Shiva-Lingam worship in ISKCON temples despite the fact,
that Srila Prabhupada prohibits demigod worship
Exposing FISKCON: Hindu Culture in ISKCONs Facilities and beyond
(Part 1: Demigod Worship in ISKCON temples)
Srila Prabhupada stated that we should never worship demigods in His Mission.
He was always sure with Krishna alone we can fulfill His Mission, spreading Vaishnava culture worldwide with the right understanding of Krishna’s identity.
He is the ultimate supplier of everything. Srila Prabhupada actually showed by his own example that even without money, only taking shelter of Krishna, we can establish everything, spreading all over the world but have to take this leap of faith as he did.
But nowadays FISKCONs teachers like Indrayumna Swami, Bhakti Charu Swami and others are taking shelter of demigods. Today they have even established demigod worship in the temples like in New Vrindaban, Ujjain and other facilities all over the globe.
Srila Prabhupada actually spoke strongly against demigod worships, here some quotes from him:
„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 Śiva especially in the month of Vaiśākha, March-April. And they will go to the Ganges side and prepare Śivaliṅga, and they’ll… That means Śiva will be pleased upon them to offer a husband like Lord Śiva. Śiva 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 Śiva on the bank of the Ganges, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, 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 Śiva will be very much pleased. Oh, you are worshiping Durga? She is My maidservant and Lord Śiva 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[…]“
(Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa – August 4, 1969, Los Angeles)
Here Srila Prabhupada clearly states that demigod worship is not necessary at all.
Only we need is take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
Morning Walk – November 21, 1975, Bombay
“Jayapataka: Why did Kṛṣṇa have all the demigod worship put in the Vedas?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Jayapataka: They put… Vyāsadeva put all the demigod worship in the Vedas.
Prabhupāda: For the karmīs. Kṣipra bhavati… What is that? Kam kanta…
Jayapataka: Karmanaṁ siddhi.
Prabhupāda: Karmānaṁ siddhi yajanti iha devatā. Who is interested to take bhakti immediately? Nobody is interested.
Jayapataka: They can get their material facilities from Kṛṣṇa also.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is recommended. First of all śāstra recommends that if you want this thing you worship this deity, this deity. In this way, at last it is said that you can get anything if you worship Kṛṣṇa. That is said. Akāmaḥ sarvo kāma v mokṣa kāma udara dhī tivreṇa bhakti-yogena. That is for the purpose that if he wants to take advantage, material benefit from Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa bhajana will be there, gradually they will forget this material benefit. They will become pure devotee. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja became. Svamin kṛtārtho ‘smi vara na yace.“
Prabhupada here clearly says that u have everything supplied if u follow the recommended process. That is worshiping him, in his deity form. There is not need to worship demigods for getting material facilities, it’s only meant for karmis.
In the next quote he clearly states that demigod worshipers have lost their intelligence:
“You may know also that Ramakrishna’s worship of Kali makes him a third class man. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who worships the demigods just like Brahma, Siva, Indra, Candra or demigoddesses like Kali, Durga, Sarasvati, etc., are described as persons who have lost their intelligence.”
(Letter to Satsvarupa — Los Angeles 25 February, 1968)
Unfortunately many temples in America, Europe, India and beyond are worshiping demigods some daily, some on only special occasions, festivities.
To get a good a good idea about it, I recommend to watch this clip:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=B3l4nwLOHPM
To conclude it with Prabhupadas words:
“You know that we have refused even the Hindu people to hold demigod worship in our temple […]
As a matter of fact, we should not allow anyone to hold any function in our temple, otherwise than Vaisnava principle” (Letter to Hamsaduta , 10th October 1968)
TEXT 14
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā
SYNONYMS
yathā—as; taroḥ—of a tree; mūla—the root; niṣecanena—by watering; tṛpyanti—are satisfied; tat—its; skandha—trunk; bhuja—branches; upaśākhāḥ—and twigs; prāṇa—the life air; upahārāt—by feeding; ca—and; yathā—as; indriyāṇām—of the senses; tathā eva—similarly; sarva—of all demigods; arhaṇam—worship; acyuta—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ijyā—worship.
