Why doesn't Shiva worship anybody where as Vishnu worships him in all his incarnations?

Question

There is a difference between Bhagwata Purana and Shiva Purana:

1. Bhagwata Purana states that Vishnu is more supreme than Shiva, and from Vishnu, Brahma and by Brahma, Shiva was born. But if that is so, why does Vishnu worship Shiva in all of his incarnations, whereas Shiva never worships anybody?

2. Shiva Purana says that Vishnu and Brahma were created from Aadi Anant JyotirStambha of Shiva. When there was a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu about who is more supreme, at that time, Shiva appeared as Jyotirstambha and asked both of them to reach start and end of it. Vishnu traveled downwards to reach end and Brahma traveled upwards to reach beginning, but both of them failed and considered there is no end of Shiva and asked Shiva to guide them. In this story Brahma lied that he reached beginning, So Shiva banned his worships in Hinduism, which is true. Brahma's son Daksha Prajapati was against Shiva because of this reason only.

Now, Lord Rama established Shiva Linga when he was marching towards Lanka which is known as Rameshwara Mahadeva meaning Ishwar (God) of Rama. In Ramayana, when Lord Rama wanted to do Prashchatap because he considered killing Ravana as sin of killing a brahmana, he asked Hanumanji to organize to establish a Shiva Linga and asked again Shiva for mercy and to cut his sin. If Lord is himself able to cut sins, can't he cut his own sins?

In Krishna avatar when Krishna wanted to bring some tree Kalpa Vriksha from Indra, he worshiped Shiva for blessings and that is known as Gopeshwara Mahadeva in vrindavana meaning Ishwara (God) of Gopal (Krishna). Also when Krishna wanted to have a son, he asked sages and from their advice he prayed to Lord Shiva to get a son. If Krishna was Vishnu against who nothing will happen, why he said that "Shive Sarvadhi Sadhike" means nothing happens without Shiva's will, so please bless me with son!! when the Mahabharata was about to be battled he asked Pandavas to have bliss of Shiva first and arranged a Pooja of Shiva Linga.

In Bhagwata Purana also, there is a story about Lakshmi Devi's unhappiness with Vishnu because Vishnu told her that half area of his heart is dedicated to Lord Shiva only. And in the rest of the half, all the creatures of world and all deities including her wife Lakshmi lives!

Parashurama is also considered as great devotee of Shiva, Shiva gave him Parashu (axe), for which Parashurama is famous for.

So, why doesn't Shiva worship anybody whereas Vishnu worships him in all his incarnations?

What I think is, because Shiva is the only Supreme Paramatma as he is unborn (Ajanma), Akarta and Abhokta (Vairagi) as said in Geeta that God is Ajanma, Akarta and Abhokta. God is neerakar (shapeless and formless), Shiva Linga is symbol of Shiva's such form only.

And also Vishnu always advised other deities (Kartikeya, Indra, Parvati, etc.) to worship Shiva only if they have mistakenly committed sins.

I'm curious and trying to make sense of all this. Can anybody throw some light on my doubts?

EDIT:

Vishnu says Shiva is the eternal origin (seed) of all things

From Veda Vyasa's Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva:

The blessed Vishnu said, 'I saluted Mahadeva, saying,--Salutations to thee, O thou that art the eternal origin of all things. The Rishis say that thou art the Lord of the Vedas. The righteous say that thou art Penance, thou art Sattwa, thou art Rajas, thou art Tamas, and thou art Truth...

Vishnu himself said "Shiva is the eternal origin of ..." That's why I think Shiva linga is the seed and whatever we see, it is just a tree from that seed.

Answer 1

Though the god is one, when we see in terms of Generation, Operation, Destruction these are taken care by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively. Since Vishnu is responsible for execution, it is He who descends to take care of the creation. This may be killing the demons or establishing dharma or to spread knowledge or to fulfill desire of a devotee. No one can understand Him, so He shows how to worship Him for different purposes. Also Vishnu worships Shiva symbolically to say both are same.

‘Sivasya hridayam vishnur-vishnoscha hridayam sivah’ — Vishnu is the heart of Shiva and likewise Shiva is the heart of Vishnu."

They both meditate upon one another all the time! A good discussion on this is here

In other perspective Vishnu has taken Rajas nature and Shiva has taken Sattva. Rajas is full of desires and action and hence He worships Shiva to fulfill the desires, this way He shows how to worship the god whereas Shiva is satvik, He is self realized and self sufficient and hence He doesn't appear to worship anyone externally.

Answer 2

Puranas are sectarian literature. You will find them disagreeing about the supreme Deity. You should instead read a non-sectarian scripture like Mahabharata.

Mahabharata Vana Parva Section CCLXX says:

The Supreme Spirit has three conditions. In the form of Brahma, he is the Creator, and in the form of Vishnu he is the Preserver, and in his form as Rudra, he is the Destroyer of the Universe!

Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra/Shiva are simply three names and forms of Brahman.

Rishi Sanat-sujata says in Mahabharata Udyoga Parva Section 43:

There is but one Brahman which is Truth’s self. It is from ignorance of that One, that god-heads have been conceived to be diverse.

Sri Hari himself said that no one should see any difference between Him and Shiva.

Well-adored by the Rishis, by Brahma, and by all the deities, that great God, the Lord of the universe, otherwise called by the name of Hari, then addressed the illustrious Isana and said these words:-He that knows thee, knows me. He that follows thee, follows me. There is no difference between thee and me. Do thou never think otherwise.

Mahabharata Santi Parva Section CCCXLIII

Another example is given below:

Then Partha, with a cheerful soul, and joined hands and eyes expanded (in wonder), gazed at the god having the bull for his mark [Shiva] and who was the receptacle of every energy. And he beheld the offerings he made every night to Vasudeva lying by the side of the Three-eyed deity.

Mahabharata Drona Parva Section LXXXI

I am adding a passage that clearly states that only ignorant person sees any difference between Brahman, Brahma, Rudra and Hari.

Sri Bhagavan said: I, who am known as the supreme cause of the worlds, its soul, its ruler, the witness of everything, the self-effulgent being and attributeless Absolute - in truth I am both Brahma and Rudra. O Learned one! Verily I assume different names like Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, appropriate for the creation, preservation and destruction of the universe, which I perform by assuming My Yoga-maya, which has its three constituent Gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. In Me, the all-comprehending and all-pervading Self, known as Brahman, the ignorant man sees Brahma, Rudra and other entities as different. Just as a man will not consider the members of his body like the head and the limbs as different from himself but only parts of himself, so does one who has taken refuge in Me sees all beings as parts of Me. He attains eternal peace who does not perceive any difference between the three - Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara - who are one in nature and pervade in all beings.

Srimad Bhagavata Purana translated by Swami Tapasyananda IV.7.50-54.

Answer 3

Please read the Mahabharata carefully. Also, the puranas Srimad bhagavatham, Varaha Purana, Padma purana, Garuda Purana, Matsya Purana etc....In all these puranas there upmteen number of instances where Shiva Worshipped Vishnu or Krishna or Rama as the Supreme Lord.

Mahabharata clearly says

mahAdevaH sarvamedhe mahAtmA hutvA AtmAnaM devadevo babhUva

This clearly indicates that Rudra Performed Sarvamedha yagna and prayed to Lord Vishnu to become Mahadeva.

In the Mahabharata sAnti parva, Arjuna asks Krishna the following:

Arjuna —

While felling the enemies with arrows in the battlefield, I find a Person standing ahead of me. He is brilliant like Agni, with a Trisula in the hand. In whichever direction he goes, my enemies in that direction are burnt and killed by him. I follow him and attack the same persons, who have already been attacked by him. Onlookers are unaware of this truth and think that my enemies have indeed been attacked and felled by me.

To this, Krishna replies,

Krishna —

Under my protection, you have won a great victory in Battle. Know, O Son of Kunti, that he whom you saw going before you in battle was none other than Rudra also known as Devadeva and Kapardin. They say he is Kala (time or reckoner of death for souls), Born of my Wrath. Those foes you have slain were, in fact slain by him. Hence adore with a controlled mind, that Umapati, Devadeva, of immeasurable greatness, Maheswara, the Changeless (in yoga).

Note the bolded words, “Born of my Wrath”. This shows again, as in many, many quotes, that Siva was born of nArAyaNa. Now, in all honesty, no one will deny the greatness Krishna ascribes to Siva. He is changeless in yoga, he is a great deva, etc.

But, it confirmed with the above stements that Rudra/Shiva's was born out of Vishnu's wrath. Please check the Santi parva of the Mahabharata for these quotes.

Brahma-Rudra dialogue in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata

And again, in the Shanti Parva, we have the following incident where Brahma declares Siva is his son, and Siva again addressed Brahma as his father:

atrApy udAharantImam itihAsaM purAtanam
brahmaNA saha saMvAdaM tryambakasya vizAM pate

“In this connection is cited the old narrative of the discourse between Brahma, O king, and the Three-eyed Mahadeva.”

(skipping a few verses that describe the Ocean of Milk and the mountain on which Brahma resides)

atha tatrAsatas tasya caturvaktrasya dhImataH
lalATaprabhavaH putraH ziva AgAd yadRcchayA
AkAzenaiva yogIzaH purA trinayanaH prabhuH

“While the four-faced Brahma of great intelligence was seated there, his son Siva, who had sprung from his forehead encountered him one day in course of his wanderings through the universe. In days of yore, the Three-eyed Siva endued with puissance and high Yoga, while proceeding along the sky, beheld Brahma seated on that mountain”

tataH khAn nipapAtAzu dharaNIdharamUrdhani
agrataz cAbhavat prIto vavande cApi pAdayoH

“Therefore, he (Siva) dropped down quickly on its top. With a cheerful heart he presented himself (to Brahma) and worshipped at his (Brahma’s) feet.”

taM pAdayor nipatitaM dRSTvA savyena pANinA
utthApayAmAsa tadA prabhur ekaH prajApatiH

“Beholding Mahadeva prostrated at his feet, Brahma took him up with his hand. Brahma, that puissant and one Lord of all creatures thus raised Mahadeva up, ”

uvAca cainaM bhagavAMz cirasyAgatam Atmajam
svAgataM te mahAbAho diSTyA prApto 'si me 'ntikam
kaccit te kuzalaM putra svAdhyAyatapasoH sadA
nityam ugratapAs tvaM hi tataH pRcchAmi te punaH

“The Grandsire said, 'Welcome art thou, O thou of mighty arms. By good luck I see thee after such a long time come to my presence. I hope, O son, that everything is right with thy penances and thy Vedic studies and recitations. Thou art always observant of the austerest penances. Hence I ask thee about the progress and well-being of those penances of thine!”

Then, Rudra replies as follows:

tvatprasAdena bhagavan svAdhyAyatapasor mama
kuzalaM cAvyayaM caiva sarvasya jagatas tathA

Rudra said, 'O illustrious one, through thy grace, all is well with my penances and Vedic studies. It is all right, again, with the universe.

(Then Brahma explains to Rudra the meaning of ‘Purusha’. We find here two invaluable shlokas that show the supremacy of Sriman Narayana):

brahmovAca zRNu putra yathA hy eSa puruSaH zAzvato 'vyayaH akSayaz cAprameyaz ca sarvagaz ca nirucyate na sa zakyas tvayA draSTuM mayAnyair vApi sattama saguNo nirguNo vizvo jJAnadRzyo hy asau smRtaH azarIraH zarIreSu sarveSu nivasaty asau vasann api zarIreSu na sa lipyati karmabhiH mamAntarAtmA tava ca ye cAnye dehasaMjJitAH sarveSAM sAkSibhUto 'sau na grAhyaH kena cit kva cit

Brahma said,

Listen, O son, as to how that Purusha is indicated. He is eternal and immutable. He is undeteriorating and immeasurable. He pervades all things. O best of all creatures, that Purusha cannot be seen by thee, or me, or others. Those that are endued with the understanding and the senses but destitute of self-restraint and tranquility of soul cannot obtain a sight of him.

