how to worship Mahadeva?

[Guest guest]

Dear Matajis Prabhus.

Namaste!

 

I live far away from India.

My life is very misarable and unsuccessfull.

Long time ago I have decided to worhsip Shiva,

as I believe he can bestow me good luck on material

and spiritual path.

Also I would like to offer my respects to all other

Devas, because I understand importanse of their services

to Sri Hari.

 

My problem is that there is no bonafide Shiva temple

so there is noone I can consult about how to properly

do this. Hence the querstion:

How can I worship Shiva in everyplace where I am?

Maybe there is some mantra or some simple process

with which I can begin?

Recently I have prayed to Shiva, Devas and the Supreme personality -- Sri Hari for good luck and in just few hours

later I received a wonderfull answer (one very good and long awaited situation).

Now as an honest person I would like to do something in return to them.

But how? Can anyone advice?

If this would take too long then could you please be as kind as to just tell me titles of the books where I can find bona fide information? (or maybe links if they are available online)

 

Thank you in advance.

your servant

Yuriy

my email is: ( removenospam-yg108@softhome.com )

[Guest guest]

http://www.bhakti.org/

[Jahnava Nitai Das 1]

Daily pour ganges water on top of Lord Shiva. If Ganges water is not available, then invoke Ganga through mantra into the water. Also chant the name of Lord Rama, as that is Lord Shiva's object of worship.

 

Read and recite the sections of Srimad Bhagavatam that glorify Lord Shiva (see churning of milk ocean and Lord Shiva drinking the poison).

[Guest guest]

Dear JNprabhu,

thank you very much for your words.

Please kindly tell me a little bit more

about Siva worship.

 

Why Sri Rama is his object of worship? I thought that Sriman Siva Mahadeva worships Sri Krisna. I have heard a story about how Siva came to the house of Maharaja Nanda to obtain Krisna's lotous feets on his head and how gopis were afraid of Sriman Siva's outlook and they refused and Sri Krisna began to cry in deep sorrow and then one of the Gopis recognized the reason and a servant was sent to banks of Sri Jamuna to return Siva to the hous of Nanda Maharaja and finally he received Sri Krisna's lotous feets on his head.

 

But I know no story about Sriman Siva and Rama.

 

Could you please kindly give me some directions were I can search on the topic?

 

(currently I have been trying to search google.com for "shiva worship" or so and I am not satisfied with results..)

 

Thank you very much,

your servant

Yuriy

[Guest guest]

 

Why Sri Rama is his object of worship? I thought that Sriman Siva Mahadeva worships Sri Krisna. I have heard a story about how Siva came to the house of Maharaja Nanda to obtain Krisna's lotous feets on his head and how gopis were afraid of Sriman Siva's outlook and they refused and Sri Krisna began to cry in deep sorrow and then one of the Gopis recognized the reason and a servant was sent to banks of Sri Jamuna to return Siva to the hous of Nanda Maharaja and finally he received Sri Krisna's lotous feets on his head.

 

 

Really?! That sounds like a wonderful story!! Does anyone know where i can find this Bhagvatam please?

 

 

But I know no story about Sriman Siva and Rama.

 

 

One can argue that Krsna and Rama are one and the same. Siva has the exalted position, given by Krsna Himself, as the "best of all Vaishnavas" (BG quote??). So a Vaishnava is one who loves and serves Visnu/Krnsa/Rama. Therefore it make perfect sense that Siva loves and serves Rama with equal devotion as He does for Krsna.

 

Siva is such a wonderful Bhakta like Hanuman. He's so full of love for His Lord! There is a nice story in SB where Siva is asked to narrate the Ramayana to his consort. Siva also narrates Bhagvatam. So SB is a good source for you to start - sorry can't be more specific, i'm terrrible at remembering exactly where i've read things.

 

By the way, i gave you the wrong URL before. I should have given you: http://www.purebhakti.com

 

This website consructed by initiates of Narayana Maharaj - i know there's some animosity here in the ISKCON camp, but the message is basically the same - love and serve Krsna. There are some nice pages on Siva on this website. See:

 

http://www.purebhakti.com/lectures/lecture19970703a.shtml

http://www.purebhakti.com/lectures/lecture20000305.shtml

http://www.purebhakti.com/lectures/lecture19970703.shtml

http://www.purebhakti.com/reports/report20030313a.shtml

 

...and i'm sure you can find many more there.

 

Hope this helps & Hare Krsna!