TRANSLATION
As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.
PURPORT
SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK WHY THIS KṛṣṇA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT SIMPLY ADVOCATES WORSHIP OF KṛṣṇA TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE DEMIGODS. The answer is given in this verse. The example of pouring water on the root of a tree is very appropriate. In Bhagavad-gītā (15.1) it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham: this cosmic manifestation has expanded downward, and the root is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord confirms in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds.” Kṛṣṇa is the root of everything; therefore rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-sevā), means automatically serving all the demigods. Sometimes it is argued that karma and jñāna require a mixture of bhakti in order to be successfully executed, and sometimes it is argued that bhakti also requires karma and jñāna for its successful termination. The fact is, however, that although karma and jñāna cannot be successful without bhakti, bhakti does not require the help of karma and jñāna. Actually, as described by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: [Madhya 19.167] pure devotional service should not be contaminated by the touch of karma and jñāna. Modern society is involved in various types of philanthropic works, humanitarian works and so on, but people do not know that these activities will never be successful unless Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is brought into the center. One may ask what harm there is in worshiping Kṛṣṇa and the different parts of His body, the demigods, and the answer is also given in this verse. The point is that by supplying food to the stomach, the indriyas, the senses, are automatically satisfied. If one tries to feed his eyes or ears independently, the result is only havoc. Simply by supplying food to the stomach, we satisfy all of the senses. It is neither necessary nor feasible to render separate service to the individual senses. The conclusion is that by serving Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-sevā), everything is complete. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.62), kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya: if one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything is automatically accomplished.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/31/14
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TEXT 23
antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ
tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām
devān deva-yajo yānti
mad-bhaktā yānti mām api
SYNONYMS
antavat tu—limited and temporary; phalam—fruits; teṣām—their; tat—that; bhavati—becomes; alpa-medhasām—of those of small intelligence; devān—demigods’ planets; deva-yajaḥ—worshipers of demigods; yānti—achieve; mat—My; bhaktāḥ—devotees; yānti—attain; mām—unto Me; api—surely.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
Some commentators on the Gītā say that one who worships a demigod can reach the Supreme Lord, but 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 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.
Here the point may be raised that if the demigods are different parts of the body of the Supreme Lord, then the same end should be achieved by worshiping them. However, worshipers of the demigods are less intelligent because they don’t know to what part of the body food must be supplied. Some of them are so foolish that they claim that there are many parts and many ways to supply food. This isn’t very sanguine. Can anyone supply food to the body through the ears or eyes? They do not know that these demigods are different parts of the universal body of the Supreme Lord, and in their ignorance they believe that each and every demigod is a separate God and a competitor of the Supreme Lord.
Not only are demigods parts of the Supreme Lord, but ordinary living entities are also. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that the brāhmaṇas are the head of the Supreme Lord, the kṣatriyas are the arms, etc., and that all serve different functions. Regardless of the situation, 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 Kṛṣṇa 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.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/7/23
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Udāra-dhīḥ means one who has a broader outlook. people with desires for material enjoyment worship small demigods, and such intelligence is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) as hṛta jñāna, the intelligence of one who has LOST HIS SENSES. One cannot obtain any result from demigods without getting sanction from the Supreme Lord. Therefore a person with a broader outlook can see that the ultimate authority is the Lord, even for material benefits. Under the circumstances, one with a broader outlook, even with the desire for material enjoyment or for liberation, should take to the worship of the Lord directly. And everyone, whether an akāma or sakāma or mokṣa-kāma, should worship the Lord with great expedience. This implies that bhakti-yoga may be perfectly administered without any mixture of karma and jñāna. As the unmixed sun ray is very forceful and is therefore called tīvra, similarly unmixed bhakti-yoga of hearing, chanting, etc., may be performed by one and all regardless of inner motive.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/2/3/10
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TEXT 50
svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān
na vakty ajñāya karma hi
na rāti rogiṇo ’pathyaṁ
vāñchato ’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ
SYNONYMS
svayam—personally; niḥśreyasam—the supreme goal of life, namely the means of obtaining ecstatic love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vit-vān—one who is accomplished in devotional service; na—not; vakti—teaches; ajñāya—unto a foolish person not conversant with the ultimate goal of life; karma—fruitive activities; hi—indeed; na—not; rāti—administers; rogiṇaḥ—unto the patient; apathyam—something unconsumable; vāñchataḥ—desiring; api—although; bhiṣak-tamaḥ—an experienced physician.
