English
09 March 2024
Maha Shivaratri
Speaker: HG Asit prabhu
Today is Shivaratri. We should fast on this day thinking of Lord Shiva as a great Vaishnava.
nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā
devānām acyuto yathā
vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ
purāṇānām idam tathā (SB 12.13.16)
Translation: Just as the Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Śambhu [Śiva] the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest of all Purāṇas.
In Hari bhakti Vilasa, its said its optional to keep Shivaratri vrata for Vaishnavas. Lord Shiva’s dham is Nirguna. Its not in this material world. Lord Shiva’s abode is beyond the seven coverings of this material universe.
Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.43
goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya
devi maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu
te te prabhāva-nicayā vihitāś ca yena
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Translation: Lowest of all is located Devī-dhāma [mundane world], next above it is Maheśa-dhāma [abode of Maheśa]; above Maheśa-dhāma is placed Hari-dhāma [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Kṛṣṇa's own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms.
It’s called Mahesh dham. It is on pure goodness beyond the modes. Sanatan Goswami writes in Srimad Bhagavatam that Shiva’s dham has no unhappiness. There only some devotees can reach and he mentions them. Lord Brahma says in Brahma Samhita, that milk and curd has same properties and in the same way Krsna and Shiva are non different.
Curd is not milk but it has its properties. Those devotees who see Shiva and Krsna the same, they are pure devotees. But karmis, gyanis and who think that Lord Shiva is the only controller can’t reach Lord Shiva’s abode. His realizations have abhava.
In Brhad Bhagavatam, Sanatan Goswami mentions Narada Muni was in search of the one who has received the most mercy of the Lord. So Brahma guides Narada Muni to Mahesh Dham, where he sees Lord Shiva has just finished with his worship of Lord Sankarshan and kirtan started. And Lord Shiva was dancing while other family members and devotees were playing instruments and chanting.
Seeing this Narada Muni became ecstatic.
bhaje bhajanyāraṇa-pāda-paṅkajaṁ
bhagasya kṛtsnasya paraṁ parāyaṇam
bhakteṣv alaṁ bhāvita-bhūta-bhāvanaṁ
bhavāpahaṁ tvā bhava-bhāvam īśvaram (SB 5.17.18)
Translation: O my Lord, You are the only worshipable person, for You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of all opulences. Your secure lotus feet are the only source of protection for all Your devotees, whom You satisfy by manifesting Yourself in various forms. O my Lord, You deliver Your devotees from the clutches of material existence. Non devotees, however, remain entangled in material existence by Your will. Kindly accept me as Your eternal servant.
bhaje bhajanyāraṇa-pāda-paṅkajaṁ - You are refuge of all devotees. You take many incarnations for satisfying your devotees. Because of your mercy, your devotees are liberated from the material world. And non devotees, unable to take your shelter are unhappy in this material world. Please provide me your shelter, Oh Hari. So Lord please be merciful unto me and accept me as your eternal servant.
Lord Shiva’s dham is eternal. He is known as Sadashiva. He has nothing to do with the three modes of material nature. He is incarnated as Rudra in this material world and has a purpose for annihilation of the universe.
In Laghu pada, Srila Rupa Goswami quotes the names of the 11 rudras which are the expansions of Sadashiva. For the service of Hari to destroy this world, he takes the form of Rudra. He also appears as elements like air, water, fire, etc. He appears as the personified deity of the mode of ignorance. He is the deity not in the mode of ignorance. Mahesh Dham and Vaikuntha is almost the same.
He has a position as Narayana. But when he descends in this material world, he has this duty of in charging the mode of ignorance. He is pure. He shows us how to do bhakti by his own example. That is why he is also one of the 12 Mahajans. We see he is always in meditation.
tarko ’pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā
nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186)
Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “ ‘Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.
Brahma is the Lord of passion and Shiva is the Lord of ignorance. Yet the main difference is that any soul can become brahma but Lord Shiva is the only one in his place. No soul can take his place. Even after having such an exalted position even beyond brahma, yet he always identifies himself as a devotee of the Lord. Many great sages go and sit by him to listen to Hari katha. Even though he is the husband of maya, yet he shows the topmost renunciation just like a yogi untouched by the material attachments.
Rupa Goswami says, that if one even starts Bhakti he should be respected. So Lord Shiva is a great devotee. He is a Sampradaya Acharya and by respecting him one can advance in bhakti. And by not showing proper respects, we can be destroyed and commit Vaishnava apradh. Like we see the incident with Prajapati Daksha.
Markendeya Rishi once pleased Lord Shiva and he asked two things from him - first is the love in the lotus feet of the Lord and other is the love in the lotus feet of the Lord's devotees. Lord Shiva is very happy when some one asks this and he immediately gives it.
When the ocean was churned by the demons and demigods, for the welfare of the world he drank the poison and his throat became blue. And he is known as Neel Kantha. When Ganga was coming down from the heaven, Lord Shiva accepted her on his head as the auspicious water that washed the Lord's feet.
Lord Shiva was very pleased by the prayers of the Pracheta and taught them pure devotion. So Lord Shiva’s main business is to help the souls become the devotees of the Lord and advance in Krsna consciousness.
So today we should pray to Lord Shiva to bless us so we can also have attachment for Lord Hari. In all the major abodes of the Lord, Lord Shiva is present as the protector. And we are actually supposed to take his Darshan and permission before entering the dham.
Hare Krsna.
