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Thread: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

  1. #11
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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Dear Andrewoberg,

    By Hindu philosophy it is simple. We define God as the superset of all manifested creation, unmanifested ceation and the consciousness.

    We all are part of that huge superset.

    For example if we take earth as our God, then this mud, water, river, trees, plants, animals, etc are all part of the same God.

    It is like a big room with many windows of different sizes. Looking at the window and focusing on window is not the objective. But looking through the window into the room, is the objective.

    Generally we limit ourselves to the window size and shape only, which is not our objective

    So in hinduism the different gods, nature, animals are only the windows through which we see and perceive god.

    Demi Gods are only representatives of senses, actions, creations to create that devotion towards the nature, our capabilities and actions.

    This devotions lead to a better appreciation and understanding of the knowledge behind these, which is the same principle.

    The external senses bounds us to these inert objects like body of earth, body of human, body of animals, body of trees, actions, etc. These are temporary and created for low level of knowledge. Like in class KG we learn mathematics through graphics and similarly in many classes. As we move up we get more knowledgeable and leave the graphics behind.

    Only by invoking the internal senses, we move beyond these inert and move to the next plane of knowledge which is the permanent consciousness or the paraprakriti or purusha or the brahman.

    Love and best wishes

  2. #12

    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    All of the gods and goddesses; Brahma, Indra, Chandra, Surya, Saraswati, Laksmi, Durga, Ganesha, etc., are all present in the Universal Form of Sri Vishnu. As the different angas (parts) of the body of the Supreme Lord they are all entirely worthy of our utmost respect. Yet there is no need to worship them regularly or seperately. Of course, if you actually met Lord Brahma and he were to arrive at your home you would naturally offer a reception that could only be described as "worship", no matter what your religion. After he left you would worship him for the rest of your life, also accepting him as guru. But worship of Vishnu includes worship of all the other gods without an independent effort to please each one of them.

    Indeed, satisfying all of the gods is necessary..

    iṣṭān bhogān hi vo devā
    dāsyante yajёa-bhāvitāḥ
    tair dattān apradāyaibhyo
    yo bhuńkte stena eva saḥ

    In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajёa [sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who enjoys such gifts without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a thief. [Bhagavad-gita 3.12]

    It may help to look at the motive by which a devotee chooses a particular ishta-dev, or favorite deity. How respectable is the worship? Normally gods and goddesses are chosen to deliver boons. Rather than trying to decide which deity to devote oneself, who are the selfless devotees and what do they aspire to? Rather than performing elaborate pujas for her personal development, Queen Kunti asked Sri Krishna to always place her in troublesome circumstances, because she was fully aware of the fact that as soon as we are given boons, we forget God.

  3. #13

    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Thanks all for your interesting and helpful responses.

    To me, it seems logical to think that just as we are many on the practical level, but actually are One on the transcendental level, so too the gods are many but ultimately One; they just are at a different level of consciousness than we are--I see them as beings that are more energy than matter.

    Also, and this is just from my personal perspective, I enjoy doing things like meditation and pujas, and I think that if those things help me think about brahman more and focus more on Self-realization, then the true value of those practices lies there, whether or not the gods exist in this way or that.

    That said, how does one go about finding their ishta deva? (And thanks to Scott for explaining that term!) Purely through intuition or are there other ways?
    Last edited by Ao; 17 July 2010 at 01:07 AM.

  4. #14

    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Quote Originally Posted by andrewoberg View Post
    That said, how does one go about finding their ishta devata? (And thanks to Scott for explaining that term!) Purely through intuition or are there other ways?
    Namaste andrewoberg,

    There are several ways you can find your ishta-deva. One way is purely through intuition and experience. After praying and meditating to the different forms of God for a while, you may feel connected to one specific form more than others. This is largely how I found mine. Another way is to read about the different forms of God and the scriptures associated with them and you can see which form you are attracted to the most. An interesting thing that happens to some people is that they have a dream where a specific form of God appears to them and then that becomes their ishta-deva. However, I think this is rare, so don't start waiting to have a dream or anything like that.

    A good way of putting it is that you cannot really find your ishta-deva, but your ishta-deva will find you. Of course, you are never "lost" to your ishta-deva, but you get the point. Don't spend too much time stressing out and trying to find one. You will just naturally feel connected to a specific form of God over time, or something special may happen like a dream. Of course, some Hindus don't even have an ishta-deva. They just pray to many or a few different forms of God equally. That is perfectly alright as well.

    Jai Sri Krishna

  5. #15
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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Vannakkam Andrew:

    The concept of Ishta devata is stronger in some sects than in others. For example, in Smarta, you have more choices. I would venture with a bit of a stretch, the choice would be all the various Gods and forms. In Saivism, there are less choices. Ganesha, Muruga, Siva as Lingam, Nataraja, Dakshinamurthi, and Ardinarisvara would be about it. In Vaishnavism, you have Rama, Krishna, or Venkateshwara (Vishnu).

    I could be wrong, but I believe the entire concept is strongest on Smarta philosophy and worship. I know personally, as Ramakkrishna just alluded to, I spend little time thinking about it at all, and I'm not even sure which form of Siva 'm most attracted to. Depends on the day, or context.

    Aum Namasivaya

  6. #16
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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    namaste everyone.

    In searching for info on choosing an iShTa-devata, I came across this pdf document: The Ishta Devata by Pawel Leszczak at
    http://rohinaa.com/om/attachments/061_Ishtadevata.pdf

    This article says that one can find his iShTa-devata horoscopically. Perhaps Yajvan can explain this connection described in the article.
    рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдХрд░рдзреМрддрдкрджрд╛рдВ рд╣рд┐рдорд╛рд▓рдпрдХрд┐рд░реАрдЯрд┐рдиреАрдореН ред
    рдмреНрд░рд╣реНрдорд░рд╛рдЬрд░реНрд╖рд┐рд░рд░рддреНрдирд╛рдвреНрдпрд╛рдВ рд╡рдиреНрджреЗ рднрд╛рд░рддрдорд╛рддрд░рдореН рее

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  7. #17
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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    The following touches upon the general subject of bhakti, various forms of the Supreme and Ishta Devata.

    http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part1/chap5.htm

    Om Namah Shivaya
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

  8. #18

    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Quote Originally Posted by atanu View Post
    The following touches upon the general subject of bhakti, various forms of the Supreme and Ishta Devata.

    http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part1/chap5.htm

    Om Namah Shivaya
    Thanks for the link, Atanu. I found the following parts especially helpful:

    Even in the initial stages when we feel that Isvara and his devotee are separate, we must try to cultivate the awareness, albeit to a small degree, that the Paramatman who appears as Isvara is the same as the Paramatman that has become "us". If such be our approach, our love for the Lord will become more intense.

    But for the jnanin, the enlightened one, the ideal is the Godhead that has no attributes and it is in his Godhead that he is finally absorbed. Sagunopasana (worship of Isvara with attributes) is the first step towards this end.

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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Quote Originally Posted by andrewoberg View Post

    But for the jnanin, the enlightened one, the ideal is the Godhead that has no attributes and it is in his Godhead that he is finally absorbed. Sagunopasana (worship of Isvara with attributes) is the first step towards this end.
    Hi
    I wonder why the "Godhead that has no attributes" is the ideal?


  10. #20
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    Re: How does devotion to multiple gods work?

    Quote Originally Posted by Snip View Post
    Hi
    I wonder why the "Godhead that has no attributes" is the ideal?

    Namaste Snip

    To me it is very simple. To attribute an attribute to Godhead means barring the opposing attribute from it.

    Om Namah Shivaya
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

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