 

G.

[Guest guest]

Thanks to all! By the mercy of Lord Siva I have found everything I needed. All my desirec came true and this mirracle continues!! I was seeking for Rudraksa-mala (japa beads) but I was not willing to buy it rather I liked to accept it as a gift and -- here it is! One saiva bhakta has sent me them as a gift! And I live thouthands miles from India! My busines has increased, my depression has gone! I am in excellent mood! My personal life has improved everything is going up just by sometimes chanting this sacred vibration OM NAMAH SIVAYA

I am unbelievable astonished with this promt reply from the Lord! I feel great inside and outside as well. I chanted mantra and I have seen in my mind Lord siva sitting on somthing like little rock and sining and over him I sought Govinda in triangular light and one of the bigger rais was comming and lighting the palce where Lord Siva was sitting.

I do not understand the meaning of this vission, it was only once but I am very happy that there is some kind of movement in my spiritual life.

Meditation with this grat mantra OM NAMAH SIVAYA gives me feeling of absolutelly another reality, like all this world is conditional, not true, not absolutelly real.

 

Ok, hence the question -- Who is Him? Who is Lord Siva? Why He answers ways faster than Sri Krsna? I have been with Krsna for so many years in ISKCON, well, yes, of course I never been anyhow pure devotee nor at least any sort of good devotee but I tried my best, sometimes I was not enthusiastic but that is only becase I had no sign from Supreme that my practice, my effort has any meaning, has any answer. And now I did nearly nothing toward Lord Siva and I have so immediate answer in all branches of my life!

Why is it so?

 

Yuriy

[Guest guest]

 

 

My busines has increased, my depression has gone! I am in excellent mood! My personal life has improved everything is going up just by sometimes chanting this sacred vibration OM NAMAH SIVAYA

 

 

Interesting. If it had worked out the same way for the millions of Indians who are devotees, then India would never have been a third country. Clearly, either your success and transformation has nothing to do with your religion or else you have something special about you to which Lord Shiva is responding. So the question, what can you think of about yourself that sets you apart from millions?

 

Ok, hence the question -- Who is Him? Who is Lord Siva? Why He answers ways faster than Sri Krsna? I have been with Krsna for so many years in ISKCON, well, yes, of course I never been anyhow pure devotee nor at least any sort of good devotee but I tried my best, sometimes I was not enthusiastic but that is only becase I had no sign from Supreme that my practice, my effort has any meaning, has any answer. And now I did nearly nothing toward Lord Siva and I have so immediate answer in all branches of my life!

 

Why is it so?

 

 

Most realistic answer is your success has nothing to do with Krishna or Shiva. Like I said earlier they are not in the habit of improving business prospects for devotees, for otherwsie India would have been the leading super power today.

 

Other than that, you may get some answers like Shiva is tamasic and can only give material gain, Krishna is sattvic and gives spiiritual gain etc., which originate due to narrow sectarian views. There are millions of Shaivas in India who have not received any material gain from Shiva & would be very happy to win a lottery. There are also a staggering number of Vaishnavas who have not received any spiritual gain, whatsoever.

 

We sincerely hope your question has been answered to your satisfaction.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

Not a lot of people actually have Faith in God ..

 

or his devotees.

[Guest guest]

Hi Guest,

First or Last depends on the scale.

From materialistic point of view India is not the best last days but from the spiritual it is the leading country in this world, I am sure!

 

Bhagavan Siva nor Bhagavan Sri Krisna are not in charge to increase my material "posessions" in long time run. Right now right today I feel like it is needed, but in just some 30-40 years I will be willing to renounce it.

 

The supreme goal is spiritual and is above conditions of this world. For self realized soul stone, gold, own body or mud on the street is the same -- just temporary chemicals.

 

The supreme goal is to be living and acting according to your inner Self.

And what is that?

Jivera svarupa haya -- KRSNERA NITYA DASA (Chaitanya Chartamrta)

Ethernal form of individual sould is KRSNA's SERVANT

 

The material stuff, private life etc, (if properly used!!!), are just means to achive that

 

Om namah Sivaya

 

Sincerelly

Yuriy

[Yogkriya 0]

om namah Sivaya Yuriy and Dobryi Den!

 

It is true indeed that Lord Shiva answers sincre prayers quickly, because he is quickly pleased and this is why he is called the Bhole Nath - one who is simple hearted and easily pleased. Even if a littkle water and flowers are offered to him with devotion are accepted and he gives his blessings that have no bounds.

