Talk:Arthārthī Worshipper

By Vishal Agarwal

This worshipper seeks wealth, fame, victory, a long life or some otherworldly benefit or even a post-mortem stay in heaven from the Lord. His Bhakti is of the Rajasic type. Everyday examples of a devotee in this category are-

• "Bhagavan, may I win this lottery."
• "May my son do well financially."
• "May I get a good ACT score so that I can get into Harvard."

The Vedas contain many prayers that can be employed by the Arthärthi Worshipper. In fact, much of the Vedic Samhitä-s and Brahmanas are meant for this type of worshipper. An example of a prayer that asks for wealth is given below-

"Indra is the Lord of heaven and earth, waters and mountains. Indra is the Lord of prosperity and wisdom. Hence Indra ought to be invoked for acquisition as well as protection of one's riches. Rigveda 1.89.10"

The Lord of the Universe often appears too high, remote, inaccessible or above the mundane things that the worshipper often needs. Therefore, in all major religious traditions, those aspiring for more mundane gifts often bypass the Lord of the Universe and approach lesser powers instead. This is true even of monotheistic faiths in actual practice despite their theoretical rejection of any divinity accept their 'God". The Catholics. for example, have various saints they worship. Muslims often worship at the graves of their saints, or Djinns etc. Buddhists, who are theoretically agnostic, worship Hindu Deities like Brahma, Vishnu and so on in Sri Lanka, Thailand and other places. The Sikhs also visit Hindu shrines or worship their Gurus. Hindu Dharm recognizes the fact of worship of entities other than the Lord of the Universe. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says-

"Those whose knowledge has been affected by different desires seek refuge in other gods They observe diverse rituals relevant to the tradition of worship of these respective Deva- s, being constrained by their own material nature. Gita 7.20"

Within the Hindu tradition itself are prescribed numerous different ceremonies of worship, fasting. austerities etc., to please different Deities and obtain specific beneficial results. But Krishna also emphasizes that worshippers of these different Deities must not be ridiculed because He himself increases their faith in these various Deities-

"Whichever form (god) such a devotee seeks to worship with faith, in that very form I make his faith unswerving (or firm). Gita 7.21"

Krishna also emphasizes that these Deities do not have any independent power of their own. In fact, it is the One Supreme Being who operates through the medium of these Deities, and is the sole source of all blessings and gifts that the worshipper wants-

"Endowed with that faith, he seeks to worship that form (god) and through that, he fulfills his desires, which are really fulfilled my Me (through the medium of that form or god). Gita 7.22"

Nevertheless, even the Arthärthi worshipper who prays to none other than the Supreme Being must eventually rise above seeking mundane gifts and pleasures because this worshipper cannot attain the final goal of Moksha-

"But limited and temporary is the fruit gained by these worshippers who have a limited intelligence. The worshippers of gods go to the gods, likewise my worshippers reach Me. Gita 7.23"

In fact, even attainment of heaven through worship is a temporary benefit and is a trivial reward compared to Moksha-

"The knowers of the threefold Vedas who drink the soma (juice), and are purified of evil, worshipping Me with yajnas, seek the goal of heaven. They reach the holy world of Indra and enjoy the celestial pleasures of the Devas in heaven, Gita 9.20" "Having enjoyed the vast realm of heaven, they then enter the world of mortals when their merit is exhausted. Thus, conforming to the Dharmas of the threefold Vedas, desirous of enjoyments, they attain to the state of coming and going. Gita 9.21"

One can worship the various Deities as separate elevated beings who respond to our prayers for specific material objects easily. Krishna does not thoroughly condemn this type of worship, but urges Arjuna to understand that the boon or wish granting ability of these Deities arises ultimately from Parabrahman, and is at His pleasure alone Therefore, rather than worshipping these Deities as independent, powerful beings separate from Parabrahman, one should regard them as manifestations of the glory of Parabrahman alone But even better than the latter mode of worship is to seek even material favors and other boons directly from Parabrahman, thereby by-passing intermediary Deities altogether. Krishna does not look down about devotees who seek material benefits or deliverance from pain from Him because it is better to have at least some living relationship with Parabrahman than to have no relationship at all.

Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa once said

"Do you know what the God of worldly people is like? It is like children talking to one another while at play, "I swear by God. They have learnt this statement from the quarrels of their aunts or grandmothers. Or it is like God to a dandy. The dandy, all spick and span, his lips red from chewing betel-leaf, walks in the garden, come in hand, and plucking a flower, exclaims to his friend, "Ah! What a beautiful flower God has made!" But this feeling of a worldly person is momentary, It lasts as long as a drop of water on a red-hot frying pan."

Examples of bhaktas who wanted wealth and power are: Dhruva, who worshipped Vishnu because he wanted a kingdom where he could not be insulted by his step-mother and step-brother, Another example is that of Sugrīva, who served Bhagavan Rama so that he could drive out Väli and become the king of Kishkindhä. King Hiranyakashipu who asked for immortality or Ravana asking for boons.

Story: The Noble Prince Dhruva

Thousands of years ago, there ruled a king named Uttänapäda. He had two queens, Suruchi and Sunīti. Suruchi was his favorite queen. Sunīti had a son named Dhruva.

One day, Dhruva came running to his father, and sat on his lap. Suruchi, his step mother, scolded Dhruva and said "You have no right to sit on your father's lap. Only my own son can sit on his lap."

Dhruva became very upset and asked his mother - "Mom, how can I become my Dad's favorite. How can I become more powerful than my Dad? How can I become the King of his country?" But his mother asked him not to be upset with his father. Instead, he should only worship Bhagavän Vishnu, who is more powerful and rich than anyone else. Dhruva left the palace and went to a forest to worship Bhagavän Vishnu. Rishi Närada appeared before him and tried to convince Dhruva not to leave his home to worship Vishnu. But Dhruva did not agree. Then Närada told Dhruva that he should chant the prayer "Om Namo Bhagavate Väsudevāya" constantly if he wanted to please Bhagavān Vishnu.

File:Dhruva left the palace and went to a forest to worship Bhagavān Vishnu.png

Dhruva meditated and prayed to Vishnu chanting that prayer for six months. After some time, he stopped eating food. His prayer was so powerful that when he gave up food, all creatures on the earth became hungry. Then, he gave up water, and all creatures became thirsty. And at last, Dhruva even stopped breathing in air. All creatures then started feeling suffocated. Pleased with the prayers of Dhruva, Bhagavän. Vishnu appeared before Dhruva. He said "My child, ask me what you want. And I will give it to you." Dhruva replied "Dear God, I had come to ask you for a lot of power and money so that I become more powerful and richer king than my father. But now I do not want all that. I have seen how beautiful you are. And I feel very happy now. I do not want anything more. Just give me one thing -I want that I should never forget my Bhagavän Vishnu." Bhagavan Vishnu was very pleased with Dhruva. He said "Dhruva, go back to your father's palace. He is waiting for you and he will make you the king. And after you have been the king for a very long time, I will make you the Pole Star in the sky. Just like you did not move for six months while worshipping me, the Pole Star will never leave its position in the sky." This is why, the Pole Star is called 'Dhruva' by Hindus.

The story shows that most people ask Bhagavan for money, power, children, and other gifts. But a person like Dhruva who really loves Bhagavän in his heart only asks that he should never forget Bhagavān in his life. He does not ask Bhagavän for any riches, because Bhagavän is his true treasure.

When King Uttänapäda heard about this incident, he took his family and ministers and rushed to the forest. There, he embraced his son Dhruva and asked him to return to the palace. Everyone loved Dhruva as long as he lived. And after Uttänapäda died, Dhruva became the new King.