87. The Deliverance of Lord Siva

33 / The Deliverance of Lord Çiva
As a great devotee of Kåñëa, King Parékñit was already liberated, but for clarification he was asking various questions of Çukadeva Gosvämé. In the previous chapter, King Parékñit's question was, "What is the ultimate goal of the Vedas?" And Çukadeva Gosvämé explained the matter, giving authoritative descriptions from the disciplic succession, beginning with Sanandana down to Näräyaëa Åñi, Närada, Vyäsadeva, and then he himself. The conclusion was that devotional service, or bhakti, is the ultimate goal of the Vedas. A neophyte devotee may question, "If the ultimate goal of life, or the conclusion of the Vedas, is to elevate oneself to the platform of devotional service, then why is it observed that a devotee of Lord Viñëu is generally not very prosperous materially, whereas a devotee of Lord Çiva is found to be very opulent?" In order to clarify this matter, Parékñit Mahäräja asked Çukadeva Gosvämé: "My dear Çukadeva Gosvämé, it is generally found that those who engage in the worship of Lord Çiva, whether in human, demoniac, or demigod society, become very opulent materially, although Lord Çiva himself lives just like a poverty-stricken person. On the other hand, the devotees of Lord Viñëu, who is the controller of the goddess of fortune, do not appear to be very prosperous, and sometimes they are even found to be living without any material opulence at all. Lord Çiva lives underneath a tree or in the snow of the Himalayan Mountains. He does not even construct a house for himself, but still the worshipers of Lord Çiva are very rich. Kåñëa, or Lord Viñëu, however, lives very opulently, whether in Vaikuëöha or in this material world, but His devotees appear to be poverty-stricken. Why is this so?"
Mahäräja Parékñit's question is very intelligent. The two classes of devotees, namely the devotees of Lord Çiva and the devotees of Lord Viñëu, are always in disagreement. Even today in India these two classes of devotees still criticize each other, and especially in South India, the followers of Rämänujäcärya and the followers of Çaìkaräcärya hold occasional meetings for understanding the Vedic conclusion. Generally, the followers of Rämänujäcärya come out victorious in such meetings. So Parékñit Mahäräja wanted to clarify the situation by asking this question of Çukadeva Gosvämé. That Lord Çiva lives as a poor man although his devotees appear to be very opulent, whereas Lord Kåñëa or Lord Viñëu is always opulent, and yet His devotees appear to be poverty-stricken, is a situation which appears contradictory and puzzling to a discriminating person.
Çukadeva Gosvämé began to reply to King Parékñit's inquiry about the apparent contradictions regarding the worship of Lord Çiva and that of Lord Viñëu. Lord Çiva is the master of the material energy. The material energy is represented by goddess Durgä, and Lord Çiva happens to be her husband. Since goddess Durgä is completely under the subjugation of Lord Çiva, it is to be understood that Lord Çiva is the master of this material energy. The material energy is manifested in three qualities, namely goodness, passion and ignorance, and therefore Lord Çiva is the master of these three qualities. Although he is in association with these qualities for the benefit of the conditioned soul, Lord Çiva is the director and is not affected. Although the conditioned soul is affected by the three qualities, Lord Çiva, because he is the master of these qualities, is not affected by them.
From the statements of Çukadeva Gosvämé we can understand that the effects of worshiping different demigods are not, as some less intelligent persons suppose, the same as the effects of worshiping Lord Viñëu. He clearly states that by worshiping Lord Çiva one achieves one reward, whereas by worshiping Lord Viñëu one achieves a different reward. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä: Those who worship the different demigods achieve the desired results which the respective demigods can reward. Similarly, those who worship the material energy receive the suitable reward for such activities, and those who worship the pitäs receive similar results. But those who are engaged in devotional service or worship of the Supreme Lord, Viñëu or Kåñëa, go to the Vaikuëöha planets or Kåñëaloka. One cannot approach the transcendental region or paravyoma, the spiritual sky, by worshiping Lord Çiva or Brahmä or any other demigod.
