258 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 5

not having washed one’s hands after eating, (e) to offer obeisances with
one hand, (f) to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity, (g) to
spread one’s legs before the Deity, (h) to sit before the Deity while hold-
ing one’s ankles with one’s hands, (i) to lie down before the Deity, (j) to
eat before the Deity, (k) to speak lies before the Deity, ()) to address
someone loudly before the Deity, (m) to talk nonsense before the Deity,
(n) to cry before the Deity, (0) to argue before the Deity, (p) to chastise
someone before the Deity, (q) to show someone favor before the Deity,
(r) to use harsh words before the Deity, (s) to wear a woolen blanket
before the Deity, (¢) to blaspheme someone before the Deity, (u) to wor-
ship someone else before the Deity, (v) to use vulgar language before
the Deity, (w) to pass air before the Deity, (x) to avoid very opulent
worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it, (y) to eat
something not offered to the Deity, (z) to avoid offering fresh fruits to
the Deity according to the season, (aa) to offer food to the Deity which
has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in
other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has
been offered to the Deity), (bb) to sit with one’s back toward the Deity,
(cc) to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity, (dd) not to
chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master,
(ee) to praise oneself before the Deity, and (ff) to blaspheme the
demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should
be avoided.

In the Vardha Purana the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to
eat in the house of a rich man, (6) to enter the Deity’s room in the dark,
(c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles,
(d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food
that has been seen by a dog, (f) to break silence while offering worship
to the Deity, (g) to go to the toilet during the time of worshiping the
Deity, (h) to offer incense without offering flowers, (i) to worship the
Deity with forbidden flowers, (j) to begin worship without having
washed one’s teeth, (k) to begin worship after sex, (1) to touch a lamp,
dead body or a woman during her menstrual period, or to put on red or
bluish clothing, unwashed clothing, the clothing of others or soiled
clothing. Other offenses are to worship the Deity after seeing a dead
body, to pass air before the Deity, to show anger before the Deity, and to
worship the Deity just after returning from a crematorium. After eating,
