There is No Difference of Opinion Between Lord Śiva and God
Śrīla Prabhupāda meticulously explains the profound and often misunderstood relationship between Lord Śiva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu. Although Lord Śiva is an immensely powerful qualitative incarnation responsible for the annihilation of the material universe, he is not the Supreme Absolute Truth. Occupying a unique, marginal position between the ordinary living entities and the Supreme Lord, he is fundamentally the greatest of all Vaiṣṇavas. Operating in perfect harmony with Lord Viṣṇu's divine will, Lord Śiva perfectly demonstrates that the highest perfection for any living being—even the most exalted demigod—is unalloyed, loving devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Milk and Yogurt Analogy
Lord Śiva holds a unique, marginal position between the ordinary living entities and the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda beautifully explains this using the analogy of milk and yogurt. According to the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, Lord Śiva is not different from Lord Viṣṇu, but still Lord Śiva is not Lord Viṣṇu, just as yogurt is nothing but milk and yet is not milk nevertheless. Because he accepts a role within the material energy, the difference (between Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu) is like that between milk and curd. Curd is nothing but milk, and yet it cannot be used in place of milk. Thus, ontologically, Lord Śiva is in the marginal position between the Personality of Godhead and the living entities, or jīvas. Expanding on this cosmic structure, Hari (Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa) is the formal expansion of the Lord, Maheśa (Śiva) is the formal energetic expansion of the Lord, and Devī is the Lord's energetic expansion.
- According to the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, Lord Siva is not different from Lord Visnu, but still Lord Siva is not Lord Visnu, just as yogurt is nothing but milk and yet is not milk nevertheless.
- Milk is compared to Visnu. As soon as milk touches a sour substance, it becomes yogurt, or Lord Siva. Although yogurt is constitutionally milk, it cannot be used in place of milk.
- The difference (between Lord Siva and Lord Visnu) is like that between milk and curd. Curd is nothing but milk, and yet it cannot be used in place of milk.
- Lord Siva is in the marginal position between the Personality of Godhead and the living entities, or jivas.
The Greatest of All Devotees
Despite his immense universal power, Lord Śiva is fundamentally the most exalted Vaiṣṇava. As Śrīla Prabhupāda simply states, Śiva is the greatest of all devotees. His mind is perpetually fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, as he himself declares: Lord Śiva said: My dear Lord, my mind and consciousness are always fixed on Your lotus feet, which, as the source of all benediction and the fulfillment of all desires, are worshiped by all liberated great sages because Your lotus feet are worthy of worship. He preaches this truth to others as well; in the Padma Purāṇa Lord Śiva explains to his wife, Pārvatī, the goddess Durgā, that the highest goal of life is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, who can be satisfied only when His servant is satisfied. This position of servitude is eternal, which is why Lord Rāmacandra, whose lotus feet are worshiped by Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, had assumed the form of a human being.
- Siva is the greatest of all devotees.
- Lord Siva said: My dear Lord, my mind and consciousness are always fixed on Your lotus feet, which, as the source of all benediction and the fulfillment of all desires, are worshiped by all liberated great sages because Your lotus feet are worthy of worship.
- In the Padma Purana Lord Siva explains to his wife, Parvati, the goddess Durga, that the highest goal of life is to satisfy Lord Visnu, who can be satisfied only when His servant is satisfied.
- Lord Ramacandra, whose lotus feet are worshiped by Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, had assumed the form of a human being. Thus He performed the funeral ceremony of Jatayu, who was killed by Ravana.
The Danger of Equalizing Demigods with God
It is a severe spiritual offense to consider Lord Śiva on the exact same level as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure devotee understands the cosmic hierarchy; a devotee never considers Lord Nārāyaṇa to be on the same platform with Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. Those who make this mistake fall into a condemned category: a pāṣaṇḍī is one who considers the great demigods such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. The core difference is their relationship with the illusory energy. Lord Śiva accepts māyā, but in the presence of Lord Viṣṇu, māyā does not exist. Consequently Lord Śiva has to be considered a product of māyā. Therefore, the ultimate conclusion is absolute: no one can be equal to God, and no one can be above Him. Even Lord Brahmā and Śiva, the most exalted demigods, are subservient to Him and pay their respectful obeisances.
