Gour Govinda Swāmī: Brahma-sūtra. But the Māyāvādīs, they don't accept it. Māyāvādīs don't accept it. Śrīpād Śaṅkarācārya has compiled an imaginative commentary on Brahma-sūtra that's known as Śārīraka-bhāṣya. It's an imaginative commentary. It's not literal commentary. It's Śārīraka-bhāṣya. So Māyāvādīs, they don't speak from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They speak from that Śārīraka-bhāṣya compiled by Śrīpād Śaṅkarācārya. But Mahāprabhu says,
māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa
[CC Madhya 6.169]
Don't go to a Māyāvādī. Don't hear their commentaries on Brahma-sūtra. Your bhakti-vṛtti will be completely finished, doomed. It will be completely destroyed.
“yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne ekānta āśraya kara caitanya-caraṇe
[CC Antya 5.131
yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne ekānta āśraya kara caitanya-caraṇe. Hmm. There is saying, Go and approach a bhakta-bhāgavata, Vaiṣṇava, sādhu. He's completely surrendered soul. Dear devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu who is an embodiment of Bhāgavata. Go and approach such a bhakta-bhāgavata sādhu Vaiṣṇava and study Bhāgavata from him. yāha, bhāgavata. And hear Bhāgavata from him. yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne ekānta āśraya kara caitanya-caraṇe. Completely take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
What is necessity? What is necessity of completely taking shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Bolo Acyutānanda Huh? Bolo.
Acyutānanda: Kṛṣṇa-prema.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: Mahāprabhu gives Kṛṣṇa-prema. So what is that? All right. That's all right. Mahāprabhu gives Kṛṣṇa-prema. So, how is it that, that Kṛṣṇa-prema will help you in understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Devotee: Pure devotion.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: Huh?
Devotee: Pure devotion. Pure devotion.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: You'll get pure devotion. So, through pure devotion you will understand. Yes, that is right.
bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā
[Padma Purāṇa / CC Madhya 24.313]
This statement given by Lord Śiva. He is one of the mahājanas. bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā. You cannot understand Bhāgavata by dint of your own material scholarship, merit, intelligence. You cannot understand. Only "bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā. One may say, ‘Yes, it is written in Sanskrit and many commentators are there who have given commentaries on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and those commentaries are also written in Sanskrit. So I am a Sanskrit scholar, so I can read that thing. I can understand.’
But Śivaji said, No. bhaktyā bhāgavataṁ grāhyaṁ na buddhyā na ca ṭīkayā. Only through bhakti you can understand Bhāgavatam and approach Bhāgavatam. You cannot understand Bhāgavatam by taking help of the commentaries written by many commentators like Śrīdhara Svāmī, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Madhvācārya, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Many commentators are there. They have given commentary, but you cannot understand only by bhaktyā, only by bhakti.
How can one understand and approach Kṛṣṇa?
bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ
[SB 11.14.21]
Kṛṣṇa says that thing. Kṛṣṇa Himself says how He should be approached, how He should be understood. bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ. Only through bhakti. Only through bhakti I am to be understood and approached. Not through yoga, not through sāṅkhyālocana, not through Vedic study.
na sādhayati māṁ yogo na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava na svādhyāya-tapas tyāgo yathā bhaktir mamorjitā [SB 11.14.20]
That Kṛṣṇa says in 11th Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to Uddhava. One cannot understand me or approach me through yoga-sādhana, through tapasya, renounce, through Vedic study, through sāṅkhyālocana, analytic study of philosophy. Yathā bhaktir mamorjitā, only through bhakti.