The Supreme Purusha is said to be one that can be seen with the aid of knowledge alone. Though divested of body, He dwells in every body. Though dwelling, again, in bodies, He is never touched by the acts accomplished by those bodies. He is my Antaratma (inner soul). He is thy inner soul. He is the all-seeing Witness dwelling within all embodied creatures and engaged in marking their acts. No one can grasp or comprehend him at any time.

The last two lines have been quoted by Sri Adi Shankara in Brahma Sutra Bhashya (2.1.1) showing that this section.

Rudra does not act without the approval of nArAyaNa, the supreme

After this, Brahma declares to Rudra who exactly this Purusha is:

tatra yaH paramAtmA hi sa nityaM nirguNaH smRtaH
sa hi nArAyaNo jJeyaH sarvAtmA puruSo hi saH

'The truth is that He who is the Supreme Soul is always devoid of Rajas and Tamas (nirguNa). He is nArAyaNa. He is the universal soul, and he is the one Purusha.'

The mahAbHArata contains the story of how 5 Indras were cursed by Shiva to be born as the 5 pAndavas. Shiva then, takes these Indras to nArAyaNa and asks approval for his actions as follows:

“Accompanied by all those Indras, the god Isana then went unto Narayana of immeasurable energy, the Infinite, the Immaterial, the Uncreate, the Old, the Eternal, and the Spirit of these universes without limits. Narayana approved of everything. Those Indras then were born in the world of men. And Hari (Narayana) took up two hairs from his body, one of which hairs was black and the other white. And those two hairs entered the wombs of two of the Yadu race, by name Devaki and Rohini.”

Note how nArAyaNa is described here as the supreme in relation to Rudra and Indra, whereas Isana (Rudra) does not enjoy such adjectives.

The link for that incident is here. Readers can check the Sanskrit verses: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01200.htm

the mahAbhArata says that Siva came to BadarikAshramam and was engaged in a fierce fight with nara-nArAyaNa, which culminated in nArAyaNa strangling Rudra’s throat till it became black. Then, Brahma appeared and chastised Siva and told him to worship the sages Nara-nArAyaNa, who were avatArAs of the supreme brahman, Lord nArAyaNa.

The vAlmiki rAmAyaNa does not contain a single instance of rAmA worshipping shiva. Rather, the following two statements are found:

HanumAn tells rAvana thus:

brahmaa vaa svayambhuuH chaturaananaH rudraa vaa triNetraH tripuraantakaHmahendraH vaa indraH suranaayakah na shaktaaH traatum raamavadhyamyudhi (~sundara khAnda – 51.45)

Neither Brahma the self-existing god with four faces or Rudra with three eyes and the destroyer of Tripura or Mahendra the god of atmosphere and sky as also the lord of celestials would not be able to protect the one to be killed by Rama in battle."

Mahabharata, Shanti Parva (12.328.5 onwards, dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna):

brAhme rAtrikShaye prApte tasya hy amitatejasaH prasAdAtprAdurabhavatpadmaM padmanibhekShaNa tatra brahmA samabhavatsa tasyaiva prasAdajaH

In the brahma muhurta, at the end of the night, due to the mercy of the extremely brilliant Lord, a lotus emerged from His navel and in that lotus, Brahma was born, ofcourse, due to His grace.

ahnaH kShaye lalAtAchcha suto devasya vai tathA krodhAviShTasya sa~njaGYe rudraH saMhAra kArakaH etau dvau vibudhashreShThau prasAdakrodhajau smR^itau

At the end of the day, the Lord [present as antaryAmi of Brahma *] created Rudra out of krodha-guna, to enable him to be the 'samhara-karta'. Thus, these two 'fine-among-wise', Brahma and Rudra, are known to have been born out of grace and anger respectively.

tadAdeshita panthAnau sR^iShTi saMhAra kArakau nimittamAtraM tAvatra sarvaprAni varapradau

Thus, they carry out the instructed tasks of creation and destruction. However, they, the givers of boons to all the creatures, are just the agents.

nArAyaNAtmako GYeyaH pANDaveya yuge yuge

O Arjuna, know that in every yuga, Rudra is 'nArAyaNAtmaka'. (This phrase can mean: one whose indweller is Narayana, one who is always immersed in Narayana.)

tasmin hi pUjyamAne vai devadeve maheshvare sampUjito bhavetpArtha devo nArAyaNaH prabhuH

It is the Lord, the prabhu, the Narayana IN Maheshvara (the worshipable, the lord of the devas), who is actually worshiped.

ahamAtmA hi lokAnAM vishvAnAM pANDunandana tasmAdAtmAnamevAgre rudraM sampUjayAmyaham yadyahaM nArchayeyaM vai IshAnaM varadaM shivam AtmAnaM nArchayetkashchiditi me bhAvitaM manaH

O son of Pandu, I am, indeed, the Atma, the indweller of this universe and the worlds. Therefore, I worship myself first, even when I worship Rudra. If I did not worship Rudra, the bestower of boons, in such a way (i.e., worshiping the indwelling Lord first), some would not worship Me, the indwelling Lord, at all - this is my opinion.

mayA pramANaM hi kR^itaM lokaH samanuvartate pramAnAni hi pUjyAni tatastaM pUjayAmyaham

Whatever I follow and give due worth as a pramaNa, the world follows that. Such pramanas have to be duly followed; therefore I follow them.

yastaM vetti sa mAM vetti yo.anu taM sa hi mAm anu rudro nArAyaNashchaiva sattvamekaM dvidhAkR^itam loke charati kaunteya vyakti sthaM sarvakarmasu

Whoever knows him, knows Me. Whoever follows him, follows Me. (Though) the world, in all its actions, worships two gods, Rudra and Narayana, it is actually one only who is worshiped.

na hi me kenachid deyo varaH pANDavanandana iti sa~ncintya manasA purANaM vishvamIshvaram putrArthaM ArAdhitavAn AtmAnaM aham AtmanA

O Son of Pandu, there is, of course, nobody who can grant Me boons. Knowing that well, I worhip Myself, Who am the beginningless and universal power, known as Sarveshvara, for the sake of getting sons.

na hi viShNuH pranamati kasmai chidvibudhAya tu R^ita AtmAnameveti tato rudraM bhajAmyaham

Indeed Vishnu does not bow to any one and [even when He bows to Himself], for what sake, but for the sake of showing the path to the wise. Therefore, it is the truth that I worship myself even when I worship Rudra.

"With offerings I propitiate the branches of this swift-moving God, the bounteous Visnu. Hence Rudra gained his Rudra-strength: O Asvins, ye sought the house that hath celestial viands." (Rig Veda 7.40.5)

Padma Purana

Here is the Banasura episode from Padma Purana - Uttarakhanda chapter 250 (Verses 21 onwards)

(Verse 39 to 45)

Having vanquished the three eyed god, Krishna blew his conch. Bana began to attack Krishna. Krishna employed sudarshana chakra which cut off the multiple arms of Bana.

Parvati the consort of Siva rushed with folded hands and started praying to Krishna as follows: (Verses 46 to 49)

Krishna, Narayana, Ocean of compassion, best of yadus, lord of gods, I (parvati) was your female servant previously and at that time you gave me a boon that I would be having the perpetual companionship of my husband living. All sages declared that I was blessed by you by taking one principle name of your thousand names. Govinda, Lord who rides Garuda, therefore please make that boon come true. Please give life to my husband, Siva.

Rudra said: (Verses 50 to 51)

Pleased with the prayer of Parvati, the lotus eyed lord Krishna withdrew the weapon which threw Siva into unconsciousness… Having freed by Krishna from the effects of the weapon, Siva woke up and joined his palms and started praying the Lord of worlds (Krishna)

Following this Siva worships and prays to Lord Vishnu/Krishna (Verses 52 onwards till the end of the chapter 250 of the Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda).

Please refer to the link http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puranas/padma_purana_6uttara.pdf for original sanskrit text, chapter 250 for more details.

Also, please refer to Bramhavaivarta Purana, Siva and Parvati worship to Lord Vishnu/Krishna to get a son. Lord Vishnu having been pleased by the prayers of Siva and Parvati grants them a boon that a valiant son will be born to them. This son is Ganesha/Vinayaka. Please read the original text for more information.

There are many more such statements from scriptures where Siva and Parvati worshipped Lord Vishnu umpteen number of times. So questions and statements like Shiva never worshipped Vishnu are invalid.

Now, let us look at a few more verses from Padma Purana:

Shiva prays to vishNu thus in the padma purAna:

anyadevaM varaM dehi prasiddhaM sarvajantuShu |

martyo bhUtvA bhavAneva mama sAdhaya keshava ||

mAM bhajasva cha devesha varaM matto gR^ihANa cha |

yenA.ahaM sarvabhUtAnAM pUjyAtpUjyataro.abhavam.h ||

Meaning : "Please give me this boon. By incarnating on Earth, Oh Lord Kesava, worship me and get boons from me. From this, I will become worship-worthy to all the beings.

Lord Vishnu grants this boon to Siva and says that he will make Rudra be known as (bestower of boons) by worshipping Rudra in his avatArAs (in succeeding verses in Padma Purana).

Similarly, the kurma purana and the Varaha Purana also mentions that Siva worshipped Vishnu and got a boon that Lord Vishnu will worship Rudra/Siva. Lord Vishnu grants this boon.

So, it is very clear that siva and parvati both had prayed to vishnu, many times.

Also, I hope this clarifies why Lord Vishnu is the Supreme and not Lord Shiva.

Please don't watch some programs on TV or cartoons or movies and make your mind...Please go through the actual scriptures also and do due diligence before making wild claims.

The following are the conclusions

Shiva always worships Lord Vishnu. Vishnu alone is abode of Sattva guna and Siva is abode of Tamas.

-Matsya Purana (See line 68 in page 216 in the link provided) .

sāttvikeṣu purāṇeṣu māhātmyamadhikaṃ hareḥ /

rājaseṣu ca māhātmyam adhikaṃ brahmaṇo viduḥ // MatsP_53.68 //

tadvadagneśca māhātmyaṃ tāmaseṣu śivasya ca /

Link : is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puranas/matsya_purana.pdf

This in turn means that only Vishnu is abode Sattva or All sattvik puranas glorify Lord Vishnu and Siva puranas are Tamasic.

In the Bhanavad Gita, Arjuna himself calls Lord krishna as Vishnu in Vishwaroopa darshana chapter 11 and asks him to show his pleasant Chaturbhuja form..So, when you say that krishna never said he is supreme you are incorrect,

Let us consider the following verse, “brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham” from the vishwaroopa darshana chapter 11 verse 15.

Here are the interpretations of the 3 acharyas from their respective Gita Bhasyas:

Shankaracharya – “I see Brahma, the Lord of all Creatures (Isham), seated on the lotus”.

Ramanujacharya - “I see Brahma and Siva who abides by the directions of the lotus seated Brahma”.

Madhvacharya – “I see Brahma and Siva who is seated in the lap of the lotus seated Brahma”.

So, all the acharyas have clearly indicated all deities are there inside Lord Krishna including Bramha and Siva. Please read carefully, Lord Vishnu is not there or not mentioned to be within the Vishwaroopam form because, Lord Vishnu is Krishna. So, everything and anything abides in Lord Vishnu/Narayana/Krishna. So Lord Vishnu/Narayana/Krishna is the Supreme.

Lets look at a few more verses (this list is not exhaustive. read the BG for more verses)

Chapter 9, verse 11:avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram

Clearly Krishna is saying that he is Supreme Lord (Sarva bhuta Maheshwaram) There are many such instances in Bhagavad Gita where Krishna Clearly indicates that he is the supreme.

Chapter 11 Verse 24 : Arjuna pleads with Krishna and addresses him as Vishnu

Chapter 11 Verse 46 : Arjuna is requesting for the pleasant Chaturbhujha form

Chapter 15 Verse 15: Lord Krishna says that he is the one to be known by the Vedas; i.e. the goal of the vedas, not Omkar or Bramha or Siva or any other deity.

