What is the destination of Vaishnavas who worship other Gods too?
“Harish Kumar Bhagwani” asked like this:
“What happens to souls who are staunch devotees of Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma who are also pure Vaishanva and form of Lord Vishnu in the mode of ignorance (in case of Lord Shiva). Do they go through the route of Yamdutas or Vishnudutas or some other route??”
REPLY:
You have mentioned the term PURE VAISHNAVA.
A Pure Vaishnava may respect other Gods like Shiva, Brahma deva, Ganesha, etc., like respecting his Co-Vaishnavas.
But, if one is a PURE VAISHNAVA, he will worship Only Krishna or Vishnu or Vishnu tatvas like Lord Narayana, Lord Rama, etc..
(Why Pure devotion as Krishna Himself has given boons to others? READ HERE!)
Of course, if there are Vaishnavas who worship other Gods too, they will pray ONLY for getting their blessings to get the mercy of Krishna.
Gopis worshiped Karthiyayini to get Krishna as their husbands.
This worship is not to get material benefits, but to get Krishna.
Hanuman ji is the best example for a Pure Vaishnava. He focused ONLY IN THE FORM OF RAMA as His worshipable God. He did not even worship Krishna.
This story tells how Hanuman ji was focused only on Lord Rama, not even Krishna. This does not mean Hanuman ji insults Krishna. He is just focusing only on Lord Rama. That’s all.
You have also mentioned the terms “form of Lord Vishnu in the mode of ignorance (in case of Lord Shiva)”
Shiva and Brahma are the Guna Avatars of Krishna.
(Is worshiping the Guna avatars of Krishna equal to worshiping Krishna? READ HERE!)
Krishna is the original Milk that is the source. Shiva is like curd. Curd is from Milk, but, curd is not exactly the milk.
Similarly, When Krishna takes guna avatar accepting thamo guna, he is called Shiva;
When Krishna takes guna avatar accepting Rajo guna, he is called Brahma;
When Krishna takes guna avatar accepting Satva guna, he is called Vishnu;
So, these Trimurthis are the forms of Krishna when they accept the domination of gunas.
So, they are not exactly equal to Krishna.
Krishna + Gunas = Trimurthis.
So, a Pure Vaishnava worships Krishna who is beyond these Gunas.
However, among these three gunas, since Satva guna avatar Vishnu is not affected by that guna. Whereas, thamo and rajo gunas make the milk as curd.
If you add sugar to the milk, there will be no change in the state of the milk. Satva guna is like that sugar.
(Krishna, His Expansions & Avatars – Differences! Whom to worship? READ HERE!)
Whereas when you add some curd to the milk, the whole milk becomes curd.
Therefore, a Vaishnava worships Vishnu also.
When a Pure vaishnava worships other gods with some expectation of benefits, he loses his status of Pure vaishnava.
When he prays for the mercy of Krishna even from other gods, he retains his status of Pure Vaishnava.
So, I have to take your question as two cases:
(1) If a Pure Vaishnava worships other gods for getting Krishna, he will be taken by Vishnu dhoothas if he was successful to be detached materially.
(2) If a Pure Vaishnava worships other gods for some material benefits, he is no longer a pure vaishnava and he may have to take next birth.
But, though he will be taken by yama dhoothas, he will be given so much of respect and Yama too treats him with due respects and he is given a Good next birth in a brahmana or wealthy family from where he can continue his devotion and become a Pure Vaishnava in the next birth.
A Vaishnava who was practising Krishna Bhakti, but could not attain perfection in it, will still be taken by Yama dhoothas, but, with due honours.
(If a devotee falls down, from which stage devotion will restart in next birth? READ HERE!)
Since Yama is also serving Krishna, he will never give suffering status for that soul. He will be excempted from punishments and he will be given next good birth as early as possible.
As Krishna Himself said in Bhagavatham, that devotee will continue his devotion from where he stopped in his previous birth.
In your question, if we remove al the other conditions, a Pure Vaishnava who worshiped only Krishna and Vishnu Tatvas will be taken by Vishnu dhoothas to Vaikunta.
That soul goes to Goloka if he was worshipng Krishna. He goes to other Vaikunta planets if he was worshiping other Vishnu tatvas.
You have also mentioned as Vaishnavas who are also the staunch devotees of Shiva or Brahma. Please keep in mind, a Pure Vaishnava is the staunch devotee of Krishna and Vishnu tatvas only. If he remains as the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva or Brahma, he will be given another birth to become a devotee who worships only one god and goes to the world of that god.
(Two Views on Krishna’s devotee worshiping Other Gods? Which to follow? READ HERE!)
A husband or wife may respect other women or men, but, he/ she should be personally dedicated only to his/ her spouse.
Pure devotion or being a Pure Vaishnava is also being the dedicated devotee of Krishna alone, respecting all other gods as Vaishnavas because they are also serving Krishna.
Hope you are clear now about the destination of Vaishnavas who worship other Gods too.
(SYMPTOMS OF PURE AND SURRENDERED DEVOTEES! READ HERE!)