Watering the Root

“No one else is as dear to Me as Shiva. An enemy of Shiva, although he calls himself My devotee, cannot attain Me even in a dream. He who is opposed to Shankara and yet aspires for devotion to Me is doomed and dull-witted.” (Lord Rama, Ramacharitamanasa, Lanka-kanda, 1.4)

Comment: “For me Lord Narayana will be always the supreme God. But it is your ignorance that you don’t know anything about Lord Shiva. My Lord Krishna is only the first and the greatest devotee of my Lord Shiva…”

Response: One of the side-effects of offering praise to a particular person or entity is that faithful followers of other great personalities may get offended. This makes sense because people are so strongly attached to their particular object of worship that if they see another entity being praised more, they will feel slighted. Looking to correct the situation and stop the neglect, these devotees may even take to criticism. Amongst followers of the Vedic tradition, one of the more common clashes occurs between devotees of Lord Vishnu [Vaishnavas] and followers of Lord Shiva [Shaivites]. There is actually no need for such conflict since the objects of worship, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, are best of friends and completely respectful of one another. Lord Shiva spends all his time meditating on the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, and Vishnu harbors eternal affection for Shiva.

No matter where you go in the world, you will always find arguments relating to politics and religion. People have their own ideas of who God is and how one should conduct themselves in life, thus there naturally will be clashes between the various factions. The Vedas, the ancient truths which originate in India, tell us that God certainly does exist and that He has many names based on His innumerable attributes, forms, and activities. Of all of God’s forms, there is an original, however. This original form has a name: Krishna. The word Krishna is Sanskrit for “all-attractive” and “blackish”. Only God can attract every single person in the world, thus Krishna is an apt title for Him. Krishna also possesses every material opulence to the greatest degree and simultaneously. These may all seem like obvious features of God, but the Vedas expound on these truths to reiterate the Lord’s greatness. Another reason for the detail is that many transcendentalists take to denouncing the idea of there being a God. If they do believe in a supreme controller, they take it to be an energy, something which every living entity is part of. Due to these flawed philosophies, it is necessary to establish God’s existence and explain His innumerable forms and attributes.

Though Krishna is the original form of God, there are many sub-forms or expansions of the Lord. Krishna’s primary expansion is that of Lord Vishnu, who is also known as Narayana. Krishna is the most attractive, but through the course of history, mankind has not always been ready to embrace that all-attractive form. We can think of it this way: as time goes on, man gains a better ability to accept God’s features and attributes. This means that at the beginning of creation, man could only conceive of the Lord through transcendental sound vibrations. That is why the syllable “Om” is so important. Before man had the ability to recognize the ever-existing transcendental form of the Lord, they used to contemplate the Absolute Truth by reciting “Om”. As time goes on, however, little by little the Lord reveals Himself. Lord Vishnu is a little different from Krishna in that He has four hands, while Krishna has two. Vishnu’s opulence is also more prominent, and due to this feature, He appeals to those who view God as a Supreme Controller, the most powerful person in the world.

Is there any other way to view God? Devotees of Krishna certainly understand that God is powerful, but their devotion to Him is based more on love which is exchanged in various transcendental mellows, or rasas. Lord Krishna can be worshiped in the mood of parental affection, where the devotee views the Lord as a dependent child, someone to look after and nurture. This style of love is considered superior because the devotee doesn’t expect any service from the Lord. Rather, they are giving service to God without any expectation of return. Nor is there any fear involved. When we view God as excessively opulent and powerful, naturally there will be an element of fear involved. This is certainly understandable in the case of distressed devotees, but in reality, there is no reason to fear God in any way.

Not every person will initially be attracted to Krishna due to different proclivities towards offering service to the Lord. Therefore, in the Vedic tradition, Lord Vishnu plays as prominent a role in worship as Lord Krishna does. The two forms are essentially interchangeable. When a person refers to Lord Vishnu, they are also referring to Lord Krishna, and vice versa. Lord Krishna and His direct expansions are referred to as vishnu-tattva, and the separated expansions are referred to as jiva-tattva. We living entities are jiva-tattva, so we can never be equal to God.

