Ishta Devata

[Lakshmidevi]

Namaste,

Your guys' advice and insights would be so appreciated. I tend to believe that your ishta deva chooses you and in many respects I feel that way however I also feel like I'm Vaishnav bipolar LOL. I go through these phases where it's all about Narayana, then all about Krishna, then all about Balaji. I know these are all different forms of the same Beloved but how do I know which form is the exclusive one for me? Or do I have to choose? Can I cultivate a loving relationship with all three forms? I'm so very confused on this. Please help!

Thank you so much!

Aum Hari Aum!

[smaranam]

I go through these phases where it's all about Narayana, then all about Krishna, then all about Balaji. I know these are all different forms of the same Beloved but how do I know which form is the exclusive one for me?

All of them. If He comes in Narayan form, how can you say Narayan is not for you ?


Or do I have to choose?

Let Him choose your form rather than the other way around


Can I cultivate a loving relationship with all three forms?

Yes :)

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Just for information and some background, Lord Chaitanya came to give KrushNa prema - highest state - worship of Radha-KrushNa, and this is the madhur KrushNa of VrundAvan.
Acc. to Shrila PrabhupAd, the vaidhi bhakti stage is really worshipping Radha-KrushNa as if they were Lakshmi-NArAyaN (formal).
NArAyaN form is supposed to be "all aishwarya" - full of oppulence like the King, "O Majesty" formalities. I do not think so, though.

Who says my NArAyaN or Vyankatesh Balaji is NOT all-madhurya ? Or DwArkadheesh for that matter ! My Lord and GuruDev is VAsudev (Dwarkadheesh) to begin with, then He keeps changing. He is all ages and all stages.

Hare KRSNa
om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya ~

[saidevo]

namaste Lakshmidevi.

If you can see the changeless in the substratum of all the forms of your vaiShNava iShTa devata, then choosing the form is not difficult: choose the form that appeals to you the most.

• Sweetness is the basis of all the colorful varities of sweetmeats: halwa, jilEbi, gulAb jAmUn, kAju-kaTli, dhUd-pEDA and so on. My favourite delicacy could be halwa to the exclusion of others, and yet it is no different than others, except in the external features.

• Maybe you should read something of the stories and purANas related to the three forms of NArAyaNa that have outlined; maybe you should listen to the mantras, songs and bajans about them; and you will know.

• And once you choose a form (which is an option since one can worship any number of gods), the wise say stick to him (and his consort). There should be no feeling that you would be disappointing the other formal gods by your choice.

You have LakShmI in your userid. This doesn't mean however, you should choose only NArAyaNa as MahAViShNu. Get to know (about the human features of) your iShTa devata better as you choose him, and then try to relate personally.

[smaranam]

• Maybe you should read something of the stories and purANas related to the three forms of NArAyaNa that have outlined; maybe you should listen to the mantras, songs and bajans about them; and you will know.

• And once you choose a form (which is an option since one can worship any number of gods), the wise say stick to him (and his consort). There should be no feeling that you would be disappointing the other formal gods by your choice.

I would agree with Saidevoji, and had half a mind to say the same, but what if that natkhat BAnke BihAri Nandakishore chitchor refuses to stick to a form, stage, AND age Himself ? See how He is grinning ?

If the devotee is a blank slate to begin with - then go by the shAstra, i agree.

Read Shrimad BhAgvatam, KrushNas tu BhagavAn svayam - Lord BrahmA's words.
- and the answer as per Mahaprabhu Chaitanya is to go for madhur KrushNa of VrundAvan. This is the highest stage of prema. Vraja-bhAv (vraj = 80 kos radius of Mathura where Vrundavan and Gokul lie)

Lord Chaitanya turned Narayan and Ram devotees towards KrushNa in Vraj, not even KrushNa as Dwarkadheesh in Dwarka. He says Dwarka is not the same as Braj. If you worship RukmiNi-DwArkadheesh that would not give rise to vraja-bhAv - like the selfless gopas and gopis of Vraj. He could not turn only ONE person to Vraja-KrushNa-bhakti and that was MurAri GuptA who was HanumAn in swaroop. No wonder. HanumAn wanted to see Shri RAm only, and Rukmini-KrushNa had to dress up as Sita-Ram when Hanuman visited Dwarka.

praNAm
Jai Shri KrushNa Govind Hare MurAre
He nAth nArAyaNa vAsudeva ~

[Onkara]

namasté
I am glad you asked this lakshmidevi, as this has been a question on my mind. I have found that my ishta-deva doesn't always correlate with the philosophy which resonates loudest for me. When we read the puranas or Vedanta we start to find that the roles of the devas can differ and not always align exactly with our previous expectations.

