Demigod worship (CC)
Expressions researched:
"demigod"
|"demigods"
|"worship"
|"worshipable"
|"worshiped"
|"worshiping"
|"worships"
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
The present city of Vṛndāvana has been established by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas since the six Gosvāmīs went there and directed the construction of their different temples. Of all the temples in Vṛndāvana, ninety percent belong to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sect, the followers of the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda, and seven temples are very famous. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana do not know anything but the worship of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. In recent years some unscrupulous so-called priests known as caste gosvāmīs have introduced the worship of demigods privately, but no genuine and rigid Vaiṣṇavas participate in this. Those who are serious about the Vaiṣṇava method of devotional activities do not take part in such worship of demigods.
This mantra is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7)—there is no truth superior to Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. Thus only those whose knowledge has been bewildered consider Lord Viṣṇu to be a demigod and therefore suggest that one may worship either Lord Viṣṇu, the goddess Kālī (Durgā) or whomever one likes and achieve the same result. This is an ignorant conclusion that is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25), which distinctly says, yānti deva-vratā devān . . . yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām: The worshipers of the demigods will be promoted to the respective planets of the demigods, but devotees of the Supreme Lord will go back home, back to Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains very clearly in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) that His material energy is very difficult to overcome: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā.
In the Brahma-saṁhitā there are mantras offering obeisances to Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, the sun-god and Lord Gaṇeśa, as well as Lord Viṣṇu, all of whom are worshiped by the impersonalists as pañcopāsanā. In their temples impersonalists install deities of Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, the sun-god, goddess Durgā and sometimes Lord Brahmā also, and this system is continuing at present in India under the guise of the Hindu religion. Vaiṣṇavas can also worship all these demigods, but only on the principles of the Brahma-saṁhitā, which is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We may note in this connection the mantras for worshiping Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, goddess Durgā, the sun-god and Gaṇeśa, as described in the Brahma-saṁhitā.
It should be noted that unless one worships Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu it is useless to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and unless one worships Kṛṣṇa it is also useless to become a devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Such devotional service is to be understood to be a product of Kali-yuga. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that atheist smārtas, or worshipers of the five kinds of demigods, worship Lord Viṣṇu for a little satisfaction in material success but have no respect for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thinking Him to be one of the ordinary living entities, they discriminate between Gaurasundara and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such understanding is also demoniac and is against the conclusion of the ācāryas. Such a conclusion is a product of Kali-yuga.
"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me." Therefore, one may promote himself to the higher planetary systems, which are the residence of the demigods, one can promote himself to Pitṛloka, one can remain on earth, or one can also go back home, back to Godhead. This is further confirmed elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9): tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna. After giving up the body, one who knows Kṛṣṇa in truth does not come back again to this world to accept a material body, but he goes back home, back to Godhead.
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, anya-devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei bhakti parama-kāraṇa: if one wants to become a pure, staunch devotee, one should not take shelter of any of the demigods or -goddesses. Foolish Māyāvādīs say that worshiping demigods is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that is not a fact. This philosophy misleads people to atheism. One who has no idea what God actually is thinks that any form he imagines or any rascal he accepts can be God. This acceptance of cheap gods or incarnations of God is actually atheism. It is to be concluded, therefore, that those who worship demigods or self-proclaimed incarnations of God are all atheists.
Unfortunately, those who do not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and do not properly understand the Vedic knowledge accept any rascal to be an incarnation of God, and they are of the opinion that one can become an incarnation simply by worshiping a demigod. This philosophical hodge-podge exists under the name of the Hindu religion, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not approve of it. Indeed, we strongly condemn it. Such worship of demigods and so-called incarnations of God should never be confused with the pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Sometimes the Lord would go with other children to bathe in the Ganges, and the neighboring girls would also come there to worship various demigods.
When the girls engaged in worshiping the different demigods after bathing in the Ganges, the young Lord would come there and sit down among them.
All the demigods are servants who carry out the orders of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu disclosed this fact in His childhood. Out of ignorance, sometimes people worship the demigods to receive some particular boon, but actually, one who becomes a devotee and worshiper of the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to go to the demigods for any benediction because he obtains everything by the grace of the Supreme Lord. The Bhagavad-gītā (7.20, 28) therefore condemns such demigod worship:
- kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
- taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā
"Only persons whose intelligence is lost and who are mad with lusty desires worship the demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."
Sometimes we, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, are accused of not approving of the worship of demigods. But how can we approve of this when it is condemned by Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa? How can we allow people to become foolish and hṛta-jñāna (BG 7.20), bereft of intelligence? Our propaganda is simply meant to enable intelligent people to understand the distinction between matter and spirit and understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the whole spiritual identity. That is our mission.
Our position of not allowing worship of the many hundreds of demigods was confirmed by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu even in His childhood. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung in this connection:
- anya devāśraya nāi tomāre kahinu bhāi
- ei bhakti parama-kāraṇa
"To become a staunch, pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without deviation (ananya-bhāk), one should not divert his attention to the worship of the demigods. Such control is a symptom of pure devotional service."