The material world we live in is different from the spiritual world, with the most obvious difference being the influence of matter. We can think of matter as the presiding deity of the material world. Since matter, which is known as prakriti, is subordinate to spirit, or purusha, there needs to be someone in charge of managing the creation. Lord Vishnu transcends matter, which means that He never associates with it in any way. Matter is certainly one of His energies, but since it is a separated energy, the Lord has no interest in associating with it. In order to manage the material affairs, the Lord deputes elevated living entities known as demigods to handle every aspect of the creation. The three primary demigods are Lord Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu.

The first thing we’ll notice is that Lord Vishnu is listed as a demigod in this group. In reality, Vishnu can never be considered a demigod, for as mentioned before, He transcends matter. These three deities are referred to as guna-avataras, or incarnations of the Lord in charge of gunas, or material qualities. Though this form of Lord Vishnu is the avatara in charge of sattva-guna, or the mode of goodness, He is still nevertheless the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same can’t be said for Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. Brahma is in charge of the mode of passion, rajo-guna, and Shiva is in charge of the mode of ignorance, tamo-guna. Material creation is made up of these three modes, with the bodies of the living entities consisting of varying combinations of these three ingredients. For example, the human beings are mostly in the mode of passion, while the demigods are mostly in the mode of goodness. The animal species are mostly in the mode of ignorance. Goodness is knowledge, those activities which are in line with revealed knowledge, or scriptures. Those who act in the mode of goodness thus possess bodies which are in goodness. Passion is any fruitive activity, any work performed which has a result, with the results usually being used for the satisfaction of the gross senses. The mode of ignorance is any activity which lacks both goodness and passion.

One thing that we should note is that even though Lord Brahma is in charge of the mode of passion, it doesn’t mean that he lives in passion. The same holds true for Lord Shiva. Both of them are highly exalted personalities put in charge of the modes of passion and ignorance by Lord Vishnu Himself. One should never make the mistake of thinking that these two great demigods are on the same level as the conditioned living entities.

The issue we run into is in relation to the word “demigod”. Devotees of Lord Shiva will argue that he is not a demigod, but that rather he is the original form of God. After all, some of the Puranas hint at this fact, so how can we deny this? The answer is that Lord Shiva is technically not a demigod, nor is he the Supreme Lord. The best way to illustrate the difference between Vishnu and Shiva is to study the difference between milk and yogurt. Yogurt is a product of milk, meaning you can’t get yogurt without milk. At the same time, yogurt is not milk; for in recipes calling for milk, you can’t substitute yogurt and end up with the same dish. So in this regard, Lord Vishnu is milk and Lord Shiva is yogurt. Shiva comes from Vishnu, so he is the same as God in that regard, but at the same time he is different. He is often referred to as a demigod simply as a way to speak to the difference between himself and God.

Is it bad to be a devotee of Lord Shiva? Well, there are generally two kinds of devotees of Lord Shiva, each of which worships a different aspect of Shankara Bhagavan. Since Lord Shiva is in charge of the material mode of ignorance, one of his tasks involves destruction. He is known as the destroyer because he is in charge of destroying the material creation at a specific time. The Vedas tell us that the world we live in constantly goes through cycles of creation, maintenance, and destruction. We are currently in the maintenance phase, but eventually everything will be destroyed. Since Lord Shiva has the ability to destroy the entire creation, he must be very powerful. Since he has great powers, many people take to worshiping him. Lord Shiva, acting as a demigod, has the ability to grant boons to his devotees. He is known by the name of Ashutosha, which means that he is easily pleased. By rule, anyone who worships him properly gets whatever they want, regardless of their motive. Lord Shiva wants to meditate all the time, so he pushes through people’s requests for boons as quickly as possible.

There are many people who take advantage of this feature of Lord Shiva. History is full of incidents of demons taking to worship of Lord Shiva for nefarious purposes. Probably one of Shiva’s most famous devotees was the Rakshasa demon Ravana. Due to a curse imposed by the sage Vishrava, Ravana was born as a Rakshasa demon possessing ten heads. He didn’t even get the name Ravana until later on in life. He was initially known as Dashagriva and Dashanana, meaning ten-headed.
Also due to his father’s curse, Ravana did not have a very good character. He had the form of a demon and also the demeanor of one. Vishrava had another son named Kuvera who was born through a different mother. Kuvera performed great austerities and was rewarded by the demigods with great opulence and strength. Ravana’s mother, being jealous of Kuvera’s position, asked her son to also perform great austerities in hopes of rivaling Kuvera’s strength. Ravana followed suit, and after performing great penances, he was rewarded with tremendous fighting strength by Lord Brahma.

