Lord Shiva's meditation on Lord Vishnu or Krishna

Lord Shiva has a special position in Vedic heritage. Importantly he is related to Lord Vishnu and is said to always meditate on Lord Krishna in the Goloka form. His aspiration was to participate in the rasa lila. Here is the summary of that event.

Once while in deep meditation on Mount Kailash, Lord Siva heard the sweet vibration of Krsna playing His divine flute. Mesmerized, He entered samadhi. [1]

He followed that transcendental sound until He came to Vrindavan, where Lord Gopinath was getting ready to start the Maha Raas – Lila with His gopis.

Desiring intensely to join the maha-rasa, when He came to the entrance of the rasa-sthali, He was stopped by Yogamaya, who told him, “No males except Krsna are allowed entry. First you must have gopi-rupa, the form of a Vraja milkmaid, a gopi, only then can you enter.”

Lord Bholanath asked “How can I get gopi-rupa?” Yogamaya replied, “Seek the shelter of Vrinda Devi. She will grant you the form of a gopi.”

Vrinda devi asked Lord Siva to take a dip in the waters of Manasarovara in Vrindavana. After bathing there, Lord Siva emerged from the lake with the form of a beautiful gopi.

Vrinda devi then took Lord Siva in her gopi form to one corner of the rasa sthali. Lord Siva stood there and prayed to Sri Sri Radha Krsna for getting prema-bhakti.

Then the rasa started. Lord Krsna danced with all the gopis. He also danced very elegantly with Lord Siva disguised as a gopi.

Then after some time, when they rested, the Lord said ‘I’m not getting the usual pleasure from our rasa. Something is not right. I think there is another man in our midst.” Then He asked Lalita devi to check all the gopis and make sure no man was lurking amongst them dressed as one of them.

Lalita devi went around and lifted the veils of all the hundreds of gopis but couldn’t find any man disguised as a woman. She came and reported to Krishna, “I have not found any man, but there is one gopi with three eyes.” she said puzzled.

Lord Krsna asked her to bring her to Him. When the Lord saw the Siva gopi, He laughed heartily and addressed him,

“O Gopisvara, I am very pleased to see you in the form of a gopi. But you know that this rasa is not for grhastas (householders). Therefore, since you have already participated and fulfilled your desire, now I offer you the post of rasa dwara pala (gatekeeper of the rasa). I also give you the blessing that henceforth, all the gopis will offer respect to you and seek your blessing to get gopi bhava.”

( This pastime is described in the Garga Samhita )

Lord Shiva Glorifies Lord Vishnu/Krishna [2]

Text 44: My dear Lord, I wish to see You exactly in the form that Your very dear devotees worship. You have many other forms, but I wish to see Your form that is especially liked by the devotees. Please be merciful upon me and show me that form, for only that form worshiped by the devotees can perfectly satisfy all the demands of the senses.

Texts 45-46: The Lord’s beauty resembles a dark cloud during the rainy season. As the rainfall glistens, His bodily features also glisten. Indeed, He is the sum total of all beauty. The Lord has four arms and an exquisitely beautiful face with eyes like lotus petals, a beautiful highly raised nose, a mind-attracting smile, a beautiful forehead and equally beautiful and fully decorated ears.

Texts 47-48: The Lord is superexcellently beautiful on account of His open and merciful smile and His sidelong glance upon His devotees. His black hair is curly, and His garments, waving in the wind, appear like flying saffron pollen from lotus flowers. His glittering earrings, shining helmet, bangles, garland, ankle bells, waist belt and various other bodily ornaments combine with conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower to increase the natural beauty of the Kaustubha pearl on His chest.

Text 49: The Lord has shoulders just like a lion’s. Upon these shoulders are garlands, necklaces and epaulets, and all of these are always glittering. Besides these, there is the beauty of the Kaustubha-ma?i pearl, and on the dark chest of the Lord there are streaks named ?rīvatsa, which are signs of the goddess of fortune. The glittering of these streaks excels the beauty of the golden streaks on a gold-testing stone. Indeed, such beauty defeats a gold-testing stone.

Text 50: The Lord’s abdomen is beautiful due to three ripples in the flesh. Being so round, His abdomen resembles the leaf of a banyan tree, and when He exhales and inhales, the movement of the ripples appears very, very beautiful. The coils within the navel of the Lord are so deep that it appears that the entire universe sprouted out of it and yet again wishes to go back.

Text 51: The lower part of the Lord’s waist is dark and covered with yellow garments and a belt bedecked with golden embroidery work. His symmetrical lotus feet and the calves, thighs and joints of His legs are extraordinarily beautiful. Indeed, the Lord’s entire body appears to be well built.

