Growing up in a Hindu household, one is introduced to several gods, and from early childhood, taught to respect them through simple acts of worship, reciting mantras, visiting temples, observing vows, festivals, and so on. Typically, the family deity (kula devī or devatā), believed to be the primary benefactor of the family or the clan, is accorded a special place in daily worship. Yet, in general, all gods are revered with equal devotion, without much thought given to their distinctions.
The impressions formed during one’s early upbringing become embedded in one’s saṁskāra, shaping personal values and one’s identity. These saṁskāras are, in fact, the worldly roots of our present life. Alongside language, family and community, cultural traditions and customs, ancestral land and heirlooms, the family deities and their temples, they form powerful ropes of attachment that bind one to bodily identity. The plane of the ātmā, however, is beyond material concerns, and under the shelter of a real sādhu one can easily cut the strong ropes of attachment.
Speaking of his lack of acquaintance with the Hindu culture, Swāmī Sadānanda (Ernst-Georg Schulze), a German disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswatī, recalls the following exchange with his Gurudeva—
Once when I felt sad, because I hadn’t been raised as a Hindu in India and didn’t have the inner associations that every Hindu has together with the concepts deva, devi, avatara, bhakti etc., he was even angry and said: “You missed nothing. It is a blessing that you did not imbibe all these associated ideas. You would have learned only wrong things. There is nothing to be learned from people, poets etc. You have to learn from God directly – i.e. what God teaches in His Own words.”
The answer by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī highlights the self-sufficiency of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, transcending all external considerations related to the material body. The ultimate goal of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is rarely achieved in this material world, where the jīvātmās take birth in pursuit of material enjoyment. In this regard, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa says the following —
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. (BG 7.19)
Unlike lower life forms, human life which is endowed with higher intelligence, is one of propriety, accountability, and offers an opportunity to understand God. Therefore, the Vedic scriptures prescribe a general standard of human behaviour, as well as the means to achieve a variety of worldly goals (bhukti), yogic perfections (siddhi), and liberation (mukti). Though contrary to the intrinsic nature of the ātmā, these associated ideas have nonetheless gained wide acceptance in broader Hindu society. Most of these associated ideas incorporate worship of other gods and goddesses apart from Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa, in their traditions.
Originally, since creation, followers of the Vedic religion, mainly seeking material well-being, have worshipped various gods and goddesses, to fulfill obligations as per the Vedic injunctions. The role of other gods and goddesses is deeply woven within the daily lives of the Hindus, and it is hard to imagine any tradition or custom without them.
As Kṛṣṇa mentions in the Bhagavad Gītā, there is an established system in the material world for the distribution of material resources. Many administrative gods preside over different aspects of the material world as care takers. Directed by the laws of material nature (prakṛti), they are bound to supply the necessities of life, and in return the people express their gratitude to them by offering oblations, observing ceremonies in their honour, and so on.
Due to their position of authority, the gods also have the power to grant special worldly boons to their devotees who propitiate them through vows, penances, regular worship, or sacrifices. Further, they are also invoked in elaborate rituals prescribed in the karmakāṇḍa section of the Vedic scriptures, that grant pious merits (puṇya) for temporary higher enjoyments in heavenly planets (svargaloka).
As Arjuna emphasises in the Gītā, traditions do help maintain a basic standard of a theistic moral life, but sadly, modernity has eroded many traditions, while the ones that remain are often followed simply to keep age-old customs alive, or for social conformity, or to preserve well-being, or just out of fear of misfortune, rather than inspired by a genuine understanding.
While inquiring from His father Nanda Mahārāja the reason why they were performing the sacrifice for Indra, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa remarked the following—
jñatvājñātvā ca karmāṇi
jano ’yam anutiṣṭhati
viduṣaḥ karma-siddhiḥ syād
yathā nāviduṣo bhavet
When people in this world perform activities, sometimes they understand what they are doing and sometimes they don’t. Those who know what they are doing achieve success in their work, whereas ignorant people do not. (SB 10.24.6)
Traditions, though helpful, can also create some inertia due to material attachment, that may prevent one from going any further than the established social norms, or fully understanding the underlying truth.
For instance, although it may look as if the administrative gods are the final authority, the real source of their power lies with Kṛṣṇa alone, and ultimately all benefits are indirectly granted by Him alone—mayaiva vihitān hi tān. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā (9.23), “Whatever one may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kuntī, is really meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding (avidhi pūrvakaṁ).”
One might argue that the established traditions around worshipping other gods, are a part of one’s sva-dharma or prescribed duties, and that Kṛṣṇa encourages us to adhere to it when he says, “He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination” (BG 16.23).