According to the system of worship, when something is offered to deities outside one's home, it is generally not cooked food but raw rice, bananas and sweetmeats. Out of His causeless mercy, the Lord would snatch the offerings from the girls and eat them, admonishing the girls not to worship the demigods but to worship Him. This worship of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
"One should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appears in this Age of Kali with His associates as the Pañca-tattva: the Lord Himself and His associates Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Advaita Prabhu, Śrī Gadādhara Prabhu and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. In this age an intelligent person worships the Pañca-tattva by the method of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and, if possible, distributing prasādam."
“Therefore it does not behoove You to act like this. Don’t take our paraphernalia for worship of the demigods. Don’t create a disturbance in this way.”
One day a girl of the name Lakṣmī, the daughter of Vallabhācārya, came to the bank of the Ganges to take a bath in the river and worship the demigods.
They both enjoyed natural pleasure in seeing each other, and under the pretext of demigod worship they manifested their feelings.
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (BG 18.66) People do not understand this. They are accustomed to flattering or worshiping many demigods, human beings, or even cats and dogs, but when requested to worship the Supreme Lord, they refuse. This is called illusion.
When there is a river, one can take drinking water, wash his clothes, bathe and so on, for that water will serve all purposes. Similarly, if one worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, all his goals will be achieved. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ: only men who have lost their intelligence worship the various demigods to fulfill their desires (BG 7.20).
“You have achieved poetic imagination and ingenuity by the grace of your worshipable demigod. But poetry not well reviewed is certainly subject to criticism."
The word pāṣaṇḍī refers to nonbelievers engaged in fruitive activities and to idolatrous worshipers of many demigods. Pāṣaṇḍīs do not believe in one God, the Supreme Personality, Lord Viṣṇu; they think that all the demigods have the same potency as He.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is asamaurdhva; in other words, no one can be equal to or greater than Him. But pāṣaṇḍīs do not believe this. They worship any kind of demigod, thinking it all right to accept whomever they please as the Supreme Lord. The pāṣaṇḍīs were against the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and now we see practically that they also do not like our humble attempts to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. On the contrary, these pāṣaṇḍīs say that we are spoiling the Hindu religion because people all over the world are accepting Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the version of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.
We do not know why the pāṣaṇḍīs of the present day protest that we are deteriorating the Hindu religion by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world and claiming all classes of men to the highest standard of Vaiṣṇavism. But these rascals disagree with us so vehemently that some of them do not allow European and American Vaiṣṇavas to enter the temples of Viṣṇu. Thinking religion to be meant for material benefit, these so-called Hindus have actually become vicious by worshiping the numerous forms of the demigods. In the next verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms the Kazi's purification.
CC Madhya-lila
There is a discussion of the knowledge of all kinds of scripture, the establishment of the Vedic institution of varṇāśrama, bhakti as superior to fruitive activity, and so forth. It is also stated that without devotional service even a brāhmaṇa is condemned. There are discussions of the process of karma-tyāga (the giving of the results of karma to the Supreme Personality of Godhead), and the practices of mystic yoga and philosophical speculation, which are deprecated as simply hard labor. Worship of the demigods is discouraged, and worship of a Vaiṣṇava is considered exalted. No respect is given to the nondevotees. There are discussions of how one can be liberated even in this life (jīvan-mukta), Lord Śiva as a devotee, and how a bhakta and his devotional service are eternally existing.
These mellows cannot be compared to the feelings one derives from demigod worship. Kṛṣṇa is one, but the demigods are different. They are material. Love for Kṛṣṇa cannot be compared to material love for different demigods. Because Māyāvādīs are on the material platform, they recommend the worship of Śiva or Durgā and say that worship of Kālī and Kṛṣṇa are the same. However, on the spiritual platform there is no demigod worship. The only worshipable object is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore although there is no difference between a devotee in śānta-rasa or dāsya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa or mādhurya-rasa, one can still make a comparative study of the intensity of love in these different transcendental positions.
A bona fide ācārya will certainly not accept such a conclusion. As Kṛṣṇa clearly states in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.25):
- yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
- bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods, those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors, those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings, and those who worship Me will live with Me."
Only the devotees of the Lord can be admitted to His kingdom—not the demigod worshipers, karmīs, yogīs or anyone else. A person who desires elevation to the heavenly planets worships various demigods, and material nature may be pleased to offer such devotees their desired positions. The material nature gives a person his own nature, by which he increases affection for different types of demigods. However, the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) says that demigod worship is meant for men who have lost all their intelligence:
- kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
- taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā
"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."
Although one may be elevated to the heavenly planets, the results of such a benediction are limited:
- anta-vat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām
- devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api
"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet." (BG 7.23)
Lord Kṛṣṇa said, "Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods, those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors, those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings, and those who worship Me will live with Me."