What did Ravana do with his newfound strength? He went on the rampage of course. After routing Kuvera out of his home on the island of Lanka, Ravana went on a world tour, taking on and defeating anyone in battle that was willing to fight him. One day, Ravana made his way to a mountain where Lord Shiva was meditating. Ravana wanted to fight with Shiva, so he tried to agitate the Lord’s meditation by moving the mountain he was on. Shiva of course was way more powerful than Ravana, so he simply brushed the demon aside by shaking the mountain with his toe, crushing Ravana’s fingers in the process. Ravana let out such a terrible scream that Shiva decided to then give him the name “Ravana”, which means one who terrifies others. While his fingers were still being crushed, Ravana offered kind words to mollify Lord Shiva. Eventually Mahadeva relented and removed the pressure. Ravana then became a devotee of Lord Shiva and was rewarded with several boons.

There are many other similar incidents in history of demons taking to worshiping Lord Shiva simply for receiving material benedictions. This type of worship is certainly second class and it brings up several larger issues. Lord Vishnu, or Krishna, is never beholden to devotees in this way. A demon can certainly worship Lord Vishnu, but the Lord is not obliged to answer anyone’s prayers. Many times Lord Vishnu will take away a person’s wealth and possessions in order to help them progress in spiritual life. Lord Shiva and other demigods are duty-bound to bestow gifts on anyone who worships them properly, regardless of the person’s motive.

This brings us to the second kind of devotee of Lord Shiva. Though Shankara is required to give out boons to his materially inclined devotees, it doesn’t mean that he wants to. Rather, he is acting purely out of love for Vishnu. At the beginning of creation, Lord Shiva simply wanted to sit in meditation all the time and concentrate on the lotus feet of the Lord. Lord Hari, however, told Shiva to get married to Parvati and to manage the affairs of the material creation. Shiva was a little hesitant, for he knew that taking a wife would distract from his meditation. This is the mood of a pure devotee; they are always thinking about how to serve Krishna. They don’t reject or accept anything outright; they first gauge whether or not something will help them in their devotional service. Lord Hari informed Shiva not to worry because since Parvati [Mother Durga] was chaste and pious, she would only help increase Shiva’s devotion for Him. In this way, Lord Shiva got married and had two wonderful sons, Skanda and Ganesha.

More than anything else, Lord Shiva is a great devotee of Vishnu. He is often considered the greatest devotee, for he agreed to break his meditation and take charge of material affairs. Not many of us would be willing to do this, but Shiva loves Vishnu so much that he never goes against His orders. Since Lord Shiva is a great devotee, he is certainly worthy of our highest respect and worship. People who worship Lord Shiva, taking him to be a great devotee, are certainly engaged in first class worship. Vaishnavas are especially fond of Lord Shiva since he is a great spiritual master. The Padma Purana states that in this current age, there will be four bona fide Vaishnava sampradayas, or disciplic successions of gurus. Each of these sampradayas has a founder, with Lord Shiva being one of them. Since he is the founder of a Vaishnava line of gurus, certainly Lord Shiva is an object of worship for devotees of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Shiva also is the narrator of one of the greatest stories ever told: the life and pastimes of Lord Rama, one of Vishnu’s primary incarnations. Out of all of the vishnu-tattva forms, Lord Rama is Shiva’s favorite. In the Ramacharitamanasa of Tulsidas, which is based off the Adhyatma Ramayana, Lord Shiva narrates the life and pastimes of Lord Rama to his wife Parvati. Devotion to Vishnu is a two-way street, so naturally the Lord has just as much love for Lord Shiva. During His pastimes on earth, Lord Rama once famously worshiped Lord Shiva. Thus the Lord showed us the example of how to properly show respect to the demigods. Lord Krishna similarly worshiped Lord Shiva during His time on earth, taking instruction from the great sage Upamanyu. Obviously God can never be instructed on anything, but He nevertheless set a good example of how one should always respect the brahmanas and Lord Shiva.