- A devotee never considers Lord Narayana to be on the same platform with Lord Brahma and Lord Siva.
- A pasandi is one who considers the great demigods such as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana - Hari-bhakti-vilasa 7.117.
- Lord Siva accepts maya, but in the presence of Lord Visnu, maya does not exist. Consequently Lord Siva has to be considered a product of maya.
- No one can be equal to God, and no one can be above Him. Even Lord Brahma and Siva, the most exalted demigods, are subservient to Him and pay their respectful obeisances.
Proud to be Defeated by the Master
To demonstrate His supreme, captivating potency, Lord Viṣṇu bewildered even the incredibly powerful Lord Śiva. When Lord Śiva expressed a desire to see the Lord's female form, Lord Viṣṇu decided to impersonate a woman and show him a form that would immediately put him in an ocean of lusty desires. The form of Mohinī-mūrti was so breathtaking that Śiva was entirely captivated. However, this was not ordinary material lust; Lord Śiva cannot be victimized by māyā. Therefore it is to be understood that Lord Śiva was being thus harassed by Lord Viṣṇu's internal potency. When he finally realized what had happened, he was not humiliated. Instead, although Lord Śiva was aghast at the potency of Lord Viṣṇu, he did not feel ashamed. Rather, he was proud to be defeated by Lord Viṣṇu. Nothing is hidden from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He is in everyone's heart.
- Because Lord Siva wanted to see Lord Visnu's form as a woman (Mohini-murti), Lord Visnu decided to impersonate a woman and show him a form that would immediately put him in an ocean of lusty desires.
- Lord Siva cannot be victimized by maya. Therefore it is to be understood that Lord Siva was being thus harassed by Lord Visnu's internal potency (in the form of Mohini-murti).
- Although Lord Siva was aghast at the potency of Lord Visnu, he did not feel ashamed. Rather, he was proud to be defeated by Lord Visnu. Nothing is hidden from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He is in everyone's heart.
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that when Lord Siva was offering obeisances unto Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu arose and embraced him. Therefore the word srivatsankena is used here - in SB 8.12.41.
United in Universal Purpose
There is absolutely no conflict between Lord Śiva and the Supreme Lord; they work in perfect, divine harmony. Śrīla Prabhupāda states clearly, there is no difference of opinion between Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu. They are seamlessly integrated in the cosmic administration. As Lord Śiva himself confirms: I am engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to create. Following His orders, Lord Śiva dissolves everything. The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu maintains all the affairs of material nature. To execute these duties, the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu puruṣa-avatāra expansion of Lord Viṣṇu accepts the material modes—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa—and thus incarnates as Lord Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva. Thus, by a combination of potential energies of the Lord there is the manifestation of creation, maintenance and annihilation in due course of time and by different agents like Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara.
- There is no difference of opinion between Lord Siva and Lord Visnu.
- I am engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to create. Following His orders, Lord Siva dissolves everything. The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form of Ksirodakasayi Visnu maintains all the affairs of material nature.
- The Garbhodakasayi Visnu purusa-avatara expansion of Lord Visnu accepts the material modes - sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna - and thus incarnates as Lord Visnu, Brahma and Siva. These are incarnations of the material qualities.
- By a combination of potential energies of the Lord there is the manifestation of creation, maintenance and annihilation in due course of time and by different agents like Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly reconciles the exalted, powerful nature of Lord Śiva with the absolute supremacy of Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Śiva is not an independent god to be worshipped for material boons, nor is he merely a subordinate demigod. He is the unique, energetic expansion of the Lord—the yogurt to His milk—accepting contact with the material modes specifically to execute the destructive phase of the cosmic manifestation. Because he possesses no independent agenda and completely surrenders his mind and consciousness to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is never any difference of opinion between them. When devotees understand Lord Śiva in this light, free from the pāṣaṇḍī misconception, they properly honor him not as a competitor to Nārāyaṇa, but as the greatest of all Vaiṣṇavas, the ultimate spiritual master, and the most intimate servant of the Supreme Lord.
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 God and Lord Siva. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.