Similarly, only through bhakti, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will be understood because it is as good as Kṛṣṇa.
kṛṣṇa-tulya bhāgavata vibhu, sarva-āśraya prati-śloke prati-akṣare nānā artha kaya
[CC Madhya 24.318]
Is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is as good as Kṛṣṇa. It is vibhu, as Kṛṣṇa is vibhu, Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Lord. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also vibhu. As we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, similarly we take shelter of Bhāgavatam. Prati-śloke prati-akṣare nānā artha kaya. In every verse, even in every word, even in, every letter, speaks many, many meanings. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and this is such a śāstra, it contents everything. And if someone only hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he may not do any other sādhana. No need of doing any other sādhana. Only hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily,
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām
[SB 10.14.3]
This statement’s given by Lord Brahmā, one of the sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. Whatever position one is, let him be there in that position. No need of changing position. If someone is brahmacārī position, let him be there. Someone is gṛhastha position, let him be there. Someone is vānaprasthi position, let him be there. Someone is yati-pratha sannyāsa position, let him be there. But one thing should be done. yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne ekānta. Go and approach a bhakta-bhāgavata and hear Bhāgavatam, study Bhāgavatam, and by development of such kṛṣṇa-bhakti, prema-bhakti, you'll be able to conquer the unconquerable. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is ajita, He's unconquerable, but you may conquer through bhakti. And you develop such bhakti by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that you're able to conquer the unconquerable. That will be perfect.
This is the glory of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So as we glorify Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, similarly we glorify Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because it's not different from Kṛṣṇa. Bhakta-bhāgavata. Bhakta is also known as bhāgavata, is embodiment of Bhāgavata, is grantha-bhāgavata, scripture Bhāgavata, grantha-bhāgavata, Bhagavān, all should be glorified. All should be glorified. Devotee bhāgavata, Vaiṣṇavas should be glorified, grantha-bhāgavata should be glorified, and Supreme Lord Bhagavān should be glorified. These are the glorification.
Before studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we glorify and beg its mercy, beg mercy of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Grantha-kṛpā. A sādhu has kṛpā, your grantha has kṛpā.
sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya sei jīva nistare, māyā tāhāre chāḍaya
[CC Madhya 20.120]
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. If someone gets kṛpā, mercy from sādhu as well as from śāstra, śāstras. You should not think as a mere book, then you commit offence. It is as good as Kṛṣṇa, it is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. So we beg mercy, thereby glorifying before now we go study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fourth Canto, Chapter Two, Text Twenty-Nine.
Naṣṭa-śaucā mūḍha-dhiyo [SB 4.2.29]
Those who vow to worship Lord Śiva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads. When initiated into worship of Lord Śiva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things.
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda:
Indulging in wine and meat, keeping long hair on one’s head, not bathing daily, and smoking gāñjā (marijuana) are some of the habits which are accepted by foolish creatures who do not have regulated lives. By such behavior one becomes devoid of transcendental knowledge. In the initiation into the Śiva mantra there are mudrikāṣṭaka, in which it is sometimes recommended that one make his sitting place on the vagina and thus desire nirvāṇa, or dissolution of existence. In that process of worship, wine is needed, or sometimes, in place of wine, palm tree juice which is converted into an intoxicant. This is also offered according to Śiva-āgama, a scripture on the method of worshiping Lord Śiva.
So, this is what Bhṛgu says condemning Śiva. Dakṣa curses Lord Śiva, then Nandīśvara. Who is Nandīśvara?
Devotee:-The bull.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: The bull. Yes. They're devotees. This carrier of Śiva. Śiva's carrier, couldn’t tolerate. He also condemned Dakṣa and the Brahmins headed by Bhṛgu. Those who are doing the sacrifice there, Dakṣa. So then, Bhṛgu is cursing, Bhṛgu is calling ill of Śiva and followers of Śiva. He is cursing and re-cursing, you understand, it's going on.
But you should understand these are what Bhṛgu says, ‘Those who go to worship Lord Śiva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads and instead of being worshipful of Śiva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh, and other such things.’ You should understand who is Śiva and what is śiva-tattva. And those who imitate Śiva, they do like this. They cannot understand Śiva. Śiva as Brahma-saṁhitā says, isn’t it?
