Swami Brahm Bodhi

Gurudev, my respectful pranam. 🙏🙏

Is it necessary to use incense, lamps, agarbatti, camphor and similar items for the worship of God, or can one worship and pray without them as well?

Because nowadays, through print and social media, Sanatan Dharma is being misrepresented to such an extent that many Hindus are confused about what they should do and what they should avoid.

Answer

Worship of God is practiced in many ways, and people approach it for different reasons. Once these reasons are understood, the question of whether incense, lamps, camphor and similar items are necessary becomes naturally clear.

1) Worship performed out of tradition

What children see at home—visiting temples, lighting lamps and incense, doing ārati—they begin to imitate.
The purpose is often not understood; the tradition simply continues.
Many priests too, lacking deeper study of the scriptures, offer instructions based on custom rather than knowledge.

2) Worship performed for mental peace or to remove fear

Many people live with inner anxieties. They feel that lighting incense or lamps will please God, ward off misfortune, and improve their destiny.
With this belief, they light lamps at home or in temples.

3) Worship arising from a simple wish to connect with God

Some do not worship to avoid misfortune, nor merely out of tradition. They worship because they feel that something must be done to connect with God.
Lighting a lamp, or incense sticks seems easy to them.
This intention is pure, though still in its early stage.

4) Those who, with proper guidance, pursue liberation

A few—who receive true scriptural knowledge and genuine guidance—hold the final goal of life to be freedom from sorrow and attainment of liberation.
They long for eternal joy in God’s abode.
For such seekers, lamps and incense are neither necessary nor compulsory.
They follow one of the authentic paths taught in the Gita—
Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Japa Yoga, or Sharanagati Yoga.

So, are lamps and incense necessary?

The answer is simple:

Lighting lamps and incense is fine, to a small extent, if devotion accompanies the act;
and not lighting them is equally appropriate.

Why?
Because the primary scriptures prescribe no such compulsion, and the centre of divine grace is spiritual knowledge and inward feeling, not external objects.

The Vedic perspective

In Vedic literature the emphasis is on fire centred yajñas, in which offerings are placed into fire.
But the Bhagavad Gita declares: “The knowledge-yajña is superior to all material yajñas.” (4:33)

The Lord calls the study of sacred knowledge—listening, reading, understanding, and applying it in life—a form of jnana-yajña.

From this standpoint:

If you study the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramcharit, or the Bhagavata Purana,
then that is jnana-yajña, far more fruitful than lighting lamps or incense.

If you still wish to create a sacred atmosphere, you may light one or two sticks of incense, avoiding the regular lighting of oil lamps.

From the standpoint of Bhakti Yoga

The depth of devotion lies not in lamps or incense, but in feeling. Yet they can, in the beginning, help to create that feeling.
Surrender, remembrance, meditation, charity, service, and chanting the Lord’s name—these are more dear to God.
When the heart becomes pure, tears may arise now and then.
Two such tears have more spiritual power than two thousand lamps.

From the standpoint of Karma Yoga and Japa Yoga

In Karma Yoga, no external instrument is required.
Perform every action as an offering to the Lord—selflessly and without attachment.
This alone leads to liberation.

In Japa Yoga too, lamps and incense are unnecessary.
A single heartfelt utterance of “Rama” or “Krishna” is superior to lighting dozens of lamps.

Conclusion

Lamps and incense are not mandatory for bhakti, for knowledge, or for liberation.

If you choose to use them at first, a few points may be kept in mind:

Since they are only external aids, the use of oil lamps should be minimal (as in ārati), for accidents can occur.

Continuous smoke can blacken walls, and oil for lamps is an added expense.
That money, if used in charity—feeding birds or helping the needy—brings far greater good.

For fragrance, you may light a couple of incense sticks.

Many people offer lamps in rivers (dīpa-dāna). If the same money is given to a needy person, the benefit is much greater.

Some Purāṇas encouraged dīpa-dāna, but texts like the Gita do not promote such practices.

What does God truly seek?

A pure heart,
faith, knowledge,
love,
remembrance, charity,
service of others,
and surrender.

If you regularly study the Gita, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Ramcharit,
you will soon see that the path to God is illuminated not by external objects, but by inner feeling and spiritual knowledge.

This is not to say that external symbols must be rejected; only that they should be kept minimal.

Hari Sharanam.