Chapter 15 Verse 16,17, 18 – Lord Krishna clearly brings out he is beyond the perishable (Kshara) and imperishable (Akshara - Atma). He clearly brings out that he is the Ultimate Supreme Lord (Purushottama) beyond both Kshara and Akshara.

There are many more verses in the previous chapters where Krishna clearly brings out that he is the ultimate Supreme Goal. He is the Father, grandfather, mother, He is "Aum" in the vedas.

Chapter 9 , Verse 17:

"Pitahamaha sya jagato mata dhata pitamaha ! Vedyam pavitra omkara rik sama yajur eva cha!!

Lord Krishna is saying he is the omkara among the vedas.

So, Lord Krishna/Vishnu is the SUPREME.

Now, to the grand episode of Shiva consuming Halahala for which many shaivas and shaktas, blow their false trumphets (i am just providing only information from Padma Purana. There are many more puranas like Garuda, Brahmanda where it exactly concurs with Padma purana)

In Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda , Section 6; Chapter 232, Shiva says the following regarding the churning of the ocean and halahala or poison episode:

Then at that time when the great ocean was being churned, at first there came up the very strong Kalakuta poison which was very painful, very fierce, and which was like the fire of universal destruction. [Verses 7-10]

Seeing (it), all gods and demons, being frightened,fled away. O you of beautiful eyes, then seeing the best gods frightened and fleeing away, I (Shiva) said to them: "O you all hosts of gods, do not be afraid of the poison. I shall drink this strongpoison, Kalakuta." Thus addressed by me, all the gods, led by Indra and bowing, very much praised me with the words 'Well, Well'. On seeing the strong poison, like a cloud, having come up I (Shiva) meditated in my heart upon the eagle-bannered god Visnu, resembling the rising sun and holding a conch, a disc, and a mace.[Verses 11-15]

Having meditated (i.e. when Shiva meditated) with a concentrated mind upon that lord along with Sri and Bhumi, having earrings of gold purified by fire, remover of all miseries, and on my having muttered the great hymn of the name and form (of Visnu) along with MahalaksmI, all that poison, which was very fierce, which was the first one, which was fearful to all, which was (capable of) destroying all the worlds, was digested (by me i.e Shiva) due to the three names of Visnu, the omnipresent one. He who,being restrained, would devoutly mutter the three names of Visnu, viz. Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda, beginning with Pranava (i.e. Om) and (also) ending with Om, has no fear of death, so also the great fear due to poison, disease and fire. The wise, restrained one, who would mutter the great hymn—the three names—does not have fear of Death; then from where else (can he have it)? Thus with (the muttering of) the three names I (Shiva) drank that poison. [Verses 16-21]

This shatters the myth behind the Halahala episode portraying the greatness of Shiva. Shiva literally prayed and worshipped Lord Vishnu before consuming the poison because of which Shiva was able to control the poison.

Unlike other Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Vishnu purana, Padma Purana have not been plagiarised or interpolated to extent the other texts are. So how ever hard one can try their best by saying advaitha, nirguna bramhan, Bramha, Siva etc., but the principle outcome is Lord Vishnu/Narayana/Krishna alone is SUPREME, even according to the great Advaitha acharya Adi Shankara himself.

Read Shankara's Gita Bhasya and also for that matter his bhasyas on upanishads for more information.

All Vedas, ithihasa, puranas etc clearly indicate that Vishnu alone is abode of Sattva and Shiva is tamas...Shiva got the name Shiva i.e.auspicious and became great after bearing the Ganga on his head which has its origination in the foot of Lord Vishnu

Vamana episode in Padma Purana, uttara khanda, section 6, Chapter 240,

I (Shiva )held her (Ganga) on my head to purify myself. Having held (ganga on my head) the auspicious water of Ganga for a thousand divine years, I obtained bliss,and am adored in all worlds [Verses 39-48].

Shiva further says :

There is no doubt that he who would carry on his head the water of Ganga rising from Visnu's foot, or would drink it, would be respected by the world...[Verse 49 onwards]

Please read the puranas. Majority of the 18 puranas, ithihasa, Vedas Unequivocally uphold that Vishnu alone is Sattva and Siva is Tamas. This is not to deride anyone. But this is what is given in the scriptures.

All genuine scriptures and genuine acharyas, including Veda Vyasa and Adi Shankara also declare that "Na daivam Keshavatparam" (There is no Lord either superior or equal to Keshava)

Answer 4

Vishnu or Krishna is the Supreme Being and He is worshiped and followed by Shiva's incarnations. For example Hanuman was an incarnation of Shiva and Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu, as Wikipedia states

Hanuman is mentioned as an avatar of Shiva or Rudra in the Sanskrit texts like the Mahabhagvata Purana, the Skanda Purana, the Brhaddharma Purana and the Mahanataka among others.

Additional this article sates that,

Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshiped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion.

We know from the scriptures Hanuman followed Rama.

Another point is Shiva holds river Ganges on his head which originates at the lotus feet of Vishnu. So it is not right to say that Shiva doesn't worship Vishnu.

Most importantly Krishna, the complete avatar clearly reveals in the Gita that He is the Supreme Being in manifest form.

Answer 5

I found that nearly every Purana states its main diety as the supreme one. And sometimes to support that they also say that the deity was there from the beginning and then he later gets incarnated into his physical incarnation, so considering all this what I assume is that there is one supreme God, which the Shiva Puran calls Sadashiva, Vishnupuran calls Mahavishnu, Bramhapuran calls.

This supreme God might be nirakar, ajanma, etc. Then he created 3 main dieties Bramha, Vishnu and Rudra which are actually 3 powers of the supreme one only and then they further created, handled or destroyed all other creations. We have seen pictures of all of these 3 dieties to be meditating. Now, if anyone of them is supreme then why are they praying, so they must be praying the supreme God which we call by different names, i.e Sadashiva or Mahavishnu or Parabramha, etc. If we consider Muslim religion also, there is no physical God, its also that Nirakaar Supreme God which they call as Allah. Similarly, in Christianity also there was an invisible God whose only voice was heard and later Jesus was said to be the son of that God.

^{This is what I feel. Sorry, if I have hurt anyone's religious feelings but if we think this way then there would be no religious clashes/biases/etc.}

Answer 6

As far as I know, None of these trio comparable to each other, they have their own significance.

• G : Generator ==> Brahma who create this world
• O : Operator ==> Vishnu who run the world
• D : Destroyer ==> Shiva who destruct the world

and coming to the question "Why Vishnu worship Shiva?" because Vishnu is only incarnated as human being of Supreme GOD on time to time ( From Satyuga to Kalyuga ) to guide and teach the lesson to live life and worship is also a part of human life.

Answer 7

Some references from Bhagavadgita which strictly speaks about monotheism and one supreme god that is Lord Krishna/Narayana.

BG 7:7 "mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva"

O conquerer of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

Here Bhagavan says "mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti" there is no one***(nanyat)* superior(parataram) to me even a little *(kinchit asti)***

So Lord Krsna clearly says that he is the supreme truth.

BG 14:4 "sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita"

It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.

Here Bhagavan Krsna clearly says that is the original father of all living entities(aham bija-pradah pita).

It is propounded in the puranas that Lord Shiva lies dormant and then when Goddess impregnates him the materialistic creation has come to being and the spiritual aspect of creation that is atman has come from Paramatman(supreme soul)/Parabrahman Narayana/Krsna. At the end of kalpa all the souls merge into the supreme Narayana and again at the beginning of kalpa they are manifested again(as per BG).

BG 10:23 "rudranam sankaras casmi vitteso yaksa-raksasam vasunam pavakas casmi meruh sikharinam aham"

Here Bhagavan says that among the rudras he is Shankara(the foremost of the rudras) and also he says that he is Vishnu(as vamana) among the adityas.

The supreme being is "ONE AND ONLY ONE" he can't be many.

All the species are his manifestations and the foremost(in his qualities) of these are considered his avataras.

His expansions are infinite though he incarnates with some of his qualities he is eternally present in paramdhamam vaikunta always.

Like wise he incarnations are also eternally present like Varaha(in varaha kshetra tirupathi), Nrishmha, Vamana(patala), Parashuram(mahendragiri/himalayas).

Lord Vishnu is also the expansion of the Supreme Being Narayana/Krsna for preservation and protection.

Bhagavan Krsna is the incarnation of the supreme to the fullest, where he displayed all the qualities present in his creation. Bhagavan Krsna washed the feet of sages, narada marharshi, elders, his friend sudama and sprinkled water of their feet on his head, he also prayed to siva to have a child like him. Bhagavan Krsna sprinkled/smelled the padha dhooli (dust from the feet of his devotees). Bhagavan Krsna accepted curse of gandhari gracefully, he went to guru . as a ordinary child to have his education. And simultaneously he performed extraordinary feats including saving Lord Siva from Vrakasura and also defeated him war against banasura.

Bhagavan taught us though being supreme he taught us how to lead our lives, he has done the karma what an ordinary being born on this planet should do and at same time he does anything for upholding the dharma and for protection of his devotees.

Bhagavan respected the laws of nature of this planet and never went against them for his personal needs, he followed them gracefully. So he worshiped gods(whom he delegated power for the governance of this materialistic world) to attain things as per the laws of this planet. He also ascertain in Bhagavadgita that whatever form of god you worship/or sacrifice you perform is ultimately addressed to him. So as the eternal soul (bija pita) of all the beings he is worshipping himself.

The mind of supreme is difficult to comprehend even for the greatest of the minds. Only by constant meditation/devotion to him he can/his nature can be known (lord shiva engaged in meditation thus knows about the supreme actions).

The best known scripture which describes GOD and qualities of GOD to the fullest is the BHAGAVADGITA and it clearly establishes Krsna/Narayana as the ultimate reality, the absolute truth and the cause of all causes.

So by inferring logically from scriptural evidences Krsna/Narayana is the supreme.

Answer 8

Recently i saw an answer posted by an user of this forum (User 808) on Oct 24, 2014. He started his answer like this: "Please read the Mahabharata carefully. Also, the puranas Srimad bhagavatham, Varaha Purana, Padma purana, Garuda Purana, Matsya Purana etc....In all these puranas there upmteen number of instances where Shiva Worshipped Vishnu or Krishna or Rama as the Supreme Lord. Mahabharata clearly says mahAdevaH sarvamedhe mahAtmA hutvA AtmAnaM devadevo babhUva This clearly indicates that Rudra Performed Sarvamedha yagna and prayed to Lord Vishnu to become Mahadeva."

In response to this I would like to suggest him to read the Mahabharata more carefully. He cited a verse stating Mahadeva prayed to Lord Vishnu to become Mahadeva. But there is another verse in the Mahabharata depicting Mahadeva blessing Lord Vishnu to become Lord Narayana. Here the verse is given below:

matprasādān manuṣyeṣu devagandharvayoniṣu aprameyabalātmā tvaṃ nārāyaṇa bhaviṣyasi ( Mahabharata, Drona Parva, Book 7, Chapter CLXXII, verse No. 74 )

By the grace of me you will become Nārāyaṇa with unending strength among the deities, humans and Gandharvas

He has not given the location of his cited verse. But I have given the same in detail for the verse I cited above. He can find it in any authentic version of the Mahabharata. He is also requested to keep this in mind that the BORI has included this verse in their Critical Edition of the Mahabharata as the authentic work of Sage Veda Vyasa. He can NEVER call it interpolation He has cited a verse from the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata stating Lord Siva is the son of Lord Brahma which read as below:

atha tatrAsatas tasya caturvaktrasya dhImataH lalATaprabhavaH putraH ziva AgAd yadRcchayA AkAzenaiva yogIzaH purA trinayanaH prabhuH

“While the four-faced Brahma of great intelligence was seated there, his son Siva, who had sprung from his forehead encountered him one day in course of his wanderings through the universe. In days of yore, the Three-eyed Siva endued with puissance and high Yoga, while proceeding along the sky, beheld Brahma seated on that mountain” In this context I will cite another excerpt from the same Shanti Parva which he also has gladly mentioned : “To this, Krishna replies, Krishna — Under my protection, you have won a great victory in Battle. Know, O Son of Kunti, that he whom you saw going before you in battle was none other than Rudra also known as Devadeva and Kapardin. They say he is Kala (time or reckoner of death for souls), Born of my Wrath. Those foes you have slain were, in fact slain by him. Hence adore with a controlled mind, that Umapati, Devadeva, of immeasurable greatness, Maheswara, the Changeless (in yoga).”