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
[Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.45]
This is Śiva. Brahma-saṁhitā says this is Śiva, śiva-tattva. kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt. What is the difference between Hari and Hara, Viṣṇu and Śiva? That is stated. What is difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Śiva? The difference between kṣīraṁ and dadhi, milk and yoghurt.
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi.
I am worshipping, I am doing bhajan of that Govinda, ādi-puruṣa. Isn't it? Who? Who is māyātīta. He has transcended Māyā. Māyātīta. Viṣṇu ādi-puruṣa Govinda. Hmm.
So that Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva, there is no difference they says. Na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ. There is no difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Śiva, but there is some difference.
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt. If you put a seed into milk, then it will turn into dadhī, yoghurt. So yoghurt is not different from dadhī, but it is not milk. Yogurt is not different from milk, but it is not milk. Because something is added to it, it cannot be said as milk, cannot be turned into milk also. So, this is difference between Viṣṇu and Śiva.
So, Lord Śiva is not different from Viṣṇu, but it cannot be said Viṣṇu. Because he's accepted Māyā. He's accepted Māyā. When Lord Viṣṇu accepts Māyā, becomes Śiva. Becomes Śiva. That is what Śiva-tattva. Hmm.
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ. There is no difference.
Similarly, this Hari and Hara, Lord Viṣṇu and Śiva. There is no difference, but there is this difference is there because Lord Śiva or Lord Viṣṇu accepts Māyā, becomes Śiva. When we say this thing, when creation takes place Mahā-Viṣṇu is Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu lies in causal ocean is known as Mahā Viṣṇu, casts a glance over Māyā, material nature. Casts a glance over Māyā, material nature, and makes thereby, He makes material nature Māyā impregnated. Then all creation takes place. So, when he cast that glance thereby mixes with the Māyā. So that is the creation of Śiva.
Śiva is there. Śiva is known as māyābhartṛ . This māyābhartṛ is husband of Māyā is Śiva. That Śiva is created, at that time is Śiva. But generally, Lord Viṣṇu doesn't come in contact with Māyā. Generally, Lord Viṣṇu doesn't come in contact with Māyā, only casts. That is what Śiva. So, this is śiva-tattva.
dugdha yena amla-yoge dadhi-rūpa dhare dugdhāntara vastu nahe, dugdha haite nāre
[CC Madhya 20.309]
Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, as the milk is transformed into yogurt, amla-yoge, if amla, a seed is added to milk, then it is transformed to yogurt. So yogurt, dadhi is not different from milk, but it cannot be milk. It cannot be said as milk. This difference between Lord Viṣṇu and Śiva. śiva-tattva is a special tattva. It's neither viṣṇu-tattva nor jīva-tattva. It is special tattva, this śiva-tattva.
And Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, congeals the 64 qualities of Kṛṣṇa, mentions that thing in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So first 50 qualities that is, found in jīvas, minute portion. So in Brahmā and Śiva, Sureśa, Devarāja Indra, demigods, they have these 50 qualities some better proportions than jīvas have, plus they have five more qualities. Five more qualities. That means the demigods, have 55 qualities in some lesser degree, lesser proportion than viṣṇu-tattvas or Kṛṣṇa posseses those qualities completely, unlimitedly and completely full surpassing.
So Śiva and Brahmā, so Brahmā has 55 qualities also, Śiva has also 55 qualities. But between Brahmā and Śiva, Brahmā is also jīva-tattva. Brahmā is jīva-tattva.
sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcitām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām
[SB 4.24.29]
Fourth Canto, this is fourth Canto. This one is going on, yes. This will come later. Śiva says this thing to Pracetās. When Pracetās chapter will come, then you'll find the statement of Śiva.
sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcatām eti tataḥ paraṁ hi mām avyākṛtaṁ bhāgavato ’tha vaiṣṇavaṁ padaṁ yathāhaṁ vibudhāḥ kalātyaye
[SB 4.24.29]
Śivā says, Who becomes Brahmā? sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcitām eti. If some jīva observes these principles of varṇāśrama-dharma, sva-dharma, hundreds of births, śata-janmabhiḥ pumān. Huh? He acquires the qualification to become Brahmā in some kalpa. Lord Viṣṇu will give him that, post him in that position of Brahmā in some kalpa.
sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcitām eti" he'll become Virañci, the Brahmā. tataḥ paraṁ hi mām. If performs more auspicious activities than this, transcends to be Śiva.
