Chapter Four. Hindu Rituals And Cultural Models

Abstract

The form of Hinduism in which international society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON) practices are rooted is deeply devotional and is part of a bhakti movement especially prominent in Bengal. The symbolism encoded in the ritual worship of temple images forms the foundation of guru worship. The repetitive, standardised schedule of daily worship and the individual service for the guru and the movement form the backbone of the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotee's life. The structure of the pūjā certainly provides the basic idioms for the explicit understanding of the guru-disciple interaction. This chapter examines the formal, ritual side of ISKCON spirituality and how it defines the guru-disciple interaction. It discusses the ritual side of the interaction first because it can be argued that one key element in Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's charisma consists of the Hindu cultural models embedded within the ritual schemata. .Keywords:Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda; cultural models; Hare Kṛṣṇa; hindu ritual; international society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON); pūjā