Siva is Gopikeswar

[Guest guest]

Yes, Lord Shiva took the form of a gopi & participated in Krishna lila. thats why Shiva is also called Gopikeshwar.

 

I think i am telling right. If wrong correct me.

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif Jai Sri Krishna

[Guest guest]

Shri Mahadeva protects the Holy Dham of Braja, and every wise pilgrim must go to offer his respect and homage unto him.

 

Shri Mahadeva presides in Vraja as Gopishvara in Vrindavan, Bhuteshvara in Mathura, Nandishvara at Nandagrama, Kameshvara at Kamyavana, Cakaleshvara at Govardhan and Kundeshvara at Radha Kund.

 

Prior to parikrama of Radha Kund we offer our respects to Kundeshvara Mahadeva, and prior to entering Vamsi Vat we pray for the blessing of Gopishvara Mahadeva, who guards the arena of the sacred circle dance.

 

Every Vaishnava in the Holy Dham prays for the kind blessing of Shri Mahadeva.

 

Visvanatha writes in his Sankalpa Kalpadruma (103):

 

vRndAvanavani-pate! jaya soma soma-maule

sanaka-sanandana-sanAtana-nAradeDya

gopIzvara! vraja-vilAsi-yugAGghri-padme

prema prayaccha nirupAdhi namo namaste

 

"O gatekeeper of Vrindavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipable for the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopisvara! Desiring that you bestow upon me prema for the lotus feet of Shri Shri Radha-Madhava who perform joyous pastimes in Vraja-dhama, I offer pranamas unto you time and again!"

 

In the Padma Purana, it is said:

 

ArAdhanAnAM sarvezam viSNor ArAdhanam param

tasmAt parataraM devI tadIyAnam samArcanam

 

Once, Parvati devi asked Lord Siva,

"Of all kinds of worship, whose worship is best?"

 

Then, Lord Siva told her plainly, "The worship and devotional service of Lord Narayana, Visnu, is the highest."

 

Then Parvati became a little mortified and disappointed, thinking, "But I am serving Siva, so I hold a lower position."

 

Then the next line came - tasmAt parataraM devI tadiyAnam samArcanam.

 

"But higher than the worship of Narayana is worship of the devotees of Lord Narayana. That is even greater than devotion to the Lord Himself."

 

Then, Parvati smiled, thinking, "Then I am serving the devotee of the Lord. Siva is a devotee: vaiSNavAnam yathA zambhuH. So, I am doing the best thing."

 

This is also confirmed by Krishna, in the Adi Purana :

 

ye me bhakta-janAH pArtha ne me bhaktas ca te janaH

mad bhaktAnAM ca ye bhaktas te me bhaktatama mataH

 

"Those who worship Me directly are not real devotees; real devotees are those who are devoted to My devotees."

 

Prayers to Lord Shiva-

 

"jagadguro namastubhyaM

zivAya zivadAya ca

yogIndrANAm ca yogIndra

gurUNAM gurave namaH"

 

"Salutations unto Thee, O Teacher of the universe.

Thou art the Lord auspicious and the giver of bliss,

the foremost of the perfect Yogis, the Teacher of teachers. Salutations unto Thee."

 

(BVP 4.30.43)