But you'll find in this material world, this Śiva is more worshipped than Brahmā. Brahmā is rarely worshipped. Rarely worshipped, hardly worshipped. But Śiva is more worshipped. Why? And also it's said, Brahmā is the creator, the second creator. You see? He's an empowered incarnation. Lord Viṣṇu empowers him to create. Guṇāvatāra as well as śaktyāveśa-avatāra empowered incarnation - Brahmā. It's all said. But Rudra, the Śiva, also is born from the anger of Brahmā. You understand? Brahmā became angry. Rudra was born. That is also said.
But Rudra, or Śiva, is worshipped more than Brahmā. And Śiva is known as Īśvara, and also some say Maheśvara also, Mahāyogi also. Very powerful. And these qualities, 55 qualities, that Brahmā has and Śiva, there is difference. Śiva has these fifty-five qualities, better proportion than the Brahmā. Great proportion than Brahmā, that is said. And especially controlling capacity. Īśvara means controller. They have controlling capacity. So Brahmā is also Īśvara and Śiva is also Īśvara. Demigods are also known as Īśvara because they control something in this material world, and they are been given that capacity by Lord Viṣṇu. But Śiva possesses more controlling capacity than Brahmā. That is there. Therefore, Lord Śiva is worshipped more.
Again, you'll find like vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ [SB 12.13.16], Śambhu or Śivajī is a Vaiṣṇava, he's a Vaiṣṇava, he's a devotee, dear devotee. He's a dear devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. He's a Vaiṣṇava. Therefore Śiva is worshipped both by demons and devotees. He's worshipped both by demons and devotees.
Here it says, this verse says, " Those who vow to worship Lord Śiva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads. When initiated into worship of Lord Śiva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things." These are demons. Demons do like that. They are addicted to this wine, flesh and other such things. Those who are in tamo-guṇa, in mode of ignorance, they are these demons, because Śivajī has accepted that tamo-guṇa. He is the tamo-guṇa avatāra. And Brahmā, Lord Brahmā is rajo-guṇa avatāra. That's a rajo-guṇa. And Lord Viṣṇu is sattva-guṇa avatāra. That is said Guṇāvatāra. That Śivajī accepted that, only obeying the order of his master, Lord Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu. He's such a dear devotee.
In First Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, we find when Pracetās are offering prayers to Lord Hari, they say,
vayaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavan bhavasya priyasya sakhyuḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgamena suduścikitsyasya bhavasya mṛtyor bhiṣaktamaṁ tvādya gatiṁ gatāḥ sma
[SB 4.30.38]
They are saying this. Pracetās went to undergo austerities, penances by order of their father, to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu. You understand? So Lord Viṣṇu became pleased with their austerity, Lord Viṣṇu appeared before them.
So when Lord Viṣṇu appeared before them, then Pracetās offered prayers to Lord Viṣṇu, and they said this thing.
vayaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavan bhavasya priyasya sakhyuḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgamena su-dusticikitsyasya bhavasya mṛtyor bheṣajama tvad-gati-gatim gatāsma.
Pracetās say, O Lord, O Lord Viṣṇu, we get such opportunity or such chance to meet you because we were fortunate enough to associate with your dear devotee, priyasya sakhyuḥ, your dear devotee, Bhava. Bhava means Śivajī Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva. We had opportunity of associating for some time, for a little while, with your dear devotee, Lord Śiva. Therefore we got now, this chance to meet you. Otherwise, we never met you. This is the result of associating with your dear devotee, Bhagavān, this Lord Śiva. He says priyasya sakhyuḥ. This means, that Lord Śiva is very dear to you and also is not different from you.
