Shiva praying to Lord Vishnu

[gokulkr]

Manicarnika ghat is very central to the legend that is Varanasi. It is the oldest living city in the world and the most active cremation ground too. Shivaits consider this entire world as a vast cremation ground where all of us are burning in one sort of fire or another - fire of desire, jealously, envy, etc. Varanasi is the ideal place to be cremated in this vast complex as at least if you burn here, all that burns are your karmic bonds and eventually you are freed. Perhaps appropriately, the holy city is mainly situated between the two most famous burning ghats of Kashi, ManiKarnika ghat and the Harishchandra ghat.

Seeing all the miseries of mankind, Lord Shiva, the eternally compassionate one, cried tears of supreme sorrow. Rudra (He who cries / is crying) decided to perform penance and ask the Lord Vishnu how to help the helpless of this world. Lord Madhava is the only one who can grant Moksha - nirvana/ liberation - hence Rudra decided to call upon Him to find an answer for the liberation of all the souls of this world.

So fierce was the penance of Yogishwara that Lord Narayana came in person to grant a boon to Ishwara. The Lord of Vaikuntha asked Lord Shiva to open His eyes, desist from this penance and ask for any boon He desired. Seeing the Lord before Him, Shiva bowed and asked for but one thing, "Please grant an easy route for salvation to all the creatures of this world. Their sorrows, caused by ceaseless cycles of birth, death and karmic entanglements this incurs, grieves me much. Please find an easy, fool proof route so that they may be liberated with ease from this cycle of constant rebirths."

Smiling His charming smile, Lord Hiranyagrbha said, "Thou art the most compassionate being in this universe. It behooves you to think thus. This sacred land where you have performed such severe penance for the good of the world, is so hallowed by your association, that from this day forth, anyone who comes here, will attain liberation. This I grant for your sake, and give you exclusive powers to liberate all creatures who come to you here."

Knowing the capricious nature of souls enmeshed in the quagmire of samsara, Lord Shiva desired to extend the terms of the boon. "Lord, please grant such a boon so that even if the creature that comes here is dead, their soul should attain nirvana."

Moved by Rudra's infinite compassion, the Lord Keshava shook His head in admiration and said, "Thou art compassion incarnate. I will grant you a boon so that anyone who comes here, dead or alive, will attain your grace. Even if a creature dies here; or is cremated here, having died elsewhere; thou hast the power to grant them liberation." When the Lord shook His head in admiration for PashuPatiNath's compassion for all jivas, one his gem encrusted earrings fell to the ground, near the kund (pond/ lake) where Lord Shiva was meditating. The hallowed spot where Lord Shiva performed his penance and where the Lord's jeweled earring fell, is the current ManiKarnika ghat (lit - mani = jewel / karnika = earring / ghat = bathing place).

Later, when the heavenly river Ganges descended to the earth and purified the souls of Sagar's sons, She decided to pay homage to Lord VishwaNath's penance and came to flow past this spot, transforming the ghat of a small kund (pond/ lake) into a ghat (bathing steps) on its own mighty banks.

From time immemorial, the burning ghat at ManiKarnika in Varanasi have attracted those seeking salvation. At a time when travel was neigh impossible and pilgrimage across the vast sub-continent a major achievement of its own, people used to commit ritual suicide at this ghat so that they may die and be liberated. In those days, travel was a dangerous adventure and having once achieved the goal of reaching Kashi, some visitors felt that it was best to seek salvation here and now, rather than risk being killed by bandits on the way back, or dying of illness back home.

Currently, this is the busiest burning ghat at Kashi, and indeed probably the whole world. As a result, most corpses do not get enough time to burn properly and are often unceremoniously dumped, half burnt into the sacred river. A constant stream of corpses come to this ghat to be burnt, day and night. Between this and the Harishchandra ghat, the other famous burning ghat in Kashi, the holy city hums with its own eternal life.

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif OM NAMO NARAYANA

[Guest guest]

Great post. its one of best post i have ever seen.

 

OM NAMAH SIVAYA

[Guest guest]

"ask the Lord Vishnu how to help the helpless of this world"

 

That's very great of him to do the penance for the people, but what the hell was Lord Vishnu doing all this time before, allowing people to become helpless and suffering to continue? was he sleeping?

