Is keeping the deities of Krishna and other gods together wrong?
A woman devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“My brother decided to establish a home temple of goddess Kali and he says that will be Krishna-Kali mandir (Krishna and Kali in same alter, worshipped as One). He even said that Janmashtami will also be held in that temple. When I was hearing this, I felt agitation and thought to speak out and rectify him but earlier also he blamed iskcon and we had big dispute specially me aggressively spoken whenever he spoke this philosophy, detoriates Krishna’s Supremacy and equalize everyone with Him. And even doesn’t accepts Krishna as Svayam Bhagavan but a Mahatma. Thinking about the possibility of arguments and fights, I didn’t speak anything but hearing such philosophy literally agitates and disturbs my mind. How to handle such situation?”
REPLY:
Kali devi is a form of Durga or maya who is the elder sister of Krishna.
Just because Kali devi is the form of the sister of Krishna, we should not treat them of equal status.
Kali devi is trying to bind us with this material life.
(Is Krishna devotees reciting mantras of other gods permitted? READ HERE!)
Krishna is trying to liberate us from material bonding.
Keeping two deities who have totally contrary agenda is not advisable.
You may keep Kali devi at a side out of love and care like treating our mother.
But keeping with close proximity with Krishna is not necessary.
My mother did not stop worshiping Lord Shiva, Durga though she accepted Krishna as Supreme Lord because of my association with her.
She was having the pictures of Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganapati, kartikeya, etc in the Puja room at the small left side portion of the long rack.
At the long right side portion of that rack, I have kept the pictures of Krishna, Radharani, Gaur Nitai, Narsimha and some other Vishnu tatvas.
Even after her demise, I have not removed the pictures worshipped by my mother as a memory of her.
I pray to them to bless me to advance in Krishna Consciousness faster.
(What is the destination of Vaishnavas who worship other Gods too? READ HERE!)
In your brother’s case, first let him develop an attachment to Krishna. Then, let him consider
I worship Krishna and Vishnu tatvas. As a matured Krishna devotee, I respect other gods and faiths and seek their blessings to advance in devotional life.
So, I have been keeping with all honours the pictures worshipped by my deceased mother.
Why should I remove them? They are bigger than me as they too are serving the lord. So, let them happily remain as they are in my rack.
So, my advice is:
Engage a few senior devotees to talk to your brother and explain the superiority of Krishna to him.
Just gift him a copy of Bhagavad Gita as it is and request him to read. Let him read it. That book by Srila Prabhupada will make him understand the different goals of Krishna and Durga/Kali.
If you like to keep the pictures of other gods, you can keep them at a corner side of the altar or rack.
(Why the demigods help faster than Krishna to their devotees? READ HERE!)
Don’t keep Parvati and Krishna near to each other though they are siblings as per the systems of earth. Their goals are not the same, but contrary to each other.
When Krishna is there, no other support is needed by us. Just honour everyone and be happy.
In your brother’s case, he treats Krishna and kali devi with the same status that is not correct.
Where there is Kali devi or Durga, there will be more domination of Rajo guna and hence more material attachments. Krishna is beyond all the gunas and He is very pure without the contamination thru Gunas.
So, keep Kali devi, Shiva tatva Pictures and other gods separately but respectfully.
Try to educate him about this. If he obeys, it is good. If not, just leave him undisturbed because time will educate him thru experiences.
(Becoming Krishna devotee though destined to worship other Gods! READ HERE!)