Since this material world is a product of the three qualities of material nature, all varieties of manifestations come from those three qualities. With the aid of materialistic science, modern civilization has created many machines and comforts of life, and yet they are only varieties of the interactions of the three material qualities. Although the devotees of Lord Çiva are able to obtain many material acquisitions, we should know that they are simply collecting products manufactured by the three qualities. The three qualities are again subdivided into sixteen, namely the ten senses (five working senses and the five knowledge-acquiring senses), the mind, and the five elements (earth, water, air, fire and sky). These sixteen items are further extensions of the three qualities. Material happiness or opulence means gratification of the senses, specifically the genitals, the tongue and the mind. By exercising our minds we create many pleasurable things just for enjoyment by the genitals and the tongue. The opulence of a person within this material world is estimated in terms of his exercise of the genitals and the tongue, or, in other words, how well he is able to utilize his sexual capacities and how well he is able to satisfy his fastidious taste by eating palatable dishes. Material advancement of civilization necessitates creating objects of enjoyment by mental concoction just to become happy on the basis of these two principles: pleasures for the genitals and pleasures for the tongue. Herein lies the answer to King Parékñit's question to Çukadeva Gosvämé as to why the worshipers of Lord Çiva are so opulent.
The devotees of Lord Çiva are only opulent in terms of the material qualities. Factually, such so-called advancement of civilization is the cause of entanglement in material existence. It is actually not advancement, but degradation. The conclusion is that because Lord Çiva is the master of the three qualities, his devotees are given things manufactured by the interactions of these qualities for satisfaction of the senses. In the Bhagavad-gétä, however, we get instruction from Lord Kåñëa that one has to transcend the qualitative existence. Nistraiguëyo bhavärjuna: the mission of human life is to become transcendental to the three qualities. Unless one is nistraiguëya, he cannot get free from material entanglement. In other words, favors received from Lord Çiva are not actually beneficial to the conditioned souls, although apparently such facilities seem to be opulent.
Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari is transcendental to the three qualities of material nature." It is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä that anyone who surrenders unto Him surpasses the control of the three qualities of material nature. Therefore, since Hari's devotees are transcendental to the control of the three material qualities, certainly He Himself is transcendental. It is stated, therefore, in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam that Hari, or Kåñëa, is the original Supreme Personality. There are two kinds of prakåtis, or potencies, namely the internal potency and the external potency, and Kåñëa is the overlord of both these prakåtis or potencies. He is sarva-dåk, or the overseer of all the actions of the internal and external potencies, and He is also described as upadrañöa, the supreme advisor. Because He is the supreme advisor, He is above all the demigods, who merely follow the directions of the supreme advisor. As such, if one directly follows the instructions of the Supreme Lord, as inculcated in the Bhagavad-gétä and the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, then gradually one becomes nirguëa, or above the interaction of the material qualities. To be nirguëa means to be bereft of material opulences because, as we have explained, material opulence means an increase of the actions and reactions of the three material qualities. By worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, instead of being puffed up with material opulence one becomes enriched with spiritual advancement of knowledge in Kåñëa consciousness. To become nirguëa means to achieve eternal peace, fearlessness, religiousness, knowledge and renunciation. All these are symptoms of becoming free from the contamination of the material qualities.
Çukadeva Gosvämé, in answering Mahäräja Parékñit's question, went on to cite an historical instance regarding Parékñit Mahäräja's grandfather, King Yudhiñöhira. He said that after finishing the açvamedha sacrifice in the great sacrificial arena, King Yudhiñöhira, in the presence of great authorities, enquired on that very same point: how is it that the devotees of Lord Çiva become materially opulent, whereas the devotees of Lord Viñëu do not? Çukadeva Gosvämé specifically referred to King Yudhiñöhira as "your grandfather" so that Mahäräja Parékñit would be encouraged to think that he was related to Kåñëa and that his grandfathers were intimately connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Although Kåñëa is always very satisfied by nature, when this question was asked by Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira He became even more satisfied because these questions and their answers would bear a great meaning for the entire Kåñëa conscious society. Whenever Lord Kåñëa speaks about something to a specific devotee, it is not only meant for that devotee, but for the entire human society. Instructions by the Supreme Personality of Godhead are important even to the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmä, Lord Çiva and others, and anyone who does not take advantage of the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descends within this world for the benefit of all living entities, is certainly very unfortunate.
