Can somebody tell me since when are we worshipping Siva and Ganesh? I never saw Srila Prabhupada worshipping Ganesh or Siva. Bhavya Bhagavan das published the above photo.

For the less intelligent

In the Bhagavad-gita as it is, which is the main book of Krishna consciousness movement, Srila Prabhupada explains that worshippers of demigods are less intelligent.

Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet. (BG 7.23)

Srila Prabhupada very poetically explains in the purport that demigod worship is not required at all, since the one who is a devotee of Krishna already gets unlimited mercy:

Because the pure devotee engaged in Krsna consciousness in devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited. (BG 7.23p)

If one doesn’t want to remain retarded and follow demigod worshipers, then one needs to read Srila Prabhupada’s books daily and get real knowledge. Real knowledge is that a devotee is not like a prostitute who takes shelter of many people for maintenance. Devotee is like a chaste wife, who has only one master, and that master is Lord Krishna, Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Throughout all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, we find general instruction that everything can be achieved by worshipping Lord Krishna, we don’t need to worship anybody else.

The excuse

Of course, if we are ignorant, if we don’t know the general conclusions from Srila Prabhupada’s books, we can always find some excuse, for example this quote:

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if… Since Kṛṣṇa is the power that gives the demigods the ability to render everything, then why is it recommended in the Nectar of Devotion that a Vaiṣṇava should worship Gaṇapati?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa worship, everyone. Just like we worship also ordinary man if it gives us facility to worship Kṛṣṇa. We go to somebody and worship him, flatter him, because he will give some money, and it will be engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service. The man is not worshipable, but he will help us to worship Kṛṣṇa. Thereby he will be helped and we will be also helped, and Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied that “My devotee has brought some money from this rascal. All right.” That is… (laughter) So Gaṇapati is also devotee. So Gaṇapati, it is not required, but sometimes we do. Just like gopīs, they worshiped Goddess Durgā, Kātyāyanī. They did not require, but the social system is that. But they asked that Mother Kātyāyanī, give us the opportunity to have Kṛṣṇa as our husband.” The aim is Kṛṣṇa. Generally, they go to worship Devī Durgā for asking material benefit. Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi yaśo dehi, the things which we want in material… But the gopīs, they do not go for any material things. For Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, we can go to any demigod. Why Gaṇapati? Everyone. But our prayer should be, “Please give us Kṛṣṇa.” Then it is correct. (Morning walk, Los Angeles – Jan 10, 1974)

So, although Srila Prabhupada on this particular occasion said “sometimes we do”, he personally never worshipped any demigod. And Srila Prabhupada’s true followers who understand his books will follow his personal example. You will never find any picture of Srila Prabhupada where he worships Siva or Ganesa.

You wanna worship a “guru” who is doing “extra worship” beyond of what Srila Prabhupada was doing, well, good luck with that, you have been warned.