Gaura Priya
IRL
dear antibush
firstly forget being riped off , onkara spoke perfectly on that subject
the most important thing with any murti is to treat them with respect , keep them in a clean place and yes , if they disturb others it is better to put them away , if you want to keep them in a box wrap them nicely in a clean and beautifull cloth one kept especialy for that deity , one bought specialy is best !and keeep the box in a respectfull place .
to wash a brass or bronze mirti you may use sandle wood paste or tilack(clay usualy brought from various sacred sites in india , some times you will find it in indian shops , by the name of gopi chandan, if you cant find that pure clay or fullers earth will do , this mixed in a little warm water to a thick paste can be used to rub gently allover the body with a soft cloth and then rinsed to remove all traces of the clay then dry again with a soft cloth and buffed very gently .the most important thing to remember is that every thing used must be kept clean and only used for that specific purpous do not use any chemicals or soaps even some oils disscolour the metals , remember that you are bathing the lord (or some form of the lord )so keep a pure mind you might like to chant or sing praise whilst bathing this is nice
if the murti is painted avoid the painted areas with all but water , wooden murtis should not be washed , the new painted resin types , water only ,
there are very strict procedures for temple deities as they are concidered installed but for personal deities love and respect is all that is needed.
but be carefull not to buy them unless you intend to keep them , as once you start to worship them in any way you should not realy stop that respect , if you realy change your mind about a deity prehaps it is better to give the deity to a friend or someone who will value and love the deity .
If your deities desturb others or you live in a shared space you might like to have a little cupboard in which you can make a small shrine , you can open the doors when you want to worship and close them when others are about who do not share your devotion , you can still put small things like flowers and offerings inside this is very respectfull for your deities and for everyone else . :namaste
Perfect!
...And this is thus why I don't keep deities. Although if I did, I would love one of Sri Shadbhuja Mahaprabhu!
There are deity forms of Sri Shadbhuja, but it's rare and generally are custom-made. This is a specific form worshipped in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, where two arms are of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, two arms of Lord Ramachandra, and two arms of Krishna Himself. It reinforces the Gaudiya conception of Vaishnavism, of the variegatedness of God Himself, and aesthetically pleasing. >: )
