Lord Shiva's Eternal Position

2010-02 02 
Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.01-04 - Lord Shiva's Eternal Position (download mp3)
by Bhakti Sundar Goswami at ISKCON Chowpatty 
www.iskcondesiretree.net



SB 8.12.1-2
sri-badarayanir uvaca
vrsa-dhvajo nisamyedam
yosid-rupena danavan
mohayitva sura-ganan
harih somam apayayat
vrsam aruhya girisah
sarva-bhuta-ganair vrtah
saha devya yayau drastum
yatraste madhusudanah

Translation: 
Sukadeva Gosvami said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of a woman, captivated the demons and enabled the demigods to drink the nectar. After hearing of these pastimes, Lord Siva, who is carried by a bull, went to the place where Madhusudana, the Lord, resides. Accompanied by his wife, Uma, and surrounded by his companions, the ghosts, Lord Siva went there to see the Lord's form as a woman.

SB 8.12.3
sabhajito bhagavata
sadaram somaya bhavah
supavista uvacedam
pratipujya smayan harim

Translation: 
The Supreme Personality of Godhead welcomed Lord Siva and Uma with great respect, and after being seated comfortably, Lord Siva duly worshiped the Lord and smilingly spoke as follows.

SB 8.12.4
sri-mahadeva uvaca
deva-deva jagad-vyapiñ
jagad-isa jagan-maya
sarvesam api bhavanam
tvam atma hetur isvarah

Translation: 
Lord Mahadeva said: O chief demigod among the demigods, O all-pervading Lord, master of the universe, by Your energy You are transformed into the creation. You are the root and efficient cause of everything. You are not material. Indeed, You are the Supersoul or supreme living force of everything. Therefore, You are Paramesvara, the supreme controller of all controllers.

Purport: 
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, resides within the material world as the sattva-guna-avatara. Lord Siva is the tamo-guna-avatara, and Lord Brahma is the rajo-guna-avatara, but although Lord Visnu is among them, He is not in the same category. Lord Visnu is deva-deva, the chief of all the demigods. Since Lord Siva is in this material world, the energy of the Supreme Lord, Visnu, includes Lord Siva. Lord Visnu is therefore called jagad-vyapi, "the all-pervading Lord." Lord Siva is sometimes called Mahesvara, and so people think that Lord Siva is everything. But here Lord Siva addresses Lord Visnu as Jagad-isa, "the master of the universe." Lord Siva is sometimes called Visvesvara, but here he addresses Lord Visnu as Jagan-maya, indicating that even Visvesvara is under Lord Visnu's control. Lord Visnu is the master of the spiritual world, yet He controls the material world also, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sacaracaram [Bg. 9.10]). Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are also sometimes called isvara, but the supreme isvara is Lord Visnu, Lord Krsna. As stated in Brahma-samhita, isvarah paramah krsnah: [Bs. 5.1] the Supreme Lord is Krsna, Lord Visnu. Everything in existence works in proper order because of Lord Visnu. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. Even paramanu, the small atoms, work because of Lord Visnu's presence within them.