Answer:
Prabhupada on Ganesh Worship
71-08-25 Letter: Sivananda
So far worshipping Ganesa is concerned, that is not necessary. Not that it should be done on a regular basis. If you like you can pray to Ganapati for removing all impediments on the path of Krishna Consciousness. That you can do if you like.
74-11-21 Letter: Sudama
The Ganesa puja may not be performed. No, it is not to be done. No need of it.
74-12-28 Letter: Sons
Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, chapter 18; sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo, moksayisyami ma sucah. So why you want to worship someone else. Krsna, Himself, recommends mam ekam, he
alone. Therefore we must do like that. If one wants to water the tree he waters the root. There is no necessity of watering the branches. The demigods are all different parts of the universal form of the Supreme Lord. But Krsna is even more than that whole complete universal form. He is the origin of that universal form. Therefore I do not encourage you to worship this demigod, Ganesa. It is not required, it is not necessary. Simply worship Krsna. Perform nice devotional service to Krsna. Then your lives will certainly become perfect. Of course if one has got some sentiment for achieving the blessings of Ganesa for accumulating large sums of money to serve Krsna, then he may perform this Ganesa worship, privately, not making a public show. But first of all he must give me $100,000 per month. Not a single farthing less. If he can supply this amount, $100,000 per month, then he will be allowed to do this Ganesa Puja. Otherwise he should not do it. It will not be good. That is my order. So all of you keep yourselves strong in Krsna Consciousness by following all of my basic principles. That is of the utmost importance. Do not fail to chant 16 rounds daily, rise early, come to mangala arati, come to classes and follow the 4 regulative principles. In
this way your life will become free from all anxieties. Please try to distribute my books in huge quantities more and more. This is very much satisfying to me.
74-12-31 Letter: Gurukrpa
Regarding Ganesa Puja, I have received some letters from persons requesting to also perform it. I have explained to them that ultimately it is not required, but if you have some sentiment to get the blessings of Ganesa in order to get huge sums of money for service of Krishna, then it can be done, but privately. I have instructed them that if they want to do it, they must send me at least 100,000 dollars monthly–not less.
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(Morning Walk – January 10, 1974, Los Angeles)
Should a Vaishnava worship Ganapati?
Devotee: Why is it recommended in the Nectar of Devotion that a Vaisnava should worship Ganapati?
Prabhupada: Krsna worship, everyone. Just like we worship also ordinary man if it gives us facility to worship Krsna. We go to somebody and worship him, flatter him, because he will give some money, and it will be engaged in Krsna’s service. The man is not worshipable, but he will help us to worship Krsna. Thereby he will be helped and we will be also helped, and Krsna will be satisfied. Krsna will be satisfied that “My devotee has brought some money from this rascal. All right.” That is it. [laughter] So Ganapati is also devotee. So Ganapati, it is not required, but sometimes we do. Just like gopis, they worshiped Goddess Durga, Katyayani. They did not require, but the social system is that. But they asked that “Mother Katyayani, give us the opportunity to have Krsna as our husband.” The aim is Krsna. Generally, they go to worship Devi Durga for asking material benefit. Dhanam
dehi rupam dehi yaso dehi, these things which we want in material… But the gopis, they do not go for any material things. For Krsna. Similarly, we can go to any demigod. Why Ganapati? Everyone. But our prayer should be, “Please give us Krsna.” Then it is correct.
~~~
Room Conversation
—
November 11, 1971, New Delhi
Guest: (indistinct) Any worship we first worship Lord Ganesa, India.
Prabhupada: That is not necessary. That is not necessary. If we worship other demigods to fulfill our, some particular desirei (Hindi) There are different demigods they worship, but one who knows that “If I approach Krsna, the Supreme Lord, then everything is obtained”
Guest: You say a true devotee of Krsna, such a person need not go after the demigods?
Prabhupada: No, no, no.
Guest: Secondly…
Prabhupada: There is no need.
