Issue no. 8
Lord Shiva
The
Greatest Vaishnava
Part Two
Excerpts from the following articles:
*
How Vishnu Gave His Names
to the Gods
By Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
|
|
Issue no. 8 Excerpts from the following articles: *
How Vishnu Gave His Names
to the Gods |
How Vishnu Gave His Names to the Gods
By Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
Abheda means “non-different”. Because Shiva, Brahma and all of the demigods are very dear to Vishnu, and are consequently His subordinates and are under His control — tad-ayatta-vrtti — therefore they are non-different from Him. The acaryas give the example of a viceroy under the control of the emperor, samrat. When India was ruled by the British, there was a viceroy, a representative of the king, who worked under the control of the king. Sometimes this viceroy was referred to as “emperor” or “king”. Still, he was under the control of the king. Similarly, Shiva and Brahma are under the control of Vishnu. They are representatives of Lord Vishnu and are incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, they are sometimes said to be as good as Lord Vishnu. Brahma says, “I have created this world under the direction of Lord Hari.” And Shiva is obeying the will of Lord Hari by annihilating. Brahma, Shiva, Indra, and all of the demigods are empowered by Lord Vishnu. But Lord Vishnu is the Supreme Lord.
Srila Baladev Vidyabhushanpad says (Siddhanta-ratnam 3.12):
sahasra-nama-stotre sarva-siva-sambhu-rudradi-sabda visnu-namani pathyante. tesam tatra pravrttau nimittani coktani brahmande,
rujam dravayate
yasmad rudras tasmaj janardanah
isanad eva cesano maha-devo mahattvatah
pibanti ye nara nakam
muktah samsara-sagarat
tad-adharo yato visnuh pinakiti tatah smrtah
sivah sukhatmakatvena
sarva-samrodhanad dharah
krty-atmakam idam visvam yato vaste pravartayan
krttivasas tato devo
virincas ca virecanat
brmhanad brahma-namasav aisvaryad indra ucyate
evam nana-vidhaih
sabdair eka eva trivikramah
vedesu sa-puranesu giyate purusottamah
In the Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra, the thousand names of Lord Vishnu, you will find that “Sharva”, “Shiva”, “Shambhu”, and “Rudra”, are all names of Vishnu. The Brahmanda Purana describes that Lord Vishnu, Janardana, controls Rudra. Therefore, Lord Vishnu is known as “Rudra”. Lord Shiva works under the control of Lord Vishnu, therefore Shiva is known as “Ishan”. “Ishan” is also a name of Lord Vishnu. One of the names of Shiva is “Mahadev”. “Mahadev” is also a name of Lord Vishnu because He is the Lord of the Lords, the Lord of Shiva and Brahma. “Siva” means, “all-auspicious”, or “all-good”. One of the names of Lord Vishnu is “Shiva” because He is all-auspicious and all-good. “Hara” means, “one who annihilates”. Thus, one of the names of Lord Vishnu is “Hara”. One of the names of Lord Shiva is also “Hara”, because he annihilates. “Brhat” means “very great”. Thus “Brahma” is also a name for Lord Vishnu. And because He is full of all opulences, so His name is also “Indra”. Thus the one same Lord Trivikrama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is glorified by various different terms in the Vedas and Puranas.
Baladeva Vidyabhushan in Siddhanta-ratnam 3.13 explains with evidence from the Skanda Purana:
narayanadini namani vinanyani sva-namani druhinadibhyo dadau
krte narayanadini
namani purusottamah
pradad anyatra bhagavan rajevarte svakam puram
Lord Purusottama kept some names for Himself, like “Narayana”, etc. , and others of His own names He gave to the demigods:
A king keeps a palace for himself and he gives residential quarters to his ministers and subordinate officers. Like that, Lord Vishnu keeps some of His names like “Narayan” for Himself, and other names He gives to demigods because they are His subordinates.
Baladeva then comments on further evidence from the Brahma Purana:
catur-mukhah
satanandi brahmanah padma-bhur iti
ugro bhasma-dharo nagnah kapaliti sivasya ca
visesa-namani dadau svakiyany api kesavah
svakiyani rudra-virincy-adini ca
Lord Kesava also gave away these particular names, even though they are actually His own. He gave “the one with four heads”, “the one with hundredfold bliss”, and “the one born from a lotus” to Brahma, and “the fierce one”, “the one who wears ashes”, “the naked one”, and “the one with a skull” to Shiva.