Lord Kåñëa answered the question of Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira as follows: "If I especially favor a devotee and especially wish to care for him, the first thing I do is take away his riches." When the devotee becomes a penniless pauper or is put into a comparatively poverty-stricken position, his relatives and family members no longer take interest in him, and in most cases they give up their connection with him. The devotee then becomes doubly unhappy. First of all he becomes unhappy because his riches have been taken away by Kåñëa, and he is made even more unhappy when his relatives desert him because of his poverty-stricken condition. We should note, however, that when a devotee falls into a miserable condition in this way, it is not due to past impious activities, known as karma-phala; the poverty-stricken position of the devotee is a creation of the Personality of Godhead. Similarly, when a devotee becomes materially opulent, that is also not due to his pious activities. In either case, whether the devotee becomes poorer or richer, the arrangement is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This arrangement is especially made by Kåñëa for His devotee just to make him completely dependent upon Him and to free him from all material obligations. He can then concentrate his energies, mind and body--everything--for the service of the Lord, and that is pure devotional service. In the Närada-païcarätra it is therefore explained, sarvopädhi-vinirmuktam, which means "being freed from all designations." Works performed for family, society, community, nation, or humanity are all designated: "I belong to this society," "I belong to this community," "I belong to this nation," "I belong to this species of life." Such identities are all merely designations. When, by the grace of the Lord, a devotee becomes freed from all designations, his devotional service is actually naiñkarma. Jïänés are very much attracted by the position of naiñkarma, in which one's actions no longer have material effect. When the devotee's actions are freed from effects, they are no longer in the category of karma-phalam, or fruitive activities. As explained before by the personified Vedas, the happiness and distress of a devotee are produced by the Personality of Godhead for the devotee, and the devotee therefore does not care whether he is in happiness or in distress. He goes on with his duties in executing devotional service. Although his behavior seems to be subject to the action and reaction of fruitive activities, he is actually freed from the results of action.
It may be questioned why a devotee is put into such tribulation by the Personality of Godhead. The answer is that this kind of arrangement by the Lord is just like a father's sometimes becoming unkind to his sons. Because the devotee is a surrendered soul and is taken charge of by the Supreme Lord, whenever the Lord puts him into any condition of life--either in distress or happiness--it is to be understood that behind this arrangement there is a large plan designed by the Personality of Godhead. For example, Lord Kåñëa put the Päëòavas into a distressed condition so acute that even grandfather Bhéñma could not comprehend how such distress could occur. He lamented that although the whole Päëòava family was headed by King Yudhiñöhira, the most pious king, and protected by the two great warriors Bhéma and Arjuna, and although, above all, the Päëòavas were all intimate friends and relatives of Lord Kåñëa, they still had to undergo such tribulations. Later on, however, it was proved that this was planned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa as part of His great mission to annihilate the miscreants and protect the devotees.
Another question may be raised: Since a devotee is put into different kinds of happy and distressful conditions by the arrangement of the Personality of Godhead, and a common man is put into such conditions as a result of his past deeds, then what is the difference? How is the devotee any better than the ordinary karmé ? The answer is that the karmés and the devotees are not on the same level. In whatever condition of life the karmé may be, he continues in the cycle of birth and death because the seed of karma, or fruitive activity, is there, and it fructifies whenever there is an opportunity. By the law of karma a common man is perpetually entangled in repeated birth and death, whereas a devotee's distress and happiness, not being under the laws of karma, are part of a temporary arrangement by the Supreme Lord which does not entangle the devotee. Such an arrangement is made by the Lord only to serve a temporary purpose. If a karmé performs auspicious acts, he is elevated to the heavenly planets, and if he acts impiously, he is put into a hellish condition of life. But whether a devotee acts in a so-called pious or in an impious manner, he is neither elevated nor degraded, but is transferred to the spiritual kingdom. Therefore a devotee's happiness and distress and a karmé's happiness and distress are not on the same level. This fact is corroborated by a speech by Yamaräja to his servants in connection with the liberation of Ajämila. Yamaräja advised his followers that persons who have never uttered the holy name of the Lord nor remembered the form, quality and pastimes of the Lord should be approached by his watchguards. Yamaräja also advised his servants never to approach the devotees. On the contrary, he instructed his messengers that if they meet a devotee they should offer their respectful obeisances. So there is no question of a devotee's being promoted or degraded within this material world. As there is a gulf of difference between the punishment awarded by the mother and the punishment awarded by an enemy, so a devotee's distressed condition is not the same as the distressed condition of a common karmé.