There is a common misinterpretation amongst some other devotees that Shiva is Tamogunic or in the mode of ignorance. This is not true and very wrong. Shiva is the controller of all the three gunas and above all teh three gunas of material nature. The trident or trishul he carries symbolizes that he controls all the three gunas and is not affected by them.

 

To understand more about Lord Shiva, Bhagwat Puran is not the best source.

You should read the Shiva Mahapurana, The Shiva Geeta and Shiva Samhita! Shiva Geeta comes in the Padma Purana (also written by Vyasdeva) and is a discourse given by Lord Shiva to his devotee Ramachandra!! Here Rama (like Arjuna in Bhagwat Geeta) asks Shri Mahadeva and he answers his queries. But Rama is not able to get over his questions and so Lord Shiva shows his eternal universal form where Rama can see all the universe in him and then he sees all the ten avataras of Lord Vishnu also in Shiva including the Krishna avatara and his killing of Kansa!. Lord Rama gets so overwhelmed and starts doing 'dandwats' to Lord Shiva and requests him to merge his universal form and come back to his asceti9c form.

In another incident when asked by Udhisthira, Lord Krishna explains the glory of Lord Shiva and his sadhna. Krishna himself states how he performed the most difficult of penances to please Lord Sadashiva and takes the pledge of Pashupata Yoga and living only on air and standing on one leg for 6 months to please him and at last obtains his darshana! Lord krishna describes the appearance of Lord shiva as the appearance of a million suns in teh sky from behind a dark cloud!! His brilliance and mercy is boundless. And Krishna gets the boon of a unique son from Shiva for getting whom he performed this penance.

 

In another story, Lord Vishnu performes devotional austerities to Lord Shiva doing Yagya with a thousand lotuses everyday. One day one lotus is missing, so Vishnu plucks his own eye with an arrow and offers to Shiva. Lord Shiva appears before him and is so please that he gifts him a spiritual weapon disc - the Sudarshan Chakra. This is the Sudarshan chakra that Lord Vishnu carries and Shri Krishna carries to protect his devotees from the demons!

there has been a very speciakl bond between Lord Vishnu/Hari and Lord Shiva and they always offer obeisances to each other. Indeed they are in each other's heart always.

 

So it is indeed very exalted to worship such a merciful Lord whom Vishnu, Krishna, Rama themselves worshiped in every yuga!!

 

Om namah Shivaya!!

[Yogkriya 0]

Dear Bhakta,

 

You can offer water and milk abhisheka on the Shiva Lingam or mentally on the Shiva image and offer Bilva patra, bilva fruit, flowers, sandal paste, bhasma and chant Om namah Shivaya - the adi Maha Mantra that was chanted by Lord Rama Chandra and Krishna too. This mantra was also chanted by the great Rishi Vashishtha - the kul Guru or family Guru of Lord Ramachandra and Queen Kunti and numerous others. Shiva worship has been a prominent part of vedic culture at all times and there has been the tradition of Shiva worship everytime.

 

Even Lord Shri Krishna asked the great yogi warrior and devotee Arjuna to go and perform penance and sadhna and worship Lord Shiva if he wants success in life. When he was about to finish his penance, Lord Shiva appeared as Kirat - in the form of a hunter to test him and when pleased, he granted him his divine Pashupatastra, without which his victory in the battle field would have been impossible.

Lord Shiva also grants 5 kinds of mukti or liberation from the bondages of material earthly existence. He well explains this to Lord Rama and the later accepts and confirms this for the benefit of mankind. Infact, Lord Shiva can grant all kinds of material and spiritual blessings to a devotee.

If you decide to worship him then you don't have to listen to anyone evoking doubts in your mind! Can it do you any harm if Lord Rama and Krishna themselves worshiped him??

 

26th February is Mahashivratri and anyone worshiping all night Lord Shiva gets immeasurable benediction and blessings from him! I hope you can

avail this opportunity and perform sadhna of Om Namah Shivaya Mahamantra or shri MahaMrityunjaya Mantra.

 

Om Namah Shivaya!!

[Yogkriya 0]

Om Namah Shivaya!!!

[Guest guest]

Dear bhaktas,

 

Hope you had a joyous Shivratri Celebration.

Om Namah Shivaya!

[Guest guest]

Namaste!

Its me again, the one who has started the topic.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me on my way especiall Sivaanurag prabhu disciple of Sree Yogesh maharaja.