“If we learn how to love Krishna, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being. It is like pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying food to one’s stomach.” (Shrila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion, Preface)

If Lord Shiva is so wonderful, why don’t Vaishnavas explicitly take to worshiping Him? Why are there no altars dedicated to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati in Vaishnava temples? The answer to this is that worship of Lord Krishna, or Vishnu, is enough to please the entire world. A common analogy that is used is the watering of a tree. If you water the roots of a tree, the branches and leaves are automatically fed. In the same way, by worshiping Lord Krishna, all the other Vishnu forms, demigods, and living entities are similarly pleased. Especially in this day and age, there is no time to strictly adhere to all the various ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas for householders and brahmanas. The only process recommended for this age is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. By taking up devotional service, or vishnu-bhakti, even Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma become pleased.

If this is all true, why is there fighting between Vaishnavas and Shaivites? The primary reason is that people have so much love for their particular deity that they get offended when they see others neglecting them. This phenomenon is even seen amongst Vaishnavas. For example, if a person sees that only Lord Krishna and Lord Rama are being worshiped, while Lord Chaitanya isn’t shown as much attention, they will get offended. They will think that such worshipers are offending Lord Chaitanya, who is also an incarnation of Krishna, by not giving Him attention. So in one sense, these kinds of complaints actually show great love and devotion from the part of the worshipers. But as mentioned before, all vishnu-tattva forms are essentially the same and Lord Krishna is the fountainhead of all exalted personalities, so there is no reason for people to feel offended if their particular deity is neglected.

The basic principle we should understand is that every person in this world is religious; it is just the objects of worship that vary. People who worship Lord Rama will have association with Him in the afterlife; the same holds true for Lord Krishna, Vishnu, etc. Even worshipers of the demigods gain the association of the demigods in the afterlife. The difference between the planets of the demigods and the planets of Lord Vishnu is that Vishnu’s realm is eternal, whereas the realm of the demigods is not. Demigods reside on planets which are part of the material world, so these planets go through cycles of creation and destruction. Lord Vishnu’s spiritual realms of Vaikunthaloka and Krishnaloka don’t suffer from this defect, so devotees who go there never have to return to the material world.

The lesson here is that we should never disrespect Mahadeva, for he is very dear to Lord Krishna. This fact alone is enough to make Mahadeva an object of worship. We certainly can’t imitate Lord Shiva’s extraordinary activities, but we can follow his teachings and show him respect. Lord Shiva spends all his time meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord, so we can do no wrong by following in his footsteps. By praising Krishna and concentrating our minds on His lotus feet, the whole world becomes satisfied.

Fasting

“Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.9)

Lent is the holy period in the Catholic calendar where someone gives up something, a form of sense gratification which is usually meat eating, voluntarily. The Lent period lasts for forty days, so those accustomed to regularly eating meat scramble to find ways to adhere to the fast.

Lent is generally viewed unfavorably by the younger generation. “Why is God punishing us? Why can’t we just eat what we want?” These are some of the questions posed by followers of the faith. In actuality, most people don’t even adhere to the regulations of Lent. Those who are aware of it, often look for loopholes and excuses to continue their meat eating. “Oh fish doesn’t count. I can eat that. I can most certainly eat eggs. What about chicken? That’s not really meat right?” The Catholic Church had a long-standing rule stating that people couldn’t eat meat on Fridays. That rule has since been abolished due to the fact that no one was following it.

The concept of fasting is present in all major religions. The Muslims have the Ramadan Holiday where one is prohibited from taking food during daylight hours. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, probably have the most comprehensive list of fasting regulations. Those of us who grew up in Hindu families are very familiar with many of them. Our parents and elder relatives were always abiding by some type of fast. “Oh today is Tuesday. I don’t eat on Tuesday…I can’t eat anything with salt in it today…I can only eat fruits and drink water today.” These were some of the statements we commonly heard as children growing up. It seemed very puzzling to us, since we generally just ate whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. What was the point of starving yourself? Many Hindu women even fast for Teej, which is an annual holiday dedicated to ensuring a long life for husbands.