Here another question may be raised. If God is all-powerful, why should He try to reform His devotee by putting him in distress? The answer is that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead puts His devotee into a condition of distress, it is not without purpose. Sometimes the purpose is that in distress a devotee's feelings of attachment to Kåñëa are magnified. For example, when Kåñëa, before leaving the capital of the Päëòavas for His home, was asking for permission to leave, Kuntédevé said, "My dear Kåñëa, in our distressed condition You were always present with us. Now, because we have been elevated to a royal position, You are leaving us. I would therefore prefer to live in distress than to lose You." When a devotee is put into a situation of distress, his devotional activities are accelerated. Therefore, to show special favor to a devotee, the Lord sometimes puts him into distress. Besides that, it is stated that the sweetness of happiness is sweeter to those who have tasted bitterness. The Supreme Lord descends to this material world just to protect His devotees from distress. In other words, if devotees were not in a distressed condition, the Lord would not have come down. As for His killing the demons or the miscreants, this can be easily done by His various energies, just as many asuras are killed by His external energy, goddess Durgä. Therefore the Lord does not need to come down personally to kill such demons, but when His devotee is in distress He must come. Lord Nåsiàhadeva appeared not to kill Hiraëyakaçipu but to see Prahläda and to give him blessings. In other words, because Prahläda Mahäräja was put into very great distress, the Lord appeared.
When, after the dense, dark night, there is finally sunrise in the morning, it is very pleasant. When there is scorching heat, cold water is very pleasant and when there is freezing winter, hot water is very pleasant. Similarly, when a devotee, after experiencing the condition of the material world, relishes the spiritual happiness awarded by the Lord, his position becomes still more pleasant and enjoyable.
The Lord continued: "When My devotee is bereft of all material riches and is deserted by his relatives, friends and family members, because he has no one to look after him, he completely takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord." Çréla Narottamadäsa –häkur has sung in this connection, "My dear Lord Kåñëa, O son of Nanda Mahäräja, You are now standing before me along with Çrématé Rädhäräëé, the daughter of King Våñabhänu. I am now surrendering unto You. Please accept me. Please do not kick me away. I have no shelter other than You."
When a devotee is thus put into so-called miserable conditions and is bereft of riches and family, he tries to revive his original position of material opulence. But although he tries again and again, Kåñëa again and again takes away all his resources. Thus he finally becomes disappointed in material activities, and in that stage of frustration in all endeavors, he can fully surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such persons are advised by the Lord from within to associate with devotees. By associating with devotees they naturally become inclined to render service to the Personality of Godhead, and they immediately get all facilities from the Lord to advance in Kåñëa consciousness. The non-devotees, however, are very careful about preserving their material condition of life. Generally, therefore, such non-devotees do not come to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but worship Lord Çiva or other demigods for immediate material profit. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said, therefore, käëkñantaù karmaëäà siddhià yajanta iha devatäù: the karmés, in order to achieve success within this material world, worship the various demigods. It is also stated by Lord Kåñëa that those who worship the demigods are not mature in their intelligence. The devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore, because of their strong attachment for Him, do not foolishly go to the demigods.
Lord Kåñëa said to King Yudhiñöhira: "My devotee is not deterred by any adverse conditions of life; he always remains firm and steady. Therefore I give Myself to him, and I favor him so he can achieve the highest success in life." The mercy bestowed upon the tried devotee by the Supreme Personality is described as Brahman, which indicates that the greatness of that mercy can be compared only to the all-pervasive greatness. Brahman means unlimitedly great and unlimitedly expanding. That mercy is also described as parama, for it has no comparison within this material world, and it is also called sükñmam, very fine. The Lord's mercy upon the tried devotee is not only great and unlimitedly expansive, but it is of the finest quality of transcendental love between the devotee and the Lord. Such mercy is further described as cinmätram, completely spiritual. The use of the word mätram indicates absolute spirituality, with no tinge of material qualities. That mercy is also called sat, eternal, and anantakam, unlimited. Since the devotee of the Lord is awarded such unlimited spiritual benefit, why should he worship the demigods? A devotee of Kåñëa does not worship Lord Çiva or Brahmä or any other subordinate demigod. He completely devotes himself to the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: "The demigods, headed by Lord Brahmä and Lord Çiva and including Lord Indra, Candra, Varuëa and others, are apt to become very quickly satisfied and very quickly angered by the good and ill behavior of their devotees. But this is not so with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu." This means that any living entity within this material world, including the demigods, is conducted by the three modes of material nature, and therefore the qualities of ignorance and passion are very prominent within the material world. Those devotees who take blessings from the demigods are also infected with the material qualities, especially passion and ignorance. Lord Çré Kåñëa has therefore stated in the Bhagavad-gétä that to take blessings from the demigods is less intelligent because when one takes benedictions from the demigods, the results of such benedictions are temporary. It is easy to get material opulence by worshiping the demigods, but the result is sometimes disastrous. As such, the benedictions derived from demigods are appreciated by the less intelligent class of men. Persons who derive benedictions from the demigods gradually become puffed up with material opulence and neglectful of their benefactors.