Text 52: My dear Lord, Your two lotus feet are so beautiful that they appear like two blossoming petals of the lotus flower which grows during the autumn season. Indeed, the nails of Your lotus feet emanate such a great effulgence that they immediately dissipate all the darkness in the heart of a conditioned soul. My dear Lord, kindly show me that form of Yours which always dissipates all kinds of darkness in the heart of a devotee. My dear Lord, You are the supreme spiritual master of everyone; therefore all conditioned souls covered with the darkness of ignorance can be enlightened by You as the spiritual master.

Text 53: My dear Lord, those who desire to purify their existence must always engage in meditation upon Your lotus feet, as described above. Those who are serious about executing their occupational duties and who want freedom from fear must take to this process of bhakti-yoga.

Maha Shiva Ratri Vrata March 11 and 12 2021

by HH Mahanidhi Swami Maharaja [3]

What is this vrata? The Nagara Khanda (Hari-bhakti vilasa of Sripada Sanatan Goswami - HBV 200) says, “This day, phalguna krishna chaturdashi, is called Shivaratri because on this day Lord Shiva personally remains present in all the shiva-lingas on earth.” This is the most essential and important day of the year to honor Shree Krishna’s greatest devotee (vaishnavanam yatha shambhu) named Lord Shiva. Therefore, one should fast and remain awake all night (jagaran) on Shiva Chaturdashi.

Do Gaudiya Vaisnavas observe this vrata? Yes, it is very important, and everyone should observe it; even if you have never done it before. In Hari-bhakti vilasa (187) Sanatana Gosvami quotes Gautimiya-tantra: siva ratree vratam vaishnava karryam, sri krishna preetaye sadaa: “It is the duty of Vaishnavas to observe the Shiva Ratri vow to remain forever dear to Shree Krishna.” Text 195: “Lord Shiva is the topmost Vaishnava, therefore, every Vaishnava should observe the vow of Shiva Ratri.”

What are the benefits of this vrata?

“When devotees of Sri Krishna observe Shivaratri, Lord Shiva shows his mercy by showering them with Krishna bhakti-rasa.” (HBV 221) “One who worships Shiva today and remains awake all night will never take birth again in the material world.” (HBV 219)

How to observe the Shiva Ratri Vrata?

“One should fast, worship Lord Shiva, and remain awake the entire night” (upavaasa mahadeva pujaa jaagaranam nishi: HBV 208)

1. 6 a.m.-8:36 am: Early morning at sunrise of Shiva Chaturdasi day one should read Rudra Gita, SB Fourth Canto ch. 24.

2. Fast all day until next day’s sunrise; or at least until midnight.

3. Worship a Shiva Linga on the night of Chaturdashi:

a. In the evening, go to a Shiva Temple and take a vow before Lord Shiva before commencing your worship. If no temple, i-net download a picture of the Vrndavana Gopisvara Linga deity. Then worship the picture by pouring the milk, water and offerings into a bowl or pot placed in front of the picture.

b. Chant the 5-syllable mantra (Om Namah Shivaya) (HBV 211) and bathe Lord Shiva with milk, honey and ghee. Offer bilva patra (bael leaves), (upside down on top of linga). Then offer sesame seeds, perfumes, flowers, ghee lamps, incense, and arghya in a conchshell.

c. Stay up all night chanting Hare Krishna and dancing, reading Srimad Bhagavatam, hearing Shiva tattva. You can chant the many prayers of Lord Shiva glorifying Radha-Krishna like Radha-Krpa Kataksha (e-book on Amazon) You should especially hear about the pastimes of Lord Shiva visiting Sri K???a in Vrndavana, and the glories of his linga deity forms in Vraja. “One who sees the linga of Bhuteshvara Mahadeva in Mathura, Vrndavana will obtain the result of visiting the entire Vraja Mandala.” (Mathura-mahatyam v. 235)

Conclusion: 

When one receives the mercy of Lord Shiva, he will become free from false ego and the purusha bhava of being the enjoyer. He will then manifest his eternally pure, and true serving nature, kinkari-bhava. The “easily pleased” lord Ashutosh Shiva will become satisfied with such a devotee. Lord Shiva will then grant him residence in the sweet land of Vrndavana to forever serve his divine sweethearts, Radhe-Syama.

We hope on this most auspicious day of Shiva Ratri that everyone will please Lord Shiva by duly honoring him and thus receive his mercy. 

Kundeshvara Mahadeva ki Jai! Gopeshvara Mahadeva ki 

References:

1. https://www.bhagavatam-katha.com/vrindavan-story-lord-siva-become-gopi-gopisvara-mahadeva/
2. https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/24/
3. Hari Bhakti Vilasa - 200