Worshiping the Demigods
We are living in the material world and every aspect of this world is being managed and maintained by intelligent persons. That is our experience here. If you go into some large department store it is not that everything is going on automatically. No. There is a managing director, and he has many department managers and all the department managers have a group of workers they supervise and in this way all the activities of the big department store are going on.
Krishna manages this universe in a similar way. Krishna appoints a managing director [Lord Brahma] and Brahma has many departmental managers who are responsible for the many different departments of the material world. These managers of the material world are called ‘demigods.’
Many materialistic persons become attached to worshiping these demigods to get some temporary, materialistic benefits. Krishna discusses this demigod worship in Bhagavad-gita:
“Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.” (Bhagavad-gita 7.20)
Less intelligent people who have lost their spiritual sense take shelter of demigods for immediate fulfillment of material desires. Generally, such people do not go to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because they are in ignorance and passion and therefore worship various demigods. Worshipers of demigods are motivated by small desires and do not know how to reach the supreme goal.
In Vedic literature there are recommendations for worshiping different gods for different purposes (e.g., a diseased man is recommended to worship the sun), those who are not devotees of the Lord think that for certain purposes demigods are better than the Supreme Lord. But a pure devotee knows that the Supreme Lord Krishna is the master of all. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is master and all others are servants. Therefore a pure devotee never goes to demigods for satisfaction of his material needs. He depends on the Supreme Lord. And the pure devotee is satisfied with whatever He gives.
I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship the demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to some particular deity. (Bhagavad-gita 7.21)
God has given independence to everyone; therefore, if a person desires to have material enjoyment and wants very sincerely to have such facilities from the material demigods, the Supreme Lord, as Supersoul in everyone’s heart, understands and gives facilities to such persons. As the supreme father of all living entities, He does not interfere with their independence, but gives all facilities so that they can fulfill their material desires.
Some may ask why the all-powerful God gives facilities to the living entities for enjoying this material world and so lets them fall into the trap of the illusory energy. The answer is that if the Supreme Lord as Supersoul does not give such facilities, then there is no meaning to independence. Therefore He gives everyone full independence–whatever one likes–but His ultimate instruction we find in the Bhagavad-gita: man should give up all other engagements and fully surrender unto Him. That will make man happy.
Both the living entity and the demigods are subordinate to the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the living entity cannot worship the demigod by his own desire, nor can the demigod bestow any benediction without the supreme will. As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Generally, persons who are distressed in the material world go to the demigods, as they are advised in the Vedic literature. A person wanting some particular thing may worship such and such a demigod. For example, a diseased person is recommended to worship the sun-god; a person wanting education may worship the goddess of learning, Sarasvati; and a person wanting a beautiful wife may worship the goddess Uma, the wife of Lord Siva. In this way there are recommendations in the sastras (Vedic scriptures) for different modes of worship of different demigods. And because a particular living entity wants to enjoy a particular material facility, the Lord inspires him with a strong desire to achieve that benediction from that particular demigod, and so he successfully receives the benediction.
The particular mode of the devotional attitude of the living entity toward a particular type of demigod is also arranged by the Supreme Lord. The demigods cannot infuse the living entities with such an affinity, but because He is the Supreme Lord or the Supersoul who is present in the heart of all living entities, Krishna gives impetus to man to worship certain demigods.
The demigods are actually different parts of the universal body of the Supreme Lord; therefore they have no independence. In the Vedic literature it is stated: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead as Supersoul is also present within the heart of the demigod; therefore He arranges through the demigod to fulfill the desire of the living entity. But both the demigod and the living entity are dependent on the supreme will.
They are not independent.”
Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone. (Bhagavad-gita 7.22)
The demigods cannot award benedictions to the devotees without the permission of the Supreme Lord. The living entity may forget that everything is the property of the Supreme Lord, but the demigods do not forget. So the worship of demigods and achievement of desired results are not due to the demigods but to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by arrangement. The less intelligent living entity does not know this, and therefore he foolishly goes to the demigods for some benefit. But the pure devotee, when in need of something, prays only to the Supreme Lord. Asking for material benefit, however, is not a sign of a pure devotee.
