricharya") — The many services to do in connection with worship, like cleaning the altar and the articles used in worship, etc.

For fear of making his book too huge, Rupa Goswami does not mention all the possible practices of vaidhi-sadhana associated with these two.

Kirtanam — Glorification

32) Sing songs about Krishna
33) Loudly glorify Krishna’s names, activities, and qualities ("samkirtan")
34) Lightly repeat a Krishna-mantra ("japa")

Vandanam — Prayer

35) Express yourself to Krishna in your own words — by making requests and confessions, and by stating your devotional desires
36) Recite prayers from scripture

Pada-Sevanam (2)

37) Taste the sanctified food offered to the Deity
38) Taste the water that washed the Deities feet
39) Smell the sweet incense, flowers, and other things offered to the Deity
40) Touch the Deity
41) See the Deity
42) See the Deity’s aratrik, festivals etc.

SHRAVANAM — Hearing About

43) Hear Krishna’s names, activities and qualities
44) Specifically hear about Krishna’s mercy, and expectantly look for it in one’s own life

Smaranam — Remembering The Beloved

45) Remember Krishna in any way
46) Meditate deeply on Krishna’s beauty, activities, qualities, and service

Dasyam — Servitude

Servitude ("dasyam"), the 47^th practice of vaidhi-sadhana, is to do what Krishna asks, as if one were his personal assistant. It also includes offering one’s own daily activities to Krishna, by executing them with the mood that a servant has when taking care of his own needs.

Sakhyam — Friendship

One can practice friendship ("sakhyam"), the 48^th practice of vaidhi-sadhana, by cultivating a deep trust in Krishna’s protection, or by cultivating a natural, peer-to-peer friendly relationship with Krishna.

Atma-Nivedanam — Offering Oneself

Offering oneself ("atma-nivedanam") the 49^th practice of vaidhi-sadhana, involves giving one’s "self" — one’s body, mind, and/or identity — to Krishna, to become his property. This also includes:

50) Give Krishna things that are dear to you
51) Perform all endeavors for Krishna's sake
52) Take shelter of Krishna for protection

Pada-Sevanam (3)

One should serve those associated with Krishna, like…

53) Tulasi
54) Scripture
55) Mathura
56) Devotees, etc.

One should also…

57) Hold great celebrations in the company of sadhus
58) Observe the month of Kartikka
59) Specially respect the advent day of Krishna

The Five Most Potent Practices

60) Serve the feet of the Deity with love
61) Savor the objective of Srimad Bhagavatam
62) Keep company with devotees who are compatible and affectionate
63) Loudly glorify Krishna's name
64) Reside in Mathura