TRANSLATION
A pure devotee who is fully accomplished in the science of devotional service will never instruct a foolish person to engage in fruitive activities for material enjoyment, not to speak of helping him in such activities. Such a devotee is like an experienced physician, who never encourages a patient to eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it.
PURPORT
Here is the difference between the benedictions awarded by the demigods and those awarded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. DEVOTEES OF THE DEMIGODS ASK FOR BENEDICTIONS SIMPLY FOR SENSE GRATIFICATION, AND THEREFORE THEY HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED IN BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ (7.20) AS BEREFT OF INTELLIGENCE.
kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ
prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya
prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā
“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.”
Conditioned souls are generally bereft of intelligence because of profound desires for sense gratification. They do not know what benedictions to ask. Therefore nondevotees are advised in the śāstras to worship various demigods to achieve material benefits. For example, if one wants a beautiful wife, he is advised to worship Umā, or goddess Durgā. If one wants to be cured of a disease, he is advised to worship the sun-god. All requests for benedictions from the demigods, however, are due to material lust. The benedictions will be finished at the end of the cosmic manifestation, along with those who bestow them. If one approaches Lord Viṣṇu for benedictions, the Lord will give him a benediction that will help him return home, back to Godhead. This is also confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10):
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
Lord Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa, instructs a devotee who constantly engages in His service how to approach Him at the end of his material body. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” This is the benediction of Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. After giving up his body, a devotee returns home, back to Godhead.
A devotee may foolishly ask for material benedictions, but Lord Kṛṣṇa does not give him such benedictions, despite the devotee’s prayers. Therefore people who are very attached to material life do not generally become devotees of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Instead they become devotees of the demigods (kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ [Bg. 7.20]). THE BENEDICTIONS OF THE DEMIGODS, HOWEVER, ARE CONDEMNED IN BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ. ANTAVAT TU PHALAṁ TEṣĀṁ TAD BHAVATY ALPA-MEDHASĀM: “MEN OF SMALL INTELLIGENCE WORSHIP THE DEMIGODS, AND THEIR FRUITS ARE LIMITED AND TEMPORARY.” A non-Vaiṣṇava, one who is not engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is considered a fool with a small quantity of brain substance.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/6/9/50
To attract Hindu crowd of Demigods worshipers who are living abroad as shown in the Video of Iskcon Scarborough, Toronto Canada, the GBC gurus of the present Fiskcon started to accept a fair share of those people’s monetary contribution for a profit, prestige and position purposefully by clearly deviation of the Instructions of the Founder Acaraya His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada as pointed out in the article.
It’s that simple, isn’t it ?
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Excellent points made by Mahesh Raja Prabhu’s use of Shastra. This last paragraph says it all in a nutshell! Why would mudhas such as Indradyumna and Caru be encouraging this nonsense, defying the order of the Bhagavad Gita itself and Srila Prabhupada if they were NOT “MEN OF SMALL INTELLIGENCE!”
(You can disagree with any points I make, that is your choice, but you cannot argue with the words of Srila Prabhupada, which are the words of Lord Sri Krishna Himself, written in The Bhagavad Gita (The Song of God!)
And what does this say of the unfortunate fools that follow these bogus “gooroo” pretenders?…..only to conclude that such persons have NO INTELLIGENCE AT ALL!
Bogus gurus changed Srila Prabhupada books and the ISKCON institution!
https://youtu.be/B3l4nwLOHPM