He has GLADLY presented the phrase ‘born of my Wrath’ in bold letters. How then is Lord Siva born out of the wrath of Lord Krishna, when He had already taken birth from Lord Brahma’s forehead as stated in the cited verse in the Brahma-Rudra Dialogue ?

But, in the same Chapter of the Shanti Parva, Lord Krishna has elsewhere said that :

‘ahamAtmA hi lokAnAM vishvAnAM pANDunandana tasmAdAtmAnamevAgre rudraM sampUjayAmyaham’(the Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, 12:342:23)

Meaning: I am the Soul, O son of Pandu, of all the worlds, of all the universe. Rudra, again, is my Soul. It is for this that I always adore him. (As translated by eminent scholar K.M. Ganguly)

How come Lord Rudra springs from Lord Krishna's wrath when He is the soul of Lord Krishna? Does one's soul generate from one's wrath?

In this connection, I will cite another three verses from the Anusashana Parva and the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata and one verse from the Harivamsa:

. “yo ‘sṛjad dakṣiṇād aṅgād brahmāṇaṃ lokasaṃbhavam | vāmapārśvāt tathā viṣṇuṃ lokarakṣārtham īśvaraḥ | yugānte caiva saṃprāpte rudram aṅgāt sṛjat prabhuḥ |” (MBH 13:14:183)

“Thou art he that hadst created from thy right side the Grandsire Brahma, the Creator of all things. Thou art he that hadst created from thy left side Vishnu for protecting the Creation. Thou art that puissant Lord who didst create Rudra (the destroyer deity Kalagni-Rudra) when the end of the Yuga came and when the Creation was once more to be dissolved”.

.“bhIshma UvachA | asakthoham gunAn vakthum mahadevasya dhImatha | yO hi sarva gatho na cha sarvathra drusyathe | brahma vishNu surEsAnAm srushtA cha prabhureva cha | brahmAdaya pisachAntha yam hi deva upasathe | prakruthInAm parathwena purushasya cha ya para | chinthyathe yo yogavidhbhi rishibhi Thathwa darshibhi | aksharam para Brahma asacha sadasacha ya | prakruthim purusham chaiva kshobhayithwa tswathejasa | brahmana masrujath thasmad Dheva dheva prajapathi |” (MBH 13:14:3-6)

“BhIshma said.’I am quite incompetent to recite the virtues of Mahadeva of highest intelligence. He pervades all things in the universe and yet is not seen anywhere. He is the one who created Brahma, Vishnu and other devas, He is their master. All the deities, from Brahma to the Pisachas, adore and worship him. He transcends both Prakriti (Pradhana) and Purusha, he is being meditated upon by great sages who know the truth. He is indestructible and Supreme Brahman. He is both existent and non-existent. Agitating both Prakriti and Purusha by means of His energy, He created there from the universal lord of creatures, viz., BRAHMA”.

“sa eṣa rudra bhaktaś ca keśavo rudra saṃbhavaḥ | kṛṣṇa eva hi yaṣṭavyo yajñaiś caiṣa sanātanaḥ | sarvabhūtabhavaṃ jñātvā liṅge ‘rcayati yaḥ prabhum | tasminn abhyadhikāṃ prītiṃ karoti vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ |” (MBH 7:172:89-90)”

“Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva, regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origin of the universe. In Kesava is always present that knowledge, in consequence of which he views the identity of Brahman with the: universe and that other knowledge by which the Past, the Present and the Future, the near and the remote, are all seen, as if the whole are before his eyes. The gods, the Siddhas and the great Rishis, adore Kesava for obtaining that highest object in the universe, viz., Mahadeva. The Lord Kesava always worshippeth Siva in the Phallic emblem as the origin of all creatures. The God having the bull for his mark cherisheth greater regard for Kesava”.

In fact Lord Kirshna himself has admitted that he was born from Lord Siva in the following verse of the Harivamsa:

“ahaM brahmA kapilo yo.apyanantaH putrAH sarve brahmaNashchAtivIrAH | tvattaH sarve devadeva prasUtA evaM sarveshaH kAraNAtmA tvamIDyaH ||2-74-34]”

O the lord of lord! Myself, brahma, kapila, ananta (sheSha), all the valiant sons of brahma who conquered over the internal enemies - all are created from you. Hence you are the lord of all. Hence you, the lord of all, are worthy of praise. Now say, if Lord Vishnu/Krishna and Lord Brahma was born of Lord Siva, how come Lord Siva take birth from them?

Now, coming to the correction of wrong translations of some verses of the Shanti Parva (Chapter 342) of the Mahabharata presented by him in his answer:

“ahamAtmA hi lokAnAM vishvAnAM pANDunandana tasmAdAtmAnamevAgre rudraM sampUjayAmyaham yadyahaM nArchayeyaM vai IshAnaM varadaM shivam AtmAnaM nArchayetkashchiditi me bhAvitaM manaH”

Translation presented by him: O son of Pandu, I am, indeed, the Atma, the indweller of this universe and the worlds. Therefore, I worship myself first, even when I worship Rudra. If I did not worship Rudra, the bestower of boons, in such a way (i.e., worshiping the indwelling Lord first), some would not worship Me, the indwelling Lord, at all - this is my opinion.

Correct Translation ( As per the learned K.M. Ganguly) : “I am the Soul, O son of Pandu, of all the worlds, of all the universe. Rudra, again, is my Soul. It is for this that I always adore him. If I do not adore the auspicious and boon-giving Isana nobody would then adore my own self.”

‘ Rudra again is my soul’ has NOT been translated in his presented translation.

“na hi me kenachid deyo varaH pANDavanandana iti sa~ncintya manasA purANaM vishvamIshvaram putrArthaM ArAdhitavAn AtmAnaM aham AtmanA”

Translation presented by him:O Son of Pandu, there is, of course, nobody who can grant Me boons. Knowing that well, I worhip Myself, Who am the beginningless and universal power, known as Sarveshvara, for the sake of getting sons.

Correct Translation ( As per the learned K.M. Ganguly) : “No one else than Rudra is competent to grant me a boon. O son of Pandu. Having settled this in my mind, I adored in days of yore the ancient and puissant Rudra, for obtaining the boon of a son.”

The difference may be seen , the translation presented by him didn't include the phrase ‘No one else than Rudra is competent to grant me boon’.

tasmin hi pUjyamAne vai devadeve maheshvare sampUjito bhavetpArtha devo nArAyaNaH prabhuH

Translation presented by him :It is the Lord, the prabhu, the Narayana IN Maheshvara (the worshipable, the lord of the devas), who is actually worshiped.

Correct Translation ( As per the learned K.M. Ganguly) :

“If that deity of deities, viz., Maheswara, be worshipped, then O Partha, is the puissant Narayana also worshipped.”

Where in this verse it is said “It is the Lord, the prabhu, the Narayana IN Maheshvara”?

na hi viShNuH pranamati kasmai chidvibudhAya tu R^ita AtmAnameveti tato rudraM bhajAmyaham

Translation presented by him : “Indeed Vishnu does not bow to any one and [even when He bows to Himself], for what sake, but for the sake of showing the path to the wise. Therefore, it is the truth that I worship myself even when I worship Rudra.”

Correct Translation ( As per the learned K.M. Ganguly) :

“Vishnu never bows his head unto any deity except his own self. It is for this reason that I adore Rudra, (Rudra being, as I have already told thee, my own self).”

So, it is clear from this verse that Lord Vishnu’s own self is Lord Rudra.

Also, he has cited this verse from the Shanti Parva :

tasmin hi pUjyamAne vai devadeve maheshvare sampUjito bhavetpArtha devo nArAyaNaH prabhuH nArAyaNAtmako GYeyaH pANDaveya yuge yuge

O Arjuna, know that in every yuga, Rudra is 'nArAyaNAtmaka'. (This phrase can mean: one whose indweller is Narayana, one who is always immersed in Narayana.)

The translation of the phrase ‘Narayanatmako’ has been made in the Geeta Press as ‘ Lord Rudra and Lord Narayana should be understood as the same Atman (Self) and I think this interpretation is correct because in the same chapter of the Shanti Parva, it has stated few verse later :

“ rudro nArAyaNashchaiva sattvamekaM dvidhAkR^itam loke charati kaunteya vyakti sthaM sarvakarmasu”

Both are one; and one is displayed in two different forms. Rudra and Narayana, forming one person, pervade all displayed things and cause them to act.

Clearly, it has been said the ONE SAME SOUL has divided in two forms, one in form of Narayana and the other in form of Rudra. So, Narayana and Rudra are SAME.

Also, if the Narayana (Vishnu) is born as Krishna and Lord Krishna said Lord Rudra as his soul as in the verses depicted below:

“ahamAtmA hi lokAnAM vishvAnAM pANDunandana tasmAdAtmAnamevAgre rudraM sampUjayAmyaham yadyahaM nArchayeyaM vai IshAnaM varadaM shivam AtmAnaM nArchayetkashchiditi me bhAvitaM manaH”

“I am the Soul, O son of Pandu, of all the worlds, of all the universe. Rudra, again, is my Soul. It is for this that I always adore him. If I do not adore the auspicious and boon-giving Isana nobody would then adore my own self.”

na hi viShNuH pranamati kasmai chidvibudhAya tu R^ita AtmAnameveti tato rudraM bhajAmyaham

“Vishnu never bows his head unto any deity except his own self. It is for this reason that I adore Rudra, (Rudra being, as I have already told thee, my own self).” So, lord Siva has been equally stated by Lord Krishna as his soul (Lord Narayana’s soul)

Also, different other verses of the Mahabharata clearly said that Lord Siva is the Creator and the Master of Lord Vishnu. Below verses may be seen in this respect:

“yo ‘sṛjad dakṣiṇād aṅgād brahmāṇaṃ lokasaṃbhavam | vāmapārśvāt tathā viṣṇuṃ lokarakṣārtham īśvaraḥ | yugānte caiva saṃprāpte rudram aṅgāt sṛjat prabhuḥ |” (MBH 13:14:183)

“Thou art he that hadst created from thy right side the Grandsire Brahma, the Creator of all things. Thou art he that hadst created from thy left side Vishnu for protecting the Creation. Thou art that puissant Lord who didst create Rudra (the destroyer deity Kalagni-Rudra) when the end of the Yuga came and when the Creation was once more to be dissolved”.

.“bhIshma UvachA | asakthoham gunAn vakthum mahadevasya dhImatha | yO hi sarva gatho na cha sarvathra drusyathe | brahma vishNu surEsAnAm srushtA cha prabhureva cha | brahmAdaya pisachAntha yam hi deva upasathe | prakruthInAm parathwena purushasya cha ya para | chinthyathe yo yogavidhbhi rishibhi Thathwa darshibhi | aksharam para Brahma asacha sadasacha ya | prakruthim purusham chaiva kshobhayithwa tswathejasa | brahmana masrujath thasmad Dheva dheva prajapathi |” (MBH 13:14:3-6)

“BhIshma said.’I am quite incompetent to recite the virtues of Mahadeva of highest intelligence. He pervades all things in the universe and yet is not seen anywhere. He is the one who created Brahma, Vishnu and other devas, He is their master. All the deities, from Brahma to the Pisachas, adore and worship him. He transcends both Prakriti (Pradhana) and Purusha, he is being meditated upon by great sages who know the truth. He is indestructible and Supreme Brahman. He is both existent and non-existent. Agitating both Prakriti and Purusha by means of His energy, He created there from the universal lord of creatures, viz., BRAHMA”

How then Lord Narayana ( Lord Vishnu) being created by Lord Siva becomes His soul? How is Lord Naryana the soul of Lord Siva when Lord Siva is the Master of Lord Narayana? One can neither create nor become the master of one’s own soul

In fact, the Veda confirms the vice-versa i.e. Lord Siva is the soul of Lord Vishnu/Narayana:

'Namah girisya ca sipivishthaya ca' (Sukla Yajurveda Madhyandin verse No.29, Chapter 16) Meaning : Salutation to Rudra, who assumes the form of Lord Vishnu ( Sipivistha).

