Haribol mario prabhu, further to my earlier response, I have found today while reading my (Srila Prabhupadas) GITA: CH18 TX65, and I thought of your enquiry. In the purport Srila Prabhupada states That the devotee
....."One should not divert his attention to other forms of the Lord. The Lord has multi forms as Vishnu, Narayana, Rama, Varaha, etc, but a devotee should concentrate his mind on the form that was present before Arjuna. Concentration of the mind on the form of Krishna constitutesthe most confidential part of knowledge,.........
Prabhu, Lord Krishna is the cause of all causes, his first expansion is Lord Balaram, it is from lord balaram that all Vishnu Tattva emanate, these include Maha Vishnu Gharbodoksayi , karunadoksayi vishnu and also Anirudha and Pradyumna as well as many others inhabiting the Vaikuntha planets among them Narayana. To worship Narayana is non different than worshiping Syamasundar, it is a different Lila, the mantra for this is I believe Nara Narayana Nara Narayana Etc. to my understanding Nara Narayana is Krishna & Arjuna together, if you recall Arjuna begged forgivness in the gita for being over familiar with Krishna as his friend and sitting on the same seat, it is this lila that is being addressed. Lord Narayana is Krishna, simultaneously one and different.
Why in ISKCON some devotees say that I dont worship Supreme Lord Narayana, and Radha-Krishna instead of Lakshmi-Narayana?
Every vaishnava sampradaya or disciplic sucession has a particular manner in which they propagate Krsna consciousness or vaishnavism for the welfare of the entire universe. The manner in which they worship and distribute the divine knowledge of Krsna consciousness is unique to them and is in-line with their predecessor acaryas.
This manner of practice and propagation of Krsna consciousness although appearing to be external are reflective of the mood of the predecessor acaryas who are eternal associates of Krsna.
As far as tattva or the philosophical truths like - Who is supreme absolute truth, whether supreme absolute is personal or impersonal, which are the incarnations, energies of supreme truth, consitutional position of jiva, nature of material world and so on --> as far as all these aspects are concerned there is no difference among the vaishnava sampradaya.
But the details of practices which are to be performed may vary depending on the acaryas of the respective sampradayas. Like the type of tilak, the particular deity which is worshipped etc
Srila Prabhupada and thus Iskcon come under the Brahma-Madhwa-Gaudiaya Vaishnava sampradaya. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu amalgamated best of essential principles of all four vaishnava sampradayas.
Because of this any vaishnava sampradaya can relate to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. But there will be differences on details which are to be understood and respectfully accepted.
When some devotees say I don't worship Lakshmi Narayana, then it is so because lord Sri Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(LCM) through His pastimes propagated service to Krsna and gave the understanding that Radharani is the topmost devotee of Krsna and by her compassion we can attain Krsna's lotus feet.
But it is not that LCM disrespected or belittled the deities of Lakshmi Narayana or Sita Rama. In fact even when Murari gupta said I cannot give up chanting names of lord rama and chant names of only Krsna, LCM appreciated his loyalty towards Lord Rama.
Replies
Haribol mario prabhu, further to my earlier response, I have found today while reading my (Srila Prabhupadas) GITA: CH18 TX65, and I thought of your enquiry. In the purport Srila Prabhupada states That the devotee
....."One should not divert his attention to other forms of the Lord. The Lord has multi forms as Vishnu, Narayana, Rama, Varaha, etc, but a devotee should concentrate his mind on the form that was present before Arjuna. Concentration of the mind on the form of Krishna constitutesthe most confidential part of knowledge,.........
Prabhu, Lord Krishna is the cause of all causes, his first expansion is Lord Balaram, it is from lord balaram that all Vishnu Tattva emanate, these include Maha Vishnu Gharbodoksayi , karunadoksayi vishnu and also Anirudha and Pradyumna as well as many others inhabiting the Vaikuntha planets among them Narayana. To worship Narayana is non different than worshiping Syamasundar, it is a different Lila, the mantra for this is I believe Nara Narayana Nara Narayana Etc. to my understanding Nara Narayana is Krishna & Arjuna together, if you recall Arjuna begged forgivness in the gita for being over familiar with Krishna as his friend and sitting on the same seat, it is this lila that is being addressed. Lord Narayana is Krishna, simultaneously one and different.
Hare Krsna
Whatever has been said by you is right.
Why in ISKCON some devotees say that I dont worship Supreme Lord Narayana, and Radha-Krishna instead of Lakshmi-Narayana?
Every vaishnava sampradaya or disciplic sucession has a particular manner in which they propagate Krsna consciousness or vaishnavism for the welfare of the entire universe. The manner in which they worship and distribute the divine knowledge of Krsna consciousness is unique to them and is in-line with their predecessor acaryas.
This manner of practice and propagation of Krsna consciousness although appearing to be external are reflective of the mood of the predecessor acaryas who are eternal associates of Krsna.
As far as tattva or the philosophical truths like - Who is supreme absolute truth, whether supreme absolute is personal or impersonal, which are the incarnations, energies of supreme truth, consitutional position of jiva, nature of material world and so on --> as far as all these aspects are concerned there is no difference among the vaishnava sampradaya.
But the details of practices which are to be performed may vary depending on the acaryas of the respective sampradayas. Like the type of tilak, the particular deity which is worshipped etc
Srila Prabhupada and thus Iskcon come under the Brahma-Madhwa-Gaudiaya Vaishnava sampradaya. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu amalgamated best of essential principles of all four vaishnava sampradayas.
Because of this any vaishnava sampradaya can relate to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. But there will be differences on details which are to be understood and respectfully accepted.
When some devotees say I don't worship Lakshmi Narayana, then it is so because lord Sri Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu(LCM) through His pastimes propagated service to Krsna and gave the understanding that Radharani is the topmost devotee of Krsna and by her compassion we can attain Krsna's lotus feet.
But it is not that LCM disrespected or belittled the deities of Lakshmi Narayana or Sita Rama. In fact even when Murari gupta said I cannot give up chanting names of lord rama and chant names of only Krsna, LCM appreciated his loyalty towards Lord Rama.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna
Iskcon temples majorly worship three set of deities of
1. Radha Krsna --> Vrindavana Dham
2. Gaur Nitai or Pancatattva --> Navadvipa Dham
3. Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra --> Nilachala Puri Dham
But there are other deities also in Iskcon
1. Lakshmi Narayana in Iskcon Chowpatty Mumbai
2. Gopala in Iskcon Chowpatty Mumbai
3. Sita Rama Lakshmana Hanuma in Iskcon Juhu Mumbai
4. Balaji in Iskcon Pune
5. Rukmini Dwarkadhish in Iskcon Nashik