A living entity goes to the demigods usually because he is mad to fulfill his lust. This happens when something undue is desired by the living entity, and the Lord Himself does not fulfill the desire.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that one who worships the Supreme Lord and at the same time desires material enjoyment is contradictory in his desires. Devotional service of the Supreme Lord and the worship of a demigod cannot be on the same platform because worship of a demigod is material and devotional service to the Supreme Lord is completely spiritual.
For the living entity who desires to return to Godhead, material desires are impediments. A pure devotee of the Lord is therefore not awarded the material benefits desired by less intelligent living entities who prefer to worship demigods of the material world rather than engage in devotional service of the Supreme Lord.
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. (Bhagavad-gita 7.23)
Here it is clearly stated that the worshipers of demigods go to the different planetary systems where various demigods are situated, just as a worshiper of the sun achieves the sun or a worshiper of the demigod of the moon achieves the moon. Similarly, if anyone wants to worship a demigod like Indra, he can attain that particular god’s planet. It is not that everyone, regardless of whatever demigod is worshiped, will reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is denied here, for it is clearly stated that the worshipers of the demigods go to different planets in the material world, but the devotee of the Supreme Lord goes directly to the supreme planet of the Personality of Godhead.
If one knows that both the demigods and himself are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, his knowledge is perfect. But if he does not understand this, he achieves different planets where the demigods reside. This is not the same destination the devotee reaches.
The results achieved by the demigods’ benedictions are perishable because within this material world the planets, the demigods and their worshipers are all perishable. Therefore it is clearly stated in this verse that all results achieved by worshiping demigods are perishable, and therefore such worship is performed by the less intelligent living entity.
Because the pure devotee engaged in Krishna consciousness in devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited.
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
Related Posts
Krishna or Shiva? →
Worshiping Demigods Works But… →
Krsna and the Cowherd Boys Celebrate the Siva-ratri Festival →
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Please accept my obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Please explain why Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited temples of some demigods while He went to a tour to South India, although demigod worship isn’t recommended?
Demigod worship is not recommended or required but at the same time we do not disrespect the demigods. Demigods are all devotees of Krishna engaged in the service of Krishna. They may not be pure devotees as they must still have some attachment to the material world, otherwise they would not be here in the material world, but they are all devotees engaged in the service of Krishna. So when a devotee visits a temple of a demigod he offers respect to the demigod in regard to his relationship as a servant of Krishna.
If you read Brahma-Samhita you will find many prayers to the different demigods in this mood, offering them respects in relationship to there service to Krishna.
So when Lord Caitanya visited a place where the principle temple was a demigod temple he would visit that temple and offer his respects to the demigod in relationship to his service to Krishna.
So there is no problem offering respect to a devotee, and demigods are all devotees, but it is a great mistake to consider that the demigods are separate gods on an equal level with Krishna. And it is also a mistake to worship the demigods begging for some material benefit like a beautiful wife, a lot of money, etc, because devotees know that the material world is a temporary place full of miseries so they have no interest in anything in the material world. And the demigods themselves are in the material world, and the demigods can not give any spiritual benedictions, they are only empowered to give some benediction within their limited purview strictly within the material world.
And demigods can not give any benediction on their own strength, all the benedictions of the demigods have to be ultimately sanctioned by Krishna. So a devotee knows that Krishna is the cause of all causes, and like supplying water to the tree, if you supply the water to the roots of the tree then automatically the whole tree, all the branches, twigs, leaves, fruits and flowers, everything is automatically nourished simply by supplying water to the root of the tree. Similarly simply by worshiping Krishna everything, all the demigods and all the living entities, who are all parts and parcels of Krishna, are satisfied.
