Offenses in Deity Worship
In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided:
to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin
not to observe the prescribed festivals
to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity
to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's hands after eating
to offer obeisances with one hand
to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity
to spread one's legs before the Deity
to sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's hands
to lie down before the Deity
to eat before the Deity
to speak lies before the Deity
to address someone loudly before the Deity
to talk nonsense before the Deity
to cry before the Deity
to argue before the Deity
to chastise someone before the Deity
to show someone favor before the Deity
to use harsh words before the Deity
to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity
to blaspheme someone before the Deity
to worship someone else before the Deity
to use vulgar language before the Deity
to pass air before the Deity
to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it
to eat something not offered to the Deity
to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season
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)
to sit with one's back toward the Deity
to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity
not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master
to praise oneself before the Deity
to blaspheme the demigods.
Replies
Does these rules apply to Deities that are in your home or only when in the Temple?
Yes, very good question! These rules are for general in any Temple and before the Deity. These things may be slacked off for at home to be practical, yet try to set a nice comfortable sustainable standard. The keys are the basic standards, and practicality with respect and even loving consideration of the Beloveds.
Such items as high cleanliness standards are most important! A clean kitchen, clean house, clean mind, are first duties in Deity worship. Much more detail is given in Nectar of Devotion and other Vaisnava literatures. Specifics of Deity worship can be very involved. !
Worship of the spiritual master is for uninitiated, then add Gaura Nitai, then Jagannatha Swami, then Radha Krsna, then Govardhana and Silas, in order of ever higher required requirements for purity and high standard.
I keep Srila Prabhupada, Gaura Nitai, Gopal, Jagannatha, Narasimhadeva, and also Ganesh Parvati Siva on second altar at home
Every home will likely vary. Gour Nitai, Jagannatha, Radha Krsna, are Iskcon standards, though small temples may have only a simple standard, and Gour Nitai and Srila Prabhupada, Lord Jagannatha, which makes for a very happy temple generally, actually.
Tulsi devi is always worshipped, she is very merciful, relieves offenses committed by error and dullness.