Cleanliness in Deity Worship

A viñëu-yajïa, or an offering to Lord Viñëu, cannot be performed uncleanly. To offer anything in an unclean state is called a seväparädha. If we simply make a show of offering services to the Deity but do not care for the sevä-aparädha, certainly the Rädhä-Kåñëa Deity will not accept offerings from such non-devotees. Devotees engaged in temple worship should not, therefore, manufacture their own methods, but should strictly follow the regulative principles of cleanliness, and then offerings will be accepted. [SB 4.13.28 Purport]

In a letter to Rukmini (Los Angeles, March 20, 1970) Çréla Prabhupäda writes:

Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness —that will satisfy Krsna.

Çréla Prabhupäda instructs:

The temple and altar should always be very clean and decorated with flowers and incense. We shall touch the Deity altar and Deity in very clean condition, after taking bath and washing mouth nicely. Practice washing hands after eating and wash with soap and water after toilet. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, so this point should be very carefully observed, then you will advance very quickly to the perfectional stage of Kåñëa Consciousness. [Letter to: Kancanbala, Los Angeles, 20 April, 1970]

Deity Paraphernalia

We should learn to worship everything belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is referred to by Lord Çiva as tadéyänäm.

In the Padma Puräëa it is said:

ärädhanänäà sarveñäà viñëor ärädhanaà param

tasmät parataraà devi tadéyänäà samarcanam

O Devé, the most exalted system of worship is the worship of Lord Viñëu. Greater than that is the worship of tadéya, or anything belonging to Viñëu.

Çré Viñëu is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha. Similarly, the most confidential servant of Kåñëa, the spiritual master, and all devotees of Viñëu are tadéya. The sac-cid-änanda-vigraha, guru, Vaiñëavas and things used by them must be considered tadéya and without a doubt worshipable by all living beings. [CC Madhya 12.38 Purport] 

If one touches one's hand to floor or anything unclean, one should wash hands before touching any Deity paraphernalia. The Deity paraphernalia like clothes, jewellery, vessels etc., should be handled very carefully. For instance, clothes and towels should be nicely folded and kept; the vessels should be placed in proper place and so on. Deity vessels should not touch other articles meant for use by devotees or visitors. If the Deity vessels are found in unclean places or if they touch other vessels then reuse them only after cleaning with cow dung.

Çréla Prabhupäda instructs:

Always remember that cleanliness and promptness are two very important requirements in Deity worship. [Letter to: Labangalatika, Tokyo, 22 April, 1972]

Proper Deity worship, with all attention to cleanliness, is of the utmost importance. If you can please the Deity by your sincere service, then your temple will flourish. [Letter to: Hladini, Surat, 29 December, 1970] The more you cleanse the temple, the more you decorate the Deity, more your heart becomes cleansed and you become spiritually decorated. [Arrival Lecture: Calcutta, 04 February, 1977]

A very important etiquette

Whatever is used by Kåñëa or the spiritual master is worshipable. According to etiquette, things used by Kåñëa should not be used by anyone else. Similarly, things used by the spiritual master should also not be used by anyone else. That is etiquette. In particular, their sitting or eating places should not be used by anyone else. A devotee must be very careful to observe this. [CC Madhya 15.234 Purport]