So hopefully this is clear but if not let me know and I can try and explain in more detail.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna ,I am srinivasan.who came first ? whether lord krishna,vishnu ,narayana,brahman,jesus,Allah.
Which form was alone there in the beginning ?
which god or his form was very first?
Who is alone worthy of being the very first lord (Adinath)?
Krishna is sarva karana karanam, the cause of all causes, so Krishna came first, although really this idea is material as everyone has existed eternally. It is not that Krishna ever came into being or will cease to be and it is not that we also ever came into being or will cease to be. These things have to be understood by realization. So chant Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day, strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books and gradually you will come to realize these things. They can not be understood by intellectual speculation.
Hare Krishna Prabhu. I was told that people worship the demigods to gain fast materialistic results. What I wish to know is, can I ask them to grant me Krsna prem and grant me rememberance of Krsna?
Hare Krishna Kalyani
You can ask the demigods for Krishna Prema, but that would be a useless endeavor, a waste of time. Because the demigods, like us, are also conditioned souls in the material world. They, for the most part, may be some exceptions, do not have Krishna prema themselves. So they can not offer Krishna prema to you.
So you need to worship Krishna and surrender to and serve Krishna’s pure devotees if you want to get Krishna prema. You can’t get Krishna prema from the demigods. That is looking in the wrong place, asking someone to give you something that is not in their power to give you, a useless waste of time. But a nice sentiment of course…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji,
I have a question that:
Lord Shiva, lord hanumanji etc are also considered demigods but are also topmost pure devoties of the lord which i dont think are conditioned , So is it also useless to ask them for advancment in krishna consciousness?
Lord Shiva and Hanumanji, they are devotees of Krishna, Lord Rama, etc. So certainly you can ask them for the blessing of being able to serve Krishna nicely. Not necessary of course. But yes, certainly, all the demigods are devotees, Lord Shiva and Hanuman are special cases, they are not really demigods, but general demigod, they are conditioned, they have material attachments, that is why they are in the material world.
So there is no point in asking the demigods for pure devotional service, because the demigods are conditioned souls, they don’t have pure devotional service themselves, otherwise they would not be here in the material world. Lord Shiva is different, that is a long story, but Lord Shiva is not a conditioned soul. Hanumanji is a pure devotee of Lord Rama, he is not a demigod. But general demigods, they are devotees, but materialistic devotees, conditioned souls, and there is no spiritual benefit in worshipping them, because, being conditioned souls themselves, they have no power to give their worshippers anything except very limited material benedictions.
That is why Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that fools and rascals worship the demigods, those who have no knowledge, they worship the demigods.
Krishna is very heavy on this point in Bhagavad-gita, I wonder if you have read it? There are many verses on this topic, 7.20 below is just one of them.
TEXT 7.20
kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
prapadyante ‘nya-devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakrtya niyatah svaya
TRANSLATION
Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.
PURPORT
Those who are freed from all material contaminations surrender unto the Supreme Lord and engage in His devotional service. As long as the material contamination is not completely washed off, they are by nature nondevotees. But even those who have material desires and who resort to the Supreme Lord are not so much attracted by external nature; because of approaching the right goal, they soon become free from all material lust. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is recommended that whether one is free from all material desires, or is full of material desires, or desires liberation from material contamination, or is a pure devotee and has no desire for material sense gratification, he should in all cases surrender to Vasudeva and worship Him.
It is said in the Bhagavatam that less intelligent people who have lost their spiritual sense take shelter of demigods for immediate fulfillment of material desires. Generally, such people do not go to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because they are in particular modes of nature (ignorance and passion) and therefore worship various demigods. Following the rules and regulations of worship, they are satisfied. The worshipers of demigods are motivated by small desires and do not know how to reach the supreme goal, but a devotee of the Supreme Lord is not misguided. Because in Vedic literature there are recommendations for worshiping different gods for different purposes (e.g., a diseased man is recommended to worship the sun), those who are not devotees of the Lord think that for certain purposes demigods are better than the Supreme Lord. But a pure devotee knows that the Supreme Lord Krsna is the master of all. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is master and all others are servants. Therefore a pure devotee never goes to demigods for satisfaction of his material needs. He depends on the Supreme Lord. And the pure devotee is satisfied with whatever He gives.
