cHief of tHe vaisHnavas
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
Śiva-tattva is a special tattva. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam you will find that śiva-tattva has been discussed in many places. It is stated in the twelfth canto (12.13.16):
nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā devānām acyuto yathā vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ purāṇānām idaṁ tathā
As the Ganges is the best of all rivers and Lord Vishnu is the best of all Lords, so vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ — Shambhu, Shankara, Shiva is the chief of vaiṣṇavas. Similarly, purāṇānām idam — of all purāṇas, idaṁ bhāgavataṁ mahā-purāṇam, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is the best. So Shivaji is a kṛṣṇa-bhakta, he is a devotee of Krishna. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta (ādi 6.79-81) it is stated:
ananta brahmāṇḍe rudra — sadāśivera aṁśa guṇāvatāra teṅho, sarva-deva-avataṁsa
Rudra, who is an expansion of Sadashiva and who appears in unlimited universes, is also a guṇāvatāra, a qualitative incarnation, and is the ornament of all the demigods in the endless universes.
teṅho karena kṛṣṇera dāsya-pratyāśa nirantara kahe śiva, ‘muñi kṛṣṇa-dāsa’
He also desires only to be a servant of Lord Krishna. Sri Sadashiva always says, “I am a servant of Lord Krishna.”
kṛṣṇa-preme unmatta, vihvala digambara kṛṣṇa-guṇa-līlā gāya, nāce nirantara
Intoxicated by ecstatic love for Lord Krishna, he becomes overwhelmed and incessantly dances without clothing and sings about Lord Krishna’s qualities and pastimes.
This is Shiva. He is a kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a dear devotee of Krishna. Again in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.10.34) Markandeya Muni offers this prayer to Lord Shiva:
varam ekaṁ vṛṇe ‘thāpi pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi
“O Shivaji, you are completely full, pūrṇa. You fulfill all the desires of your devotees; therefore, seeing you, I am offering this prayer. Please fulfill my desire. Let me have unflinching bhakti unto Krishna and unto you, who are completely surrendered unto Krishna.”
In many places you will find this śiva-tattva. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (4.30.38) the Prachetas say to Lord Vishnu:
vayaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavan bhavasya priyasya sakhyuḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgamena
suduścikitsyasya bhavasya mṛtyor bhiṣaktamaṁ tvādya gatiṁ gatāḥ sma
“Dear Lord, by virtue of a moment’s association with Lord Shiva, who is very dear to You and who is Your most intimate friend, we were fortunate to attain You. You are the most expert physician, capable of treating the incurable disease of material existence. On account of our great fortune we have been able to take shelter at Your lotus feet.”
“Because of association with Lord Shiva for a moment we got this opportunity to meet you. priyasya sakhyuḥ — Shiva is Your very intimate friend.”
— From a Lecture in Bhubaneswar, 16 February 1994. Sri Krishna Kathamrita magazine, issue 7.
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