Nakshatrakachita Nama -- Shivaya Namah

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Sri Krishnaya Namah!

 

I have recently gone through an article in a devotional magazine (Vak)

published by Lord Venkateshwara Temple, Chilakur, Hyderabad. Excerpts are

below:

 

Once Goddess Parvathi asks Lord Shiva that even though he is adorned with

ashes being a kapaladhari and stay in Kailasa with very little or no

prosperity, why he is being called Shiva, the very meaning connotes

prosperity / auspiciousness.

 

Lord Shiva, answers that the reason being a nakshatrakachita nama, which

Parvathi can understand, being a sister of all nakshatras (prajapathi

putrikas). Further prodded by puzzled Parvathi, Lord Shiva says that, he

was called as Shiva, only because he do recitation of Vishnu constantly

though the nama originally belongs to Lord Vishnu as per Vishnusahasrama's

27th 'nakshatrakachita' nama. He further says that though he looks just

the opposite of the meaning that the nama Shiva connotes, in his dress code

etc., and just like river Ganga which born out of His divyapadam is sacred,

even though it is a carrier of dead bodies, and which is being held in

Lord Shiva's jata, in the same way, he, is in constant bhakthi towards the

Lord and was called as Shiva, all because of his prapatti towards Him.

With this explanation, Parvathi was happy.

 

 

In Srimadbhagavatha, by ISKCON Srila Prabhupadha, there is a mention that

most of Lord Shiva's bhakthas (mostly rakshasas) are in full of prosperity

with success, power and ofcourse Aishwarya, but very little knowledge,

while Lord Shiva lives a life devoid of prosperity in Kailasa. If we talk

about the devotees of Lord Vishnu, the notable and most of them are in

utter poverty but abundance of knowledge, while Lord Himself live a life

full of prosperity in Vaikunta.

 

 

 

Further I would like to mention few more points below:

 

The one who rank above all in terms of constant recitation of

Vishnusahasranama is Goddess Parvathi and secondly Lord Shiva.

This is what Lord Shiva says to Goddess Parvathi in the aforementioned

conversation.

 

Shakaro Vaishnava Shrestaha! this is what is being mentioned by Devarshi

Narada in his bhakthi sutra

 

Lord Shiva is decorated with 8 abharanas. Of these, the most significant

and impounding one (among others like Ganga, Nagabharana, bhasma, trishul

etc.,) is Ramanama which engulfs him constantly.

 

 

With this, we can deduce how much it is important for one to become

vaishnava rather than attain heaven and salvation. Next time, when we hear

Shivaya Namaha! let us invoke Lord Krishna in our mind and next time if we

see any Lingam - jyothirlingam, aatmalingam, vayulingam, aakashalingam

etc., let us see Him in it, for he is the Lord Shiva for all of us.

Afterall, He is the Antharyami of this charaachara shrusti. Shivaya

Namaha!

 

 

Sukumar

 

Sri Krishnaparabrahmane Namah!