176 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 14
country or neighborhood; sreyasém—of all auspiciousness; padam—the
place; yatra—wherever; gariga-ddayah—like the Ganges, Yamuna,
Narmada and Kaveri; nadyah—sacred rivers; puranesu—in the
Puranas (supplementary Vedic literature); ca—also; visrutah—are
celebrated.
TRANSLATION

Auspicious indeed are the places where there is a temple of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, in which He is duly
worshiped, and also the places where there flow the celebrated
sacred rivers mentioned in the Puranas, the supplementary Vedic
literatures. Anything spiritual done there is certainly very effec-
tive.

PURPORT

There are many atheists who oppose the worship of the Deity of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in the temple. In this verse, however, it
is authoritatively stated that any place where the Deity is worshiped is
transcendental; it does not belong to the material world. It is also said
that the forest is in the mode of goodness, and therefore those who want
to cultivate spiritual life are advised to go to the forest (vanam gato yad
dharim dsrayeta). But one should not go to the forest simply to live like a
monkey. Monkeys and other ferocious animals also live in the forest, but
a person who goes to the forest for spiritual culture must accept the lotus
feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as shelter (vanam gato yad
dharim dsrayeta). One should not be satisfied simply to go to the forest;
one must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In this age, therefore, since it is impossible to go to the forest
for spiritual culture, one is recommended to live in the temple com-
munity as a devotee, regularly worship the Deity, follow the regulative
principles and thus make the place like Vaikuntha. The forest may be in
goodness, the cities and villages in passion, and the brothels, hotels and
restaurants in ignorance, but when one lives in the temple community he
lives in Vaikuntha. Therefore it is said here, sreyasar padam: it is the
best, most auspicious place.

In many places throughout the world we are constructing communities
to give shelter to devotees and worship the Deity in the temple. The
Deity cannot be worshiped except by devotees. Temple worshipers who