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
I have heard that people don’t go to the temple for a certain period of time, if someone dies in their family. This information is also given in the “Nectar of devotion” book.
Prabhu, my question is, should we also stop worshipping Krishna in our ‘homes’ during this period?
No. We should never stop worshipping Krishna. We should never stop chanting Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Dandavat Pranam
Are the rules followed by Hindus like not going anywhere on certain days or when someone sneezes, not cutting hair and nails on certain days followed by devotees also?
No. A lot of these Hindu laws have no real spiritual basis. We follow the things that Srila Prabhupada established, that were established in the param-para by Lord Caitanaya, etc.
Hare Krishna
What about atheists who don’t believe there are demigods? How do they get material rewards sometimes?
What about people from non-Indian cultures who have different names and stories about the demigods? Do they get material benefit from worshiping their version of the different demigods? Also, is the ‘mythology’ from ancient European cultures (like Greek, Roman, Norse etc…) fact or fiction?
Yes. Krishna appears and sends His representatives, prophets, sons, etc, into every society and establishes their religious systems. So all these other systems are the same Krishna consciousness that is described in the Vedas of India. But it is presented in a different language to different people generally with less ability to understand the deep philosophical concepts explained in the Vedas so they are simplified versions. The full information is in the Vedas but all these religious and philosophical systems in the other countries also present the Vedic knowledge to some extent.
As far as athiests who get material rewards without worshipping the demigods they get good results because of the pious acts they have performed in the past, in either this life or in previous lives. So if someone is wealthy, beautiful, famous, powerful, etc, then you can know they are getting the results of the pious activities they performed in previous lives. They may have worshipped the demigods and performed great sacrifices in their past lives for the purpose of material sense gratification and as a result they are born in a wealthy Western country with all facilities for sense gratification. And they forget their previous pious activities in their previous lives and use their pious credits to get all sorts of material sense gratification. In this way they become famous, beautiful, and enjoy sense gratification but in the process burn up all their pious credits and perform all sorts of sinful activities, so they will go to hell and suffer greatly in their next life.
This is the way of fruitive activity. People worship the demigods for material success, they get it, and use that material success for sense gratification and perform so much sinful activity in the process and burn up all their pious credits and go to hell to suffer
Why many people visit demigods temple every month from many year continuosly?
People regularly visit the temples of the demigods because they are stupid. They do not realize that the demigods are also conditioned souls like us. They are devotees of courses, but materialistic devotees. They want power and fame in the material world. So the demigods themselves are controlled by the three modes of material nature and are entrapped in the network of maya.
So the demigods have no power to give any spiritual benedictions. All they can do is give some material benefit within their particular area of responsibility, and that only they can give by the sanction of Krishna. So ultimately all the benidictions of the demigods are also coming from Krishna.
This material world is like a prison. And we are all prisoners within this material world and the director of the prison is maya. And all the demigods are also under the control of maya. They can give some material benefit, but only within the prison. So a prisoner may worship the director of the prison, or some of the officers within the prison for being transferred to a better prison cell for example. But that prisoner would not be very intelligent, because simply being transferred from one prison cell to another, even though it may be a little better, does not solve the problem. He is still a prisoner, he is not free. So an intelligent prisoner will not work for some benefit within the prison, but he will work to become free from the prison.
So an intelligent person will not worship demigods for more money, a beautiful wife, a promotion at work, etc, etc. Because he knows these things are all material adjustments that will not help him in his real mission, which is to become free from the prison. And the only way to be freed from the prison of the material world is to worship Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to the material world, who is not in the material world, Krishna is in the spiritual world.
So an intelligent person finds a pure devotee of Krishna, surrenders to him and serves him and learns from him how he can serve Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
I was awaiting this email to read so I feel my Krishna once again.