Fasting is rooted in the concept of tapasya. Tapasya means austerities or the voluntary acceptance of penance. This isn’t any ordinary type of penance either. Tapasya is meant specifically to be for spiritual advancement, a completely religious activity. Tapasya works because it involves serving the Lord. As living entities, our natural instinct is to serve ourselves. Not necessarily selfishness, but acting in our own self-interest. The entire free-market capitalist system is built around this notion. People acting in their own self-interest, which leads to an overall favorable condition economically. The Vedas, however, tell us that this life is meant for serving Krishna, or God, and not our senses. It is for this reason that tapasya was introduced. Breaking free of the bodily concept of life is very difficult. Everyone is identifying with their gross material body, something which they are forced to give up at the time of death. I may be an Indian in this life, but in my next life, I can very well be born as an American or a Muslim. Knowing that fact, our nationality, skin color, or ethnicity isn’t important. At our core, we are spirit souls, aham brahmasmi. As spirit souls part and parcel of God, our business as human beings is to reconnect with Him. That is the ultimate aim of life. In order to truly realize this fact, we have to break free from our attachment to sense gratification. Austerities help us do that.

There is a common expression that says “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Though not true in all circumstances, with respect to tapasya, it is generally the case. By periodically abstaining from certain kinds of food, or all food in general, we actually become stronger because our minds become clearer. Many of us spend some time during the day thinking about what to eat for lunch or dinner. “Oh where should I go for lunch? I just went to such and such a place yesterday. I feel like something different today.” Even if we are eating food that we like, we tend to get sick of eating the same thing over and over again. We’re always looking for ways to satisfy our taste buds. Thinking about food may seem harmless, but that time could be better spent thinking about God. This is where tapasya comes. If we spent the day fasting, we most certainly would think about our hunger during the day. Now ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a good thing, since we would be unnecessarily causing ourselves stress. However, if we fast for God, then anytime we think of our hunger during the day, we immediately will think of Him. That is always a good thing. Sometimes men will get into fights or brawls and receive bruises and other wounds as a result. Most men love to show off these wounds to others, because it is a symbol of their toughness and what they went through. In a similar fashion, the hunger pains as a result of fasting for Krishna is a sort of war wound, something we receive as a result of our dedication to the Lord. It is something we can be proud of.

The major occasions for fasting coincide with the appearance day anniversaries of the Lord and His associates. Krishna Janmashtami is generally considered the most important day of the year for followers of the Vedic tradition since it marks the appearance day anniversary of Lord Krishna. Since Mother Devaki gave birth to Krishna at midnight, devotees usually observe a complete fast on Janmashtami leading up until midnight. People fast for the occasions of Rama Navami and Radhashtami in a similar manner. There are so many specific fasts prescribed in the Vedas for different purposes, but the two most widely observed regular fasts are Ekadashi and Purnima. The entire Vedic calendar revolves around the lunar cycle, so Ekadashi and Purnima are specific days in that cycle. Purnima represents the full moon day, and followers of the Satyanarayana Vrata fast specifically on these days. Devotees perform Katha of Lord Shri Satyanarayana, and then eat the prasadam that is offered to Him. Ekadashi is another specific day in the lunar cycle, an occasion observed specifically by Vaishnavas, or devotees of Vishnu. In a strict sense, devotees are supposed to observe a completely fast on this day, but the regulation has been loosened a bit. Generally, devotees simply abstain from eating grains (rice, bread, etc.) and beans on this day.

Vedic literature is full of people performing tapasya and receiving a benefit as a result. Mother Parvati performed severe austerities in the forest for many years and was rewarded by getting Lord Shiva for a husband. Lord Rama and Sita observed a fast the night before the initial date set for the Lord’s installation as successor to His father, the king of Ayodhya. In this way, God and other great personalities set a good example for the rest of us to follow. If one can fast without inflicting too much pain on oneself, then it is definitely worth trying. Tapasya is one of the most important tools in a transcendentalist’s arsenal. It can help us break free of the repeated cycle of birth and death, and bring us back home after this life, back to Godhead.

God is the Most Magnanimous

"O Lakshmana, do you together with me rule this earth. You are my second self; and this good fortune has taken possession of you as well. Do you, O Sumitra’s son, enjoy every desirable thing and the privileges pertaining to royalty. My life and this kingdom I covet for your sake alone." (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, Sec 4)

Every now and then God personally comes to earth to deliver His devotees, giving them protection from the asuras. According to Vedic teachings, since the beginning of creation, there has been an ongoing war between the daivas and asuras. The daivas are those who believe in God and the asuras are God’s enemies, the atheists. The atheists are very attached to sense gratification, taking this gross material body to be the be-all end-all. They view the daivas as a threat to their sinful way of life, thus they are always harassing them. The attacks of the asuras take various forms, sometimes they declare that God is dead, other times they say that He is impersonal and that we are all God, so we have no need to worship a Supreme Being. When they really feel threatened, the asuras revert to using force against the devotees.

