Question: Are there any definitive rules, either from Srila Prabhupada or some shastra (preferably one used or referred to by Srila Prabhuapda) that defines the placement of Srila Prabupada’s murti in an ISKCON temple and where the SB class speaker and audience should be seated? Are there any absolute prohibitions in this regards that forbid any particular placement? How many temples out there have Srila Prabhupada on the right side of the room when facing the altar (such as one finds in Dallas and New Vrindaban)?
Answer by Romapada Swami: Prabhupada definitely wanted his vyasasana placed either with his left hand side to the deity, or facing the deities from directly opposite.
In 1972 Prabhupada came to Sydney, I was a six week old bhakta at that time, we had just finished renovating the deity room and temple room and we had placed the vyasasana opposite to the entry to the temple room to avoid congestion and the right hand side of the vyasasana was towards the deities. As soon as Prabhupada walked in he told the TP Mohanananda Prabhu to remove the vyasasana and re-place it with the left hand side to the deity. So that was a practical experience and I believe there’s some mention in a letter somewhere instructing the same placement for his vyasasana in other temples. LA is a good example of a correctly placed vyasasana.
Your humble servant,
Hari-sauri das
