Demi-Gods? I need clarification. Please help me understand.

[Niks]

Nice discussion going through. This is my frst post.

 

My father worships Lord Shiva, the foremost among Vaishnavas, who has comassion for all beings. I am a devotee of Sri Ram, but I dont think myself as spritually superior to him in any sense. In a practical sense I see him better than many ISKCON devotess and pundits elsewhere, as he doctrinated us since childhood many goodies like not leaving food tidbits in your plate, being responsible to country and society, being respectful to all beings.

 

IMHO there is lot more to sprituality than choosing which God to worship wether it be Shiva or Allah or Jesus.

 

Secondly I would like to request to not use the term demi-god, as some ISKCON followers do for Devi Kali or Mahadev Shiva or Sri Hanuman etc.

[hindustani]

Niks-

Let them use such terms,Many of us requested them but we don't see any difference,outcome of it we all know.

 

Secondly I would like to request to not use the term demi-god, as some ISKCON followers do for Devi Kali or Mahadev Shiva or Sri Hanuman etc.

 

[chandu_69]

 

Ufff , seriously this is confusing . I give up. I have tried my very best to seperate these Gods in my head but I cannot. Refering to them as demi-Gods is also very demeaning. Yes I cringe too everytime I hear it. For one thing, my family are not Vaishnavas. They worship one God, not for any material benefit. My favourite God is Krishna, but the problem arises when I have to accept that my family are foolish and stupid for worshiping another God. I cannot think of them like that. For me, this is like trying to take joy from a faith which tells me that my good parents are going to hell for worshipping the wrong "God". Where is the spirtuality/peace in this? I am no better than my parents, and I do not want to end up with an ego over my head saying I am superior and more clever than my parents for worshipping right God over "demi-God". And to be honest, I have noticed some people with such ego over their head. Sorry about the rant there but this is seriously very confusing.

 

 

Where did it say that people go to hell for worshipping other than krishna?

[ARJ]

 

Where did it say that people go to hell for worshipping other than krishna?

Not exactly Hell, but those who don't worship Krishna are not entitled for Moksha.

 

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 verse 24:

 

As all the demigods verily comprise the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord Krishna then it is natural that He is the enjoyer of everything offered to them being the sole lord of all worship and propitiation and the ultimate bestower of all rewards. The worshippers of the demigods are ignorant of these facts and hence they are na tu mam abhijanam meaning unable to know Him the Supreme Lord thus they fall back into mortal existence and are subject to birth, old age, disease and death. But those who recognise the Supreme Lord as the inner ruler within all the demigods and worship Him do not return to mortal existence.

 

-Swami Sridhar

Lord Krishna speaks the words prabhur eva ca meaning that He alone is the sole bestower of rewards in every respect. Amazingly fascinating it is that humans who engage in the very selfsame activities of propitiation and worship are differentiated and classified by the simple difference of the intention and motive by which it was performed. Some performers of activities merit paltry, minimal results such as reaching the heavenly planets and when there allotment of time there has expired they have to start all over again.

-Ramanuja

For their efforts the worshippers of the demigods eventually ascend to the heavenly planets where at the exhaustion of their merit they fall back down to the worlds of mortals by the descending path of dhumah or smoke as directed by a demigod from Pitriloka the realm of the forefathers. But those who worship the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures never return to material existence and the world of mortals.

-Keshav Kashmiri

Also check Prabhpada's translation of the verse.

So if I worship Shiva, I'm an ignorant fool who's wasting a human birth worshipping demigod & hence i'm not entitled for Moksha.

[chandu_69]

 

Not exactly Hell, but those who don't worship Krishna are not entitled for Moksha.

 

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 verse 24:

 

As all the demigods verily comprise the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord Krishna then it is natural that He is the enjoyer of everything offered to them being the sole lord of all worship and propitiation and the ultimate bestower of all rewards. The worshippers of the demigods are ignorant of these facts and hence they are na tu mam abhijanam meaning unable to know Him the Supreme Lord thus they fall back into mortal existence and are subject to birth, old age, disease and death. But those who recognise the Supreme Lord as the inner ruler within all the demigods and worship Him do not return to mortal existence.

unable to know Him the Supreme Lord...That is the key phrase.The worshippers of the demigods worship for the sake of material benefits here and hereafter and so they are granted their wishes accordingly.

 

So if I worship Shiva, I'm an ignorant fool who's wasting a human birth worshipping demigod & hence i'm not entitled for Moksha.

U will be a fool if u worship Shiva as a granter of ur wishes.But if u worship Shiva with a view to be with Supreme Lord then u will reach the god.Name is not important it is the intent behind the worship.

 

BG 9.22: But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form — to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.

BG 9.23: Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kuntī, but they do so in a wrong way.

BG 9.24: I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down.

 

 

Another key phrase here is "Recognising the transcendental nature".

 

 

Worshipping for the sake of grants is explained as "seeking the heavenly planets" in 9:20 below.

 

 

BG 9.20: Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. Purified of sinful reactions, they take birth on the pious, heavenly planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights.

BG 9.21: When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death.

 

 

Again no punishment really . You get what u pray for .

[Ganeshprasad]

Pranam

 

 

Not exactly Hell, but those who don't worship Krishna are not entitled for Moksha.

 

So if I worship Shiva, I'm an ignorant fool who's wasting a human birth worshipping demigod & hence i'm not entitled for Moksha.

 

Not so fast, read Bhagvatam

 

SB 8.7.20: The devas observed Lord Siva sitting on the summit of kailasa Hill with his wife, Bhavani, for the auspicious development of the three worlds. He was being worshiped by great saintly persons desiring liberation. The devas offered him their obeisance’s and prayers with great respect.

SB 4.6/45 O most auspicious lord, you have ordained the heavenly planets, the spiritual Vaikuntha planets and the impersonal Brahman sphere as the respective destinations of the performers of auspicious activities. Similarly, for others, who are miscreants, you have destined different kinds of hells which are horrible and ghastly. Yet sometimes it is found that their destinations are just the opposite. It is very difficult to ascertain the cause of this.

What to speak of Veda

Rig Veda 7.59.12

Maha Mrituyonjaya Mantra

We Worship Tryambaka, Who spreads Fragrance and Increases nourishment, May He release me, like the cucumber from its stem, from Mortal life, and give me Immorality.

Lord Shiva is very merciful he accepts all.

Jai Shree Krishna