Çukadeva Gosvämé addressed King Parékñit thus: "My dear King, Lord Brahmä, Lord Viñëu, and Lord Çiva, the principal trio of the material creation, are able to bless or curse anyone. Of this trio, Lord Brahmä and Lord Çiva become very easily satisfied, and at the same time they become very easily angered. When they are satisfied they give benedictions without any consideration, and when they are angry, they curse the devotee without any consideration. But Lord Viñëu is not like that. Lord Viñëu is very considerate. Whenever a devotee wants something from Lord Viñëu, Lord Viñëu first of all considers whether such a benediction will ultimately be good for the devotee. Lord Viñëu never bestows any benediction which will ultimately prove disastrous to the devotee, He is, by His transcendental nature, always merciful; therefore, before giving any benediction, He considers whether it will prove beneficial for the devotee. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always merciful, even when it appears that He has killed a demon, or even when He apparently becomes angry toward a devotee, His actions are always auspicious. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore known as all-good. Whatever He does is good."
As for the benedictions given by demigods like Lord Çiva, there is the following historical incident cited by great sages. Once, Lord Çiva, after giving benediction to a demon named Våkäsura, the son of Çakuni, was himself entrapped in a very dangerous position. Våkäsura was searching after a benediction and was trying to decide which of the three presiding deities to worship in order to get it. In the meantime he happened to meet the great sage Närada and consulted with him as to whom he should approach to achieve quick results from his austerity. He inquired, "Of the three deities, namely Lord Brahmä, Lord Viñëu and Lord Çiva, who is the most quickly satisfied?" Närada could understand the plan of the demon, and he advised him, "You had better worship Lord Çiva; then you will quickly get the desired result. Lord Çiva is very quickly satisfied and very quickly dissatisfied also. So you try to satisfy Lord Çiva." Närada also cited instances wherein demons like Rävaëa and Bäëäsura were enriched with great opulences simply by satisfying Lord Çiva with prayers. Because the great sage Närada was aware of the nature of the demon Våkäsura, he did not advise him to approach Viñëu or Lord Brahmä. Persons such as Våkäsura who are situated in the material mode of ignorance, cannot stick to the worship of Viñëu.
After receiving instruction from Närada, the demon Våkäsura went to Kedäranätha. The pilgrimage site of Kedäranätha still exists near Kashmere. It is almost always covered by snow, but for part of the year, during the month of July, it is possible to see the deity, and devotees go there to offer their respects. Kedäranätha is for the devotees of Lord Çiva. According to the Vedic principle, when something is offered to the deities to eat, it is offered in a fire. Therefore a fire sacrifice is necessary in all sorts of ceremonies. It is specifically stated in the çästras that gods are to be offered something to eat through the fire. The demon Våkäsura therefore went to Kedäranätha and ignited a sacrificial fire to please Lord Çiva.
After igniting the fire in the name of Çiva, he began to offer his own flesh, by cutting it from his body so as to please Lord Çiva. Here is an instance of worship in the mode of ignorance. In the Bhagavad-gétä, different types of sacrifice are mentioned. Some sacrifices are in the mode of goodness, some are in the mode of passion, and some are in the mode of ignorance. There are different kinds of tapasya and worship because there are different kinds of people within this world. But the ultimate tapasya, Kåñëa consciousness, is the topmost yoga and the topmost sacrifice. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä, the topmost yoga is to think always of Lord Kåñëa within the heart, and the topmost sacrifice is to perform the saìkértana-yajïa.
