Category:Worshiping Devotees of God
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights one of the most confidential and sublime principles of Vaiṣṇava philosophy: worshiping the pure devotees of the Lord is even higher and more effective than worshiping the Supreme Lord directly. Quoting both Lord Śiva from the Padma Purāṇa and Lord Kṛṣṇa from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that the Lord does not accept direct worship if one neglects His devotees. By honoring and worshiping the Vaiṣṇavas and the bona fide guru, one is guaranteed to cross over the ocean of nescience and conquer the influence of māyā, successfully capturing the heart of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The Supreme Śāstric Injunction: According to the authorized statements of Lord Śiva in the Padma Purāṇa, while the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the highest of all demigod worship, worshiping His devotee is even greater.
- The Lord's Explicit Preference: Lord Kṛṣṇa personally declares that He prefers the worship of His devotees over His own direct worship, and He refuses to accept offerings from those who bypass His servants.
- The Position of the Representative: A qualified brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava acts as the transparent representative of the Lord; therefore, worshiping them is identical in value to worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though the devotee humbly rejects such prestige.
- Freedom from Māyā and Spiritual Perfection: One cannot conquer the illusory energy or cross over the ocean of material existence without serving and worshiping the lotus feet of a great Vaiṣṇava.
- Honoring All Levels of Devotees: A sincere practitioner respects and worships all devotees—whether neophyte, intermediate, or advanced—knowing that honoring the Vaiṣṇavas is the source of all good fortune.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Worshiping Devotees of God Surpasses Direct Worship.
Subcategories
This category has the following 13 subcategories, out of 13 total.
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Pages in category "Worshiping Devotees of God"
The following 48 pages are in this category, out of 48 total.
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- A brahmana who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a brahmana or Vaisnava
- A powerful Vaisnava who has converted others into Vaisnavas is to be worshiped, but because of material contamination
- A sannyasi is always to be worshiped and offered all kinds of respect by the grhasthas - householders
- Although a brahmana or Vaisnava is worshiped as being as good as the SP of Godhead, such a devotee always remains a faithful servant of the Lord and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord's representative
- As stated in the Padma Purana, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param: of all kinds of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is the best. Tasmat parataram devi tadiyanam samarcanam: and recommended more than worship of Visnu is worship of the Vaisnava
- As stated in the Padma Purana: Of all types of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is best, and better than the worship of Lord Visnu is the worship of His devotee, the Vaisnava
E
- Even better than visnu-aradhana is to worship the Vaisnavas." Mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika. Krsna has said also that "Anyone who is worshiping My devotee, pure devotee, that is better worship than one who is worshiping Me directly
- Every virgin girl is supposed to be a devotee of Lord Siva. Diti remembered her childhood worship of Lord Siva and begged his mercy
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- He (a Vaisnava coming from a family of mlecchas or yavanas) should be given charity, for such a Vaisnava is as worshipable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- He (Lord Siva) gives more stress: aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param tasmat parataram devi tadiyanam aradhanam. - And more than Visnu worship is to worship the devotee of Visnu
- He (the priest) said, - No, you are mistaking. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is not one of you, like worker. No. He's Lord. So if you don't appreciate him, don't worship him, then you will go to hell
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- I worship herewith the lotus feet of all kinds of devotees, both advanced and neophyte. I request all of them to be satisfied with me
- In the spiritual sky there are spiritual planets known as Vaikunthas, which are the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees and are worshiped by the residents of all the material planets
- It does not mean that "We shall not utter even the name of gopis. We have taken vow to boycott the gopis." No. They are our worshipable devotees. How we can avoid them?
- It has actually been seen that anyone who regularly worships mother Ganges simply by bathing in her water keeps very good health and gradually becomes a devotee of the Lord. This is the effect of bathing in the water of the Ganges
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- Krsna continued, "I (Krsna) desire you to maintain Me, for I am one of your own children. Apart from this filial relationship, an exalted devotee like you is always to be worshiped by everyone"
- Krsna said, "By worshiping them (sages and brahmanas) faithfully, you will be worshiping Me more diligently. I consider worship of My devotees to be better than direct worship of Me"
- Krsna said, "If someone attempts to worship Me directly without worshiping My devotees, I do not accept such worship, even though it may be presented with great opulence"
- Krsna says, mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika (SB 11.19.21). If somebody worships a devotee, that worshipment is more valuable than worshiping Krsna. Krsna says like that.
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- Let others study the Vedas, smrti and Mahabharata, fearing material existence, but I (Brahma) shall worship Nanda Maharaja, in whose courtyard is crawling the Supreme Brahman - Padyavali 126
- Lord Rama, the Personality of Godhead Himself, sometimes worshiped Lord Siva. If a devotee is worshiped by the Lord, why should a devotee not be worshiped by other devotees on the same level with the Lord? This is the conclusion
- Lord Siva says - Of all types of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is best, and better than the worship of Lord Visnu is the worship of His devotee, the Vaisnava - Padma Purana
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- One should worship dhatri trees, banyan trees, cows, brahmanas and devotees of Lord Visnu. (11) One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name
- One should worship Lord Visnu or His devotee for spiritual advancement in knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of a dynasty one should worship the various demigods
- Our this monarchy was there, but they were rajarsis: monarch, at the same time, great saintly person. Therefore they were worshiped - Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit, Maharaja Ambarisa
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- Since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the names of the gopis, worship of the gopis or the devotees of the Lord is as good as devotional service rendered directly to the Lord
- Srila Narottama dasa Thakura sings: (tandera carana sevi bhakta sane vasa . . . ei abhilasa). One must worship the lotus feet of the acarya and live within the society of devotees. Then one's endeavor to cross over nescience will surely be successful
- Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows Krsna as the only supreme beloved personality. One should worship such a confidential devotee of the Lord
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- The father likes to see the son become more famous than himself. The Lord declares very emphatically that worship of His devotee is more valuable than the worship of the Lord Himself
- The great sage Maitreya continued: Being thus worshiped by Maharaja Prthu, the four Kumaras, who were masters of devotional service, became very pleased. Indeed, they appeared in the sky and praised the character of the King, and everyone observed them
- The worshiper of Lord Visnu renders better service by worshiping the devotee of Lord Krsna
- There are many unalloyed devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all of whom are considered associates surrounding the Lord. Krsna should be worshiped with His devotees
- There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it cannot enter that region. Without discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees
- These three Deities of Vrndavana (Madana-mohana, Govinda and Gopinatha) have absorbed the heart and soul of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas (followers of Lord Caitanya). I worship Their lotus feet, for They are the Lords of my heart
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- We should adore, we should worship Bhaktivinoda Thakura, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession
- When all the Vaisnavas had finished eating, Vallabha Bhatta brought a large quantity of garlands, sandalwood pulp, spices and betel. He worshiped the devotees very respectfully and became extremely happy
- When the brahmana was seated on the golden throne, Lord Sri Krsna began to worship him exactly as the demigods worship Krsna. In this way, He taught everyone that worshiping His devotee is more valuable than worshiping Him
- When Uddhava had been sufficiently honored and worshiped by the pure devotees of Vrndavana, he returned to Mathura and to his master, Krsna
- Without worshiping the lotus feet of a great devotee, one cannot be freed from maya's influence. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: "Who has been freed from maya's clutches without serving the lotus feet of a Vaisnava
- Worship of a Vaisnava is superior to worship of the Deity in the temple