Is Krishna devotees reciting mantras of other gods permitted?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna prabhuji, dandvat pranam, I am getting matured by reading your posts regularly. And understanding how easy and beautiful it is to follow bhaktiyoga and karmayoga. But I am getting confused a lot of times with doubt regarding one doubt. As you said I respect all the demigods as servants of Krishna and as Vaishnavas. We can see many pictures of demigods when we go outside frequently. There are temples of other gods also on our way.
Do we need to offer obeisances there? If yes, then how can we offer? Reciting pranam mantra at every place seems difficult in public when we are with friends or someone else. I heard from a devotee that when we offer obeisances to Krishna, It is like offering obeisances to all demigods also. But I am unable to go to ISKCON temple every day. Can I offer obeisance to picture of alter in ISKCON temple. Please help me when you get time. Please hide my name Prabhuji.”
REPLY:
Why not?
You are visiting a company to meet the chairman of that company.
While entering, you can see the peon, clerical staff, administrative staff, manager, G.M, etc.
(What if a Krishna devotee’s horoscope indicates some other Gods? READ HERE!)
Won’t you wish them with a gentle salute?
Just because you are gong to meet the chairman, will you avoid wishing others?
What kind of decency it is?
Why should we have that much of ego?
They are more advanced than us in status. We are advised to honor the
Devotees who are humans.
Then, why should we avoid wishing the demigods?
See, a devotee of Krishna should be kind and broad minded.
He should not develop hatred on anyone and anything.
He has to show his kindness and love even for a dog.
So, a Vaishnava sees the demigods as the servants of Krishna and hence he gives utmost respect to them.
(What is the destination of Vaishnavas who worship other Gods too? READ HERE!)
We give so much of honour for the lands where the lord took avatar and performed lilas. Eg: Vrindavan, Gokul, Ayodhya, etc.
When we respect those places as holy places, why can’t we honour the servants of Krishna?
A learned Sadhu sees Krishna even in the dogs and dog eaters.
So, how can he disrespect the demigods who are serving the Lord Krishna?
The conclusion is:
A devotee of Krishna can visit the temples of other gods and worship them without shyness but with the following two conditions:
(i) He should always keep in mind that Krishna alone is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(ii) He should not pray for any material benefits from the other gods; Instead, he can pray for their blessings to come up in the devotion to Krishna.
(ii) He can recite the Pranam manthras of other gods as a mark of honour, but without any prayers for material benefits.
And, though you worship Krishna at home keeping the deities or pictures of temple deities, it won’t equal visiting the temples directly. Because when we visit the temples, we get sufficient association of other devotees.
So, visiting the temples and taking satsangha in possible intervals is important for every devotee.
So, try to visit the temple directly in some periodicity possible for you. Just because you worship at home, don’t neglect the temple visit.
Hope you are clear now whether Krishna devotees reciting mantras of other gods permitted or not.
(Who gives liberation for the devotees of Other Gods except Krishna? READ HERE!)