While this statement is best understood as Kṛṣṇa’s blessing meant to help us uphold theistic standards of human life by following one’s sva-dharma, one must know that the ultimate aim of doing one’s duty is to please the supreme lord Harī — svānuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇaṁ (SB 1.2.13). However, this type of devotion is mixed with fruitive activities (karma-miṣra), and not considered pure (śuddha).
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.2.6) declares that the ātmā has a higher, intrinsic duty—pure devotion to the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa—which is both causeless (ahaitukī) and uninterrupted (apratihatā). This absolute duty (para-dharma) takes full precedence, and stands above all duties relative to material identities of varṇa and āśrama.
As Kṛṣṇa continues with his enlightening discourse to Arjuna, He does recommend full surrender when He says, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja — Abandon all varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Me alone (BG 18.66). He also assures us that He will absolve us of all sins that may arise out of not doing our prescribed duties (aham tvām sarva papebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi ma sucaḥ).
But the real question here is whether we are ready to take a leap of faith and fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or continue with our prescribed duties including the worship of other gods. In the Bhāgavata we find some guidance regarding this question within the conversation between Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Uddhava. Kṛṣṇa says —
tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta
na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā
śraddhā yāvan na jāyate
As long as one does not become detached from fruitive activities or has not awakened his faith (śraddha) in hearing topics about Me, one must perform one’s prescribed duties (karma). (SB 11.20.9)
Kṛṣṇa makes this statement to prevent people from giving up their prescribed duties and approaching Him without genuine śraddha. After all, as stated in the Gītā (17.28), doing anything without śraddha, will be asat (false) and useless both for this life or the next.
Sūta Goswāmī goes a step further and says that to perform one’s occupational duties (sva-dharma) is useless labour (śrama eva hi kevalam) if they don’t awaken attraction towards the topics of the supreme lord, Viṣṇu—dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).
In Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, referring the above verse, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defines the word śraddha in the following way —
‘śraddhā’-śabde--viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya
kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya
By rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called śraddhā. (CC Madhya, 22.62)
In support of the above statement, He quotes the following verse from the Bhāgavata —
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā
By pouring water on the root of a tree, one automatically satisfies the trunk, branches and twigs. Similarly, by supplying food to the stomach, where it nourishes the life air, one satisfies all the senses. In the same way, by worshiping Kṛṣṇa and rendering Him service, one automatically satisfies all the demigods. (SB 4.31.14)
The exclusive devotees of Kṛṣṇa (ananya-bhaktas), protected under His shelter, are never indebted to anybody in this material world who may generally be considered as benefactors—such as other gods, sages, ancestors, or even parents—because all such duties are fulfilled through their singular devotion to the Supreme Lord.
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
One who has given up all material duties and taken full shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, who gives shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even one’s forefathers who have passed away. (SB 11.5.41)
Kṛṣṇa has assured us in many ways that He will protect His exclusive devotees.—mā śucaḥ (‘Do not worry’), yogakṣemaṁ vahāmyaham (‘I will see to your welfare’), na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (‘My devotees never perish’), and even aham bhakta-parādhīno (‘I am subservient to My devotees’). True to His word, He has fulfilled these promises countless times in His pastimes, being naturally affectionate towards them (bhakta-vatsala).
Just to show to the world, how far He is ready to go to shelter His devotees, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed the govardhana-līla. First, He persuaded Nanda Mahārāja and his clan with clear reasoning to abandon the annual sacrifice for Indra and worship Govardhana Hill instead. Later, when Indra, enraged, flooded Gokula with torrential rains, Kṛṣṇa sheltered all the inhabitants of the village by lifting Govardhana Hill with the little finger of His left hand.
deve varṣati yajña-viplava-ruṣā vajrāsma-varṣānilaiḥ
sīdat-pāla-paśu-striy ātma-śaraṇaṁ dṛṣṭvānukampy utsmayan
utpāṭyaika-kareṇa śailam abalo līlocchilīndhraṁ yathā
bibhrad goṣṭham apān mahendra-mada-bhit prīyān na indro gavām
Indra became angry when his sacrifice was disrupted, and thus he caused rain and hail to fall on Gokula, accompanied by lightning and powerful winds, all of which brought great suffering to the cowherds, animals and women there. When Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is by nature always compassionate, saw the condition of those who had only Him as their shelter, He smiled broadly and lifted Govardhana Hill with one hand, just as a small child picks up a mushroom to play with it. Holding up the hill, He protected the cowherd community. May He, Govinda, the Lord of the cows and the destroyer of Indra’s false pride, be pleased with us. (SB 10.26.25)
The material world is by nature full of calamities, yet the devotees of Kṛṣṇa recognize them as signs of the Lord’s arrival and embrace them without hesitation. Kunti devi in her heart-warming prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa recalls how the Lord saw them through desperate situations, and wishes that those calamities may appear again and again so that the Lord never leaves them—
viṣān mahāgneḥ puruṣāda-darśanād
asat-sabhāyā vana-vāsa-kṛcchrataḥ
mṛdhe mṛdhe ‘neka-mahārathāstrato
drauṇy-astrataś cāsma hare ‘bhirakṣitāḥ
vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
apunar bhava-darśanam
My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Aśvatthāmā. I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths. (SB 1.8.25-26)
Although the word śraddha is used to describe the faith in other gods also, in the most original sense of the word, śraddha is a spiritual substance which is meant for Kṛṣṇa alone and no one else. Śraddhā for Kṛṣṇa cannot be acquired through mere karma or jñāna, as it arises only through the association of Kṛṣṇa’s pure devotees (satāṁ prasaṅgān). This śraddha always inspires one to search for Kṛṣṇa—reality the beautiful (Kṛṣṇānusandhāna).