In the Bhagavad-gétä it is stated that the worshipers of the demigods have lost their intelligence. As will be revealed later in this chapter, Våkäsura wanted to satisfy Lord Çiva for a third-class materialistic objective, which was temporary and without real benefit. The asuras or persons within the mode of ignorance will accept such benedictions from the demigods. In complete contrast to this sacrifice in the modes of ignorance, the arcanä-vidhi process for worshiping Lord Viñëu or Kåñëa is very simple. Lord Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä that He accepts from His devotee even a little fruit, a flower or some water, which can be gathered by any person, poor or rich. Of course, those who are rich are not expected to offer only a little water, a little piece of fruit or a little leaf to the Lord. A rich man should offer according to his position, but if the devotee happens to be a very poor man the Lord will accept even the most meager offering. The worship of Lord Viñëu or Kåñëa is very simple, and it can be executed by anyone in this world. But worship in the mode of ignorance, as exhibited by Våkäsura, is not only very difficult and painful, but it is also a useless waste of time. Therefore Bhagavad-gétä says that the worshipers of the demigods are bereft of intelligence; their process of worship is very difficult, and at the same time the result obtained is flickering and temporary.
Although Våkäsura continued his sacrifice for six days, he was nevertheless unable to personally see Lord Çiva, which was his objective; he wanted to see him face to face and ask him for a benediction. Here is another contrast between a demon and a devotee. A devotee is confident that whatever he offers to the Deity in full devotional service is accepted by the Lord, but a demon wants to see his worshipable deity face to face so that he can directly take the benediction. A devotee, however, does not worship Viñëu or Lord Kåñëa for any benediction. Therefore a devotee is called akäma, free of desire, and a nondevotee is called sarva-käma, or desirous of everything. On the seventh day, the demon Våkäsura decided that he should cut off his head and offer it to satisfy Lord Çiva. Thus he took a bath in a nearby lake, and without drying his body and hair, he prepared to cut off his head. According to the Vedic system, an animal which is to be offered as a sacrifice has to be bathed first, and while the animal is wet he is sacrificed. When the demon was thus preparing to cut off his head, Lord Çiva became very compassionate. This compassion, however, is a symptom of the quality of goodness. Lord Çiva is called triliìga. Therefore his manifestation of the nature of compassion is a sign of the quality of goodness. This compassion, however, is present in every living entity. The compassion of Lord Çiva was aroused because the demon was offering his flesh to the sacrificial fire. This is natural compassion. Even if a common man sees someone preparing to commit suicide, it is his duty to try to save him. He does so automatically. There is no need to appeal to him. Therefore when Lord Çiva appeared from the fire to check the demon from suicide, it was not as a very great favor to him.
The demon was saved from committing suicide by the touch of Lord Çiva; his bodily injuries immediately healed, and his body became as it was before. Then Lord Çiva told the demon, "My dear Våkäsura, you do not need to cut off your head. You can ask from me any benediction you like, and I shall fulfill your desire. I do not know why you wanted to cut off your head to satisfy me. I become satisfied even by an offering of a little water." Actually, according to the Vedic process, the Çiva liìga in the temple or the form of Lord Çiva in the temple is worshiped simply by offering Ganges water because it is said that Lord Çiva is greatly satisfied when Ganges water is poured upon his head. Generally, devotees offer Ganges water and the leaves of the bilva tree, which are especially meant for offering to Lord Çiva and the goddess Durgä. The fruit of this tree also is offered to Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva assured Våkäsura that he becomes satisfied by a very simple process of worship. Why then was he so anxious to cut off his head, and why was he taking so much pain by cutting his body to pieces and offering it in the fire? There was no need of such severe penances. Anyway, out of compassion and sympathy, Lord Çiva prepared to give him any benediction he liked.
When the demon was offered this facility by Lord Çiva, he asked for a very fearful and abominable benediction. The demon was very sinful, and sinful persons do not know what sort of benediction should be asked from the deity. Therefore he asked Lord Çiva to be benedicted with such power that as soon as he would touch anyone's head, it would immediately crack, and the man would die. The demons are described in the Bhagavad-gétä as duñkåtinas, or miscreants. Kåté means very meritorious, but when duñ, is added, it means abominable. Instead of surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the duñkåtinas worship different demigods in order to derive abominable material benefits. Sometimes such demons as material scientists discover lethal weapons. They cannot show their meritorious power by discovering something which can save man from death, but instead they discover weapons which accelerate the process of death. Because Lord Çiva is powerful enough to give any benediction, the demon could have asked of him something beneficial for human society, but for his personal interest he asked that anyone whose head would be touched by his hand would at once die.