So, If Lord Siva assumes the form of Lord Vishnu, the He is the innerself of Lord Vishnu i.e his soul.

Also I can see a vedic verse has been cited which is :

"With offerings I propitiate the branches of this swift-moving God, the bounteous Visnu. Hence Rudra gained his Rudra-strength: O Asvins, ye sought the house that hath celestial viands." (Rig Veda 7.40.5)

In reply, I will cite two verses from the same Rig Veda :

“imā rudrāya sthiradhanvane ghiraḥ kṣipreṣave devāya svadhāvne | aṣāḷhāya sahamānāya vedhase tighmāyudhāya bharatā śṛṇotu naḥ |” (RV 7:46:1)

“To Rudra bring these songs, whose bow is firm and strong, the self-dependent God with swiftly-flying shafts,The Wise, the Conqueror whom none may overcome, armed with sharp-pointed weapons: may he hear our call”.

And

“somaḥ pavate janitā matīnāṃ janitā divo janitā pṛthivyāḥ | janitāghnerjanitā sūryasya janitendrasya janitota viṣṇoḥ |” (Rig Veda IX.96.5)

“Father of sacred chants, Soma( Lord Siva) flows onwards, the Father of the Earth, Father of the Celestial region: Father of Agni, the creator of Surya, the Father who gave birth to Indra and Vishnu”

So, if Lord Rudra bestows Rudra-strength from Lord Vishnu, how Lord Rudra becomes self-dependent God and from where Lord Siva received the Rudra –strength to give birth to Lord Vishnu when He has to receive His Rudra-strength from Lord Vishnu?

I see a reference from the Padma Purana has been drawn where Mother Durga pleaded Lord Krishna to revoke his Sammohana weapon and wake Lord Siva up. But, why Lord Siva accepted Sammohana weapon and underwent slumber to allow Lord Krishna to win? It’s because this is according to the boon given by Lord Siva to lord Krishna. the below verses from the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata and the Harivamsa reveal this:

matprasādān manuṣyeṣu devagandharvayoniṣu aprameyabalātmā tvaṃ nārāyaṇa bhaviṣyasi ( Mahabharata 7 : 172: verse No. 74 ) By the grace of me you will become Nārāyaṇa with unending strength among the deities, humans and Gandharvas

kaś cit tava rujaṃ kartā matprasādāt kathaṃ cana api cet samaraṃ gatvā bhaviṣyasi mamādhikaḥ ( Mahabharata 7 : 172: verse No. 78 )

“Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry, or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if thou ever goest to battle against me.'”

This was again confirmed by Lord Siva to Lord Krishna before Lord Krishna was about to appear in battle against Vanasura as stated in the Harivamsa :

yathA mainAkamAshritya tapastvamakaroH prabho | tathA mama varaM kR^iShNa saMsmR^itya sthairyamApnuhi ||2-74-37 O lord ! O kR^iShNa! As you did penance staying on mainAka, you received a boon from me. Be firm in your mind, remembering that boon.

avadhyastvamajeyashcha mattaH shUratarastathA | bhavitAsItyavochaM yattattathA na tadanyathA || 2-74-38 You can not be killed, you can not be conquered, you will be more valiant than me. All this will happen as told by me. None will be able to change this. Otherwise, who else is able to dare appear before Lord Siva in the battlefield when He holds His trident?

Also, I have seen that he has cited a number of verses from the Bhagwat Gita stating Sri Krishna said this or Sri Krishna said that etc. In this context, I have to say that before discussing anything about the Bhagwat Geeta, we must consider the following verses that are also spoken by Lord Krishna to his best devotee Arjuna when the latter forgot the preaching about Geeta delivered to him by Lord Krishna just before the Kurukshetra war :

“viditaṃ me mahābāho saṅgrāme samupasthite। māhātmyaṃ devakīmātastacca te rūpamaiśvaram॥ 5 yattadbhagavatā proktaṃ purā keśava sauhṛdāt। tatsarvaṃ puruṣavyāghra naṣṭaṃ me bhraṣṭacetasaḥ॥ 6 mama kautūhalaṃ tvasti teṣvartheṣu punaḥ punaḥ। bhavāṃstu dvārakāṃ gantā na cirādiva mādhava॥ 7 vaiśampāyana uvāca evamuktastu taṃ kṛṣṇaḥ phālgunaṃ pratyabhāṣata। pariṣvajya mahātejā vacanaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ॥ 8 vāsudeva uvāca śrāvitastvaṃ mayā guhye jñāpitaśca sanātanam। dharmaṃ svarūpiṇaṃ pārtha sarvalokāṃśca śāśvatān॥ 9 abuddhyā nāgrahīryastvaṃ tanme sumahadapriyam। na ca sādya punarbhūyaḥ smṛtirme sambhaviṣyati॥ 10 nūnamaśraddadhāno’si durmedhā hyasi pāṇḍava। na ca śakyaṃ punarvaktumaśeṣeṇa dhanañjaya॥ 11 sa hi dharmaḥ suparyāpto brahmaṇaḥ padavedane। na śakyaṃ tanmayā bhūyastathā vaktumaśeṣataḥ॥ 12 paraṃ hi brahma kathitaṃ yogayuktena tanmayā। itihasam tu bakshyami tasminnarthe puratanam”॥ (MBH 14:16:5-13)

English translation is available in SECTION XVI – Book 14: Aswamedha Parva: “'[Arjuna said]: O–mighty-armed one, thy greatness became known to me upon the approach of the battle. O son of Devaki, thy form also, as the Lord of the universe, then became known to me! What thy holy self said unto me at that time, O Kesava, through affection, has all been forgotten by me, O chief of men, in consequence of the fickleness of my mind. Repeatedly, however, have I been curious on the subject of those truths. Thou again, O Madhava, wilt repair to Dwaraka soon.’ Vaisampayana continued, ‘Thus addressed by him, Krishna of mighty energy, that foremost of speakers, embraced Phalguna and replied unto him as follows. ‘Vasudeva said, ‘I made thee listen to truths that are regarded as mysteries. I imparted to thee truths that are eternal. Verily, I discoursed to thee on Religion in its true form and on all the eternal regions. It is exceedingly disagreeable to me to learn that thou didst not, from folly, receive what I imparted. The recollection of all that I told thee on that occasion will not come to me now. Without doubt, O son of Pandu, thou art destitute of faith and thy understanding is not good. It is impossible for me, O Dhananjaya, to repeat, in detail, all that I said on that occasion. That religion (about which I discoursed to thee then) is more than sufficient for understanding Brahman. I cannot discourse on it again in detail. I discoursed to thee on Supreme Brahman, having concentrated myself in Yoga’”.

Pl. consider the following verses : na śakyaṃ tanmayā bhūyastathā vaktumaśeṣataḥ॥ 12 paraṃ hi brahma kathitaṃ yogayuktena tanmayā।” I cannot discourse on it again in detail. I discoursed to thee on Supreme Brahman, having concentrated myself in Yoga’”

So, Lord Krishna admits that he concentrated himself with the Supreme Brahman in Yoga and then preached the entire Geeta to Arjuna. And who is this Supreme Brahman? The Vedas firmly declares that :

.“R^itam satyaM paraM brahman purushha.n kR^ishhNapi~Ngalam.h | uurdhvareta.n viruupaaksha.n vishvaruupaaya vai namo namaH |” (Taittiriya Aranyaka 10.23.1)

“Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Righteousness (rita) and Truth (satyam), is the androgynous purusha the Ardhanareeshwara, dark blue and reddish brown in hue, absolutely chaste (having semen raised up) and possessing uneven eyes (three eyed) . Salutations to ”.

.“yatparaM brahman sarvaatmaa vishvasyaayatanaM mahat.h | suukShmaatsuukshmataraM nityaM tattvameva tvameva tat.h |” (Kaivalya Upanishad 16)

“That which is the Supreme Brahman, the soul of all, the great support of the universe, subtler than the subtle, and eternal – that is thyself, and thou art That”.

13.“yachChukla.n tadvaidyuta.n yadvaidyuta.n tatparaM brahman yatparaM brahma sa ekaH ya ekaH sa rudraH ya rudraH yo rudraH sa IshAnaH ya IshAnaH sa bhagavAn.h maheshvaraH |” (Atharvasiras Upanishad 3:6) “That which is also called Shuklam (seminal fluid- the basic unit of life) is very very minute. That which is minute is like a lightning power. That which is like lightning power is the ultimate Brahman. That Brahman is one and only one. That one and only one is Rudra, it is also called Eeshana, it is also the ultimate God and it is also the lord of all things”.

He has said ‘This in turn means that only Vishnu is abode Sattva or All sattvik puranas glorify Lord Vishnu and Siva puranas are Tamasic.’ Perhaps he did not read what Lord Krishna said about Lord Siva in the Anusashana Parva : "namo 'stu te śāśvatasarvayone; brahmādhipaṃ tvām ṛṣayo vadanti tapaś ca sattvaṃ ca rajas; tamaś ca tvām eva satyaṃ ca vadanti santaḥ"(MBH 13:15:30)

The blessed Vishnu said, 'I saluted Mahadeva, saying,--Salutations to thee, O thou that art the eternal origin of all things. The Rishis say that thou art the Lord of the Vedas. The righteous say that thou art Penance, thou art Sattwa, thou art Rajas, thou art Tamas, and thou art Truth

So, Krishna has opined along with Great Sages that Lord Siva is NOT only the abode of the Tamas quality, He is the abode of the Sattwas, the Rajas and the Tamas quality. Can one ever be of Tamas quality who is the embodiment of Truth?

Answer 9

Lord Shiva addressed his wife, Parvati:

sri rama rama rameti rame rame manorame; sahasra nama tat tulyam rama nama varanane "O Varanana (lovely-faced woman), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama, Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Ramachandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu." (Brhad-visnu-sahasranama-stotra, Uttara-khanda, Padma Purana 72.335)

Lord Shiva always meditates on the supreme Narayana. The supreme had taken many avatars but only a few important named as dasavatara became prominent. When ever the supreme incarnated he performed the activities in respect of the law of nature and of the materialistic world, to set an example for the human generations.

Shiva and shakthi are responsible for this materialistic creation and lord vishnu is the original seed giving father(supersoul or the paramatman) of the living beings.

Lord shiva worshipped krishna and danced with him as a gopi name Gopeeshvara. Lord shiva served Lord ram in his rudra avatar as lord hanuman. Lord shiva lost battle to lord krishna in the battle against banasur and many more incidents are there which support lord narayans supremacy.

But lord vishnu and lord siva are non-different, Lord narayana had taken the mode of tamas for the destruction of the creation and he incarnated as lord shiva, and similarly he had taken the mode of rajas for the purpose of creation and he was called lord brahma.

This view can be easily understood from the idol of anantha padmanabha swamy in trivandrum.

Answer 10

It's not true that Vishnu worships Shiva in all His incarnations but Shiva doesn't worship Vishnu at all.

