260 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 5
worship of the Deity within the mind is recommended.” In the Narada-
pajicaratra it is stated by Lord Narayana that worship of the Deity within
the mind is called ménasa-pijd. One can become free from the four mis-
eries by this method. Sometimes worship from the mind can be indepen-
dently executed. According to the instruction of Avirhotra Muni, one of
the nava-yogendras, as mentioned in Srimad-Bhaégavatam, one may
worship the Deity by chanting all the mantras. Eight kinds of Deities are
mentioned in the sdstra, and the mental Deity is one of them. In this
regard, the following description is given in the Brahma-vaivarta
Purdna.

In the city of Pratisthana-pura, long ago, there resided a brahmana
who was poverty-stricken but innocent and not dissatisfied. One day he
heard a discourse in an assembly of brahmanas concerning how to wor-
ship the Deity in the temple. In that meeting, he also heard that the Deity
may be worshiped within the mind. After this incident, the brahmana,
having bathed in the Godavari River, began mentally worshiping the
Deity. He would wash the temple within his mind, and then in his
imagination he would bring water from all the sacred rivers in golden
and silver waterpots. He collected all kinds of valuable paraphernalia for -
worship, and he worshiped the Deity very gorgeously, beginning from
bathing the Deity and ending with offering arati. Thus he felt great hap-
piness. After many years had passed in this way, one day within his mind
he cooked nice sweet rice with ghee to worship the Deity. He placed the
sweet rice on a golden dish and offered it to Lord Krsna, but he felt that
the sweet rice was very hot, and therefore he touched it with his finger.
He immediately felt that his finger had been burned by the hot sweet
rice, and thus he began to lament. While the brahmana was in pain, Lord
Visnu in Vaikuntha began smiling, and the goddess of fortune inquired
from the Lord why He was smiling. Lord Visnu then ordered His asso-
ciates to bring the brahmana to Vaikuntha. Thus the brahmana attained
the liberation of sdmipya, the facility of living near the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead.

(6) Vandanam. Although prayers are a part of Deity worship, they
may be considered separately like the other items, such as hearing and
chanting, and therefore separate statements are given herewith. The
Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one who
feels influenced by the Lord’s qualities in various activities offers
