Demigod Worship
Philosophy · asked by user [] · 2009-09-14 · 6 answers
Hare Krishna,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
I am a devotee and has been in ISKCON for about 8 years.
A devotee friend of mine ( a Hare Krishna devotee in the movement for 10 years ) has been married for 3 years and he and his wife were not able to conceive a child despite many attempt.
He then went to a demigod temple (Sivan temple) and performed some rituals/atonement and 3 months later, his wife conceived.
I am confused.
1) As Hare Krishna devotees, was it a sin that my friend committed by worshipping a demigod despite being a devotee of Krishna ?
2) My sister is 35 years old and so far my family is unable to find a suitable husband for her. She is not a devotee. I was advised by a non devotee priest to go to the demigod temple (Sivan temple) and perform a ritual / atonement that has to be carried out since my sisters astrology indicates that this must done and only then my sister will be able to find a suitable husband. If my family were to do this for my sister, am I commiting a sin by worshipping a demigod ?
.
servant,
Kumar
Please accept my humble obeisances,
I am a devotee and has been in ISKCON for about 8 years.
A devotee friend of mine ( a Hare Krishna devotee in the movement for 10 years ) has been married for 3 years and he and his wife were not able to conceive a child despite many attempt.
He then went to a demigod temple (Sivan temple) and performed some rituals/atonement and 3 months later, his wife conceived.
I am confused.
1) As Hare Krishna devotees, was it a sin that my friend committed by worshipping a demigod despite being a devotee of Krishna ?
2) My sister is 35 years old and so far my family is unable to find a suitable husband for her. She is not a devotee. I was advised by a non devotee priest to go to the demigod temple (Sivan temple) and perform a ritual / atonement that has to be carried out since my sisters astrology indicates that this must done and only then my sister will be able to find a suitable husband. If my family were to do this for my sister, am I commiting a sin by worshipping a demigod ?
.
servant,
Kumar
user [435] · 2009-09-14
Kumar PrabhuHare Krsna. As conditioned souls, most of our prayers are nothing but condemning Krsna. Most of our prayers are complains and we try to change the mind of Krsna, we try to improve upon him. We ask Krsna to provide us many things which we dont have. Thats why it is recommended that when we pray to Krsna, we recite or sing a prayer written by some pure devotee like Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur or some other previous Acharya who are free from material desires.
In my humble opinion, I dont see it as a sin that your friend worshipped Shiva however I feel that it may not be very good for his Krsna Consciousness, because now all his feelings of love, all the juices which were suppose to flow towards Krsna, might be flowing towards Siva and it may become a hinderence in his Krsna Consciousness.
Hari Bol.
user [418] · 2009-11-23
Dear Kumar Prabhu,Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Sri Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer. The demigods are His servants in this material world. Because we have material bodies, sometimes we need help or have to meet responsibilities. Does being a devotee mean we disturb the Supreme Personality of Godheads transcendental lila with our troubles, interrupt His play? Even if, due to inflated ego, we consider ourselves are on the highest, purest level and have a right to bother Him like that, should the servant be asking the master to solve his bodily problems? Or do we ask His authorized servants for help? You are neither a pure devotee nor a demigod worshipper. Your friends and your troubles interfere with your service and when they are solved you will appreciate the kindness of both Sri Krishna and His great devotee servant Lord Shiva and increase your own service, understanding and feelings more. Sri Krishna is not alone, everything and everyone is related to HIm.
lowly servant of Srila Prabhupada.
user [459] · 2009-11-23
Actually Lord Shiva and his wife parvati are secondry isvaras in the service of Sri Krishna.As Maah Prabhu...has rightfully brought to your attention .When we want electricity we go to local electricity representative......However there is a national distributor for electricity.Lord shiva is the local agent .....Sri krishna is the national distributor.....Rough analogy but pertinent.So your freind intelligently saw krishnas personal representative.....and Krishna sanctioned his servants wishes....both lord shivas and your freinds....hare krishna.user [467] · 2009-11-23
Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.10A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.
user [459] · 2009-11-24
My dear..Kumar Prabhu....use the ceremony for your sister to dovetail krishna conciousness....into their demoniac existence....Recently several years ago my father died,he was a drinking ,smokin,swearing crazy demon....always gambling...His last rites was that no religious ceremony was to be done at his funeral.....Being the eldest son....from him,since my older brothers were from a previous marriage i set about making his three day tangi...funeral ...krishna concious.We cooked all day cauliflower pakoras....freely distributing them to the hundreds that turned up.We served out drinks of lasi ....kurd subjis and non-stop hot chips....all day long.All offered to krishna.....with the tomato sauce it was a big hit.....So much so that the dead animals being served were forgotten by many.On the last night i performed a Vedic fire yagna......an elaborate pinda ceremony in which every leader of the families placed a banana within the fire....While everyone chanted swaha....many times while everyone was forced to listen to the chanting of hare krishna......My children chanted the Brahma samita......for thirty odd minutes....all as the sun set on a beautiful mountain in the wonderful whangarei harbour....with magnificent sea veiws....After wards the demons were ecstatic.....they were keen to do it again....I repeat they were keen to worship krishna again.....i was totally stunned.....So my humble suggestion is introduce krishna within a ceremony before and after the other ceremony....its actually very easy...user [459] · 2009-11-24
Make it krishna concious.....if you dont have the ability get an older devotee to do it for you.