This was the case many thousands of years ago, when a demon named Ravana had risen to power. A Rakshasa by birth, Ravana performed the severest of penances to gain the favor of the demigods. The devatas, or demigods, are God’s deputies in charge of running the material world. One of their prime duties is to grant material benedictions to those who please them. These boons are granted to anyone who properly worships them. Lord Shiva known as Mahadeva, or the great demigod, has a reputation for being easily pleased. Regardless of the person’s character, Lord Shiva will grant boons to those who pray to him and perform austerities. Ravana pleased not only Lord Shiva, but many other demigods. He received various boons, such as having ten heads, and being invincible in battle against any demigod. In his haste for acquisition of power, Ravana neglected to ask for immunity from human beings, thinking there was none who existed that could defeat him. Taking advantage of this oversight, the demigods went to Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Lord Himself, and asked Him to relieve their distress by ridding the world of Ravana.

The Lord kindly obliged and took birth as a human being by the name of Rama, the eldest son of the king of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dashratha. Ravana was not only very powerful, but he used his strength to harass the great sages living in the forests. During that time, the saintly people, the rishis, mostly lived in the forest, for that environment was better suited for their spiritual activities. Ravana and his band of Rakshasa demons went after these saints, killing them and then feasting upon their flesh. The atheists are always merciless, having no compassion even on the kindest of people. Lord Rama was born in a very famous family, known as the Ikshvakus. Not only were they all great kings, but they were terrific fighters, the highest of the kshatriya race. God specifically chose to take birth in this dynasty due its reputation and high standing.

When He reached an appropriate age, Lord Rama was set to be installed on the throne as the new king of Ayodhya by His father. Rama was eldest son and the most beloved of all the people, so the king desired very much to pass down the kingdom to Him. The news was spread throughout the city and everyone become very excited. When Rama was told of the news, He went to His younger brother Lakshmana and spoke the above mentioned verse. When God comes to earth, His closest associates come with Him. In Shvetadvipa, a planet in the spiritual world, Lord Narayana takes rest on Ananta Shesha, the serpent who holds all the planets of the universe on his unlimited hoods. Narayana is served by Goddess Lakshmi, His eternal consort. When the Lord took birth as Rama, Shesha and Lakshmi also took birth in the forms of Lakshmana and Sita respectively. From their childhood, Lakshmana was inseparable from Rama, for he would always follow his elder brother like a shadow.

When we devote ourselves completely to God, He recognizes our love and reciprocates. Being installed as the new king was the highest of honors bestowed on Lord Rama, but He made sure to include His younger brother. He never wanted Lakshamana to feel slighted in any way. Obviously Lakshmana was also very happy on this occasion and needed no consolation, but the Lord, out of His generous nature, told Lakshmana that the two would rule the earth together. Sometimes when one ascends the ladder of fame and fortune, the “little” people are sometimes forgotten. The new fame and celebrity can cause relationships with friends and family to change. But God always loves His devotees, no matter what. Lord Rama wanted to assure His younger brother that he would also enjoy all the luxuries associated with being king.

Even though God separates Himself from His devotees from time to time, they are never without Him. Lord Krishna had to leave the gopis of Vrindavana and later on He had to leave His friends Arjuna and Uddhava. Lord Rama was forced to abandon His wife Sita, who had done no wrong. Sometimes His duties require Him to follow a certain path, but He never forgets His devotees. They are always thinking of Him and He is always with them in spirit.

“The yogi who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one, worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.31)

God is always looking to glorify His devotees first, thus this behavior on the part of Rama towards Lakshmana wasn’t very surprising. Lord Krishna delivered the message of the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, so as to give him everlasting fame as a great devotee. Hanuman was deputed to find the whereabouts of Sita and to destroy Lanka at the behest of Lord Rama. For this reason, he is loved and adored to this very day. Bhishmadeva’s devotion to Krishna was rewarded at the time of his death, when Krishna granted him the opportunity to give spiritual instruction to Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers.

