I don't feel comfortable with suggesting such simplistic dichotomies and saying that either one is a common man- so he must be considered almost a fool without the slightest power of discrimination- or he is a great saint like Ramakrishna. What about so many levels of intellectual/spiritual development in between? moreover, I would say there is more to it than that. Let me give an example: We know perfectly well that In a company, it is the managing director who decides the general operations of a company and all basic decisions are made by him and by gaining his approval. But when you want to make a complaint about a product, would you insist that only the managing director should listen to your story? do we expect that the managing director himself should deal with each and every trivial matter? I believe such is the case in remedial measures. No matter how firmly you believe in God, if you are hungry you would have to go to the baker's shop instead of saying a prayer for a loaf to be put in your hand! Of course it is ultimately God who arranges all this and these are His own rules. I can not ask God to directly cure my decayed tooth, fill my hungry stomach, etc. etc. So I believe this is the reason why grahas or different deities are worshiped. Yes, there are self-realized souls who won't need any of this, but let's not forget that they have transcended karma and basically they are not seeking solutions to improve their mundane situation. Hence, they can not be the subject of our discussion as Jyotish is the science of time and karma. Meanwhile, even people who are spiritually advanced but not necessarily self-realized still would need remedies.Rishi Parashara would not say that because Astrology is chiefly meant for common man who is not at that evolutionary state of mind. So, it is better to prescribe him proper mantras of deities relate with particular planet or periods. That will be much easy and comfortable for him instead of saying have unshakable faith in his Ishta. For reaching that state one has to be Hanuman Bhakta like Rokadia Baba or even Kali devotee like Ramakrishna Paramhansa only then it can work unless not.
Quite the contrary, at least a minimum faith is required for absolutely any undertaking. If your client or anybody else has no faith why should they come to you and why should they take your advice in the first place? What propels them to do so is "faith". I can't imagine that anybody would chant even for one day without any faith, and I don't think anything in this world has ever been accomplished without some level of faith.And believe me in that even your faith is not required. Even if you do it mechanically you get the results. For example I suggested MMM to an Italian Lady and mantra of Mercury to Sikh Doctor in London. Both got miraculous results within 15 days. Especially the Italian lady who got the results in 3 days.
Only to Ramakrishna is Durga the most powerful? I would say many people who have read Devi Mahatmya also believe so even if they are not at that high level of devotion. Is it really needed to be at a very high level of spirituality to believe that a deity is the greatest? Also you said earlier that faith is not required and now you say one needs to be "at least on the path of true devotee"??And I would say Durga is most powerful for those persons who are like Ramakrishna or Hanuman is the most potent God for the saint like Rokadia Baba. Even if everybody cannot be that stage of faith but it will be enough if they are atleast on the path of true devotee.
Best,
Dhanvanta
