Srimad-Bhagavatam 1/2/26 says:
mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ
English Translation: Those who want salvation reject the fierce forms like Bhutapati (Shiva?) without having any hatred against them and worship the gentle forms of Narayana.
Why do Mumukshus reject the fierce forms according to Srimad-Bhagavatam?
After some thought I got an answer logically. All forms of Mukti means closeness to the chosen deity in Dvaitavada, (Srimad-Bhagatam is not a Advaitic text). This focuses on attaining Sigle-minded Devotion or Prema or love of God, which is impossible without gentleness of nature. Normally, one having gentle nature can be in love of and want closeness with gentle and beautiful forms of God. This is basic human nature.
In Gita, Sri Krishna appreciates this single minded devotion:
13.11 And unwavering devotion to Me with single-minded concentration; inclination to repair into a clean place; lack of delight in a crowd of people;
12.13 He who is not hateful towards any creature, who is friendly and compassionate, who has no idea of 'mine' and the idea of egoism, who is the same under sorrow and happiness, who is forgiving;
12.14 He who is ever content, who is a yogi, who has self-control, who has firm conviction, who has dedicated his mind and intellect to Me-he who is such a devotee of Mine is dear to Me
He also praises an aspirant with gentle nature:
16.2 Non-injury, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, control of the internal organ, absence of vilification, kindness to creatures, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, freedom from restlessness;
16.3 Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice, absence of haughtiness-these, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, are (the alties) of one born destined to have the divine nature.
As Sri Bijaykrishna Goswami used to say:
"One who loves the maadhurya-bhava of God leaving God's Aishwarya-bhaava is a real Vaishnava. How many Vaishnavas do we get like Ramprasad Sen?" (quoted in Ashrama Katha, Paramaananda Saraswati,Sadguru Sadhan Ashrama, page 31)
The above quotations reveal that a real devotee is devoid of any hatred to anyone and full of single-minded love to a gentle form of God that leads to his or her salvation. Whether one loves Shyama or Shyamaa is immaterial.
By the way, there are different stages of Shiva in Tantra. Sada-Shiva and Parama-Shiva are very gentle forms."Rudra yat te dakshinam mukham, tena maam paahi nityam".