“Krishna wanted the Pandavas to hear from Bhishma, who alone was able to give such great instructions even at the time of his death. So, Krishna likes to glorify His devotee.” (Shrila Prabhupada)

Though we may suffer through hard times or witness the calamities of others, we should never forget that God is nice. Any service rendered to Him never goes to waste.

News We Can Use

“…In our childhood, we saw every village, every town, the transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak about Ramayana, Mahabharata, Lord Krishna. And system was—still there are, but practically closed now—that in the evening, in the village, everyone should assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahabharata, Ramayana…” (Shrila Prabhupada, Lecture, 720531SB.LA)

“The latest on Michael Jackson…What were the celebs wearing for the big red carpet premiere…Are Brad and Angelina still together?” These stories are all part of the news cycle these days. We are all well acquainted with what is shown to us on the nightly television newscasts and twenty-four hour cable networks. It seems that the stories repeat themselves over and over again. The news media becomes obsessed with celebrity figures and their private lives, and we in turn are kept in the loop. We like to watch the news since it makes us feel like we’re keeping up with the times.

The latest news is what’s talked about at the water cooler at work. “Did you hear about so and so? Oh boy, I can’t believe so and so said that?” These are the typical conversations that take place related to the latest happenings. In the long run, the day to day goings on of celebrities is pretty much useless information. They don’t impact our lives in any significant way. If we rewind to one, five, or even ten years ago, we’ll see that the news stories were very similar. Some celebrity was getting divorced, another couple started dating, or an athlete was arrested for some nefarious activity. What was labeled as “breaking news” in the past, turned out not to be very important to us. We easily could have survived without hearing about it.

During the ancient Vedic times in India, the source of news and entertainment was the recitation of the Puranas. Purana is a Sanskrit word that means “of ancient times”, and the Puranas are so named because they are ancient stories relating to God and His associates. The stories deal with the biological ancestry of man, great wars, backbiting, heroism, good, evil, birth, death, etc. Since the stories detail extraordinary events and feats of strength not seen in today’s world, many mistakenly believe the Puranas to be mythology, but they are actual historical incidents that took place on this planet and other planets in the universe during this creation and previous ones as well. The Puranas even deal with events that have yet to take place.

Vyasadeva is considered the author of the Puranas in their written form, but prior to that, they were passed down through an oral tradition. Instead of watching television or reading newspapers, the nighttime entertainment consisted of listening to brahmanas, or priests, give recitations of stories relating to Lord Krishna and His various incarnations. People used to gather round and listen very attentively, similar to way people today enjoy hearing campfire stories. These stories were heard so often, that most in society were well versed in their details.

When reading these Puranas today, one will find that references are made to previous incidents, such as wars between the demigods and the demons. Comparisons are often made to great heroes and warriors of the past. “I will defeat you just as the wielder of the thunderbolt defeated Vritrasura.” This statement is a reference to the incident where Lord Indra, the chief of the demigods, took on and defeated the demon Vritrasura. This battle is documented in detail in the Bhagavata Purana, but references to it are found in many other books, such as the Valmiki Ramayana. Another comparison that is often made is to that of the fire that takes place when the world ends. The Vedas tell us that this world is constantly going through cycles of creation and destruction. Destruction results from a great fire, caused by Lord Shiva, that envelops the entire earth. When reading the Puranas one will find many references to this with statements such as “When he released his weapon, the impact was so strong that it appeared as if the fire of dissolution had come upon them.” These references aren’t usually explained in detail because it is inferred that the reader knows all the details. That shows just how well versed the citizens were in the tenets of the Vedas. The citizens were so well educated on matters of religion, that those reciting the stories didn’t want to waste time rehashing things that the audience already knew.

Unlike the news, the Puranas contain real information that has everlasting relevance. The Vishnu, Brahmavaivarta, and Bhagavata Puranas, along with the Mahabharata and Ramayana, contain details of the life and pastimes of Lord Krishna and His primary incarnations. There is no higher, more important literature in the world than that which describes God and devotion to Him. These books describe the constitutional position of the soul, why it is put into the material world, and how it can get out and return to the spiritual world.

