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Re: Praying other deities. . .

From the Bhakti List Archives

R Dhindhwal • January 24, 1998 


When praying to Vishu, or Narayana, you are not neglecting all the other
deities.  All the other gods are merely parts of the Supreme Lord-- Just
as a leaf is part of a plant.  The plant is Vishnu, and the separate
leaves are separate gods.  Therefore, if you choose to pray to the
Supreme Lord, who encompasses all, you are not neglecting the others. 
All the demigods are servants of Vishnu and they are satisfied when
their Master is worshipped.

It is stated in the Sri Isopanisad:

andham tamah pravisanti
ye 'sambhutim upasate
tato bhuya iva te tamo
ya u sambhutyam ratah

"Those who are engaged in the worship of demigods enter into the darkest
region of ignorance, and still more do the worshippers of the impersonal
Absolute."

(If requested, I can supply the word for word translation)

I have a question-- I am from Northwest India, and recently went to
visit a South Indian
friend.  She told me that they believe in the holy trinity: That there
are three gods-- Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva.  She said that this is
similar to the Christian holy trinty of the Father, the son, and the
holy ghost.  How does this relate to Sri Vaishnavism, if at all?

-- Anjuli