Well this miseries of the world and helplessness of the people is all their own bad Karma isn't it?

 

Well, this story is mythological anyway!

[Guest guest]

if the above story is mythical then Shiva purana is also mythical.

 

doo u have proof that shiva purana is not mythical & it is genuine ?

 

NOTE : I AM NOT A VAISHNAVAITE NOR A SHAIVATE.

 

 

[Guest guest]

It's common sense that it's mythology. Every country in the world had or has mythology, why should India be any different? I'm sure there is proper meaning behind these symbolic myths.

 

Many Hindu's of authority say the Puranas are Mythology. You may not like it, but it's their opinion.

[gokulkr]

my above post is meant for pure devotees (both shiva & vishnu). pure devotees will appreciate my post.

 

of course, atheists & fanatics will not see/understand the essence of the story.

 

WE must remember that lilas conducted by "vishnu & shiva" cannot be understood by ignorant persons.

 

asking stupid questions such as "what vishnu doing all the time" only reveals that person is a atheist/fanatic.

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif OM NAMO NARAYANA

[Guest guest]

Before you label me an atheist or fanatic, you need to check yourself, though I doubt you're the former.

 

I'm neither Atheist nor Fanatic, but you insist that I am. It's not that ignorant people can't understand the essence of the story, the essence is understood, but the literal belief that this all happened in history as it is written is hard to accept as literally true. Hiding behind your immature 'Name-calling' isn't going to help the fact that you can't explain the problem.

 

By the way, if a person is ignorant as you state, then how do you help them out of this ignorance. It'll be interesting to see your answer.

 

OK pure devotees, carry on...

[gokulkr]

its the sthala purana of "Manikarnaika ghat" of kashi.

 

if u dont delieve the sthala purana just because its against your personal belief , that it doesnt make the sthala purana as false.

 

lemme some ignorant asks u "i heard shiva is soo compasonate.daily terrible things happening on the world. if shiva is soo compassionate, then why cant he come and prevent terrible things . is he sleeping ?"

 

what answer will u give to the ignorant person ? since as u proved ure not atheist/fanatic/ignorant tell me wat will u say ?

 

now ball is in ur court.

 

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif JAI SHRI NARASIMHA

[Guest guest]

Gokul, the only problem is , you get one to one with people.

 

This is a forum and guys put their opinion.

Dont take it personally.

 

I believe it shud be around 12 AM in TN. Go to sleep, get up early in the morning and chant Hare Krishna and be happy.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

It's common sense that it's mythology. Every country in the world had or has mythology, why should India be any different? I'm sure there is proper meaning behind these symbolic myths.

 

Many Hindu's of authority say the Puranas are Mythology. You may not like it, but it's their opinion.

 

 

So those part of Veda Samhitas that explain certain puranic stories like the churning of ocean, Lord Rudra gaining power by praying to Lord Visnu, the mere existence of all Devas etc. are all mythology.

 

Is this your opinion or that of your so called authorities ?

[Guest guest]

I was unaware that the churning of the ocean was in the Veda Samhitas, I thought this was just Puranic, but in what context was it mentioned? I thought the Vedas don't contain stories but verses and mantras (like hymns) to personification of natural forces (of God)and the Upanishads are the end portion of the Vedas which is like a commentary on the Samhitas and reveal spiritual knowledge. I have not decided fully on the puranas and the opinions of some learned Hindu scholars who are Hindus themselves, so I don't think they have an anti-hindu agenda. But when I hear these puranic stories, I just can't take them seriously (e.g creation of Ganesh, Vishnu floating in space, etc) and what I had read confirmed in my mind that they are mythology. There are many books and website which say they are mythology. But then again there are some Hindus who take them seriously like the ones who go to kumbh mela and believe them to be literally true. I know what one set of Hindus have to say about the Puranas, so now I'd like to hear what the other side has to say - specifically the ones who believ in the Puranas.

 

So what I want to know is, do you think they are literally true? Why do you think they are true? What planets are they based on (e.g Krsnaloka, Vaikuntha, Shivaloka etc) and how did they come to be written? How did whoever wrote them (Vyasa?) know all this? In what way are they to be interpreted today? Is it polytheism or monotheism taught in the Puranas? How do you explain some of the "weird stuff" in the Puranas? Do they contradict the Vedas?

