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Thread: Question about worshipping Krishna

  1. #1

    Question about worshipping Krishna

    Namaste,

    I have always been curious why so many Vaishnava traditions focus mainly on one incarnation of Lord Vishnu (Krisha) rather than Vishnu himself? I truly hope this is not an ignorant question, it's just something I have always wondered about.

    Pranam.
    Om Namah Shivaya

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    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Namaste,

    Sri Krishna/Sri Rama are more popular than Sri Vishnu because their lives are described in great detail in scriptures like Srimad Bhagavata Maha Purana,Srimad Bhagavat Gita(MahaBharata) and Srimad Ramayana.People can easily relate to these avataras that were in human form.One can worship Sri Krishna as a baby,as a friend or as a teacher.Probably they feel Sri Vishnu is a bit distant or too formal a deity compared to Sri Krishna.Also Bhakti saints focused primarily on Sri Krishna,that may be another reason.But people do worship Sri Vishnu.

    Last edited by Ram11; 11 May 2014 at 02:49 AM.
    He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.

  3. #3

    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Namaste Ram, thank you for taking the time to explain. That does make sense. I started noticing that none of Siva's other forms, such as Nataraj or Ardhanarishvara do not seem to have whole sects devoted to them the way there is ISKCON for instance. I guess with Shiva's different forms they aren't actually incarnations the same way as Krishna was though.

    Pranam.
    Om Namah Shivaya

  4. #4

    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Quote Originally Posted by fem_phoenix1109 View Post
    Namaste,

    I have always been curious why so many Vaishnava traditions focus mainly on one incarnation of Lord Vishnu (Krisha) rather than Vishnu himself? I truly hope this is not an ignorant question, it's just something I have always wondered about.

    Pranam.
    Namaste

    It is no doubt near to impossible understanding exactly what happened, and we can only explain this as "effect of Kaliyuga", where we have lost the capacity to resonate with the whole spectrum of Vishnu Bhakti.

    Yet, the other Avatāra-s are only dormant - not completely extinct - for example, the importance of NaraSimha (there is an ancient NaraSimha temple near my home) and his presence was something that came as a very late realisation to me.

    Sri Ram has perhaps as many bhakta-s as Sri Krishna has, but they are somehow not visible. Still, on key festivels such as the RamaNavami (birth day of Ram) there are massive crowds everywhere filling the streets in celebration.

    Having said this, Vaishnavism as an organised tradition form has Krishna as its carrier, not even Vishnu. Some say Krishna is a purnavatara, but this may not be the reason.

    Because, as I said earlier, we have somehow lost the capacity to understand Vishnu in His totality: the jungle is just too vast for us. But, in Krishna, we have the latest Avatāra who knows what Kaliyuga will be like, who knows our limitations, who knows us - meditating pensively right there atop that tree.

    So, Krishna is near to us, and more than anything, He is the greatest guru of all time. One may not be a Vaishnava, may not even believe in Avatāra (though I haven't met such Hindus), but still consider Krishna as the greatest of all teachers.

    All in all, the biggest issue here is regarding Vishnu Himself: something has happened and we don't know exactly what. Somehow the Brahmanisim (Brahm worship) seems to have coalesced with Vaishnavism. PurANa-s have recorded these facts, albeit in a coded language, so the answers are there probably.
    Things to remember:

    1. Life = yajña
    2. Depth of Āstika knowledge is directly proportional
    to the richness of Sanskrit it is written in
    3. Āstika = Bhārata ("east") / Ārya ("west")
    4. Varṇa = tripartite division of Vedic polity
    5. r = c. x²
    where,
    r = realisation
    constant c = intelligence
    variable x = bhakti

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    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Namaste,

    I'll share whatever I know.

    I do not know the exact reason but maybe there are sects that are dedicated to specific forms of Sri Shiva.

    I've been to Chidambaram and I've seen that Deekshitar Brahmins have dedicated their lives in the service of Sri Nataraja Swamy.



    Chidambaram Deekshitars





    You can identify different Shaivas based on their appearnace,for ex.Deekshitars have long hair which is tied into a knot and worn on the left side,Virashaivas & Srauta Shaivas wear a Linga chain.

    Virashaivas worship the Linga form that they wear.
    Srauta Saivas worship Ishta Linga Murthy,this is also worn on the neck.
    Though this personal Linga is the most important form of Sri Shiva for them it doesn't seem to prevent them from serving other forms.

    Virasaivas








    Srauta Shaivas



    The personal Shiva Lingam(of very small size) is placed in a locket and is taken out daily for performing Abhisheka and Puja.You can notice it in the above pictures.


    Dakshinamurthy and Harihara Murthy forms are worshiped mainly by Smartas but Smartas always worship multiple deities/forms without any issues.
    He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.

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    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Quote Originally Posted by Ram116040
    Sri Krishna/Sri Rama are more popular than Sri Vishnu because their lives are described in great detail in scriptures like Srimad Bhagavata Maha Purana,Srimad Bhagavat Gita(MahaBharata) and Srimad Ramayana
    Pranam Bandhu.

    I feel this absurd. How can one say Krishna and Rama are popular than Vishnu? We know that Both Krishna and Rama are avatars of Bhagavan Vishnu and how life of Krishna is not the life of Shri Vishnu as he himself took that Avatara?

    However you can say Rama is popular than Parashurama, but you can't say what you said.

    Shri Hari Govinda....
    Hari On!

  7. #7

    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    Namaste Ram, and thank you for sharing the different sects dedicated to Lord Siva. Hinduism is such a vast religion, even each differing sect of Hinduism, the more I learn, the more vast it becomes!

    Quote Originally Posted by hinduism♥krishna View Post
    Pranam Bandhu.

    I feel this absurd. How can one say Krishna and Rama are popular than Vishnu? We know that Both Krishna and Rama are avatars of Bhagavan Vishnu and how life of Krishna is not the life of Shri Vishnu as he himself took that Avatara?

    However you can say Rama is popular than Parashurama, but you can't say what you said.

    Shri Hari Govinda....

    Namaste Hinduism Krishna,

    Thank you for weighing in on this question. Since you do not agree with the explanation given, I would love to hear more of your thoughts on the matter. Especially seeing your dedication to Sri Krishna, I'm sure you have some insight.

    Pranam
    Om Namah Shivaya

  8. #8

    Re: Question about worshipping Krishna

    A devotee prays according to his spiritual advancement. Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends we worship the Supreme Lord whether we have no desires or are full of them, in which case we can learn to depend on Krishna for their fulfillment. As we learn the art of prayer, we will gradually become pure devotees, without hankering any more for material things.

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