Of all the Puranas, the Bhagavata Purana, or Shrimad Bhagavatam, is considered the highest. Just as the material world is governed by three qualities or modes, so the eighteen major Puranas are divided by these same qualities. There are six Puranas for each the three gunas: goodness, passion, and ignorance. The Shrimad Bhagavatam is one of the sattvic Puranas, being in the mode of goodness. Other Puranas delve into many material subjects, such as sacrifices and penances prescribed for material advancement. For this reason, the Mahabharata is generally considered suitable for women and shudras, or those who are less intelligent. The Shrimad Bhagavatam doesn’t spend much time discussing the four rewards of material life: dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification), and moksha (liberation). Bhakti yoga, or devotional service to Krishna is completely spiritual and above any material activity and is the main focus of the Bhagavatam.

The Bhagavatam deals primarily with Lord Krishna and devotion to Him. It describes in detail the Lord’s birth in Mathura and childhood pastimes in Vrindavana. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has translated this voluminous work into English and provided commentary as well. We should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity by reading this book and acquainting ourselves with true Vedic wisdom. We watch the news to increase our knowledge, but one who becomes familiar with the teachings of the Puranas actually becomes the most learned scholar of all.

Shivaratri

Shivaratri is the celebration festival for Lord Shiva, one of the three presiding deities of the material world. To manage the material world, Lord Krishna incarnates as three guna avatars, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and Lord Shiva. Guna means qualities, and each of the deities preside over a specific quality of material nature. Lord Vishnu represents the mode of goodness, Lord Brahma the mode of passion, and Lord Shiva the mode of ignorance or darkness.

Lord Shiva is known as Mahadeva, or the great god or demigod. He is known as the highest demigod because he is a great devotee of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. Lord Shiva is always seen seated in a yoga posture and meditating, for his mind is in deep concentration on the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. Like other demigods, he has been deputed by Lord Krishna to provide material benedictions to those who worship him. Lord Shiva is generally the demigod to go to for people in the mode of ignorance. People in the mode of ignorance usually crave material benedictions and they know that Lord Shiva is very easily pleased, so they go to him to fulfill their desires.

There have been many examples in the past where demons worshipped Lord Shiva in order to obtain things that weren’t for used for good purposes. The evil Rakshasa demon Ravana worshipped Lord Shiva and was granted many powers through him. He used these powers to wreak havoc throughout the world, until he was finally stopped by Lord Krishna Himself through His incarnation as Lord Rama. Another demon named Vrikasura once asked Lord Shiva for the benediction that would enable him to kill anyone simply by placing his hand on their head. Lord Shiva granted this wish and the demon immediately tried to place his hand on Lord Shiva’s head in order to kill him. Lord Vishnu then intervened and tricked the demon into killing himself. Prior to becoming a great sage, Vishwamitra Muni was a kshatriya king and he worshipped Lord Shiva in order to procure weapons that he would later use to attack the noble sage Vashishta. Vishwamitra was defeated and he eventually became a very pious brahmana.

In all these instances, we see that Lord Shiva was easily pleased based on austerities, and not necessarily the qualities of the person performing them. Though he is a boon granter, Lord Shiva is best known for being a great Vaishnava, or devotee of Lord Vishnu. In the Brahmavaivarta Purana, after Lord Shiva takes birth, he tells Lord Krishna that he wants to spend all his time thinking of Him. Lord Krishna tells Shiva that he must get married to Goddess Parvati, but not to worry, because Parvati will only increase his devotion to Him. In this way, we see that Lord Krishna and Shiva have always had a loving relationship. Lord Shiva is also the narrator of the story of Lord Rama found in the Brahmananda Purana, which forms the basis of the Ramacharitamansa of Tulsidas. Lord Shiva beautifully narrates the life and pastimes of Lord Rama to his wife Parvati. He explains that Lord Rama is the Supereme Personality of Godhead, and that devotion to Him is the highest perfection of life. Since he always resides in the city of Kashi in India, Lord Shiva whispers the name of Rama into the ear of anyone who dies there. In this way, people who give up their bodies in Kashi are granted liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Bearing all this in mind, Lord Shiva deserves the utmost respect from Vaishnavas. The proper way to worship him is to ask him to grant us the same level of devotion for Krishna that he has. In this way, we will be performing the highest worship of Lord Shiva.

 

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