I am now in South India, and today is the official holiday here for the Ganesha Chathurthi. For this today, this is a important blog and please read this fully….
The Ganesha worship came only from the 16th Century when the sage Mutgala Rishi got a darshan of this demigod and eventually the Vinayaka Purana manifested. He even stated that Bhagavad Gita was given by Ganesha while the fact is that he is just a scribe for Veda Vyasa.
Many people get confused when it comes to Supreme God and the demigods. In our village where Sriman Narayana was first worshipped before other gods, now these ignorant people are adding Ganesha deities to be worshipped first instead of Lord Narayana. This is really bad. Vinaya (Ganesha) is a demigod who used tricks to get the first worship among demigods. Please see my poem about this at the end of this email.
According to all the highest scriptures, worshipping any one other than Lord Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not recommended. In fact in Sri Isha Upanishad, it is mentioned that those who worship demigods (devas) will end up in the darkest region of ignorance.
andham tamah pravishanti
ye ‘sambhutim upasate
tato bhuya iva te tamo
ya u sambhutyam rataha .. Text 12
“Those who are engaged in the worship of demigods enter into the darkest region of ignorance, and still more so, do the worshipers of the impersonal [form of the] Absolute.”
In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says that only those who get carried away by material desires will get attracted to demi-god worship.kamais tais tair hrta-jnanahprapadyante anya-devatahtam tam niyamam asthayaprakrtya niyatah svaya (B.G. 7.20)
Lord Krsna says, “those whose intelligence
has been stolen by material desires, follow the rules of worshiping particular devas who can fulfill their desires. Thus being swept away by their own nature, they worship such devatas.”People in this world are so mad for wealth, comfort and success in their material endeavors.
kāńkṣantaḥ karmaṇāḿ siddhiḿ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraḿ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā .. B.G 4.12
“People in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods….”
And the most horrible thing is about their final destination when they leave their body.. Where will they go? Surely not to Lord Krishna.
Many people are confused and foolishly think that they can worship any demi-god and still go to Krishna. They even argue that like all the rivers reach the ocean finally they all will reach Krishna. This is not correct. Many so-called scholars confuse the people to promote their agenda by misinterpreting the scriptures to their own way. In Srimad Bhagavatam it is clearly said that these are actually the prayers that reach Lord Krishna like rivers reach the ocean. So all the prayers to demi-gods actually reach Him.
Why do all the prayers reach Lord Krishna? Because He is the ultimate head of every god. He is the god of all the gods! Like we worship Sri Guru, he passes our prayers to his guru and so on and eventually reaches Lord Krishna!
But, will the demi-god worshipper reach Lord Krishna? Surely a big NO! We post our income tax to the post office and eventually it reaches the treasury. Do we also go to the treasury? – No! Only our check we post reaches.
So, how can we foolishly assume that any demi-god worshipper will also reach Lord Krishna? Lord Krishna Himself says very clearly about this in Bhagavad Gita,
yanti deva vrta devanpitrn yanti pitr vratahbhutani yanti bhutejyayanti mad-yajino pi mam (B.G. 9.25)
Lord Krsna says, “Those who worship devatas
will go to the devatas; those who worship ancestors go to the planets of ancestors; those who worship spirits will take birth among those; those who worship Me will live with Me.”
Where does He say that you can worship any god and still reach Lord Krishna? This sloka is so clear in black and white!
Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He is the parama-isvara, the Supreme Controller and there can never be any other controller equal to or greater than Krishna. “Iswara ‘Parama’ Krishna..” – Brahma Samhita Text 5.1.
However there are many other isvaras or controllers in the universe who have varying degrees of power over different departments of the universal management.
Actually Krishna is not even directly engaged in managing the affairs of the material world. He has delegated all these nonsense and silly things to demigods who are so fond of having power as controllers, but Krishna is engaged only in sweet pastimes only with His pure bhaktas – not with the materialists.
So, Krishna Bhakti is way and way different and is so high that even demigods don’t have it. Ordinary people simply cannot understand this.
Srila Rupa Goswami in one place mentions that if some one wants to get to Krishna Consciousness, he can seek the blessings from Ganesha, but not a permanent worship. Once Srila Prabhupada was asked in a letter if worshipping Lord Ganesh is ok. Here is what he replied,
“Concerning Ganesa worship, it is NOT actually necessary for us. But, if someone has the sentiment for getting the blessing of Ganesa to get large amounts of money for Krishna’s service, then it is alright. But anyone who takes up this kind of worship must send me at least one hundred thousand dollars monthly – not less. If he cannot send this amount, he cannot do Ganesa worship”
How did Ganesha trick other gods to become the first worshipped. Read this poem which is based on the Padma Purana story. However, think for a moment, will any ‘real’ supreme God run the race to show He is the first? For that matter even to compare with Christianity, will the supreme God be envious of other Gods?Once upon a time, there was a race in heaven
Then upon the time, gods came for the run
Whoever flew around, all the worlds once
And returned first, would be worshipped first! … (Once)
Wanting to be the first, and be worshipped first
All the gods ran, it was a great sight!
All the 33 crores, lined up to the sun
Indra head of the gods, even wanted to run!
Chandra vayu agni, varuna ganesha mitra
Surya kartik kubera, vasus sakra rutra
Every one with machines, flying over the clouds
Heaven was full of roar, shaking all the worlds .. (Once)
Ganesha on his rat, not even able to sit
Tried to run the race, but not moving a bit
Greedy to be the first, could not go a feetRan on leg with belly, thinking of a trick!
Thinking of any trick, Narada muni came
Ganesha asked the muni, was there a way to win
Narada told Ganesh, write the ‘rama’ nam
Seven times around, means going around worlds! .. (Once)
Ganesha did the same, won the great race
Defeated all the gods, got the worship first
Kartik too wanted, to be the first god
But failed by the trick, of his own brother!
Every heavenly god, greedy for the name
Every heavenly god, greedy for the fame
Why should the mighty god, fight for His glory
Why should even He, run a race in fury .. (Once)Krishna became a driver, to his dear friend
Washed the legs of guests, others feel offend
Krishna even carried, draupadi’s foot wear
Worshipped dust of feet, of the gopis dear
Did my Lord ever, hanker for any honor?
Did my Lord ever, hanker for any fame?
Did my Lord ever, run a race to win?
Do you see the real, god of all the gods?