Radhe Radhe.
In many temples of Lord Vishnu there are also many demigods. My question is, why do people have demigods even in Lord Vishnu’s temple and worship them?
In India temples are a business, like a shop. So in a shop you have all the different things the customer’s want to buy. So in India some like to worship Krishna, so like to worship Shiva, some prefer Durga, etc. So these ‘shop-keeper’ temple operators put all the different deities in their temples they think their customers might like…
Also it is not bad to offer respects to the demigods, understanding them as servants of Krishna, devotees of Krishna. So as we offer respects to other devotees we also offer respects to the demigods as they are all devotees of Krishna.
The problem is most demigod worshipers do not understand this, that demigods are devotees, servants of Krishna, they are mistakenly thinking that all the demigods are separate gods, non-different from Krishna. Which is a great mistake.
Hare Krishna prabhu Madhudvisa dasa,
I read your all email from Krishna connect. It’s such a inspirational, motivational. It helps me to improve my spiritual level and it helps me to clear all doubts.
Prabhu I have a small question.
I am working in a private company. It’s very difficult to manage time for all. In a day we need to chant, read and service is important.
In a busy schedule if there is only 30 minutes remaining, what we need to prefer chanting, reading or service.
Hare Krishna Vijay
Chanting Hare Krishna, reading Prabhupada’s books and service are all essential. And of course it is also essential to strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication], and the advantage is following the regulative principles takes no time at all, rather you gain so much extra time by following the regulative principles. The most important thing is chanting the Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds every day, and second most important thing is strictly following the four regulative principles. Because without chanting Hare Krishna and following the regulative principles there is no chance we will become Krishna conscious. But without regularly reading Srila Prabhupada’s books we will not get the encouragement and inspiration to chant Hare Krishna and follow the regulative principles. So it is all important and we have to adjust our schedules so we can do it all. But as I said chanting Hare Krishna is the most important.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna prabhu ji, this material world, people interested worship to demigods for material benefit. Why Some kind of people not interested to know about supreme personality of godahead?
It is because people worship demigods for material benefits, for money, for fame, for a good wife, etc, etc… So they do not want to surrender to Krishna and serve Krishna. They do not want to go back home back to Godhead. They want to try to become the lord and master in this material world.
People who worship demigods are foolish materialists. They think they can be happy in the material world with the help of blessings and benedictions from the demigods. But this material world is, according to Krishna, a place of misery where there is repeated birth and death, so no one can be happy in the material world…
So demigod worshipers are fools, fools do not want to worship Krishna..
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Your revelations on demigods and their devotees thereof are nice. Like a virtuous wife, who while attending to needs of others in the family is focussing ever on her husband mentally, one must deal with the demigods in day today living, without ignoring them-in the words of Ramakrishna paramahamsa!
Hare Krishna.
Dear Sirs: Namaskarams.
I often read your emails on Hare Krishna preachings / Bhagawadgita messages with interest. As a senior citizen in my 70s, I believe there is only One God, in whatever name one calls Him in his daily prayers. Without asking for any material favors, mere prayer with a sense of devotion and discharging family life responsibilities with a positive vision and planning, one succeeds in his life.
By Hare Krishna Prayer, and above mentioned routine life practices, life needs will be given by God automatically without asking by His direction to a devotee to do this…and not to do this…. a word of vivek, to a sustainable lead of life.
A positive sense of mind when dealing with other fellow-human beings is a great invisible human asset in one’s mind and I am much hopeful, God will direct such a person every moment how to act in every circumstance of practical life.
I have experience of such critical circumstances in my life and how I overcome such difficulties with my devoted prayers to God that is:
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare ;
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
But one should have a lot of testing patience to bear in mind and one should not disappoint to achieve fruitful spiritual results by such devoted prayers to God.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krsna, Prabhu,
Is there any order Prabhu’s and Mataji’s follow to read all the books available? If so please share it with me, if not, please recommend me the order of the books to read.