Guest: But if he goes after demigods…
Prabhupada: If he wants some material profit. (Hindi conversation) So kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante anya-devatah. (Hindi)
Guest: (Hindi)
Prabhupada: Tulasi Dasa is different; therefore we don’t take Tulasi Dasa as authority.
Guest: Not? Then, sir, there is Rama and there is Krsna. You have Hare Rama Hare Krsna. So Rama is Hari. Krsna is considered Hari. So when you…
Prabhupada: So Rama… Bhagavan has different forms: ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan. Bhagavan (Hindi).
Guest: That’s good. So that explains…
Prabhupada: Visnu-tattva. That is called Visnu-tattva.
Guest: In that expansion can’t we take Durga and Siva, even for…
Prabhupada: Yes. That is sakti-tattva. We have to take expansion according to the tattva. Substance and categories; in which category. The substance is Visnu, and all other tattvas are categories. So devatas, they are sakti-tattva, sakti category, the same category as you are. The same example. Just like here a government officer, he is also Indian gentleman, you are also Indian gentleman, but he has got his power on account of his high qualities. Similarly you can become also Durga. You can become Indra, Candra, Surya. So qualitatively the ant, you are a learned brahmana, they are all the same category.
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
A pandita knows that they are on the same jiva-tattva categories. Visnu-tattva, jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva, there are many tattvas.
Brahman-tattva, paramatma-tattva, and Bhagavat-tattva, they are the substance, and all other tattvas, they are jiva-tattva, sakti-tattva, like that. So Bhagavan is not jiva-tattva, but others, they are jiva-tattva. Demigods, they are jiva-tattva. Brahma is also jiva-tattva. Devi is sakti-tattva. Jiva is also sakti-tattva. In one sense jiva-tattva is higher than this material sakti-tattva. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:
apareyam itas tu anyam
viddhi me prakrtim parah
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
(Hindi)
Guest: For meditation, which form should we…
Prabhupada: Meditation Visnu, Visnu form.
Guest: (Hindi)
Prabhupada: Yes. Visnu form is the objective. So, tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayo. Visnu-tattva laksa(?), very good mantra. Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah diviva caksur atatam, like that.
Guest: But in the Eleventh Chapter of the Gita…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: …then Lord has shown His virat-darsana.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: He has shown Brahma, Visnu, Mahesa, etc. They are all in Him.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: Subordinate to Him.
Prabhupada: You are also in Him.
Guest: They are subordinate to Him.
Prabhupada: Yes. Subordinate. Yes.
Guest: Therefore to meditate on Krsna, the only Hare Krsna.
Prabhupada: Yes. To meditate upon Krsna is the highest yogic principle.
Guest: So that’s what I asked…
Prabhupada: Generally yogis, they observe visnu-tattva, generally.
Guest: For what…
Prabhupada: But higher yogis, bhakta-yogis, they see only Krsna.
Guest: Krsna.
Prabhupada: Therefore Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana.
Guest: What is fit for lay people? Which form should we meditate upon?
Prabhupada: For Kali-yuga, this is Krsna. Kirtanad eva krsnasya. Kali-yuga, kirtanad eva krsnasya.
Guest: I asked which form, that is the form
Prabhupada: Krsna form.
Guest: Krsna form holding murali in His hand?
Prabhupada: Yes. Venu, muralidhara.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Guest: But when you chant “Rama,” the other,,,
Prabhupada: Yes. Rama is another. There is no difference between Rama and Krsna. If you like…
Guest: The form comes different in the…
Prabhupada: Yes, but they are the same. Ramadi murti.
Guest: For purpose of practice I am asking, when you chant Rama, should you have the form of Rama before you?
Prabhupada: That, that depends on your affection. Bhagavan has got many forms. If you want, if you love Rama, that’s all right. If you love Krsna, that is all right. If you love Narayana, that is also all right. But Bhagavan murti, ramadi-murtisu.