Now I have everything -- rudraksa mala, murti, lingam

 

I worship God who has come to this world and who is careing about me.

 

I would like to report that __everything__ in my life has grovn!!

 

I have stopped todrink. My busines has increased twice and in some weeks will probably increase again. I bevome very positive, my deppression has gone, even my private life has improved.

 

Siva! Siva! Sakti! Sakti!

 

OM NAMAH SIVAYA!

 

your servant,

Yuriy

[Guest guest]

this is ur wish and Shiva have granted it yes, but it have nothing to do with spirituality, shivas wife is durga, godess of maya, and it sounds little that she have done her job well.. turning u away from Krsna.. I had depresion and other psychological problems, but after chanting the Maha-mantra i became healthy again.. shivas greatest blessing is that He turned me over to Krsna.. but u are going the wrong way prabhu.. yes shiva is very easy pleased, but he is also easy offended, which many forgets.. if he get offended he may take away all what he has given u, and ur back at square 1.. so my advice is now when u have good material life, start serve Krsna again, before its too late.. but its ur choice

[Guest guest]

It is good to know that you are getting good fortune.

Use your prosperity to help others. Use the peace of mind and time to pray to god any god) with true heart. It is said that one's guru represents all the gods and holy places in the world. If that is true, how can Shiva or Krishna or Jesus be any different. They are the same. Ignorance and bookish knowledge has corrupted all religions from their true and pure forms by insisting on importance of single god or religion.

Don't fall into arguments of god - who is easy to please, easy to anger, true god etc. Do not seek material desires from god for you are back on square one then. Do puja, yoga and meditation. All gods are but ONE and SAME.

 

You are falling into very wrong impression that praying to Shiva gave results but not Krishna. They are the same god.

 

Hare Krishna, Om Namah Shivaya

[Guest guest]

 

Dear Bhakta,

 

You can offer water and milk abhisheka on the Shiva Lingam or mentally on the Shiva image and offer Bilva patra, bilva fruit, flowers, sandal paste, bhasma and chant Om namah Shivaya - the adi Maha Mantra that was chanted by Lord Rama Chandra and Krishna too. This mantra was also chanted by the great Rishi Vashishtha - the kul Guru or family Guru of Lord Ramachandra and Queen Kunti and numerous others. Shiva worship has been a prominent part of vedic culture at all times and there has been the tradition of Shiva worship everytime.

 

Even Lord Shri Krishna asked the great yogi warrior and devotee Arjuna to go and perform penance and sadhna and worship Lord Shiva if he wants success in life. When he was about to finish his penance, Lord Shiva appeared as Kirat - in the form of a hunter to test him and when pleased, he granted him his divine Pashupatastra, without which his victory in the battle field would have been impossible.

Lord Shiva also grants 5 kinds of mukti or liberation from the bondages of material earthly existence. He well explains this to Lord Rama and the later accepts and confirms this for the benefit of mankind. Infact, Lord Shiva can grant all kinds of material and spiritual blessings to a devotee.

If you decide to worship him then you don't have to listen to anyone evoking doubts in your mind! Can it do you any harm if Lord Rama and Krishna themselves worshiped him??

 

26th February is Mahashivratri and anyone worshiping all night Lord Shiva gets immeasurable benediction and blessings from him! I hope you can

avail this opportunity and perform sadhna of Om Namah Shivaya Mahamantra or shri MahaMrityunjaya Mantra.

 

Om Namah Shivaya!!

Not necessarily a good advice. The Shiva purana is in the mode of ignorance and has many contradictions. I have it! It says Lord Shiva killed Lord Nrsingadev and that the Lion skin on which Lord Shiva is sitting is that of that Lord! Hardly in any purana have I seen where even a demigod is killed by Brahma,Shiva or Vishnu. The only instance is that of Daksha prajapati but he was restored! The Shiva purana mimicks the Srimad Bhagavatam a lot but puts shiva where it should be Vishnu.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

A vaishnavaite, if he go through shiva purana would find umpteen things offensive. Same thing with other Shaiva paksha puranas and Shaktha paksha puranas. Same is true with Shaivaites. If they go through vaishnava paksha puranas they would find upteen things offensive. Now my question is why do u go for cross references. If u worship vishnu, read, Ramayana, Shrimad Bhagavatham, Bhagavath Geetha, Vishnu purana, padma purana and other vaishnava paksha puranas. If u r a shaivaite u read shaiva paksha puranas. Be sincere in ur dedication. That would give u the fruits of bhakthi.

