0

I am interested to find out where the practice of praising God emanated from? As far as I know there is no where in the Bhagavad Gita that Lord Krishna explicitly says He should be praised. What is the source of sayings like "Jai Sri Krishna/Ram/etc"?

I think at a broader level this applies to all Gods of all religions. If the individual God is all powerful then why the need to praise? The praising isn't going to make the God's more or less powerful.

Edit : The linked question (duplicate) is significantly different to what am asking. I am not interested in finding out where a God says He has to be worshiped. I am specifically after finding out where in Hindu scriptures does any God mention that He has to be praised. Come to think of it, most worship in the scriptures is simply praising God.

7
  • Praising a God will make you connect him. There are different gods lets say all Vishnu Avatars, all are Vishnu himself but still we Praise them differently why? Because different avatars have different principles which they follow and we praise them following their principles. Moreover this helps us connect them. I would recommend you to read Purana's there you will come to know what is the importance of Praising a God. Shiv Puran might be a good kick start.
    – JenilDave
    Sep 5, 2020 at 3:41
  • 1
    you're thinking from the point of an egoistic God, because you think that God thinks like you. God does not think like you. God thinks like a 2 year old child. If a 2 year old child says 'you should all praise me', will you praise him or not ? In fact, there is more fun in praising him than saying "who is the 2 year old to order me? I won't bow down to anyone". And God is not just any 2 year old. He is your OWN 2 year old child.
    – ram
    Sep 5, 2020 at 4:52
  • @ram Do you know where (scripture or otherwise) the Gods say they should be praised? Sep 5, 2020 at 11:40
  • @YDS That question is significantly different to what am asking. I am not interested in finding out where a God says he has to be worshiped. I am specifically after finding out where in Hindu scriptures does any God mention that He has to be praised. Sep 5, 2020 at 11:42
  • @JenilDave I am interested in finding out where does God say He should be praised. Reading all the puranas to find the answer to my question seems to be be a general, abstract and cumbersome advice. Do you have a more specific reply ? Sep 5, 2020 at 11:45

2 Answers 2

2

Rig Veda X.48.4 & 5 says as follows:

अ॒हमे॒तं ग॒व्यय॒मश्व्यं॑ प॒शुं पु॑री॒षिणं॒ साय॑केना हिर॒ण्यय॑म् । पु॒रू स॒हस्रा॒ नि शि॑शामि दा॒शुषे॒ यन्मा॒ सोमा॑स उ॒क्थिनो॒ अम॑न्दिषुः ॥४॥

I (win) livestock in cows and horses, overflowing and golden, with my weapon. Many thousands do I “grind down” for the pious man, when the soma drops accompanied by hymns have brought me to exhilaration

अ॒हमिन्द्रो॒ न परा॑ जिग्य॒ इद्धनं॒ न मृ॒त्यवेऽव॑ तस्थे॒ कदा॑ च॒न । सोम॒मिन्मा॑ सु॒न्वन्तो॑ याचता॒ वसु॒ न मे॑ पूरवः स॒ख्ये रि॑षाथन ॥५॥

I am Indra: only I have not had the stake won away, and never have I given way to death. Just when you are pressing soma, beg me for good things. You will not suffer harm in partnership with me, o Pūrus

The above mantras present themselves as Indra’s self-praise.

1

In the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, verses 25-34 (Swami Nikhilananda translator), Sri Krishna says:

  1. Those who worship the gods go to the gods, those who worship the manes go to the manes, those who worship the spirits go to the spirits, and those who worship Me come to Me.

  2. Whosoever offers Me, with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water--that I accept, the pious offering of the pure in heart.

  3. Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give away, and whatever you practise on the form of austerities, O son of Kunti--do it as an offering to Me.

  4. Thus shall you be free from the bondage of action, which bear good and evil results. With your mind firmly set on the yoga of renunciation, you shall become free and come to Me.

  5. I am the same to all beings; to Me there is none hateful or dear. But those who worship Me with devotion--they are in Me, and I too am in them.

  6. Even the most sinful man, if he worships Me with unswerving devotion, must be regarded as righteous; for he has formed the right resolution.

  7. He soon becomes righteous and attains eternal peace. Proclaim it boldly, O son of Kunti, that My devotee never perishes.

  8. For those who take refuge in Me, O Partha, though they be of sinful birth--women, vaisyas, and sudras--even they attain the Supreme Goal.

  9. How much more then, if they be holy brahmins or royal seers devoted to God! Having come into this transitory, joyless world, worship Me.

  10. Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Having thus disciplined yourself, and regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, you will come to Me.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .