Does Lord Shiva have a material body?

[Guest guest]

Or is His body made of Sudda-sattva beyond the gunas of prakritti?

[Guruvani]

 

Or is His body made of Sudda-sattva beyond the gunas of prakritti?

Siva is a plenary portion of Lord Vishnu and his body is eternal.

Siva has his own spiritual world like Vaikuntha.

The spiritual world of Lord Siva is known as Mahesh Dhama.

 

Mahesha Dhama is below Vaikuntha and beyond the material worlds.

 

Lord Siva is God of his own spiritual world Mahesh Dham in the same way that Narayana is the God of Vaikuntha and Krishna is the master of Goloka.

 

He also has a planet within the universe and other abodes, but they are not eternal.

 

His planet outside the universe is spiritual and eternal.

[Guest guest]

 

Siva is a plenary portion of Lord Vishnu and his body is eternal.

Siva has his own spiritual world like Vaikuntha.

The spiritual world of Lord Siva is known as Mahesh Dhama.

 

Mahesha Dhama is below Vaikuntha and beyond the material worlds.

 

Lord Siva is God of his own spiritual world Mahesh Dham in the same way that Narayana is the God of Vaikuntha and Krishna is the master of Goloka.

 

He also has a planet within the universe and other abodes, but they are not eternal.

 

His planet outside the universe is spiritual and eternal.

 

 

How do you know,this is quite different from Shiva Purana,tell me your source for this...Thanks

[Guruvani]

 

How do you know,this is quite different from Shiva Purana,tell me your source for this...Thanks

 

I learned that from the Engish translation of Bhagavat Purana by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

[Guest guest]

 

I learned that from the Engish translation of Bhagavat Purana by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

 

 

But shiva purana is older than AC B and ISKCON...so maybe you should read other Puranas as well..

[Guruvani]

 

But shiva purana is older than AC B and ISKCON...so maybe you should read other Puranas as well..

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended Bhagavat Purana as the most important and the best of all Purana.

 

so, I can't read all the Puranas.

 

I focus on the best Purana as recommended by Sri Chaitanya Avatar.

 

We have many teachings of Siva in the Gaudiya shastra.

So, Gaudiya Vaishnava also worship Lord Siva in our own way - not the way of the Shaivites.

we worship Siva as devotee of Krishna like we worship our guru.

 

Siva is one of the gurus of the Gaudiya culture.

 

We don't take Siva from Shaivites but from the Vaishnavas.

[Guest guest]

Its like saying we learn the Californian way of life from the villagers in Bengal. lol!

 

 

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended Bhagavat Purana as the most important and the best of all Purana.

 

so, I can't read all the Puranas.

 

I focus on the best Purana as recommended by Sri Chaitanya Avatar.

 

We have many teachings of Siva in the Gaudiya shastra.

So, Gaudiya Vaishnava also worship Lord Siva in our own way - not the way of the Shaivites.

we worship Siva as devotee of Krishna like we worship our guru.

 

Siva is one of the gurus of the Gaudiya culture.

 

We don't take Siva from Shaivites but from the Vaishnavas.

[Guruvani]

 

Its like saying we learn the Californian way of life from the villagers in Bengal. lol!

and you think you can learn about Krishna from the Shaivites?

[Guest guest]

You keep saying you worship Lord Shiva and he is a Gaudiya "Guru" but why do the Gaudiyas then shy away from putting Lord Shiva your Guru on your altar?? While you put the other lesser Gurus than him everywhere?

Just wondering..!

 

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended Bhagavat Purana as the most important and the best of all Purana.

 

so, I can't read all the Puranas.

 

I focus on the best Purana as recommended by Sri Chaitanya Avatar.

 

We have many teachings of Siva in the Gaudiya shastra.

So, Gaudiya Vaishnava also worship Lord Siva in our own way - not the way of the Shaivites.

we worship Siva as devotee of Krishna like we worship our guru.

 

Siva is one of the gurus of the Gaudiya culture.

 

We don't take Siva from Shaivites but from the Vaishnavas.

[Guruvani]

 

You keep saying you worship Lord Shiva and he is a Gaudiya "Guru" but why do the Gaudiyas then shy away from putting Lord Shiva your Guru on your altar?? While you put the other lesser Gurus than him everywhere?

Just wondering..!

 

There are many gurus that we don't put on the altar.

We don't have Sukadeva on the altar either.

We don't have Brahma the founder of the sampradaya on the altar.

We don't have Vyasadeva on the altar.

We don't have Prahlada on the altar.

We don't have Kapiladev on the altar.

 

We can't put every guru on the altar.

 

But, we do have the teachings of Lord Siva in our shastra and he is considered the greatest of all Vaishnavas.

 

So, we respect Siva as the greatest of all the devotees of Krishna.

 

We also recognize that he is God and has his own realm of the spiritual world like Narayana and Krishna have their own spiritual planets.

 

We don't worship Siva for material things.

 

We ask him to bless us to be sincere devotees of Krishna.

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm.... Shiv Purana is much older than Chaitanya Mahaprabhu too!

 

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended Bhagavat Purana as the most important and the best of all Purana.

 

so, I can't read all the Puranas.

 

I focus on the best Purana as recommended by Sri Chaitanya Avatar.

 

We have many teachings of Siva in the Gaudiya shastra.

So, Gaudiya Vaishnava also worship Lord Siva in our own way - not the way of the Shaivites.

we worship Siva as devotee of Krishna like we worship our guru.

 

Siva is one of the gurus of the Gaudiya culture.

 

We don't take Siva from Shaivites but from the Vaishnavas.

[Guest guest]

Do you worship the Shiva linga as did Rama and Krishna? You can ask him spiritual things if not material. I still don't uinderstand if Shiva is considered the greatest and "the greatest Vaishnava puts him above Prabhupada, Chaitanya etc. then why don't you put him on your altar? What's teh harm in this? Isn't it right behavior to do this? Why not?

 

 

There are many gurus that we don't put on the altar.

We don't have Sukadeva on the altar either.

We don't have Brahma the founder of the sampradaya on the altar.

We don't have Vyasadeva on the altar.

We don't have Prahlada on the altar.

We don't have Kapiladev on the altar.

 

We can't put every guru on the altar.

 

But, we do have the teachings of Lord Siva in our shastra and he is considered the greatest of all Vaishnavas.

 

So, we respect Siva as the greatest of all the devotees of Krishna.

 

We also recognize that he is God and has his own realm of the spiritual world like Narayana and Krishna have their own spiritual planets.

 

We don't worship Siva for material things.

 

We ask him to bless us to be sincere devotees of Krishna.

[Guruvani]

 

Hmmmm.... Shiv Purana is much older than Chaitanya Mahaprabhu too!

 

not if you understand that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna whose plenary expansion Maha-Vishnu creates the entire material world that you live in.

 

Please show me in Siva Purana where Siva creates the material universes.

 

Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva are the same person.

Only as Lord Siva the Lord Vishnu performs a special function he cannot do as Lord Vishnu.

 

Before Lord Vishnu can have dealings with the material energy his must transform himself into Siva.

 

Siva and Vishnu are one and the same but with different functions.

[Guruvani]

 

Do you worship the Shiva linga as did Rama and Krishna? You can ask him spiritual things if not material. I still don't uinderstand if Shiva is considered the greatest and "the greatest Vaishnava puts him above Prabhupada, Chaitanya etc. then why don't you put him on your altar? What's teh harm in this? Isn't it right behavior to do this? Why not?

 

we are allowed to pour ganges water on the Shiva linga as that is very pleasing to him.

but, we do that in the Siva temple not in the Gaudiya temple.

[Guruvani]

 

Do you worship the Shiva linga as did Rama and Krishna? You can ask him spiritual things if not material. I still don't uinderstand if Shiva is considered the greatest and "the greatest Vaishnava puts him above Prabhupada, Chaitanya etc. then why don't you put him on your altar? What's teh harm in this? Isn't it right behavior to do this? Why not?

 

 

Siva appears on the Gaudiya altar as Lord Advaita Acharya.

We worship that form of Lord Siva who appeared with Mahaprabhu 500 years ago in Bengal.

 

So, Lord Siva he incarnated with Mahaprabhu.

 

We also know that Siva is a form of Maha-Vishnu.

[Guest guest]

 

we are allowed to pour ganges water on the Shiva linga as that is very pleasing to him.

but, we do that in the Siva temple not in the Gaudiya temple.

 

That's good. You can also keep a Shiva picture on your altar for having blessings from the greatest vaishnava in the universe in regards to your spiritual life. I guess your spiritual life will progress faster since you are in the Vaishnava sampradaya. umm... thinking along these lines, I was also wondering, that you call Shiva as the greatest Vaishnava. But his followers are called Shaivs. How come?

[Guest guest]

 

Siva appears on the Gaudiya altar as Lord Advaita Acharya.

We worship that form of Lord Siva who appeared with Mahaprabhu 500 years ago in Bengal.

So, Lord Siva he incarnated with Mahaprabhu.

We also know that Siva is a form of Maha-Vishnu.

 

We in India read about the various forms and incarnations of Lord Shiva. We never heard or read anywhere about this incarnation of Lord Shiva. Why do you worship this particular form if it really is Shiva? Why do you not worship other forms like Pashupatinath a form of Lord Shiva that relieves man from the bondages of material animal like existence? or other forms of Bhole Nath like Rukmini and Kunti and Gandhari worshipped for blessings? Why don't you worship the all powerful original Shiva form? Don't you like it?

[Guruvani]

 

That's good. You can also keep a Shiva picture on your altar for having blessings from the greatest vaishnava in the universe in regards to your spiritual life. I guess your spiritual life will progress faster since you are in the Vaishnava sampradaya. umm... thinking along these lines, I was also wondering, that you call Shiva as the greatest Vaishnava. But his followers are called Shaivs. How come?