To get around this we may find we need to take an Advaitin perspective, similar to the Smarta sect, where all forms are representative of the One Brahman. So despite the gods doing different things and having different attitudes, we need to accept them as limitations of Brahman (which I don't dispute they are for some), but it still means reading any scripture (puranic or otherwise) we need to keep this perspective in mind, and that isn't always easy I have found.

Perhaps it is 'easier' not to read scriptures/puranas and simply choose to worship physically, but that is not always a choice, for me scriptures are a food and I thrive from them :)

The advice from smaranamji and saidevoji is indeed helpful. I hope to hear more on this topic :)

EDIT: Sorry, just realised this is Vaishnava, so my feedback might not be so applicable. :o

[Mana]

Namasté Lakshmidevi,

Is your devotion changing with the guna?
Do you notice why or when you are drawn to any particular light or divinity?

Light is intrinsically made from three integral parts or wave length otherwise said colours, the artist sees that they are all components of the same thing.


AUM


Mana

[Lakshmidevi]

Namaste,

Thank you so much everyone for your helpful and insightful replies. They have given me a lot to think about.

@ Smaranam

At first I thought Mahavishnu was the way he had come to me and I was happy. Then I ended up going to the Hare Krishna temple, mainly because there wasn't another Hindu temple around and really fell in love with the idea of Krishna as someone with whom you could have an incredibly intimate relationship with through the bhavas. It gave God a more human aspect I suppose.

Can we have similar relationships with Mahavishnu?


I'm getting on a flight right now... Will respond more tonight.

Thanks again :)

Aum Hari Aum!

[smaranam]

@ Smaranam

At first I thought Mahavishnu was the way he had come to me and I was happy. Then I ended up going to the Hare Krishna temple, mainly because there wasn't another Hindu temple around and really fell in love with the idea of Krishna as someone with whom you could have an incredibly intimate relationship with through the bhavas. It gave God a more human aspect I suppose.

Can we have similar relationships with Mahavishnu?
Thanks again :)

Aum Hari Aum!

Haribol Lakshmidevi

Well, then your decision is made - and a verification that Vraja-KrushNa-bhakti is the higher one.
"Can we have similar relationships with Mahavishnu?" why not ? It depends on the devotee's relationship and upto them to decide. Others may disagree. Technically, Narayan does not play the flute and KrushNa has 4 extra qualities (flute playing , madhur lila, etc.) that He does not.

First of all, these are forms of the SAME TATTVA - principle. As long as it is VishNu tattva it is not a different Deity really. It is the same Lord. (RukmiNi's KrushNa - was He two-handed or four ? or both ? Vallabhacharya's poetry talks of Vraja/Gokul KrushNa using the other two arms on rare occasions).

It means you don't have to think about Him as MahAVishNu if you like KrushNa - and can just concentrate on the two-handed flute playing Shri KrushNa.

At the same time, if you visit a temple with Vyankateshwar/Balaji, or open a temple door to be pleasantly surprised by a sweet NArayaN picture with SatyaNarayan puja going on, don't blame me if you go back into a phase :)

I would recommend shravaNa as SaidevoJi did above, (which you may be already way into) :

Shrimad BhAgavatam is the best. It is the crown jewel of purANs, and no need for a KRSNa-bhakta to read other purANs at least to begin with. You may refer to other purANs thru' the journey. An online copy of BhAgvat (http://srimadbhagavatam.com/en). Rest of the vedabase (http://vedabase.net/) by A.C. Bhaktivedanta swami (BBT).

* As a note (my understanding): Conventionally, VAsudev KrushNa bhakti is more of the bhAgvata type (chanting, saMkirtan, remembrance, mAnasi) , as opposed to pāñcarātrikī type (puja vidhi, rituals).
Further, the expansion of the bhAvs other than dAsya-servitude (i.e. sakhya-friendship, vAtsalya-parental love, mAdhurya-like gopis and queens) is explored more.


(5) Arcanam. After pāda-sevanam comes the process of arcanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. There are many books for arcana, especially Nārada-pañcarātra. In this age, the pañcarātra system is particularly recommended for arcana, Deity worship (puja). There are two systems of arcana — the bhāgavata system and pāñcarātrikī system. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no recommendation of pāñcarātrikī worship because in this Kali-yuga, even without Deity worship (puja), everything can be perfectly performed simply through hearing, chanting, remembering and worship of the lotus feet of the Lord.

- from purport by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupAd on SB 7.5.23-24

So why is puja also recommended ? In the stage of practice, vaidhi bhakti (from root - vidhi i.e. rituals) , it helps with spiritual progress. However, chanting the Holy names (mahAmantra) is given the top priority of Kali Yuga.

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nAsti eva nAsti eva nAsti eva gatir anyathA
- Brhan-naradiya Purana

Hare KRSNa
praNAm