Ācāryas like Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, they have commented upon this, the word priyasya sakhyuḥ. And wherever you find this usage, priyasya sakhyuḥ, you should understand this is abheda-sūcaka, means this indicates there is no difference, as also we will offer prayer to spiritual master, guru. In Gurvāṣṭaka also we chant that thing. What is that?
sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam.
Isn't it? We offer that thing. This priyasya sakhyuḥ. Prabhor yaḥ priyo. That Guru, The spiritual master is very dear to Supreme Lord, you see. Sākṣād-hari. He's as good as the Lord Hari. It is said in all śāstra, in all Vedic scriptures it is said he's as good as Hari. That spiritual master, guru-pādapadma is as good as Hari.
What do you mean by that? You can't understand this thing? What do you mean by that, sākṣād-hari? That means he's in the same platform. He's in the same platform of Lord Hari, in the same platform. It's sākṣād-dharitvena. But Mayavadi’s they say, what they say?
Mayavadi’s say that, that guru is not different from Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. It's sākṣād-hari. They interpret in that way, that he's Kṛṣṇa. But our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not that. Lord Kṛṣṇa is viṣaya-vigraha. But guru is a dear devotee of Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, is āśraya-vigraha. What do you mean by that? What do you say it in English? Viṣaya-vigraha, āśraya-vigraha?
viṣaya-vigraha, āśraya-vigraha. Āśraya-vigraha is servitor Bhagavān, is servitor Bhagavān. Sevaka-bhagavān, viṣaya-vigraha is sevya-bhagavān. Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa is Absolute Truth, He's one without second, and He is viṣaya-vigraha is sevya-bhagavān. But guru-pādapadma, the spiritual master, dear devotee of Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, is āśraya-vigraha, is sevaka-bhagavān, is servitor Bhagavān, and both are Bhagavān.
Therefore we say, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam. I, worship that caraṇāravinda, that lotus feet of guru, guru-pādapadma who is such - who is very dear to Lord, Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, and who is in the same platform with Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Very dear. And sākṣād-harit, he's as good as Lord Hari. He is sevaka-bhagavān, He's servitor Bhagavān. That he says.
And commenting on this priyasya sakhyo, Jīva Gosvāmī says,
śuddha-bhaktās tv eke śrī-guroḥ śrī-śivasya ca śrī-bhagavatā sahābheda-dṛṣṭiṁ tat-priyatamatvenaiva manyante (Bhakti Sandarbha, 213)
In Bhakti-sandarbha, Jīva Gosvāmī has said this thing. He's an ācārya, he is authority. Tattva-ācārya. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, he says this thing, this usage, priyasya sakhyo. This is the opinion of all the ācāryas. Dear devotees, pure devotees, śuddha-bhakta means pure devotees. Who are pure devotees? śrī-guroḥ śrī-śivāsya. Guru-pādapadma, spiritual master, is a dear devotee and pure devotee of Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa. Similar Śiva also.
So bhagavatā sahābheda-dṛṣṭiṁ, they say, Jīva Gosvāmī says, ‘They are as good as Lord Hari.’ Sākṣād-hari. Sākṣād-hari, priyasya sakhyo. Tat-priyatamatve, because they are very dear. They are in the same level. And yesterday evening I was telling that. I was telling how Kṛṣṇa becomes bound up with love of that dear devotee, this dear devotee. śuddha-bhakta. Who has developed kṛṣṇa-prema. So he becomes bound up.