Thus His own names include the names “Rudra”, “Virinchi”, etc.
(This article is continued in the printed magazine.)
Cintahara Mahadeva
The Chintahara or Chintaharana Mahadeva temple is situated on the eastern side of the Yamuna River, south of Gokul and about one kilometer south of Brahmananda Ghat, where Krishna manifested His universal form to Mother Yasoda. This ancient deity of Shiva is known as Chintahara, “the remover of anxieties”, because it is said that Mother Yasoda was regularly coming here from Gokula to worship this siva-linga to remove her worries. As a baby, Krishna was constantly performing many mischievous acts. Sometimes He would catch hold of the tail of a calf and have it pull Him through the dirt and mud. Sometimes, much to the horror of His mother, He would play with snakes or wild animals. Sometimes He would eat dirt or steal butter and break the pots of the elderly gopis. Sometimes He would pass urine in the houses of other gopis. Other times He would pinch their sleeping babies and make them cry. Seeing all of His naughty activities filled Mother Yasoda with a kind of ecstatic anxiety for the well being of her beloved child. In this mood, Krishna’s mother would pray to Lord Chintahara Mahadeva to protect the jewel of her heart.
Another local tradition has it that this deity of Chintaharana Mahadeva was situated here even before Mother Yasoda started coming to worship him. Once, Mahadeva Shambhu wanted to see the beautiful form of Krishna. With this desire in mind, he left Kailash and came to this ghata on the bank of the Yamuna, where he began meditating on Krishna. Eventually Krishna appeared and captured (harana) the mind (cinta) of Shiva with His beauty.
The ancient siva-linga at this place is said to be the same one that was originally worshiped by Mother Yasoda. In a side temple here there are also deities of Mother Yasoda and Krishna.
(This article is continued in the printed magazine.)
Shiva is not only attracted to hearing Krishna’s name, but he is also very attached to chanting it. This fact is illustrated in many different Vedic literatures. The Brahma-vaivarta-Purana (1.6.4-16) recounts a discussion between Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva:
Krishna once summoned Shiva, who is famous as the best of the yogis, and told him, “You should accept the goddess who rides a lion as your wife.”
Hearing Krishna’s words, Shiva smiled and meekly replied, “I am unable to accept the goddess of nature, because she will distract my mind from Your devotion and obstruct the path of serving You. She can overshadow true knowledge. She is passionate and can increase one’s lusty desires. She can destroy one’s austerity. She is the storehouse of illusion. She is the strong base of terrible worldly bondage, and attachment to her leads to evil ways, destroys noble ideas, and diverts one from the noble path.
“O my Lord! I do not wish for a wife. Please give me my desired benediction. My desire to render devotional service to You is always increasing. I am never satiated by chanting Your names and serving Your lotus feet.
tvan-nama panca-vaktrena
gunam ca mangalalayam
svapne jagarane sasvad gayan gayan bhramamy aham
“O my Lord, may I constantly sing Your most auspicious names and qualities with my five mouths as I wander about in dream or in wakefulness. (12)
akalpa-koti-kotim ca
tvad-rupa-dhyana-tat-param
bhogeccha-visaye naiva yoge tapasi man-manah
“Material enjoyment, yoga, and austerities do not appeal to my mind, for I wish to eagerly meditate on Your enchanting form for millions of kalpas. (13)
tvat-sevane pujane ca
vandane nama-kirtane
sadollasitam esam ca viratau viratim labhet
“My happiness is uninterrupted while serving You, worshiping You, offering prayers to You, and chanting Your names. But when these activities are finished, my happiness is also finished. (14)
smaranam
kirtanam nama-gunayoh sravanam japah
tvac-caru-rupa-dhyanam tvat-padam evabhivandanam
samarpanam catmanas ca nityam
naivedya-bhojanam
varam varesa dehidam navadha-bhakti-laksanam
“O Lord! O giver of benedictions! Please bestow on me the nine forms of devotional service so that I may constantly remember Your pastimes, chant and hear Your glories and qualities, meditate on Your attractive form, offer obeisances at Your lotus feet, surrender fully to You, and eat the remnants of Your foodstuffs.” (15-16)
(This article is continued in the printed magazine.)
