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Vaishnavas should observe MahaShiva ratri

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The following is an excerpt from a class given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja in Holland on July 3, 1997.

 

“Sri Sanatana Gosvami has written that some Vaisnavas don’t observe Siva Caturdasi, the appearance day of Lord Siva or Sankara.

In Hari Bhakti Vilasa he has written that Vaisnavas should honor Sankara, and they may observe that date. I observe that date.

I know Sankara, because in his form of Bankandi Mahadeva in Vrndavana he was the friend of Sanatana Gosvami. He became Bankandi

Mahadeva from Gopisvara. Do you know this history?

 

When Sri Sanatana Gosvami became old, Sankara told him, “Now you are old. You should not come daily to see me, because you are coming from so very

far away. Sanatana Gosvami replied, “I should come. I cannot change this habit.” Then Gopisvara Mahadeva said, “Then I’m going to come very near

to you - as Bankandi Mahadeva.” He thus became Bankandi Mahadeva and resided very near the Madana Mohana Temple. Srila Sanatana Gosvami is also

the very dear friend of Cakralesvara Mahadeva in Govardhana. He also used to be with Sankara in Kamyavan, where he is known as Kamesvara. He cannot

be without Sankara.

As Nandisvara, Sankara has become the mountain of Nandagaon. He wanted that all Krsna’s pastimes be performed on his back. Regarding Brahma, he has

become Brahma-parvata in Varsana. Because he is so near to Radhika, he is therefore our Gurudeva.

 

These are the tattvas. We should try to honor Sankara as a great Vaisnava and as Guru. Don’t dishonor him. We don’t worship him separately, but we

can observe Siva Caturdasi and glorify him in relation to his relationship with Sri Krsna. We should offer pranama to him with prayers like:

vrndavanavani-pate! Jaya soma soma maule

sanaka-sanandana-sanatana-naradedya

gopisvara! Vraja-vilasi-yugangri-padme

prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namaste

“O gatekeeper of Vrndavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipable by the sages headed

by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopisvara, desiring that you bestow upon me that prema for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava who

perform joyous pastimes in Vraja-dhama, I offer obeisances unto you time and again.”

 

Sankara is telling Sri Narada that Prahlada Maharaja is superior to him. Why? Because he is “tricky”. He does this only to give some encouragement to

worldly persons. Actually, Prahlada cannot go to Vrndavana, but Sankara, as Gopisvara, resides there. As Hanuman, Sankara is always with Rama. As Bhima,

he is with Krsna. When Hanuman and Bhima combine together in Kali-yuga, they become Madvacarya, our Sampradaya-guru.

 

 

Thus, Lord Sankara serves in so many ways, and we should always honor him as our Guru. He is hundreds of thousands of times superior to Prahlada because

he knows and meditates on asta-kaliya-lila. Parvati also meditates on asta-kaliya-lila. This is very secret, yet they both do it. Although Sankara is so

much superior and more worshipful than Prahlada, still he says that Prahlada is superior. Why? There are some reasons which I will explain later.”

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ISKCON has observed Sivaratri from the very early days.

Anybody that knows much of anything about ISKCON would know that ISKCOn has always celebrated Sivratri.

 

That means that Gaudiya Vaishnavas have always observed Sivaratri.

Sivaratri is found on all the Gaudiya Vaishnava temple calenders and is observed regularly.

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