“(Lord Śiva told the goddess Durgā:) "My dear Devī, although the Vedas recommend worship of demigods, the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is topmost. However, above the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the rendering of service to Vaiṣṇavas, who are related to Lord Viṣṇu."'
The Vedas are divided into three divisions—karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. These are activities dealing with fruitive work, empiric philosophical speculation and worship. There are recommendations in the Vedas for the worship of various demigods as well as Lord Viṣṇu. In this quotation from the Padma Purāṇa, Lord Śiva answers a question posed to him by goddess Durgā. This verse is also included in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (2.4), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. The words viṣṇor ārādhanam refer to the worship of Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa.
"A pāṣaṇḍī is one who considers the demigods and the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be one; therefore a pāṣaṇḍī worships any kind of demigod as the Supreme Personality of Godhead." One who disobeys the orders of the spiritual master is also considered a pāṣaṇḍī. The word pāṣaṇḍī has been described in many places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, including 4.2.28, 30 and 32, 5.6.9, and 12.2.13 and 3.43.
A pure devotee has no plans other than those for the Lord's service. He is not interested in attaining success in mundane activities. He simply wants success in the progress of devotional service. For a devotee, there cannot be worship of others or demigod worship. A pure devotee does not engage himself in such pseudo devotional service. He is interested only in satisfying Kṛṣṇa.
“A pure devotee must not cherish any desire other than to serve Kṛṣṇa. He should not offer worship to the demigods or to mundane personalities. He should not cultivate artificial knowledge, which is devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he should not engage himself in anything other than Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. One must engage all one's purified senses in the service of the Lord. This is the favorable execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities."
According to the Vedic literatures, there are different regulative principles for the worship of each of these forms. If one takes advantage of the Vedic literatures and purifies himself by following the rules and regulations, ultimately he worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11): mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Worship of the demigods is in a sense worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but such worship is said to be avidhi-pūrvakam, improper. Actually demigod worship is meant for unintelligent men. One who is intelligent considers the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). One who worships demigods worships the Supreme Lord indirectly, but according to the revealed scriptures, there is no need to worship Him indirectly. One can worship Him directly.
An intelligent person gives up the company of those who are attached to women and bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should be free from all kinds of material attachment and should take full shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very kind to His devotees. He is always grateful, and He never forgets the service of a devotee. He is also completely opulent and all-powerful. Why, then, should one take shelter of a demigod and leave Lord Kṛṣṇa's shelter? If one worships a demigod and leaves Kṛṣṇa, he must be considered the lowest fool.
“(15) The devotee should treat loss and gain equally. (16) The devotee should not be overwhelmed by lamentation. (17) The devotee should not worship demigods, nor should he disrespect them. Similarly, the devotee should not study or criticize other scriptures."
“"Those who want to be relieved from the material clutches give up the worship of the various demigods who have fearful bodily features. Such peaceful devotees, who are not envious of the demigods, worship the different forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa.""
This is a quotation from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.26). Those who actually want the highest perfection worship Lord Viṣṇu in His different incarnations. Those who are attracted to the materialistic way of life and who are always agitated and full of anxiety worship demigods who appear fierce—demigods like goddess Kālī and Kāla-bhairava (Rudra). The devotees of Kṛṣṇa, however, do not envy the demigods or their worshipers but peacefully render devotional service to the incarnations of Nārāyaṇa instead.
“If those who are attached to demigod worship fortunately associate with the devotees, their dormant devotional service and appreciation of the Lord's qualities gradually awaken. In this way they also engage in Kṛṣṇa's devotional service and give up the desire for liberation and the desire to merge into the existence of impersonal Brahman."
There is no need to worship demigods. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20):
- kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ‘nya-devatāḥ
- taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā
"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."
"A person who worships the demigods and gives up Lord Vāsudeva is like a man who gives up the protection of his mother for the shelter of a witch."
Demigods are also living entities and parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in one sense one worships Kṛṣṇa when one worships the demigods, but not in the proper way. There is a proper method to water a tree: one should water the root. But if one waters the leaves and branches instead, he is simply wasting his time. If one worships the demigods to the exclusion of Lord Viṣṇu, his rewards will only be material.
"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet."
Demigod worship is meant for unintelligent men because the benefits derived from demigod worship are all material, temporary and retractable. It is also stated in the Padma Purāṇa:
- yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ
- samatvenaiva vīkṣeta sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam
- (CC Madhya 18.116)
"Whoever thinks Lord Viṣṇu and the demigods are on the same level is to be immediately considered a rogue as far as spiritual understanding is concerned."
CC Antya-lila
"One who cannot deliver his dependent from the path of birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a relative, a father or mother, or a worshipable demigod, nor should such a person become a husband." Everyone naturally gets a father and mother at the time of birth, but the real father and mother are those who can release their offspring from the clutches of imminent death. This is possible only for parents advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
| Page Title: | Demigod worship (CC) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 02 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=44, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 44 |