Why did the gopis worship Katyayani? Can we worship demigods to attain Krishna?

by Chaitanya CharanFebruary 7, 2013

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Chaitanya Charan
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  • krishna dasa
    October 22, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    Srila Gopal Bhatta Gosvami compiled Sat Kriya Sara Dipika as a vaidic samskara manual for the Vaisnava. .In these book ,he quotes from purana ,about how we can substitute the worship of ganesha ,nine planetary deities and various expansions of durga with the worship of lord ‘s devotees .This is as follows :

    Gopal Bhatta Gosvami cites the alternative for the Vaisnavas according to the Padma Purana:

    ananya sarano bhakto nama mantresu diksitah
    kada cin narcayed devan ganesadims tu vaisnavah
    yatra yatra surah pujya ganesadyas tu karminam
    visvaksenam sa sanakam sanatana matah param
    sananda sanat kumara pancaitan pujayet tatah

    “The devotee interested in pure devotion to the Lord, and initiated with Vaisnava mantra should never worship Ganesa and other devatas. Wherever the karmis prescribe worship of Ganesa and the devatas, the Vaisnava should worship the pure devotees of Visnu. Thus instead of worshiping Ganesa to remove material obstacles, the devotee should worship Visvaksena and the four Kumara brothers to remove obstacles on the spiritual path.” (Padma Purana)

    In the same way, instead of worshiping the nine planetary deities one should worship the nine yogendras, and instead of worshiping the dik palas (protectors of the directions) one should worship the maha bhagavatas. Instead of worshiping the matr gana (sixteen expansions of Durga, in charge of material energy) one should worship the Lord’s consorts who are the shelter of spiritual energies.

    Also the authorities of Sri- Sampradaya, according to their Siddhanta ,considers that in the Vaikuntha planets, Visvaksena, the general or faithful assistant of Lord Visnu, removes all the obstacles and he is represented in the material world as Ganesa. Thus as vaishnavas ,we can substitute worship of various devatas with the lord’s pure devotees .

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