Hanuman, the greatest devotee of Sri Rama, was an incarnation of Shiva:

चक्रे स्वं क्षुभितं शम्भुः कामबाणहतो यथा। स्वं वीर्यमपातयामास रामकार्यार्थमीश्वरः॥ ४॥

तद्वीर्यं स्थापयामासुः पत्रे सप्तर्षयश्च ते। प्रेरिता मनसा तेन रामकार्यार्थमादरात्॥ ५॥

तैर्गौतमसुतायां तद्वीर्यं शम्भोर्महर्षिभिः। कर्णद्वारा तथाञ्जन्यां रामकार्यार्थमाहितम्॥ ६॥

ततश्च समये तस्माद्धनूमानिति नामभाक्र। शम्भुर्जज्ञे कपितनुर्महाबलपराक्रमः॥७॥

Like a person suffering from lust, Siva at the instance, the saptarsis, (the Seven sages) carried the semen of Siva, for the purpose of Šrī Rāma, with respect, over the tree leaf and inserted the same in the ear of Anjani the daughter of Gautama, through ear to her Womb. Then after some time, Siva appeared in the form of a monkey by name of Hanuman who was quite valorous. (Shiva Purana, Satarudriya Samhita, Chapter 20)

Therefore, as the following verses from the Harivamsa Parva of the Mahabharata states, we can conclude that both Shiva and Vishnu worship each other since they are the same Lord:

mArkaNDeya uvAcha shivAya viShNurUpAya viShNave shivarUpiNe |

yathAntaraM na pashyAmi tena tau dishataH shivam || 2-125-29

mArkaNDeya said: I do not see any difference between shiva in the form of viShNu and viShNu in the form of shiva. They provide auspiciousness to the world.

rudrasya paramo viShNurviShNoshcha paramaH shivaH |

eka eva dvidhA bhUto loke charati nityashaH || 2-125-41

The supreme lord of rudra (shiva) is viShNu and the supreme lord of viShNu is shiva (rudra). The same lord is moving in the world always in two forms.

na vinA sha~NkaraM viShNurna vinA keshavaM shivaH |

tasmAdekatvamAyAtau rudropendrau tu tau purA |

viShNu does not exist without sha~Nkara (shiva) and shiva does not exist without keshava (viShNu). Hence, rudra (shiva) and upendra (kR^iShNa - viShNu) have attained oneness, since long before.

namo rudrAya kR^iShNAya namaH saMhatachAriNe || 2-125-42

I bow to rudra (shiva). I bow to kR^iShNa. I bow to the one moving in the combined form.

Answer 11

Actually Lord Shiva always chants Rama nama always. In many puranas he said Rama nama is the supreme mantra that surpasses every thing else billions of times. Shiva's god is Rama himself. He always worships Rama. There is a Rama vs Shiva war described in Padma Purana where Shiva is begging for mercy at Rama's feet and saying he is only a portion/demi-god compared to Rama. When the two came face to face in battle, this is what happened:

NOTE: THIS IS A SATVIKA PURANA

Siva fell at his feet, and said : "You are the only Purusha (i .e. the Supreme Being) actually rising above Prakrti (i .e. Nature). With a portion of you, you create and destroy the universe. You who are formless, are the highest cause of the entire world. Endowed with Maya you who are only one, take up three forms : At the time of creation (you exist) in the form of Brahma, In protecting (the world) you are full of your lustre ; and at the time of the final destruction of the world (you are) I known as Sarva (i.e. Siva). 0 highest lord, your act of performing the horse-sacrifice for removing (the sin of) the murder of a brahma:r;ta, is (but) a wonderful mockery. Wherefrom can sin (come to) you, the spotless water from whose feet called Ganga I carry inside (i.e. on) my head to pacify my sins ? Certainly I did the act to hurt you much. 0 you kind one, forgive (me) about it which obstructs you.

0 Rama, I who granted such a boon, am really your servant. I am now pitied (by you). The king will give back (i.e. restore) the horse along with his sons and beasts; and he will offer service to (your) feet.

Hearing these words of Mahesha (i .e. Siva), the best of Raghus (i .e. Rama) with his eyes full of pity

• Shiva as Hanuman has worshipped Lord Rama always as the supreme being surpassing all. This is given in Ramayana, Upanishads etc.
• In Ramayana, Shiva also calls Rama the supreme being himself.
• Vishnu defeats Shiva in Ramayana too.
• Shiva Purana itself states that Hanumanji is none other than Shiva himself in Chapter 20 of Satarudriya Samhita - ततश्च समये तस्माद्धनूमानिति नामभाक्र। शम्भुर्जज्ञे कपितनुर्महाबलपराक्रमः॥ - Then after some time, Siva appeared in the form of a monkey by name of Hanuman who was quite valorous.
• When a sage dies in Kashi Lord Shiva whispers Rama nama to give mukti.

So it is completely false information that Shiva does not worship anyone. Shiva is Rama's greatest devotee.

Answer 12

From Essence of Devi Bhagavata Purana hosted on kamakoti website:

http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/devibhagvatpurana36.html

King Janamejaya was still unconvinced as to why Sri Krishna had to pray to Maha Deva Siva, as He Himself was a fulfledged Incarnation of Maha Vishnu. Maharshi Vyasa had already explained the position and further clarified as follows: Sri Krishna was an Incarnation of Maha Vishnu but not Maha Vishnu Himself.Any human ‘Avatara’ was to be considered in the context of a human being and could not, repeat not, be imagined other-wise as human features, qualities and action-reaction pattern or cause and effect syndrome ought to be similar, although perhaps the impact of Maha Maya might be less pronounced in the context of Incarnations as in the case of ordinary human beings.This fact was described and emphasised in the earlier pages.

Answer 13

It's not true that Shiva doesn't worship anybody. Worshiping of Vishnu and Rāma by Shiva is mentioned in Shiva Purana itself.

Shiva Purāna: Rudra saṃhitā: Satī-khaṇḍa: Chapter 25:

10. With a delightful mind He called Viṣṇu from Vaikuṇṭha. O Goddess, Śiva rejoiced at the perfect devotion of Viṣṇu.

11. In an auspicious hour, the great lord made Viṣṇu sit on the exquisite throne and delightedly decorated him in every way.

12. A beautiful coronet was fixed on Viṣṇu and the auspicious holy thread was tied to his waist. He was then coronated by lord Śiva in the Cosmic Hall.

13. What was His own and even non-transferable, Śiva the independent and favourably disposed to His devotees, conferred on Viṣṇu and eulogised him. ~English translation by J. L. Shastri

Shiva Purāna: Rudra saṃhitā: Satī-khaṇḍa: Chapter 24:

33. How is it that Thou [Shiva] becomest highly delighted and behavest like a devotee on seeing the elder of the two [Rāma] who resembles a blue lotus (in complexion)? ~English translation by J. L. Shastri

---

Other than this, Vishnornaama Sahasra Stotra found in PADMA-PURANA : SECTION VI : UTTARAKHANDA: 71. Visnu's One Thousand Names is composed by Lord Shiva himself. The same chapter mentions:

Parvati said:

85-88. ... O lord, you, having the quarters as your garment (i.e. naked), the destroyer of Madana, what do you always meditate upon? Why do you having matted hair and dusty with ash, practise penance?

Mahadeva said: 110-116.

Everyday I adore him [Vishnu] with penance, I eulogise him and think of him.

Answer 14

Forget about Baishnava or shaiva. Let us think from logical ground. First of all Lord Shiva & Lord Krishna are not our family friend both stay at equal distance from us. Just from the narration we have from various source we are discussing the matter here with a logical sense. It is true that God exist in two form one is universal (Neerakar)form which is in energy form & other one is embodied(sakar Form)form like the incarnation. It is also true that we agree Lord Shiva & Lord Krishna are in same level. May be Shiva No 1 & Kerishna No-02 or Vice versa. It indicates that Krishna is much more better than any ordinary mortal beings like sage, ruler & other visible animal. When the issue of incarnation comes then automatically it comes to mind that Vishnu takes incarnation repeatedly. Shiva does not take the incarnation. Incarnation is only the visible form of invisible supreme energy,the only convenient way of maintaining a relationship with the supreme energy as we can see ,we can touch ,we can speak ,we can listen him. We can not do same thing with the God when he will be in in his neerakar form. Very often it is mentioned that neerakar form is basically Nirgun Form means, No reaction, no feeling, no sorry , no happy, no angry etc. It is the energy form who do the duty without any hesitation, without any partiality, without any nepotism. If we scold air it will not stop supplying oxygen to us. If we scold sun it will not stop its light to us. Similarly the God in this nirguna form is above all the reaction. If Shiva is the supreme & does not take incarnation and always in its infinite form & Nirakar & Nirgun. Then he should be above all the reaction. What he is doing in this form how other people are knowing with so accuracy. How other people are establishing relation with such a infinite God whom even God like Brahma & Vishu not able to know. Why we should believe the story narrated by some ordinary human beings if he is less than a God. Hence as Krishna established himself as God in his life time, so whatever he said we should, at-least, believe if we want to put our faith in God. Otherwise not. Choice is yours. If something happens to a family then normally father get tensed & do something to keep the family in track. Similarly the God who accepts pain of taking incarnation to set the things in right track is supreme obviously.

Answer 15

Shiva has composed Mantra Raja Pada Stotra on God Narasimha. Sri Mantra Raja Pada Stotra is from Ahirbudhyna Samhita, a Pancharatra text. It was told by Lord Shiva himself.

The stotra with the meaning goes as:

पाञ्चरात्र आगमीय अहिर्बुध्न्य संहितात् श्री मन्त्र राज पद स्तोत्रम्

PanchaRatra Agama associated Ahirbudhyna Samhita, Sri Mantra Raja Pada Stotram.

श्री ईश्वर उवाच -

Sri Ishwara Said:

वृत्तोत्फुल्लविशालाक्षं विपक्षक्षयदीक्षितम् । निनादत्रस्तविश्वाण्डं विष्णुमुग्रं नमाम्यहम् ॥ १॥

He who is having big and round eyes, He who has taken a vow to kill the enemies, He who by His fierce roars is shaking the entire world, to such a ferocious Lord, I offer my salutations.

सर्वैरवध्यतां प्राप्तं सबलौघं दितेः सुतम् । नखाग्रैः शकलीचक्रे यस्तं वीरं नमाम्यहम् ॥ २॥

He who with His sharp nails tore to pieces the asura, the son of Diti who could not be killed by anyone along with His large armies. To such a valorous person, I offer my salutations.

पदावष्टब्धपातालं मूर्धाविष्टत्रिविष्टपम् । भुजप्रविष्टाष्टदिशं महाविष्णुं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ३॥

I offer my salutations to Maha Vishnu, whose feet touch the nether lands, whose forehead touches the heaven and whose hands spread in all directions.

ज्योतींष्यर्केन्दुनक्षत्रज्वलनादीन्यनुक्रमात् । ज्वलन्ति तेजसा यस्य तं ज्वलन्तं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ४॥

He after whose luster the luminary bodies, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and Fire are effulgent and are shining, to that resplendent One I offer my salutations.

सर्वेन्द्रियैरपि विना सर्वं सर्वत्र सर्वदा । यो जानाति नमाम्याद्यं तमहं सर्वतोमुखम् ॥ ५॥

He who knows everything, all the time, and at all places, without the help of the senses, to such primal person who has faces in all directions, I offer my salutations.

नरवत् सिंहवच्चैव यस्य रूपं महात्मनः । महासटं महादंष्ट्रं तं नृसिंहं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ६॥

To that Form of the Lord, which is half man and half lion, complete with the mane, the canine teeth, to such a divine Lord Nrsimha, I offer my salutations.

यन्नामस्मरणाद् भीताः भूतवेतालराक्षसाः । रोगाद्याश्च प्रणश्यन्ति भीषणं तं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ७॥

By the mere thought of whose name, devils, demons, asuras get frightened, acute diseases get cured, to such a frightening One, I offer my salutations.

सर्वोऽपि यं समाश्रित्य सकलं भद्रमश्नुते । श्रिया च भद्रया जुष्टो यस्तं भद्रं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ८॥

I offer my salutations to the Lord, the repository of good things, worshipping whom all the people are able to obtain auspicious things.

साक्षात् स्वकाले सम्प्राप्तं मृत्युं शत्रुगणान्वितम् । भक्तानां नाशयेद् यस्तु मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम् ॥ ९॥

He who is "Death to Death" and He who destroys death and hosts of enemies of the devotees by arriving at the right moment, to Him I offer my salutations.