There are many instances in puraṇic literatures that mention Śiva, Brahma, Durga and other gods, granting boons to fulfill material desires of their devotees. But it is mentioned that Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu are more concerned for the greater welfare of the devotee, hence they are not so quick in granting material boons.
ato māṁ su-durārādhyaṁ
hi vānyān bhajate janaḥ
tatas ta āśu-toṣebhyo
labdha-rājya-śriyoddhatāḥ
mattāḥ pramattā vara-dān
vismayanty avajānate
śrī-śuka uvāca
śāpa-prasādayor īśā
brahma-viṣṇu-śivādayaḥ
sadyaḥ śāpa-prasādo ’ṅga
śivo brahmā na cācyutaḥ
Because I am difficult to worship, people generally avoid Me and instead worship other deities, who are quickly satisfied. When people receive kingly opulences from these deities, they become arrogant, intoxicated with pride and neglectful of their duties. They dare to offend even the demigods who have bestowed benedictions upon them.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva and others are able to curse or bless one. Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā are very quick to curse or bestow benedictions, my dear King, but the infallible Supreme Lord is not. (SB 10.88.12)
Devotees of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu are however, known to be niśkāma—devoid of desires for bhukti (enjoyment), mukti (liberation), or siddhi (yogic perfections), therefore they are actually peaceful (śānta). The only aspiration they cherish is to render devotional service unto the Lord.
In the instance that they do exhibit material desires, there are examples that the merciful Lord guides them back to the proper path. The deliverance of Dhruva Mahārāja is a classic example. After performing severe penances when young Dhruva was finally blessed with the darśana of Śrī Viṣṇu, all his material desires vanished and he only wanted exclusive devotional service towards Viṣṇu.
The loving temperament of Kṛṣṇa towards His dear devotees, when they desire material enjoyment is clearly expressed by Mahāprabhu as follows—
kṛṣṇa kahe,--’āmā bhaje, māge viṣaya-sukha
amṛta chāḍi’ viṣa māge,--ei baḍa mūrkha
āmi--vijña, ei mūrkhe ‘viṣaya’ kene diba?
sva-caraṇāmṛta diyā ‘viṣaya’ bhulāiba
Kṛṣṇa says, ‘If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison. Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I shall induce him to take the nectar of the shelter of My lotus feet and make him forget illusory material enjoyment.’ (CC Madhya 22.38-39)
Therefore, if one develops śraddha towards Kṛṣṇa, it is recommended that even if one has several material desires, that one should simply engage intensely in His devotional service.
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta puruṣaṁ param
A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead. (SB 2.3.10)
It is rare to see people go against the established cultural and social attachments and fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, although the arguments for such exclusive surrender are strong. It is therefore regrettable, when even after taking shelter of a sadguru, and following devotional practices for several years, some devotees are casual about the process, continuing to worship other gods and goddesses, observing other festivals and fruitive rituals, excessive reliance on jyotiśa, vāstu śāstra, and so on.
Our Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha, took exception when his disciples chose to miss Govardhana Pūjā in favor of celebrating Dīpāwali with their families. He would remark that those who neglected Govardhana Pūjā could not truly be considered his disciples. On another occasion, in a rather grave mood he remarked,
Because we are so far down the line in Kali Yuga, when you go for the fine understanding, you find yourself rejecting a lot of things. And people are just burdened by that, and can’t bring themselves to do it…Making the right decision means rejecting something, and that something is everywhere.
Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung as follows about becoming an exclusive devotee of Kṛṣṇā —
anya devāśraya nāi tomāre kahinu bhāi
ei bhakti parama-kāraṇa
To become a staunch, pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without deviation (ananya-bhāk), one should not divert his attention to the worship of the demigods. Such control is a symptom of pure devotional service.