Thank you,
Dev.
Hare Krishna
Order is basically small books, then Bhagavad-gita, then Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Instruction, etc. then Srimad-Bhagavatam then Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
But you can read in any order also, however you should read books from the beginning to the end in order. Like read Bhagavad-gita from verse 1.1 to the last verse in Chapter Eighteen in the proper order. And Srimad Bhagavatam from First Canto to the end in the proper order, etc.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
How can one get initiated in Accra, Ghana.
Thanks.
Initiation is not very important. Read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, follow the instructions you find Srila Prabhupada giving you as you read his books. And you will be in good hands.
Can I be devoted to RAM and krishan same time?
Yes.
Hare Krishna prabhu , pranam. Wonderful article . Very nicely explained. . Almost all my doubts are cleared when I read answers . So thank you very much from the core of my heart . I have no words to express my gratitude . Warm regards . Humbly: sudakshnasharma
It is really heart touching to know about the truth behind worshiping Lord Krishna and other demigods.
Thanks a lot for your spiritual food.
Hare Krishna!
I have a query regarding the chanting of Mahamantra on Tulsi beads. What is the benefits of chanting on Tulsi beads, what if we go on chanting mentally without it. Please explain me, even if I’m asking some thing wrong than, please correct me.
Hare Krishna Seema
You can not chant mentally. Chanting means you have to vibrate your tongue and hear that vibration with your ears. That is the point. You have to chant Hare Krishna loudly and hear it with your ears. That is chanting. Canting can not be done mentally.
As far as the beads it is for counting the number of rounds. So we take a vow to chant at least 16 rounds, so we need to chant on the beads to count how many times we have chanted.
So you should not ask all these questions. The point is Srila Prabhupada orders us to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day on beads. So just do it!
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I m not receiving ur mails since 20 days. Pls do keep sending.
I am not receiving newsletter from you since a week
I am very busy and do not have the time to write them.
The idea was just to encourage you to read Srila Prabhupada’s books.
All I have done is pick a few things from Prabhupada’s books and put them in the newsletters.
You can find much more, so many better things, in Prabhupada’s books.
Please read Prabhupada’s books…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am not receiving any newsletter from last 20 days. I didn’t unsubscribe from it. Please send me the news letters.
Hare Krishna Avinash
I am very sorry Prabhu. Right now I am too busy with so much service I do not have the time to write the newsletters. But the idea of the newsletters is to encourage you to read Srila Prabhupada’s books. They are millions of times better than my newsletters. So please start a regular program of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I have been not receiving any mail for quite long time. Have you stopped Bhagavad Gita & other news letters? Do you send Srila Prabhupda’s other books new letter like Nectar of Devotion & Chaitanya charitraname or Planning to do?
Hare Krishna Jayesh
I am very sorry but right now I am too busy to write the emails. I suggest you READ SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS. There is an ocean of nectar waiting for you there. I will restart the emails again when I have the time to write them.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
I have not been receiving newsletters for a while now. Would you please tell me whether they have not been sent ? If they have, it will probably be a problem on my side.
Thank you.
Hare Krishna Kaustubh
I am sorry Prabhu. These days I am extremely busy and do not have time to write many newsletters. I apologize for this and strongly recommend you make a very regular program of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. Everything is there in Srila Prabhupada’s books. You will find so much treasure if you just regularly, every day, read Srila Prabhupada’s books…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
That is alright, Prabhu. I shall keep reading Prabhupada’s books as I have been doing.
Hare Krishna.
Hi Hare Krishna ..
I am a devetoo of lord Krishna and according to me everything is decided by him .
Today morning in my house my Krishna photo fell down and glass broken in to pieces . I am very much sad about this . Is Krishna trying to tell me some thing or any bad effects for me . Please help .
Hare Krishna Nageswari
I do not know. It is always good for us to feel humble and feel that we are not surrendered to Krishna and we are not serving Krishna properly and always be trying to surrender and serve Krishna fully and completely. The idea is that we should always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna. That is the most important regulative principle.