 

In smartha sampradaya, we daily pray that

"Aakashath pathitham thoyam yatha gachathi sagaram

sarvadeva namaskaraha keshavam prathi gachathi"

 

like the waters of rivers reach ultimately the sea, the obeisance one pays to any and every devatha ultimately reaches Keshava.

 

Radhe Krishna

[Sathya 0]

 

It is good to know that you are getting good fortune.

Use your prosperity to help others. Use the peace of mind and time to pray to god any god) with true heart. It is said that one's guru represents all the gods and holy places in the world. If that is true, how can Shiva or Krishna or Jesus be any different. They are the same. Ignorance and bookish knowledge has corrupted all religions from their true and pure forms by insisting on importance of single god or religion.

Don't fall into arguments of god - who is easy to please, easy to anger, true god etc. Do not seek material desires from god for you are back on square one then. Do puja, yoga and meditation. All gods are but ONE and SAME.

 

You are falling into very wrong impression that praying to Shiva gave results but not Krishna. They are the same god.

 

Hare Krishna, Om Namah Shivaya

 

Thank god that there are some open inded people. I completely agree with you. People are forcing one group of believers to turn against another with ignorance and misreading the texts. Shiva, Krsna, Ramchandra, Mataji are all the same. They are all forms of parabhrama. It is sin to mock devotees of god and so these people should really look at themselves and ask are they really true bhakts of bhagwan.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

 

Sathya, one thing I agree with u that it is sin to mock devotees. But ekagratha is very badly required for bhakthi. U do shiva bhakthi or krishna bhakthi. Bhakthi is bhava based and from binna bhava u can not reap the fruits of bhakthi.

 

Radhe krishna

[Sathya 0]

 

Radhe Krishna,

 

Sathya, one thing I agree with u that it is sin to mock devotees. But ekagratha is very badly required for bhakthi. U do shiva bhakthi or krishna bhakthi. Bhakthi is bhava based and from binna bhava u can not reap the fruits of bhakthi.

 

Radhe krishna

 

That is not true. My bhakti is strong. I read many scriptures and do not distinguish between Vaishnav or Shaiva or Shakta. To me everything is part of Sanatan Dharma and it should all be respected as such. I pray to many deities/Devs because I know that thay are all forms of Bhagwan. I have strong firm beliefs and my Bhakti is stronger now than it has ever been in my life. Also who sets all these rules? Why is ekagratha a badly required neccesity for bhakti? I am living proof that you can pray to many forms of god and still have great devotion for bhagwan.

 

Jay Siya Ram, Jay Shree Krsna, On Namah Shivayam.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 1]

 

I pray to many deities/Devs because I know that thay are all forms of Bhagwan.

 

Better to follow the path of saints. All saints have instructed to fix one's mind on one deity to get the blessings of that deity. For example, aura devataa chitta na dharaii hanumatta seii sarva sukha karaii.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

 

Dear sathyaji, please never never think that I am saying that ur worhsipping many deities is a wrong or sinful activity. Even in smartha sampradaya - I belong to - I do panchayatana puja daily. This is one of the nithya karmas which I am doing since these are Bhagavath Agnya which I am to obey. But when it comes to upasana there Ekagratha is required. Why - for Bhagavath Sakshathkara. Whole hearted and single minded dedication is required for Bhagavath Sakshathkara. Even if one goes beyond Bhakthi to atmavichara for attaining kewala Gnana where focus of mind should be very concentrated, Ekagra Bhakthi practiced beforehand helps in the efforts.

Then reading scriptures are concerned. I know from my dear and near - my saha sampradaya bhaktha who is no more - who has recited Shri Valmiki Ramayana - one thousand times - that too in the navaha krama. And Shri thyagaraja who has chanted shri rama nama for 96 crores times. My saha sampradaya Bhaktha who has recited Thirupugazh (the complete compilation as available now) for more than 100 times and still in the recital - I myself reciting Shrimad Bhagavatham many number of times - pardon me for not mentioning the number - these thing require whole hearted dedication. This does not at all mean that these people have disrespect for devathantharas. But purely mean their deep routed dedication. Whereas devathanthara upasana is not a avaguna, Ekagra Bhakthi is surely a dedicated Bhakthi which takes to the lotus feet of the lord u worship

 

Radhe Krishna