नमस्कारात्मकं यस्मै विधायाऽऽत्मनिवेदनम् । त्यक्तदुःखोऽकिलान् कामान् अश्नन्तं तं नमाम्यहम् ॥ १०॥

I bow down to the One by offering obeisance to whom in the form of One’s own self, people get rid of all miseries and obtain their desired objects.

दासभूताः स्वतः सर्वे ह्यात्मानः परमात्मनः । अतोऽहमपि ते दासः इति मत्वा नमाम्यहम् ॥ ११॥

All the living beings are, by nature, servants of the Supreme Being, I am prostrating to You, with the awareness that I am also for the same reason, Your servant.

          फलश्रुतिः 

The above shows Shiva worshipped Sriman Narayana and composed the stotra.

Answer 16

OM is the primordial sound that all Upanishads say gives Moksha and helps one to cross the Samsara or Taraka mantra known as Pranavam. Sanskrit alphabets came from the Taala of Damaru which Shiva holds when doing His Ananda Tandava. Om is the beginning. Om is attributed to Lord Shiva. Prasna Upanishad says attaining the Self is the goal of knowledge. OM is God. Kena Upanishad points out that the Brahman appeared as spirit and none of the devas knew Him. If Goddess Uma introduces the Brahman it can be none but Shiva. Period. Upanishads say Brahman that's Nirguna. Everyone knows Shiva is Nirguna. The final conclusion is Shiva is Brahman! Worship of Vishnu has been given in the puranas to ward off the sins. Uttering once Siva Siva or Hara Hara Mahadeva will completely annihilate our past karma.

Answer 17

Srimad Devi Bhagwatam Mahā Puranam 5:1:12-54. says thus.:

12-54. Vyāsa said :-- “True it has been said by you that Vāsudeva the Janārdana, is the destroyer of the Daityas and He is able to create and preserve the Devas and do all other acts for them. But the Great Lord assumed a human body; therefore he had to perform his duties like a man and observe the Varṇa and Āśrama Dharmas pertaining to human beings. Respecting the elderly persons, worshipping the spiritual teachers, doing service to the Brahmāṇas, adoring and propitiating the Devas, feeling sorrow at times of sorrow, feeling pleasure at times of happiness, feeling dejection or expressing censure or scandal, or having sexual intercourse with women, in other words, to feel lust, anger, greediness and other passions when their proper time arises. All these are natural to all human beings; how can, then, Śrī Kṛṣṇa though intrinsically of pure qualities, become Nirguṇa (devoid of human qualities) when he assumed a human body which is Saguṇa, i.e., with qualities. O Ruler of men! The extinction of the Yādava race by the curse of Gāndhārī, the daughter of Subala, and the curse of a Brāhmin, Kṛṣṇa’s leaving his human coil, the stealing away of his wives, the robbing of their wealth on the way by the dacoits of the Āvīra tribe, Arjuna’s becoming powerless to hurl any weapons on those dacoits, Kṛṣṇa’s not knowing anything about the stealing away of Pradyumna and Aniruddha from his Dvārkā palace, these all correspond verily to exertions and failings appropriate to human bodies. Again the Ṛṣi Nārāyaṇa is the part incarnate of Viṣṇu, and Vāsudeva is the part incarnate of the Ṛṣi Nārāyaṇa; hence what wonder is there, if Vāsudeva be seen to adore and propitiate Śiva? Śiva is the God of gods; and He is the Lord of all the causal bodies that exist; in the state of Suṣupti (deep sleep). In this respect, Śiva is the creator of Viṣṇu and Viṣṇu worships Him in this light. Rāma, Kṛṣṇa and others are all part incarnations of Viṣṇu; so there is no wonder if they worship Śiva......."

सर्वकरणानि मनसि सम्प्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्यानं विष्णुः प्राणं मनसि सह करणैः सम्प्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्याता रुद्रः प्राणं मनसि सहकरणैर्नादान्ते परमात्मनि सम्प्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्यायीतेशानं प्रध्यायितव्यं सर्वमिदं |(Atharvashika Upanishad 2:1).

“The pranava (the sound of Om) makes all the souls to bow before it. It is the one and only one which has to be meditated upon as the four Vedas and the birth place of all devas. One who meditates like that goes away from all sorrows and fears and gets the power to protect all others who approach him. It is because of this meditation only that Lord Vishnu who is spread every where, wins over all others. It is because Lord Brahma controlled all his organs and meditated upon it, he attained the position of the creator. Even Lord Vishnu , parks his mind in the sound (Om) of the place of Paramathma (ultimate soul) and meditates upon Îsâna. , who is most proper to be worshipped. All this is only proper in case of Îsâna. ”.

प्रभुं वरेण्यं पितरं महेशं यो ब्रह्माणं विदधाति तस्मै ।वेदांश्च सर्वान्प्रहिणोति चाग्र्यं तं वै प्रभुं पितरं देवतानाम् ॥ २॥ममापि विष्णोर्जनकं देवमीड्यं योऽन्तकाले सर्वलोकान्संजहार ॥ ३॥(Sharabha Upanishad 2-3).

“I am salutingthat primeval God who is the Lord, who is the best, who is the father of the world, who is the greatest among gods, who has created Brahma, who gave all the Vedas to Brahma in the beginning, who is the father of Vishnu and other devas, who merits praise, and who at the time of deluge destroys the world. He is the only one who is greater than every body, who is the best and who rules over others”.

परात्परतरो ब्रह्मा तत्परात्परतो हरिः । तत्परात्परतो ईश तन्मे मन शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ।। रिग वेद खिला 18.18 ।।

Greater than the great is Brahma, greater still than that great one is Hari, even greater than this one is Isha (Ishana). May my mind always remains full of Auspicious Shiva thoughts.

यो वै रुद्रः स भगवान्यच्च तेजस्तस्मै वै नमोनमः ॥ (Atharvasiras Upanishad 2:19).

“He who is Rudra, he alone is Supreme god (Bhagawan). He is the Supreme Light and we salute him again and again”.

*न तस्य कश्चित् पतिरस्ति लोकेन चेशिता नैव च तस्य लिङ्गम् ।स कारणं करणाधिपाधिपोन चास्य कश्चिज्जनिता न चाधिपः ॥(Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9).

He (Rudra) has no master in this world, no ruler, nor is there any symbol for Him. He is the cause, the cause of all the causes. He has no father or controller above Him.

“yasminnida.n sarvamotaprota.n tasmAdanyanna para.n ki~nchanAsti | na tasmAtpUrva.n na para.n tadasti na bhUta.n nota bhavya.n yadAsIt.h |” (Atharvasiras Upanishad 5:05).

“There is none greater than him, on whom all the worlds are strung like beads. Over ages, nothing so far in the past was ever greater than him and nothing is going to be greater than him in future”.

“na tasya kaarya.n karaNa.n cha vidyate na tatsamashchaabhyadhikashcha dR^ishyate | paraasya shaktirvividhaiva shruuyate svaabhaavikii GYaanabalakriyaa cha |” (Svetaswatara Upanishad 6:08).

“There is no effect and no cause known of him (Rudra), no one is seen like unto him or better; his high power is revealed as manifold, as inherent, acting as force and knowledge”.

“kasmAduchyate paraM brahma yasmAtparamaparaM parAyaNa.n cha | bR^ihadbR^ihatyA bR^i.nhayati tasmAduchyate paraM brahma |” (Atharvasiras Upanishad).

“He (Rudra) is called Para Brahmam (Supreme Brahman – the ultimate reality), because he is the highest and excellent of all, though he is inside every thing, he is in and out of everything, he is the refuge of every thing and bigger than the biggest. That’s why he is called Parambrahma”.

yachChukla.n tadvaidyuta.n yadvaidyuta.n tatparaM brahma yatparaM brahma sa ekaH ya ekaH sa rudraH ya rudraH yo rudraH sa IshAnaH ya IshAnaH sa bhagavAn.h maheshvaraH |” (Atharvasiras Upanishad 3:6).

“That which is also called Shuklam (seminal fluid- the basic unit of life) is very very minute. That which is minute is like a lightning power. That which is like lightning power is the ultimate Brahman. That Brahman is one and only one. That one and only one is Rudra, it is also called Eeshana, it is also the ultimate God and it is also the lord of all things”.

“tamiishvaraaNaaM paramaM maheshvara.n ta.n devataanaaM parama.n cha daivatam.h | patiM patiinaaM paramaM parastaad.hvidaama devaM bhuvaneshamiiDyam.h |” (Svetaswatara Upanishad 5:07).

“Let us know that highest great lord of lords, the highest deity of deities, the master of masters, the highest above, as god, the lord of the world, the adorable”.

“yasmaat.h para.n naaparamasti ki.nchidya smaannaNiiyo na jyaayo.asti kashchit.h | vR^ixa iva stabdho divi tishhThatyeka stenedaM puurNaM purushheNa sarvam.h |” (Sve. Upa. 3:09).

“This whole universe is filled by this person (purusha), to whom there is nothing superior, from whom there is nothing different, than whom there is nothing smaller or larger, who stands alone, fixed like a tree in the sky”.

“ya iishe.asya jagato nityameva naanyo heturvidyata iishanaaya |” (Svetaswatara Upanishad. 6:17).

“He Ishana, rules this world for ever, for no one else is able to rule it”.

Lord Shiva himself states the following -

"paramo.asmi paraatparaH (I am the supreme, greater than the great)." (Maitreya Upa. 3:10).

We have seen supportings from Upanishads and Vedas, but even Shiva Purana clearly says the following:

“Sarve Rudram Bhajantyeva Rudrah Kinchid Bhajennahi Svaatmana Bhaktavaatsalyaad Bhajatyeva kadachana" (Shiva Purana, Kotirudra Samhita 7:15).

"Everyone worships Rudra but Rudra doesn’t worship anyone. For the sake of devotees he meditates on himself”.

I hope this clarifies all your queries. Prd..

Answer 18

यन् नाम सततं ध्यात्वाऽविनाशित्वं परं मुने। प्राप्तं नाम्नैव सत्यं तु सुयोग्यं कथितं मया।।

(शिवपुराण quoted in old edition Kalyan ram ank)

Shiva says:-It is by the grace of ram naam whom I meditate upon, by which I have gained inexhaustible (avinashi) siddhi

अहं च शंकरौ विष्णुस्तथा सर्वे दिवौकसः। रामनामप्रभावेण सम्प्राप्ताः सिद्धिमुत्तमाम्।।

Again in vishnupuran (Quoted in old edition of Kalyan ank)

Brahma ji says:- I, rudra, vishnu and all devas and devis have gained their powers as siddhi due to the grace of ram naam.

रुद्रो दिशति यन् मंत्र यस्य नाम महद् यशः। यस्य नास्ति उपमा क्कापि तं रामं राघवम् भजे।।

(Padmapuran)

Rudra give diksha of mantra whose name is great Yash and there is none who is equivalent to that, I salute to that bhagwan shri Ramchandra.

रामनामप्रभावेण स्वयंभु सृजते जगत्। विभर्ति सकलं विष्णुः शिवः संहरते पुनः।।

(in mahaSambhu samhita )

By the grace of ram name, brahma creates, vishnu sustains and rudra destroys the universe

It's quite clear, shiva ji always worships on shri Ram

Answer 19

When Sri Ram established Shiva Linga in Sri Rameshwaram than Lord Rama Said:—

जे रामेस्वर दरसनु करिहहिं। ते तनु तजि मम लोक सिधरिहहिं॥ जो गंगाजलु आनि चढ़ाइहि। सो साजुज्य मुक्ति नर पाइहि॥ होइ अकाम जो छल तजि सेइहि। भगति मोरि तेहि संकर देइहि॥ मम कृत सेतु जो दरसनु करिही। सो बिनु श्रम भवसागर तरिही॥ राम बचन सब के जिय भाए। मुनिबर निज निज आश्रम आए॥

"They who will behold Lord Rameśvara will, on quitting the body, go direct to My Sphere in (Saket). And a man who takes the water of the Ganga and pours it on the Lord Shiva will attain liberation. Again, whosoever adores the Shiva in a disinterested spirit and without guile will be blessed by Sankara with devotion to Me. And he who sees the bridge erected by me will be able to cross the ocean of worldly existence without any exertion." Sri Rama's words gladdened the heart of all and the great sages returned each to his own hermitage.