So, this is most important here. When this, Mārkaṇḍeya Muni in twelfth canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will find, when Mārkaṇḍeya Muni was offering prayers. In 12th canto, 10th chapter, 34 verse you'll find,
varam ekaṁ vṛṇe ’thāpi pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi
[SB 12.10.34]
Mārkaṇḍeya Muni says, he offers prayer to Lord Śiva. Śiva is Vaiṣṇava. vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ Śiva is Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava should be offered prayer, glorified, I say, beg mercy. Mārkaṇḍeya Muni says, ‘O Lord Śiva, you are such a great devotee and dear devotee of Lord, and you fulfil the desire of everybody who takes shelter of you.’ Who becomes your devotee, you fulfil the desires of that person. Therefore, I am offering this prayer unto you. Please shower such mercy on me that I will develop unalloyed devotion unto Lord Kṛṣṇa as I have developed devotion unto you.
bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi
Tvayi means ‘in you’. So let that unalloyed devotion be with me always. Let that unalloyed devotion be with me always. Let me develop that, such type of devotion as I have to you. The Upaniṣad says, what is that? Yasya deve tathā gurau?
Devotee: Yasya deve parā bhaktir
Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. Yasya deve tathā gurau Tasyaste.
Devotee: Yasya deve
Gour Govinda Swāmī: yathā deve tathā gurau. yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaste. That verse is there in Upaniṣad. One who has devotion yathā deve tathā gurau, who has Kṛṣṇa as well as guru, the similar devotion. Similar devotion. So the truth of this Veda tattva, the truth of our Vedic knowledge will be revealed to you, will be manifested for you. That Upaniṣad mantra says that thing. And this prayer of Mārkaṇḍeya Muni speaks about that.
Tasyaite kathitā hyarthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
That is the verse. prakāśante mahātmanaḥ. He says, bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi. acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi. O Lord Śiva, I offer this prayer unto you, please shower your mercy unto me in such a way that I will develop that unalloyed devotion unto Kṛṣṇa as well as to you. And let that devotion be with me always. That he said. Again, also we find,
nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā devānām acyuto yathā vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ purāṇānām idam tathā
[SB 12.13.16]
In same, 12th Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, thirteenth chapter sixteenth verse says, ‘As Gaṅgā is topmost river among all rivers. devānām acyuto yathā – out of all demigods Lord Viṣṇu is the topmost. vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. Similarly, Śambhu Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva, is the topmost Vaiṣṇava among all Vaiṣṇavas. And purāṇānām idam tathā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata Purāṇa is known as Bhāgavata Mahā-Purāṇa, is topmost in all the Purāṇas. So here it says, vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is the topmost Vaiṣṇava, therefore, He is to be worshipped and He is worshiped.
And Lord Śiva is very magnanimous. He's very magnanimous. He's not narrow-minded. Very magnanimous heart he has. And those who are rejected by others, Śivajī accepts them. The ghosts, the demons, the ghosts, bhūta, preta. Nobody want them, they're rejected by everybody, so Śivajī said, "Please come to me." So they have taken shelter of Lord Śiva, the bhūtas, pretas, the ghosts, demons Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, they have all taken shelter of Lord Śiva and Śivajī has given them shelter. He's so magnanimous. Very magnanimous.
And also you see, eighth canto you'll find when there was churning of the milk ocean by demons and demigods combined they were churning milk ocean to get nectar. So, first poison came out. Ocean-like poison. Ocean-like poison, abdhi-samāna, visa came out, and all were afraid to take it. Who will take poison? Nobody was prepared to take poison. Just one, one drop, someone will take one drop of that poison, he will be completely finished, destroyed. The whole world will be destroyed if that poison would have been there.
So all were afraid. Not to take it. What had to be done? Now whole creation will be destroyed. Then Lord Viṣṇu was present there. So, Lord Viṣṇu said, ‘You go and approach Lord Śiva. Only he can save us. He can save the whole world from destruction now.’ Śiva came. Śiva came and drank whole poison. He's so powerful drank the whole poison, the ocean-like poison, and nothing happened to him. He's so powerful. All, all were afraid. Lord Śiva showed his power.