So we should always take these opportunities to become more serious about our Krishna consciousness. But the main thing is you just fix the frame or get another frame and make it right and make sure it will not fall down again. That is all we can do. Just fix the things up and continue with our service and worship of Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Krishna could have controlled the whole system himself.Why did he create the demigods?
He doesn’t want to bother with the details of managing the material world. He is busy dancing with the gopis and playing with the cowherd boys in Vrindavan.
sir is it that lor dosent want to luk into the material world at all and that is why he created the demigods? then why does he take incarnations to this material world then?
thanks hare krsna.
Hare Krishna
We can not presume to know why Krishna does things or does not do things. We know that Krishna has set up this system for management in the material world using the demigods. We can not say “Why has Krishna done this…” He has done it and that is all there is to it.
Why He has done it, that is up to Him.
We can say that is what He has done and you should be happy to simply accept that fact.
If you want to know why Krishna reincarnates in the material world time and time again then why don’t you just read Bhagavad-gita. Why ask questions without even reading the Bhagavad-gita. If you would just read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books all your questions will be automatically and perfectly answered…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
My Dandavat Pranam,
I am very much grateful for your guidance to enable me to achieve the devotional service of the vaishnavas . Main objective my life is to create krishna rajya in my family and all around the environment, where I myself alongwith vaishnavas would be able to do devotional service.
Geeta,
Krishna Dasi
Hare Krishna!
Namaskar ji,
I strongly believe my Krishna is always my guide and best friend…I share everything with my Krishna first and then only I decide what to do.I had many experiences of his presence in my life(Hare Krishna!I don’t want to lose it)….But I am so sad these days because of my peers.They are continuously advising me to quit my devotion.They are saying to me :’Are you going to become another Mirabai?First of all the idea of loving God itself is a foolish thing -something that occur in an Utopia like India!And you are one such fool’
I loved Krishna from time immemorial….It’s not a kind of love that world understand…Even I can’t resist myself from it.No one is as reliable as a friend as Krishna…One of my grandmothers is insisting me to worship demigods so that I can make my peers happy!I respect every Gods but worshipping them for forgetting Krishna is painful
Prabhuji if Krishna is there than why so serious murder,rape,news like father rape her daughter,politician earn black money & a innocent is paying why this happens
Hare Krishna Amit
Krishna is there but Krishna gives us a little independence. Krishna is not controlling what we do. He has given us a little independence. So when we misuse this independence it is us that creates all these terrible things. It is nothing to do with Krishna. It is the result of us misusing our little independence.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you very much for the wonderful post…
Hare Krsna Prabhu Ji!
I have a question for you, i have been chanting the mahamantra for a moment but due to some lackness in me i stopped chanting since a few days and i don\’t know why this happen to me everytime like this i keepchanting for a moment and then i stopped it seems like something prevent me from chanting and even if i do not want to stop my japa i did it however and this make me very upset and i don\’t know what to do i live very far from Krsna\’s temple and i do not have any association of devotees and i have just you to whom i can talk, The only association is that i listen to Prabhupada\’s lecture on itunes and read the books of Prabhupada and other powerful devotees who are very advanced in Bhakti. But even though i do not chant my japa regularly i always think of Krsna everyday without fail He is always on my mind whatever i do. So please help me prabhuji to come out of this problem because this situation make me very sad always because i always want to chant the holy name of Krsna.
Thanks a lot for your kind help prabhu ji.
