The Material Opulence of the Worshipers of Śiva
Śrīla Prabhupāda thoroughly explains the diverse motivations of those who take shelter of Lord Śiva. By examining his teachings, we can understand why materialistic persons and impersonalists flock to him, the secret behind their immense material wealth, and the ultimate spiritual benefit available to those who worship him in his true position as the greatest pure devotee of the Supreme Lord.
The Paradox of Material Wealth
There is a striking contrast between Lord Śiva's personal lifestyle and the opulence of his devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while Lord Śiva lives a highly renounced life beneath trees or in the snowy Himalayas, his followers receive vast material facilities because his devoted wife, Goddess Durgā or Satī, controls the material energy and generously rewards her husband's worshipers.
- Lord Siva lives underneath a tree or in the snow of the Himalayan Mountains. He does not even construct a house for himself, but still the worshipers of Lord Siva are very rich.
- Lord Siva's worshipers sometimes appear more opulent than worshipers of Lord Visnu because Durga, or Sati, being the superintendent in charge of material affairs, can offer all material opulences to worshipers of Lord Siva in order to glorify her husband.
- Since Lord Siva controls the great material energy (goddess Durga), worshipers of Lord Siva attain very opulent positions within this material world. Under Lord Siva's direction, a worshiper of Lord Siva gets all kinds of material facilities.
The Demoniac and Materialistic Worshipers
Because Lord Śiva is easily pleased and his consort readily awards material power, he attracts those with deep worldly ambitions. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that many great materialists and demons throughout history approached Lord Śiva exclusively to acquire dominance, opulence, and mystic perfections.
- Materialists like Hiranyakasipu and Ravana are worshipers of Lord Brahma or Lord Siva, but Prahlada and other devotees in the service of Krsna consciousness worship the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead.
- Ravana, for example, was a great worshiper and devotee of Lord Siva, and in return he got all the blessings of goddess Durga, so much so that his whole kingdom was constructed of golden buildings.
- Among the worshipers of Lord Siva there is a section who live a devilish life.
The Impersonalist Connection
In addition to those seeking material gain, Lord Śiva's followers largely consist of those who desire to merge into the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that many Māyāvādī philosophers and impersonalists worship Lord Śiva, following the historical influence of Śaṅkarācārya, even though Lord Śiva himself recognizes such philosophies as misguiding.
- It is generally found that the worshipers of Lord Siva are Mayavadi followers. Lord Siva himself says, mayavadam asac-chastram.
- Mayavadi philosophers are mostly worshipers of Lord Siva, and Sripada Sankaracarya is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Siva for preaching godlessness to the Mayavadi philosophers.
- The place where the Pracetas arrived was the abode of Lord Siva. Impersonalists are generally worshipers of Lord Siva, but Lord Siva is never without variety in his abode.
True Devotion and Supreme Protection
Despite the mundane motives of many followers, pure devotion to Lord Śiva yields spiritual results. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that if one worships Lord Śiva in his constitutional position as the greatest devotee of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, the worshiper can transcend false ego and receive extraordinary protection, as seen with Bāṇāsura.
- One who is actually a worshiper of Lord Siva as a devotee of Sankarsana can be released from false, material ego.
- Since King Bana was a great worshiper of Lord Siva, he became one of Lord Siva's most celebrated associates. Even now, Lord Siva protects King Bana's capital and always stands beside him.
- Banasura's fighting with Krsna and later being saved by the grace of Lord Siva is confirmation of the statement in the Bhagavad-gita that the worshipers of demigods cannot achieve any benediction without its being sanctioned by the Supreme Lord, Krsna.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda provides a comprehensive look into the complex nature of those who worship Lord Śiva. Most commonly, these worshipers are motivated either by extreme materialistic desires or by the impersonalist urge to merge into the Absolute. Through the agency of Goddess Durgā, Lord Śiva easily grants immense material opulence, making him the preferred deity for powerful demons and materialistic men. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals the highest truth: Lord Śiva is actually the foremost pure devotee of the Supreme Lord. When a worshiper approaches Lord Śiva with this understanding, honoring him as a servant of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa rather than an independent God or a mere provider of material wealth, they can successfully conquer the false ego and make genuine advancement on the path back to Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Worshipers of Siva. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.