But one question is there. One question is there. So why? Why did Lord Viṣṇu ask the prajāpatis and demigods to go and approach Lord Śiva? Can't Viṣṇu do anything? If Lord Viṣṇu could have cast his nectarean vision into that poison, the poison would have turned into nectar. Why didn't He do it? That is the question. Why didn't He do it? Lord Viṣṇu was present there. Why didn't He do it? Or why He's saying, ‘Go and approach Śiva’? That is the point here. Can you say? Sadānanda? No? Can anybody say?
Devotee: He wanted to glorify His devotee.
Gour Govinda Swāmī: Yes. That's the point. Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa always want that, let his devotee glorified. Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa wants to give his devotee better position. Better position. And let devotee be worshipped.
Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā
[SB 11.19.21]
That is correct. Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā. Let my devotee be worshipped more than myself. That's what Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa wants. So Lord Viṣṇu said that, ‘Go and approach Lord Śiva’. He can save us now, protect us. He can save the whole creation from destruction. Otherwise, this poison will destroy the whole creation. That is the purpose behind it.
Śiva is such a devotee, dear devotee of Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa. But here Dakṣa. Dakṣa is the father-in-law of Śiva. He has given his daughter Satī in marriage to Śivajī, isn't it? So when he was performing, Dakṣa was performing that sacrifice, yajña, he didn't invite Śivajī. He invited everybody. He didn't invite Śivajī. But Satī, the daughter of Dakṣa, wanted to go there. Śivajī knows this thing, ‘No, we are not invited. We should not go’. Satī said, ‘What is the need of invitation? I will go to my father's house. There's no need of invitation’.
When Satī says like that, Śivajī said, ‘All right, you may go, but danger is there. I caution you. Danger is there’. Because this Dakṣa doesn't like Śiva. Dakṣa doesn't like Śiva. Dakṣa cannot understand Śiva. He has that vision, material vision. Dakṣa has material vision. So he cannot understand Śiva. How Śiva is an elevated personality. Śiva is an elevated personality. Not a ordinary personality. He's a dear devotee, and very powerful personality. He's on elevated position also.
But Dakṣa cannot understand this thing. He sees in that vision that Śiva is my son-in-law. I am superior to Śiva. So he never pays respect to Śiva. He demands respect from Śiva. But Śiva being elevated personality, when he doesn't pay respect to Dakṣa, Dakṣa had had such anger. So he didn't invite.
So when Satī went there, so Dakṣa being her father didn't also talk to her. Rather, Satī was condemned, she was condemned. They all condemned Śiva, spoke ill of Śiva, blasphemed Śiva. They all blasphemed Śiva. Such a dear devotee, vaiṣṇavā. And one should not hear, Vaishnava nindā, blasphemy of a vaiṣṇavā. One who blasphemes he is a great offender and one who hears also, he also becomes an offender.
These points are discussed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So, Satī couldn't tolerate this thing. So, it is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, if there is vaiṣṇava-nindā, someone is blaspheming Vaiṣṇava, once he is committing a very great sin, what to say, great offense, inexcusable offense. One should not hear such blasphemy. If someone hears, he will also become an offender.
And if you have power, strength, you should cut off the tongue of that person who is blaspheming the Vaiṣṇava. śiva-pāni ca vaiṣṇavera-ninde. Caitanya-bhāgavata says, śiva-pāni means Śivajī. If you have power and strength, you should cut off the tongue of that offender. He will never utter such words. If no such power, it is better to leave that place. Don't stay in that place where such vaiṣṇava-nindā is going on. Leave that place immediately. Let all these things not come to my ear. I will not hear all these things. If you can't do this thing, either of these two, one should kill himself. One should not survive.
So, Satī could neither leave the place nor stop her father say this thing. So, she killed herself. So, then Śiva became angry. This thing is going on. Then Nandiśvara became angry, then he cursed this Dakṣa and brāhmaṇas headed by Bhṛgu, Bhṛgu is saying like that. Cursing and re-cursing is going on. This topic is there. So as a result, you find how Dakṣa's head will be cut off, then goat head will be placed at that site. This is the result of vaiṣṇava-nindā. Then Dakṣa will come into consciousness and offer prayers to Śiva again.
