Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arjuna Haridas
This is a great offense to the Lotus Feet of Lord Shiva. Don't you know that Lord Vishnu incarnates as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva? Since they are His incarnation (and Vishnu Himself is an incarnation of Sriman-Narayana), then the Trimurti are all equal and all deserve respect and worship. The proof for this (that from Vishnu incarnated Brahma and shiva) is in the Vishnu Purana's creation story and also from:
Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaat
Mrityor Muksheeya Ma-Amritaat
(Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7)
Let us worship Shiva (the three-eyed One), who is sacred (fragrant) and who nourishes all beings. Just as the ripe cucumber is automatically released from its attachment to the creeper, may we be liberated from death (our mortal body and personality) and be granted immortality. (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.7)
and
"To those unaware of Your position understanding it the material way do You, by Yourself expanding Your maya, appear for the matters of creation as Me (Brahma), as Yourself for the purpose of maintenance and as Lord Trinetra (Shiva) in the end." (Bhagavata Purana 10.14.19)
Such greats as Sri Bhagavan Swaminarayan and Sri Ramaunjacharya have accepted this fact. In fact, this is the very reason why Ramanujacharya preferred the Name "Sriman-Narayana" or "Lord Narayana" to address the Divine in order to not confuse people into thinking that Vishnu the Preserver was better than the rest of the Trimurti.
Why can't the rest of Vaishnavas? Why must we twist the teachings of our Acharyas in order to fit our own "My-God-is-better-than-your's" beliefs?
|
Nice post Arjuna Haridas! The twist in the original philosophy is there because of the my sampradaya or my God over your God mentality. Some times we also call it churchianity. Each church hails itself over the other. Nothing much to do with the originality of God and his realization or realization of the self as Lord Krsna repeats in his Gita.
All glories to Lord Shiva and Lord Shri Krsna/Rama who are devoted to each other in all the three worlds and beyond! Not all Vaishnavas are able to comprehend this very special and highly exalted relationship. But just one side of it. They only remember that shambhu is a devotee of Krsna, but ignore Krsna's devotion to Shiva in his every incarnation.
Lord Shiva comes to help and serve Rama as Hanuman which is an example of bhakti and devotion in itself! And Rama worships Shiva!! Krsna also worshiped Shiva. As Lord Shiva tells Ramachandra after he is please with Rama's austerities to please Shiva, that his loving relationship with him (Rama) is the biggest secrets of all and no one fully comprehends it. Any devotee of Hari putting down Shiva as lower than him or any devotee of Shiva putting down hari as lower will go to Raurav narak.