Lord Çiva could understand the motive of the demon, and he was very sorry that he had assured him whatever benediction he liked. He would not withdraw his promise, but he was very sorry in his heart that he was to offer him a benediction so dangerous to human society. The demons are described as duñkåtinas, miscreants, because although they have brain power and merit, the merit and brain power are used for abominable activities. Sometimes, for example, the materialistic demons discover a lethal weapon. The scientific research for such a discovery certainly requires a very good brain, but instead of discovering something beneficial to human society, they discover something to accelerate the death which is already assured to every man. Similarly, Våkäsura, instead of asking Lord Çiva for something beneficial to human society, asked for something very dangerous to human society. Therefore Lord Çiva felt sorry within himself. Devotees of the Personality of Godhead, however, never ask any benediction from Lord Viñëu or Kåñëa, and even if they ask something from the Lord, it is not at all dangerous for human society. That is the difference between the demons and the devotees, or the worshipers of Lord Çiva and the worshipers of Lord Viñëu.
While Çukadeva Gosvämé was narrating the history of Våkäsura, he addressed Mahäräja Parékñit as Bhärata, referring to King Parékñit's birth in a family of devotees. Mahäräja Parékñit was saved by Lord Kåñëa while he was in his mother's womb. Similarly, he could have asked Lord Kåñëa to save him from the curse of the brähmaëa, but he did not do so. The demon, however, wanted to become immortal by killing everyone with the touch of his hand. Lord Çiva could understand this, but because he had promised, he gave him the benediction.
The demon, however, being very sinful, immediately decided that he would use the benediction to kill Lord Çiva and take away Gauré (Pärvaté) for his personal enjoyment. He immediately decided to place his hand on the head of Lord Çiva. Thus Lord Çiva was put into an awkward position because he was endangered by his own benediction to a demon. This is also another instance of a materialistic devotee's misusing the power derived from the demigods.
Without further deliberation, the demon Våkäsura immediately approached Lord Çiva to place his hand on Lord Çiva's head. Lord Çiva was so afraid of him that his body trembled, and he began to flee from the land to the sky and from the sky to other planets until he reached the limits of the universe, above the higher planetary systems. Lord Çiva fled from one place to another, but the demon Våkäsura continued to chase him. The predominating deities of other planets, such as Brahmä, Indra and Candra, could not find any way to save Lord Çiva from the impending danger. Wherever Lord Çiva went, they remained silent.
At last Lord Çiva approached Lord Viñëu, who is situated within this universe on the planet known as Çvetadvépa. Çvetadvépa is the local Vaikuëöha planet beyond the jurisdiction of the influence of external energy. Lord Viñëu in His all-pervasive feature remains everywhere, but wherever He remains personally is the Vaikuëöha atmosphere. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is stated that the Lord remains within the heart of all living entities. As such, the Lord remains within the heart of many low-born living entities, but that does not mean that He is low-born. Wherever He remains is transformed into Vaikuëöha. So the planet within this universe known as Çvetadvépa is also Vaikuëöhaloka. It is said in the çästras that residential quarters within the forest are in the mode of goodness, residential quarters in big cities, towns and villages are in the mode of passion, and residential quarters in an atmosphere wherein indulgence in the four sinful activities of illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling predominate are in the mode of ignorance. But residential quarters in a temple of Viñëu, the Supreme Lord, are in Vaikuëöha. It doesn't matter where the temple is situated, but the temple itself, wherever it may be, is Vaikuëöha. Similarly, the Çvetadvépa planet, although within the material jurisdiction, is Vaikuëöha.
