regarding Durga Puja

[Guest guest]

Some comments by Srila Prabhupada regarding Durga Puja:

 

 

Prabhupada: Yes. That is another feature of Lord Caitanya. He taught in that

instruction that there is no need of worshiping demigods. The incident is that

in India the unmarried girls, they are encouraged to worship Lord Siva

especially in the month of Vaisakha, March-April. And they will go to the

Ganges side and prepare Sivalinga, and they’ll... That means Siva will be

pleased upon them to offer a husband like Lord Siva. Siva is very peaceful and

very great devotee and most powerful at the same time. So that is the ideal

husband. So they brought worshipable paraphernalia for worshiping Siva on the

bank of the Ganges, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as naughty boy, approached them.

“Oh, my dear sister, what you are doing? Oh, you have brought so many

nice things. Give it to Me, and Lord Siva will be very much pleased. Oh, you

are worshiping Durga? She is My maidservant and Lord Siva is a great devotee of

Me. So you please offer Me all these things; they will be satisfied. You

don’t require to offer separately.” By this, He wanted to instruct

that worshiping the Supreme Lord is the appeasement of other demigods. You

don’t require to appease them separately. This instruction. Then some

girls will hesitate. Then He will curse them that “You’ll be

married with an old man having seven children by his former wife.” So

they will be afraid, “Oh, maybe this boy is cursing...” Then out of

fear they’ll offer. Then He said, “Oh, you’ll have a very nice

young husband and you’ll have seven children by him.” In this way it

was going on.

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Prabhupada: Certainly he’ll cheat. If you cannot control, it will cheat.

Mind is the friend, and mind is the enemy. If you become Krishna conscious

fully, then mind is friend. And if you do not become Krishna conscious, mind is

enemy. maya is also. If you become Krishna conscious, then she is Radharani. And

if he is not Krishna conscious, she is Durga.

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Ramacandra's victory celebration is observed in the last day of Durga Puja.

Vaisnavas are not concerned with Durga Puja. Dipavali or Divali is observed as

new years day by certain mercantile community. The Vaisnavas have nothing to do

with this ceremony but just on the last day after Divali the Vaisnavas observe

Annakuta ceremony. This celebration is the day when Lord Krishna lifted the

hill & Madhavendra Puri established the temple in Gopala.