So, this is what Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, and you find many things are there in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, all getting religious about Lord Śiva, the Śiva-tattva, and what is the relationship between Hari and Hara. Hari and Hara. In Brahma-purāṇa, Brahma-purāṇa you will find:
yo hi māṁ draṣṭum iccheta brahmāṇaṁ vā pitāmaham draṣṭavyas tena bhagavān vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān
[Brahma Purāṇa]
This is Brahma-purāṇa. This is Śiva's statement. He says, ‘One who wants to see me as well as to see Lord Brahmā, or one who wants to get me as well as Lord Brahmā, he should see Lord Vāsudeva’. Because one who knows Lord Vāsudeva, he knows Lord Śiva and Brahmā. He knows all tattva. Who know Vāsudeva-tattva, he knows Śiva-tattva, he knows Brahmā-tattva, he knows how to approach Lord Śiva and Brahmā.
And Śivajī is dear devotee, priyasya sakhyu. He is very dear devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Kṛṣṇa. And Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa always wants that His devotees should be worshipped and glorified. So there is worship of Lord Śiva. And Lord Śiva is very magnanimous and Āśutoṣa. He is very easily satisfied and very quickly satisfied. You need to offer one bel leaf and Śivaliṅga and some water - Oṁ namaḥ śivāya, Śiva becomes pleased and will ask, ‘Yes, what do you want?’ And immediately grants the boon you ask for. Fulfils all the desires of the devotee.
Even, he's so magnanimous to demons. Demons worship Śiva because he's Āśutoṣa. He's very quickly satisfied and pleased, and they get the boons they want, and that demon, Vṛkāsura, who take that boon like, if I put my hand on the head of someone, he'll be destroyed immediately. And Śivajī immediately granted, ‘Yes, tathāstu, let it be’. He gave that. He couldn't think, ‘Why should this demon ask for such boon? He wants to kill everybody and he'll remain alone?’. He didn't think of that thing because he's absorbed, he's completely absorbed in thought of Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa.
kṛṣṇa-preme matta digambara. kṛṣṇa-preme matta digambara
[CC Ādi 6.81]
He's digambara. He's naked. He has put ashes, bones, snakes over His body. So therefore this Dakṣa didn't like Him. ‘Oh, nasty looking person. Not a civilized one. He's not a civilized one. A nasty looking person’. Such a trait Dakṣa had. But he's such an elevated personality, such a great devotee, dear devotee. Vaiṣṇava. He's always absorbed in thought of Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa.
kṛṣṇa-preme unmatta . He always dances. Like a madman, He dances. tāṇḍava-nṛtya. Śiva-tāṇḍava. He does that tāṇḍava-nṛtya dance. So, when the demons come and disturb Him, He wants to dispose of them very quickly. ‘Let them get out. Yes, what do you want? I want this. All right, let it be granted.’ He gives them thing. And He's so magnanimous that He has given them such, and so they, they come, the demons, the ghosts, demons all day come and disturb Śiva. And Śiva doesn't want to be disturbed. ‘All right, what do you want? This this. Granted.’
So giving such boon, He himself goes into danger. Pushed himself into danger. That Vṛkāsura, when he heard that boon, he couldn't believe whether Śiva gave such boon, is really effective or Śiva cheated him. He couldn't uphold you see? So he wanted to test it, putting hand on Lord Śiva. Putting his hand on the head of Lord Śiva. ‘I'll put. I'll test’. But what Śivajī has said, that will come true. He was such an elevated personality and so we get to know this powerful personality, isn't it? So Śiva found, Śiva was put into danger now. Vṛkāsura, the demon, was running after Śiva and Śivajī was running. At last Śiva went towards Nārāyaṇa and He could protect. Giving boons, Śiva pushed Himself into danger. Such a magnanimous personality, such as magnanimous heart he has. You see?