Sincerely
D. SOMAROO
( And thanks also for sending me the informations about Krsna because i always read your post)
Hare Krishna Danesram
I am not aware of any great devotees who are very advanced in Bhakti like Srila Prabhupada. So I suggest you concentrate on reading Srila Prabhupada’s books only. This may be part of your problem. Reading bogus books. These days, in Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, we have to recognize that in reality almost everyone who is presenting themselves as a religious leader or guru is actually a demon who is really in the guru business for some personal benefit. So we know Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee of Krishna, and we know that pure devotees of Krishna are very, very rare. And Srila Prabhupada has given us so many books and audio and video recordings. Enough so that we can remain absorbed in Krishna consciousness for our entire lives and still not finish what Prabhupada has given us. So do not worry about reading any books except Srila Prabhupada’s books. And become determined to read ALL of Srila Prabhupada’s books. That in itself will solve 99% of your problems. Read only Prabhupada’s books and read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
And as far as chanting japa you simply have to become determined to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and DO IT. Do not expect that it will be easy. There will be so many distractions and your mind will always be giving you reasons not to chant Hare Krishna and to stop chanting Hare Krishna when you have started. That is maya. So we have to be determined and keep on chanting Hare Krishna in spite of all the obstacles put in our path by maya.
It is up to you. You just have to be determined to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and do it. It is not difficult. It simply requires determination and you just have to do it.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Prabhuji!
Jay Prabhupada!
Thanks a lot for your good and kind advises i will surely do as you have said. And i read always Prabhupada’s books i do not have any taste for any other books which do not have any connection with Krsna. I always bought only Krsna’s book since my very young age and i never bought a book which have only material histories, because its never attracted me.
Jay Prabhupada
D. SOMAROO
Dear Madhudvisaji,
All Glories to srila Prabhupada.
I have been visiting your site for last five months and I started following all the regulative four rules & 16 rounds of beads daily for last 15 days. I given up onion,garlic & tea completely and visits Iskon temple on sunday if possible.I have to travel few days in amonth where I have to eat sometimes onion & garlic. I offer food to Krishna at home but what to do when I am travelling?
I have been offering Milk to Lord shiva event today and following Krishna conscioussness. I dont’ want material benefit from shiva. Because I have been offering to shiva for last few years so my mind is not ready to accept to stop visiting Shiva’s temple. What should i do?
Hare Krishna Jayesh
When traveling you can make some arrangement for cooking some rice or simple thing. Or if it is for short time you can take some prasadam from home with you. You just have to make the arrangement so you only ever eat Krishna prasadam. Nothing else. The real point is not garlic, etc. The real point is that we can only accept Krishna prasadam. Of course garlic, onions, meat, fish, etc, they can not be offered to Krishna, so if we only accept Krishna prasadam we will automatically never accept these things.
As far as offing milk to Lord Shiva, worshiping Lord Shiva is not necessary but if you worship Lord Shiva as the greatest Vaisnava, as a great devotee of Lord Krishna, then that is the correct understanding. It is not that Lord Shiva is on an equal level with Lord Krishna. No. Lord Shiva is a devotee of Lord Krishna. So if you worship in this mood it is OK. There is one prayer to Lord Shiva in Brahma-samhita. You could offer this prayer to Lord Shiva.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
yes. I agree krishna is the supreme.. but I also feel sometimes. .that he does not bless anyone with material benefits…and that is sad…I also don\’t like asking krishna for material benefits.. but sometimes I do..and also feel he never gives!!… but why not? But I also see him like my father..and feel whats wrong in asking your father for something you desire..ya..A pure devotee would not ask for such mundane benefits.. but when krishna has assigned say for example shiva for getting a good husband..why can we not pray to shiva for that particular thing? After all krishna has assigned him for that duty!… Asking for a good husband or wife is not wrong.. Infact people spend majority of their lives with their spouses and hence it\’s important to have a good partner.. so that things remain peaceful and we can direct our energies to krishna…
I don\’t know .. I have this doubt.. Please clarify it for me…
Only men with no intelligence will go to the demigods to ask for materialistic things. You can read the Bhagavad-gita and see all of Lord Krishna’s instructions in this regard. Devotees do not ask Lord Krishna for any materialistic things. They do not care about materialistic things for their own benefit.
Anyhow what can I say. You have to become a devotee and understand the feelings of a devotee yourself. Otherwise how will you understand the feelings of a devotee?