Can We Pray to the Demigods for Our Material Needs?


Question:  Can We Pray to the Demigods for Our Material Needs?

If all the demigods are appointed by Krishna for maintaining this world order, then what is the harm in praying to Lord Mahamritunjya and Krishna simultaneously for curing disease? Can't I pray to Lord Mahamritunjya keeping this thing in mind that he has been appointed by Krishna to look over a particular portion of the universal affairs? Otherwise we will knowingly or unknowingly show disrespect to Krishna by not properly respecting His appointed agent for the management of this universe. Please clear my doubts.

Answer:  Because Krishna is the Ultimate Supplier of Everything, We Only Need to Pray to Him.

In the USA the citizens simply pay their annual income tax to the government. Then they are provided with services by the various governmental departments, which are all funded by the government. It is not that they are required to bribe the different governmental department heads in order to get service from those departments. I understand that in India there is a different system, that when an Indian citizen goes to any governmental department he needs to bribe the officials in order to get his work accomplished. While in India it may be harder for the people to understand only worshipping the Supreme God and getting all of one's necessities, those who are familiar with the American system can easily understand it. Krishna's system of universal government is that He directly and indirectly supplies everything required for the citizens of the universe. Those who do not worship Him, i.e. the non-devotees, receive their necessities indirectly through the demigod supply chain, while the those who worship Him, i.e. the devotees, are directly supplied with their necessities by Krishna Himself, who reciprocates with His loving devotees just like an affectionate father.

In conclusion, we can understand that Krishna is the ultimate supplier of everything material and spiritual and that it is more expedient and fruitful to direct all of our worship to Him. We don't need to beg him for any material boons because He knows the material needs of His devotees. Therefore we should simply beg Him for pure devotee. He will then personally make sure that all of our material needs are taken care of.

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