Autumn 2007
We
have shown photographic evidence of the continuing influence of demigod worship in ISKCON, with the altar deities of Radha and Krishna in ISKCON
Abentheuer, Germany being dressed and worshipped as Mother Parvati and
Lord Shiva.
 |
 |
|
Above, we provide yet more photographic evidence of the growing influence of demigod worship in ISKCON, this time at the ISKCON Hungary farm run by GBC voted-in guru HH Sivarama Swami, where deities of Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva (Shiva-lingam) were brought in procession into the temple. The temple authorities have justified the worship of these demigods by claiming that they are worshipping them as persons who can help them in their Krishna consciousness:
| "Actually we worship Lord Siva as Gopisvara Mahadeva and
Yogamaya devi. Lord Siva is the best of the vaisnavas [...]
Yoga-maya devi can remove the illusion of the material world
from us. That's why we worship Them." (New Vraja-dhama, ISKCON Hungary, August 18th, 2007) |
But Srila Prabhupada has not sanctioned the worship of demigods in ISKCON temples, regardless of the reason for worshipping them.
"[…] this Krsna consciousness movement simply advocates worship of Krsna to the exclusion of the demigods."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.31.14 purport)