Lord Çiva finally entered Çvetadvépa Vaikuëöha. In Çvetadvépa there are great saintly persons who are completely freed from the envious nature of the material world and are beyond the jurisdiction of the four principles of material activities, namely, religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Anyone who enters into that Vaikuëöha planet never comes back again to this material world. Lord Näräyaëa is celebrated as a lover of His devotees, and as soon as He understood that Lord Çiva was in great danger, He appeared as a brahmacäré and personally approached Lord Çiva to receive him from a distant place. The Lord appeared as a perfect brahmacäré, with a belt around His waist, a sacred thread, deerskin, a brahmacäré stick and raudra beads. (Raudra beads are different from tulasé beads. Raudra beads are used by the devotees of Lord Çiva.) Dressed as a brahmacäré, Lord Näräyaëa stood before Lord Çiva. The shining effulgence emanating from His body attracted not only Lord Çiva but also the demon Våkäsura.
Lord Näräyaëa offered his respects and obeisances unto Våkäsura, just to attract his sympathy and attention. Thus checking the demon, the Lord addressed him as follows: "My dear son of Çakuni, you appear to be very tired, as if coming from a very distant place. What is your purpose? Why have you come so far? I see that you are very tired and fatigued, so I request you to take a little rest. You should not unnecessarily tire your body. Everyone greatly values his body because with this body only can one fulfill all the desires of one's mind. We should not, therefore, unnecessarily give trouble to this body."
The brahmacäré addressed Våkäsura as the son of Çakuni just to convince him that He was known to his father, Çakuni. Våkäsura then took the brahmacäré to be someone known to his family, and therefore the brahmacäré's sympathetic words appealed to him. Before the demon could argue that he had no time to take rest, the Lord began to inform him about the importance of the body, and the demon was convinced. Any man, especially a demon, takes his body to be very important. Thus Våkäsura became convinced about the importance of his body.
Then, just to pacify the demon, the brahmacäré told him, "My dear lord, if you think that you can disclose the mission for which you have taken the trouble to come here, maybe I shall be able to help you so that your purpose will be easily served." Indirectly, the Lord informed him that because the Lord is the Supreme Brahman, certainly He would be able to adjust the awkward situation created by Lord Çiva.
The demon was greatly pacified by the sweet words of Lord Näräyaëa in the form of a brahmacäré, and at last he disclosed all that had happened in regard to the benediction offered by Lord Çiva. The Lord replied to the demon as follows: "I myself cannot believe that Lord Çiva has in truth given you such a benediction. As far as I know, Lord Çiva is not in a sane mental condition. He had a quarrel with his father-in-law Dakña, and he has been cursed to become a piçäca (ghost). Thus he has become the leader of the ghosts and hobgoblins. Therefore I cannot put any faith in his words. But if you have faith still in the words of Lord Çiva, my dear king of the demons, then why don't you make an experiment by putting your hand on your head? If the benediction proves false, then you can immediately kill this liar, Lord Çiva, so that in the future he will not dare to give out false benedictions."
In this way, by Lord Näräyaëa's sweet words and by the expansion of His superior illusion, the demon became bewildered, and he actually forgot the power of Lord Çiva and his benediction. He was thus very easily persuaded to put his hand on his own head. As soon as the demon did that, his head cracked, as if struck by thunder, and he immediately died. The demigods from heaven began to shower flowers on Lord Näräyaëa, praising Him with all glories and all thanksgiving, and they offered their obeisances to the Lord. On the death of Våkäsura, all the denizens in the higher planetary systems, namely, the demigods, the pitäs, the Gandharvas and the inhabitants of Janoloka, began to shower flowers on the Personality of Godhead.
Thus Lord Viñëu in the form of a brahmacäré released Lord Çiva from the impending danger and saved the whole situation. Lord Näräyaëa then informed Lord Çiva that this demon, Våkäsura, was killed as the result of his sinful activities. He was especially sinful and offensive because he wanted to experiment on his own master, Lord Çiva. Lord Näräyaëa then told Lord Çiva, "My dear lord, a person who commits an offense to great souls cannot continue to exist. He becomes vanquished by his own sinful activities, and this is certainly true of this demon, who has committed such an offensive act against you."
Thus, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Näräyaëa, who is transcendental to all material qualities, Lord Çiva was saved from being killed by a demon. Anyone who hears this history with faith and devotion certainly becomes liberated from material entanglement as well as from the clutches of his enemies.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Second Volume, Thirty-third Chapter, of Kåñëa, "Deliverance of Lord Çiva."

Purchase the Book
(1970 Edition, 2 Volumes, 400 pages each. Hard Cover, 70 color plates, 6"x9")
Purchase 2 Volume Set(s) of Krsna Book