Hare krsna, AGTSP
Can we pray demigods as spiritual masters the same way we pay our obeisance to his divine srila prabupada
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Hare krsna, AGTSP
Can we pray demigods as spiritual masters the same way we pay our obeisance to his divine srila prabupada
You need to be a member of ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT to add comments!
Replies
thank you
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
I know of other people also who have demigods on their altar alongwith God. The position of God - whether Laddu Gopal, or Radha Krishna or Jagannath deities or Gaur Nitai deities is higher than the rest in the altar. They are in the centre and at a higher level. If required, get a singhasan (throne) for them or make steps in the altar, Demigods would typically be photographs - they have to be placed on the side, touching all corners. Typically Hanuman, Durga (devi photos) occupy corners and Ganesh is on the right hand side. If you can create steps in your altar, then you may consider putting the demigods one level down, in front of the main/ presiding deities. Like how an important person is cordones off by his entourage first and then only they are accessible. If that is not possible, then keep them behind the presiding deities lining the walls of your altar.
Pranams are to the presiding deities only - they have to be on your left when you bow down - like how we do in ISKCON temples. Demigods have to be on your right when you bow down and guru has to be in front - that is the standard. But if you do pranams to the presiding deities, at that time only, you can say the names of the demigods on your altar, then that satisfies the demigods also.
There is no separate prayer required for the demigods. On their special days, like Hanuman jayanthi or ganesh chaturthi, you can decorate your altar more. Remember, your only prayer to the demigods is to make you a vaishnava, not for any material thing. If you have any material desires, that also should be asked only from Krsna.
If you have shiva linga, then you can pour water and milk everyday on the shiva linga the way you have been doing. HG Jananivas Prabhuji has allowed that.
If you have pitar (dead elders of the family) in your altar, then you have to keep them one level lower than demigod also. Advisably, try to remove them from the altar and keep their photos hanging on the walls or in your room, but not on the altar. If you cannot remove them from the altar, atleast keep them one level lower than demigod.
I hope I have answered all your questions in the best and most practical and hassle free manner.
Your servant,
Rashmi
Hare Krishna Mataji
PAMHO
I found your explaination very detailed and enlightning. However theirs an assumption to it, i.e. the whole family is into Krishna consciousness and understands the philosophy. Most of us, Indian devotess came to Krishna Consciousness from Polytheist (multi God worship) faith. SO already families will have alter with multiple Demigods along with Krishna. Now if the whole family comes into Krishna Consciousness then they will understand and rearrange, but if only some people become devotee, others won't let you re arrnage the alter (being afraid of repurcassions- cause maximum of the Inidan famileies worship today either out of fear or out of tendency to show off). For example at my home, the alter is two storied, one the base section their are pictures of demigods and a shiva linga circling round a Bal Gopal. And on he top section of the alter is deity of Demi Goddess Chandi with Ganesh deity on to her left. My parents think Devi or Mother Shakti to be the Supreme Truth (as per Ram Krishna Missions Teaching) although Bal Gopal ji is taking seva in our house for centuries. They would never rearrange the alter as per the bhagawat philosophy. So whenever i go home what I do is I try to focus on Bal Gopalji only... I think thats the only way to deal with family those who are not supportive, until and unless one is able to make his own alter at his home where everyone is a devotee.
Your Servant
Is it ok to ask the Demigods to help you protect the cows and the Vaishnava culture? I'm trying to understand. You say Mataji that it is ok to pray to the Demigods to help make you a better Vaishnava. I pray every day to the Demigods to empower me to play a role in protecting the cows and the Vaishnava culture. I also pray to Krishna that way, first. It seems like my motivations are heading in the right direction, maybe?
Thanks mataji for your detailed explanation PAMHO.
The reason i have asked this question is in my prayer room i have the deities of ganesh,shiva and others along with krsna. I When i pray to krsna every day how to respect and pay obeisance to demi gods ? In which manner i should place the deities in the prayer room.
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Demigod, by definition, is favourable to God and is a devotee of God. However, a spiritual master has to be in disciplic succession. Demigods are working in the Govt of God. They are not in any disciplic succession. Therefore, while we shuold respect all demigods as vaishnavas, their position is different from our spiritual master. We should choose our spiritual master as per the norms of ISKCON. We cannot whimsically decide that particular demigod is our spiritual master and start to pray to him as such. Nowhere in the scriptures do we find any reference of anyone taking a demigod to be a guru and progressing spiritually.
When we pray to a demigod, we can pray thinking this is a very good vaishnava and pray Pls make me a vaishnava like you. That is different from praying like that demigod is our spiritual master. Like how we will take initiation from only one guru, but pay respects to all gurus of ISKCON and try to render service to all the gurus we come across.
Srila Prabhupada is not a demigod, he is a pure devotee of the lord. When we pray to Srila Prabhupada, we should think that only, that we are praying to a pure devotee of the lord, who has given us the means to become a devotee and go back to godhead.
For arguments sake, suppose you decide a particular demigod is your spiritual master. How will you take initiation? What guru mantra will you recite? Its not advisable to get into this.
That is my opinion and knowledge of scriptures. I hope I have answered your question without offending you in any manner.
Your servant,
Rashmi