 

Shaivs are devotee of Siva as supreme form of God.

Vaishnava are devotees of Shiva in his other form as devotee of Mahaprabhu.

 

Siva is a very great God in Gaudiya theology.

His is same as Vishnu, but differnt form and differnt function.

 

When Maha-Vishnu comes in contract with Durga devi he becomes Siva.

[Guruvani]

 

We in India read about the various forms and incarnations of Lord Shiva. We never heard or read anywhere about this incarnation of Lord Shiva. Why do you worship this particular form if it really is Shiva? Why do you not worship other forms like Pashupatinath a form of Lord Shiva that relieves man from the bondages of material animal like existence? or other forms of Bhole Nath like Rukmini and Kunti and Gandhari worshipped for blessings? Why don't you worship the all powerful original Shiva form? Don't you like it?

 

Lord Advaita is same all powerful God.

But, even this form of God he considers himself a devotee of Krishna because Krishna is the original form of God that all other Gods come from.

 

We do worship all forms of Siva if we are passing by the temple we are supposed to offer worship to Siva if we are there.

 

Otherwise, we worship Siva as Sri Advaita Acharya because he is with Mahaprabhu.

 

Actually, our guru has said that Siva is another form of Krishna.

 

Siva is a form of the Supreme God.

He is not some demigod like Indra or Brahma.

[Guest guest]

Ok. That's nice. So do you like to keep Vishnu's picture on your altar?

 

 

Shaivs are devotee of Siva as supreme form of God.

Vaishnava are devotees of Shiva in his other form as devotee of Mahaprabhu.

 

Siva is a very great God in Gaudiya theology.

His is same as Vishnu, but differnt form and differnt function.

 

When Maha-Vishnu comes in contract with Durga devi he becomes Siva.

[Guest guest]

 

Lord Advaita is same all powerful God.

But, even this form of God he considers himself a devotee of Krishna because Krishna is the original form of God that all other Gods come from.

 

We do worship all forms of Siva if we are passing by the temple we are supposed to offer worship to Siva if we are there.

 

Otherwise, we worship Siva as Sri Advaita Acharya because he is with Mahaprabhu.

 

Actually, our guru has said that Siva is another form of Krishna.

 

Siva is a form of the Supreme God.

He is not some demigod like Indra or Brahma.

oh that's very nice indeed you think Shiva is form of Supreme God and not some demi God! Who is your Guruji?

Also Lord Shiva gave unbelievable powers to his devotees in many yugas and detroys the greatest and most terrible demons whom no one else could destroy. What did Advaita Acharya did? Anything similar? Did he give any super powers to any devotees or destroy any demons? If he is avatara, why is he called an acharya?

[Guruvani]

 

oh that's very nice indeed you think Shiva is form of Supreme God and not some demi God! Who is your Guruji?

Also Lord Shiva gave unbelievable powers to his devotees in many yugas and detroys the greatest and most terrible demons whom no one else could destroy. What did Advaita Acharya did? Anything similar? Did he give any super powers to any devotees or destroy any demons? If he is avatara, why is he called an acharya?

 

I learned about Siva from Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami. He has given us Bhagavat Purana and other books of shastra.

Lord Advaita he is the one who called down Lord Krishna to come as Mahaprabhu.

By the call of Lord Advaita then Lord Krishna he came to Earth as Sri Chaitanyadev.

Sri Advaita Acharya he has his own parampara of disciplic succession.

 

So Lord Siva in the form of Lord Advaita he had the power to call down Lord Krishna to come as Mahaprabhu and preach the Yuga Dharma of Sankirtan Yagna.

 

Sukadeva Goswami who spoke Bhagavat Purana is also said to be an incarnation of Lord Siva.

So, he is guru that way too.

Then again coming as Sri Advaita.

[kbdas]

there are Vaishnava Maths with Shiva-linga in Vrindavan and Navadwip at least. Sri Shiva is the protector of the Holy Dham. Please correct me if i am mistaken. also as mentioned here Shiva has His eternal abode and form, but also other forms who work in the material world, for that reason He is compared to yogurt in the Brahma-Samhita.

[Guest guest]

 

there are Vaishnava Maths with Shiva-linga in Vrindavan and Navadwip at least. Sri Shiva is the protector of the Holy Dham. Please correct me if i am mistaken. also as mentioned here Shiva has His eternal abode and form, but also other forms who work in the material world, for that reason He is compared to yogurt in the Brahma-Samhita.

 

Yes. Also important is what he is considered in Shiv mahapurana.

[Guest guest]

 

Or is His body made of Sudda-sattva beyond the gunas of prakritti?

Yes and no. Many times, he is referred as eternal, unborn and anant and only spiritual bodies are unborn while materialistics bodies are not so in this scence he has a spiritual body. But other references indicate that he has a materialistic body such as when bhasmasura wanted to turn shiva to ashes, or when puranas describe his birth as son of brahma or created by lord vishnu. There are mixed answers.