What denomination (for lack of a better word) are you?

[JustGeorge]

There is also the concept of 'leaning', which means you can be one sect but leaning towards another. For example, a Smarta whose ishta devata is Vishnu could be said to be a Smarta leaning to Vaishnavism.
The temple you go to is a Smarta temple, although in true Smarta tradition, there would be a central shrine with the 5 or 6 all on it.

I think I read something about that, where the Smarta worships 5 but picks one as ishta devata.

I think I struggle a bit with where I 'fit' because I feel so strongly attached to both Krishna and Shiva.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think I read something about that, where the Smarta worships 5 but picks one as ishta devata.

I think I struggle a bit with where I 'fit' because I feel so strongly attached to both Krishna and Shiva.

There is no need to struggle, in my view. It's not like Krishna and Shiva are going to have some big testosterone ego battle over your devotion. You're not a Puranic Hindu.

 

[JustGeorge]

There is no need to struggle, in my view. It's not like Krishna and Shiva are going to have some big testosterone ego battle over your devotion. You're not a Puranic Hindu.

And I love that, that there is no fighting over such things... why should there be? Why can't one love both?

What does a Puranic Hindu believe, and how do they worship? (Just curious here.)

 

[Vinayaka]

And I love that, that there is no fighting over such things... why should there be? Why can't one love both?

What does a Puranic Hindu believe, and how do they worship? (Just curious here.)

Puranic Hindus base the religion on the Puranas, where everything is anthropomorphic. Siva is the guy with the blue throat who has a family, not Nataraja or the Lingam so much. It's a natural outcome to being told those stories as a kid, and not much else.

 

[Viraja]

I am a Krishna devotee, and I too like Shiva.

I think that the mood of a Krishna devotee is one of pure compassionate love.

I am not sure about the mood of a primarily Shiva devotee. I think they are more karma yogi-kind than bhakti yogis.

You can visualize the difference by imagining Lord Chaitanya and sage Ramana.

I think I read something about that, where the Smarta worships 5 but picks one as ishta devata.

I think I struggle a bit with where I 'fit' because I feel so strongly attached to both Krishna and Shiva.

 

[mangalavara]

When I came to RF, I was leaning toward Shaivism because I liked the idea of knowing Shiva as the Supreme Being. If you were to ask me why I liked the idea, it was because of the depiction of Shiva as a man who sits alone in the mountains in meditation with an expression of utter bliss, which appeals to me as an introvert. Soon, I started leaning toward Shāktism because I tend to 'connect' better with goddesses. Moreover, I had read the Devīsūkta (Ṛgveda 10.125) over and over and started to feel that Devī is either supreme or way up there with the supreme. Beginning a few days ago, thanks to reading from the Vedas every day, I have been leaning toward the view that Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Being as evidenced by Ṛgveda 1.156 and Kaṭha Upaniṣad 3.8-9. I am open to alternative interpretations of those two texts, especially the latter. Until I am convinced that they don't mean what I think they mean, I am an aspiring Vaiṣṇava.

Anyway, I feel that I have really exposed my spiritual shame here. It is nobody's fault at all, by the way.

 

[Aupmanyav]

If I do not feel any problem in rejecting all Gods and Goddesses, how come you have a problem in worshiping two or three deites?
Whatever your inclination be, you have the freedom to stick to it. Lord Rama worshiped Lord Shiva at the bridge between India and Srilanka before crossing over and Lord Parashurama learnt archery from Lord Shiva. That is when Lord Shiva gave his bow (Pinaka) to Lord Parashuram, which later was used in Mother Sita's 'swayamvara' (bride choosing the bridegroom herself).
That is the relationship between Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. It is unbreakable - Hari-Hara.

 

[SalixIncendium]

If I do not feel any problem in rejecting all Gods and Goddesses, how come you have a problem in worshiping two or three deites?

Western or Abrahamic paradigm indoctrination, perhaps?

 

[Vinayaka]

Western or Abrahamic paradigm indoctrination, perhaps?

I believe this factor is underestimated by many.