(Srimad Rāmcharit Mānas Lanka Kand Doha 3)

Does establishing Shiva Linga Made Lord Rama lesser than Lord Shiva ?

Lord Shiva before asking Maa Parvati Himself said:—

गिरिजा रघुपति कै यह रीती। संतत करहिं प्रनत पर प्रीती ॥

Shiva said—‘Oh Girija! It is a nature of Lord Raghupati (Lord Ram) that he always shows affection for those who come to seek refuge at his holy feet.

(Srimad Rāmcharit Mānas Lanka Kand Doha 3)

This is a nature of Sri Raghunandan that one who is the seeker of His feet, He show utmost affection with Him as he does to Lord Shiva.

As lord Shiva Himself always meditates upon Lord Rama's Name & On his childhood form and Gives salvation by preaching His Lord's Name to the creature who dies at Kashi:—

तवांशोऽहं हरिर्ब्रह्मा सर्वे देवाश्चराचराः । जगत्पूज्यो ह्यहं तस्मादुमया सह चानया ॥ आवां राम जगत्पूज्यावावयोश्च युवां सदा । त्वन्नामजापिनी गौरी त्वन्मन्त्रजपवानहम् ॥ मुमूर्षोर्मणिकर्णे तदर्द्धादकनिवासिनः । अहं दिशामि ते मन्त्रं तारकं ब्रह्मवाचकम् ॥ श्रीराम राम रामेति ह्येतत्तारकमुच्यते । अतस्त्वं जानकीनाथ परं ब्रह्मासि निश्चितम् ॥ त्वन्मायामोहिताः सर्वे न त्वां जानन्ति तत्त्वतः । त्वद्भक्त्यैव विजानन्ति ब्रह्मैकं त्वामखण्डितम् ॥ विश्वरूपस्य ते राम विश्वेशब्दा हि वाचकाः । तथापि मूलमन्त्रस्ते विश्वेषां बीजमक्षयम् ॥

Lord Sri Shiva Says to Sri Rama:—

O Rama! I (Shiva), Brahma, Vishnu, all the gods, the whole universe all are your parts. That is why I have become world worshipped with this Uma (Maa Parvati). Sri Rama! We both (Gauri-Shankar) are worshiped by the world and you both (Sita-Ram) are worshiped by both of us. Gauri always chants your name and I am the too chanter of your mantra. When the creature resides in half-water in Manikarnika-tirtha, I preach your mantra called Taraka-Brahmana for that dying person. 'Shri Ram Ram Ram' – this is called the Tarak Mantra. O Janakinath! Absolutely you are the Par-Brahman . All beings are being deluded by Your illusion, that is why they cannot know You in essence. You are the unique unbroken Brahman, You can only be known by Your devotion, Sri Rama, although the world is Your form and all words signify You, yet Your basic mantra is the indestructible seed of all.

(Sri Skand Puran Nirvaan Khand Chapter 32 Verse 80-85)

अहं ते हृदयं राम तव नाभिः पितामहः । कण्ठस्ते नीलकण्ठोऽसौ भ्रूमध्यं च दिवेश्वरः ॥ सदाशिवो ललाटस्ते तत ऊर्ध्वे परः शिवः ।

Lord Vishnu Says Sri Ram:—

Sri Ram! I am your heart, Pitamah Brahma is your navel. Neelkanth Mahadev is your throat. Sun is the center of your eyebrows. Sadashiv is your forehead and the part above it is Para Shiva (we all are your portions).”

(Skandh Puran Nirvaan Khand Chapter 32 Verse 126-128)

Lord Shiva Meditating on Sri Rama's Childhood form:—

बंदउँ बालरूप सोइ रामू। सब सिधि सुलभ जपत जिसु नामू॥

Lord Shiva to Maa Parvati:—I worship the Ram Lala Sarkar, by merely chanting whose name all perfections are attained.

(Srimad Ramcharit Manas Balkand Doha 112)

Lord Shiva Giving liberation by uttering Sri Ram Naam:—

काश्यां तु ब्रह्मनालेऽस्मिन्मृतो मत्तारमाप्नुयात् ॥ पुनरावृत्तिरहितां मुक्ति प्राप्नोति मानवः । यत्र कुत्रापि वा काश्यां मरणे स महेश्वरः॥ जन्तोर्दक्षिणकर्णे तु मत्तारं समुपादिशेत् ।निर्धूताशेषपापौघो मत्सारूप्यं भजत्ययम् ॥

Lord Rama Said:—The one who dies at a place called Brahmanal in Kashi region receives my Tarak Mantra by which he gets the freedom from which he does not have to go through the cycle of death and birth. Lord Shiva preaches my Tarak mantra in the right ear of that creature, wherever it dies in the Kashi region, which destroys all its sins. And he attains liberation.

(Shukla Yajurvedā Muktikopanishad Chapter 1, Verse 19-21)

Lord Shiva Says to Maa Parvati in Padma Puran:—

राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे । सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥

"O' fair faced one, I enjoy saying Rāma Rāma like this. Uttering the name of Rāma once is equal to uttering any other name of god, a thousand(s) times.

रकारादीनि नामानि शृण्वतो देवि जायते । प्रीतिर्मे मनसो नित्यं रामनामविशङ्कया ॥

Lord Shiva tells Maa Parvati: “O' Devi! Just upon hearing the names starting with ‘Ra' - kara, my heart becomes always [pleased and] filled with love out of the hint of Rama Naam, (as in my heart there is eternal love for the name 'Rāma")"

(Śrī Padma-Purāna 6.254.21)

अनन्तो भगवन्मन्त्रा नानेन तु समाः कृताः । श्रियो रमणसामर्थ्यात् सौन्दर्यगुणसागरात्॥

“Out of infinite names of Bhagavan, none is equal to or greater than Sri ‘Rāma’ nama, because only Sri Rama Nama manifests the capability to impart the supreme bliss and delight to even Bhagavati "Shrii ji" as also being the very ocean of beauty!"

(Hārita-smrti 3.240)

स्थाणुस्तदागतं रामं योगिनां ध्यानगोचरम् । पतित्वा पादयोर्विप्र जगाद प्रणताभयम् ॥ एकस्त्वं पुरुषः साक्षात्प्रकृतेः पर ईर्यसे । यः स्वांशकलया विश्वं सृजस्यवसि हंसि च ॥

O brāhmaṇa, seeing Rāma who is known by meditation of the meditating Yogis, who gave fearlessness to those who saluted him, who had come there, Śiva fell at the feet of Śrī Rām and said: “You are the Alone Puruṣa (the Supreme Being of Vedas) actually rising above Prakṛti (i.e. Nature). With a portion of yours, you create and destroy the universe.

(Śrī Padma Puran, 5.46.5–6)

So that's a very common nature of Sri Raghunandan that He loves his devotees more than anything that's why He established a Shiva Linga to appreciate His Greatest Devotee Lord Shiva. Even at some other place in Srimad Rāmāyaṇam things has been cleared:—

सब कें प्रिय सेवक यह नीती। मोरें अधिक दास पर प्रीती ॥

Lord Rama Said:—Every master, as a rule, loves his servant, but I, for one, am exceptionally fond of My servants.

(Srimad Rāmcharit Mānas Uttarkānd Doha 16)

सुनहु बिभीषन प्रभु कै रीती। करहिं सदा सेवक पर प्रीती॥

Sri Hanumant Lal Ji says to Sri Vibhishan:— O Vibhishana! Listen, this is the way of the Lord that He always show affection for His servant.

(Srimad Rāmcharit Mānas Sundarkand Doha 7)

All Glory to Srímad Goswami Tulsidas Ji

Answer 20

Lord Shiva has no such promise as Krishna's declaration as Vishnu in the B.Gita!

yes !!! there is a promise by Him in the B.Gita and other authentic shastras that He accepts and reciprocates accordingly, the devotion of all His devotees either Radha or Shiva or any other.

Krishna as a devotee of Radha, however never reaches the level of Her devotion. Krishna in transcendental devotion of Radha can go upto "MODAN" Maha-Bhava/Rasa. Radha in devotion for Krishna reaches "MAADAN", higher than Krishna's "Modan" Maha-Bhava. Here one point is notable that Krishna reciprocates any devotee's "Bhava" with His "Rasa". So, the Vedic mantra is "Raso Vai Sah.". And, here at this point Radha becomes the supreme in devotion. Perhaps, Krishna has no Rasa to reciprocal for Radha's Maadan Maha-Bhava in devotion. Radha is considered to be at the top most level of devotion and servitude, "yatha braj-gopikanaam"- also declared by Lord Narada.

Nevertheless, in the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, He Himself says that His (marginal) devotees like Prahlad are more dear to Him than His transcendental and eternal devotees like Radha (His own soul) and Shiva (the topmost Vaishnava, the Rudra). There are infinite trillion universes, all of them have one brahma, one vishnu, one shiva, respectively. At this level of eternity all of them have equal importance in their respective universe. This is what Srimad Bhagvat Mahapuran has to say about krishna, as the supreme at chapter 14 of the eleventh canto in the " Udhava-Krishna" Samvad!!

Guru Nanak devji says in the Japji Saheb, "eka Mayi (Supreme controller of the material energy, in three forms) jagat vyaayi teen chele parvan; ek sansari ek bhandari, ek laye divan." .

In the Bhagvatam tenth skand (canto) lord bramha visited dwarkadheesh where krishna resided expanding Himself with all His 16,108 wives. For the enlightenment of lord brahma krishna manifested before him all the brahmas of all the other universes. Our universe has brahma who has four heads and our lord shiva has five heads. The other universes have differently headed lord brahmas and lord shivas.

Lord shiva and lord vishnu have least difference in divinity at mundane level. Sri Brahma-Samahita says that if vishnu is the divine milk then shiva is a divine yogurt. Here in this Vedic example, the divine milk needs a "vikara" to take the form of a divine yogurt, and once formed as yogurt it is not possible to get the form of the milk from that yogurt. They are supplementing each other at this level of divinity.

Gosvami Tuslipandit says in the Ayodhya-Kand thru the Valmiki-Ram samvad, "jag pekhan tum dekhanihare, hari-bidhi-sambhu nachavanihare."

The C.c.(Chaitanya charitamrit, madhya-lila, specially ch#20) by sril krishnadas kaviraj has all the answers. Vishnu is a divine medium which Krishna uses for different avatars for limited mundane pastimes, however, Krishna Himself is the Avataree and not an avatar. So, the Vedic citation is needed when someone claims Krishna did worship (to get help) in His mundane pastime. Jayadev Pandit of the Geet-Govind fame, in his "Dashavatar-Stotram" has also revealed this eternal truth almost eight centuries back, at the beginning of the Bhakti-era.

All the three types of vishnus/mahavishnus manifestations (kaaran, garbhas, kshiras) are the personality expansions or purushavataras of Krishna, a.k.a. the Parmatama, the All-indwelling, the role reversible, "Prerak-Brahman" form of the "Bhokta-Brahman". During His different incarnations He takes use of His own expansions to descend to the mundane pastimes from eternal pastimes. If we study the C.C. we will accept this divine truth, there would be no room for sectarianism left on our material minds. yes, the c.c. is all about convincing and concluding the spiritual information/knowledge which we have acquired reading (ascendingly) different scripture.

lord shiva and lord vishnu have least difference in divinity at mundane level. Sri Brahma-Samahita says that if vishnu is divine milk then shiva is divine yogurt. "kshiram yatha dadhi vikar viseshyogat, sanjayate nahi tatah prithak asti hetoh; yah shambhutamapi tatha samupaiti karayad, govindam adipurusham tam aham bhajami." (S.B.S ch#5, ver#45).

https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/4/verse/11