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Re: demigod worship

From the Bhakti List Archives

J. Venkatanathan • August 27, 2000 


The Supreme Spirit, Sriman Narayana has several attributes like His Forms, Properties (This pyhsical universe & Sri-Vaikunta), His infinite auspicious personal qualities (Merciful, Very-accessible to everybody, Non-condescending, Steadfastness etc..)

All His attributes including His Divine Forms are REAL!
The Supreme Spirit, Sriman Narayaa assumes different forms like Sri Krishna, Sri Narasimha, Sri Rama, Sri Varaha etc to protect His Devotees and to bring order to the World whenever necessary.

More importantly Sriman Narayana assumes these forms so His Devotees can have His pleasant company.

But, unlike Jiva-s who are born with imperfect forms made of filthy flesh/blood/bones and in complete ignorance of our true Spirtual nature,  Sriman Narayana is never conditioned by ignorance & Karma when He takes different forms like Sri Rama, Sri Krishna etc. 

His physical form is NOT made of filthy flesh/bone/blood like ours.
His physical form is rather made of a different material called Suddha Sattva.

So if you worship Sri Krishna or Sri Rama, you are doing the right thing,  since these incarnations are  identical to Sriman Narayana in both Spirit and Form which are eternally untainted by Karma.

Rememeber that Jivaatmaa and the Sriman Narayana (= Paramathmaa) are different Spirits. So you should be careful not to worship the physical forms that conditioned Jeevaatmas are forced to take due to their punya/paapa-roopa karma-s. (Before you start workshipping a Form, make sure it is indeed an avathaara of Sri Narayana by consulting the Scriptures/Devotees).

Acutally worshipping the Divine forms of only Sriman Narayana will gradually destroy one's sins which prevent one from knowing ones' true nature, that of Sriman Narayana and nature of the relationship between oneself & Sriman Narayana.

You should avoid worshipping the Spirit and Forms of even famous Jeevas like Chathur-muka-brahmA, Siva, Gowri, Ganesha, Subramanya, Kaali because these Personalities (and their forms) are subject to Karma and birth/death of form.

- Venkatanatha Dhaasan



 bhavani nirmal wrote:
>Dear devotees:
>
>Born in an Udipi brahmin family, my favorite form of
>god to worship is Udipi Sri Krishna. I am partial to
>this form. Please advise me if I am wrong in doing
>that because I am not worshipping the Lord as Narayana
>but Sri Krishna. After all, I thought Sri Krishna is
>an incarnation of  Lord Vishnu/Sriman Narayana.  I am
>confused by all the out pourings of learned men of the
>group on worship of demi gods. Please enlighten me.
>During my course of study at the University I came
>under the influence of many who were partial to the
>Advaita doctrine and I tended to adopt their view that
>that there is only one paramatman who is formless and
>though he is called by many names, there is only One
>Supreme Spirit. No offense to any of the devotees of
>the list but I humbly seek answers.
>
>=====
>Bhavani
>
>
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