for devotees ok if helps advancing in Krishna Consciousness
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Imported quote 13133 Kuvera, who is known as the son of Iḍaviḍa, was very pleased with Dhruva Maharaja because he did not ask him for anything materially enjoyable. Kuvera is one of the demigods, so one may put forward the argument, "Why did Dhruva Maharaja take benediction from a demigod?" The answer is that for a Vaisnava there is no objection in taking benediction from a demigod if it is favorable for advancing Krsna consciousness. The gopis, for example, worshiped Katyayani, a demigoddess, but the only benediction they wanted from the goddess was to have Krsna as their husband. A Vaisnava is not interested in asking any benediction from the demigods, nor is he interested in asking benedictions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said in the Bhagavatam that liberation can be offered by the Supreme Person, but even if a pure devotee is offered liberation by the Supreme Lord, he refuses to accept it. Dhruva Maharaja did not ask Kuvera for transference to the spiritual world, which is called liberation; he simply asked that wherever he would remain-whether in the spiritual or material world-he would always remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A Vaisnava is always respectful to everyone. So when Kuvera offered him a benediction, he did not refuse it. But he wanted something which would be favorable to his advancement in Krsna consciousness.
(More...) Imported quote 13994 It is said (vaisnavanam yatha sambhuḥ) that Lord Siva is the best of all devotees; therefore all devotees of Lord Krsna are also devotees of Lord Siva. In Vrndavana there is Lord Siva's temple called Gopisvara. The gopis used to worship not only Lord Siva but Katyayani or Durga as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Krsna. A devotee of Lord Krsna does not disrespect Lord Siva but worships Lord Siva as the most exalted devotee of Lord Krsna. Consequently whenever a devotee worships Lord Siva, he prays to Lord Siva to achieve the favor of Krsna, and he does not request material profit. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that generally people worship demigods for some material profit. Kamais tais tair hrtajnanaḥ (Bg. 7.20). Driven by material lust, they worship demigods, but a devotee never does so, for he is never driven by material lust. That is the difference between a devotee's respect for Lord Siva and an asura's respect for him. The asura worships Lord Siva, takes some benediction from him, misuses the benediction and ultimately is killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who awards him liberation.
(More...) Imported quote 15025 The Supreme Personality of Godhead says that as long as one does not develop the pure devotional service of sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting, one must carry out his prescribed duties. Since Bharata Maharaja was a great devotee, one may ask why he performed so many sacrifices that are actually meant for karmis. The fact is that he was simply following the orders of Vasudeva. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." (Bg. 18.66) Whatever we do, we should constantly remember Vasudeva. People are generally addicted to offering obeisances to various demigods, but Bharata Maharaja simply wanted to please Lord Vasudeva. As stated in Bhagavad-gita: bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram (Bg. 5.29). A yajna may be carried out to satisfy a particular demigod, but when the yajna is offered to the yajna-purusa, Narayana, the demigods are satisfied. The purpose of performing different yajnas is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. One may perform them in the name of different demigods or directly. If we directly offer oblations to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods are automatically satisfied. If we water the root of a tree, the branches, twigs, fruits and flowers are automatically satisfied. When one offers sacrifices to different demigods, one should remember that the demigods are simply parts of the body of the Supreme. If we worship the hand of a person, we intend to satisfy the person himself. If we massage a person's legs, we do not really serve the legs but the person who possesses the legs. All the demigods are different parts of the Lord, and if we offer service to them, we actually serve the Lord Himself. Demigod worship is mentioned in Brahma-samhita, but actually the slokas advocate worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. For instance, worship of the goddess Durga is mentioned this way in Brahma-samhita (5.44):
(More...) Following the orders of Sri Krsna, the goddess Durga creates, maintains and annihilates. Sri Krsna also confirms this statement in Bhagavad-gita. Mayadhyaksena prakrtiḥ sūyate sa-caracaram: "This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings." (Bg. 9.10)
(More...) We should worship the demigods in that spirit. Because the goddess Durga satisfies Krsna, we should therefore offer respects to goddess Durga. Because Lord Siva is nothing but Krsna's functional body, we should therefore offer respects to Lord Siva. Similarly, we should offer respects to Brahma, Agni and Sūrya. There are many offerings to different demigods, and one should always remember that these offerings are usually meant to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bharata Maharaja did not aspire to receive some benediction from demigods. His aim was to please the Supreme Lord. In the Mahabharata, among the thousand names of Visnu, it is said yajna-bhug yajna-krd yajnaḥ. The enjoyer of yajna, the performer of yajna and yajna itself are the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is the performer of everything, but out of ignorance the living entity thinks that he is the actor. As long as we think we are the actors, we bring about karma-bandha (bondage to activity). If we act for yajna, for Krsna, there is no karma-bandha. Yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanaḥ: "Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world." (Bg. 3.9)
(More...) Sacrifices, austerities and charities performed without faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are nonpermanent. Regardless of whatever rituals are performed, they are called asat, nonpermanent. They are therefore useless both in this life and the next.
(More...) Kings like Maharaja Ambarisa and many other rajarsis who were pure devotees of the Lord simply passed their time in the service of the Supreme Lord. When a pure devotee executes some service through the agency of another person, he should not be criticized, for his activities are meant for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. A devotee may have a priest perform some karma-kanḍa, and the priest may not be a pure Vaisnava, but because the devotee wants to please the Supreme Lord, he should not be criticized. The word apūrva is very significant. The resultant actions of karma are called apūrva. When we act piously or impiously, immediate results do not ensue. We therefore wait for the results, which are called apūrva. The results are manifest in the future. Even the smartas accept this apūrva. Pure devotees simply act for the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the results of their activities are spiritual, or permanent. They are not like those of the karmis, which are nonpermanent. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.23):
(More...) A devotee is always free from material contamination. He is fully situated in knowledge, and therefore his sacrifices are intended for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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