 

I hope I haven't caused any offence with my post, if I have then try not to let anger take you over and explain some stuff to me.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

I was unaware that the churning of the ocean was in the Veda Samhitas, I thought this was just Puranic, but in what context was it mentioned? I thought the Vedas don't contain stories but verses and mantras (like hymns) to personification of natural forces (of God)and the Upanishads are the end portion of the Vedas which is like a commentary on the Samhitas and reveal spiritual knowledge. I have not decided fully on the puranas and the opinions of some learned Hindu scholars who are Hindus themselves, so I don't think they have an anti-hindu agenda. But when I hear these puranic stories, I just can't take them seriously (e.g creation of Ganesh, Vishnu floating in space, etc) and what I had read confirmed in my mind that they are mythology. There are many books and website which say they are mythology. But then again there are some Hindus who take them seriously like the ones who go to kumbh mela and believe them to be literally true. I know what one set of Hindus have to say about the Puranas, so now I'd like to hear what the other side has to say - specifically the ones who believ in the Puranas.

 

 

You may take it as mythology but this is not the opinion of AchAryAs. In case of advaitham everything is an illusion including Ishwara.

 

In my case I believe as it is given in Vedas. I am neither interested in proving Vedas. It is your freedom.

 

 

So what I want to know is, do you think they are literally true? Why do you think they are true? What planets are they based on (e.g Krsnaloka, Vaikuntha, Shivaloka etc) and how did they come to be written? How did whoever wrote them (Vyasa?) know all this? In what way are they to be interpreted today? Is it polytheism or monotheism taught in the Puranas? How do you explain some of the "weird stuff" in the Puranas? Do they contradict the Vedas?

 

 

The very word Purana means history. If those mentioned in puranas agree with Vedas then it is true as history and also has subtle meanings.

 

Vaikunta is a spiritual world. Not even Devatas and Maha Devatas know about this world. As far as Lord Vishnu is concerned, HE is omnipresent.

 

Veda Vyasa is Lord Visnu HIMSELF who is omniscient.

 

Other lokas are different planets within material sphere. If you have read Vaimanika Shastra, it is mentioned that Lord Shiva taught Bharadvaja Rishi how to build a Vimana(space Ship) that could fly from Earth to the loka(planet) of Chaturmukha BrahmA. This may sound weird like UFO, but Vaimanika Shastra is an ancient Sanskrit manual.

 

Different classes of puranas infact teach mono-theism. If you take it collectively, it may seem to teach polytheism. If you consider all puranas with Vedas then they teach supremacy of Lord Visnu(MONOTHEISM).

 

Puranas do contradict vedas and it is mentioned in Padma Purana that those that praise Lord Visnu as supreme is Satvika Puranas, those that praise Lord BrahmA is rajasic, and those that praise Lord Shiva is Tamasic.

[Guest guest]

"The very word Purana means history."

 

Actually I read that Itihaas mean history 'as it happened' and Purana means old stories.

 

"Puranas do contradict vedas"

 

That's what I thought and that smriti is only to be trusted if it is true to sruti (the Vedas).

 

The reason I take it as mythology is that some of the stories are unbelievable and quite contradictory. This is the reason that I think that the puranas were really written by different authors who passed off their work as "Vyasa".

 

"Veda Vyasa is Lord Visnu HIMSELF who is omniscient."

 

OK, if that's the case why does Lord Vishnu need to incarnate as Krishna and Vyasa at the same period of time, why not just as Vyasa and "reveal" the truth to others? And write scriptures that tell nothing but the truth, no contradiction? Is there any Hindu scriptures that speak of Vyasa as an incarnation of Vishnu?

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

Purana means old, but here it is taken as history. It may be possible there are some interpolatons. That is why we refer to vedas.

 

As for Lord Krishna and Veda Vyasa appearing at the same time, why not ? HE appeared as Lord Ramachandra and Lord Parasurama. He appeared as several Krishnas(cow herds) to teach BrahmA. It is Lord's will.

 

Bhagavtham speaks of Lord Vyasa as seld-same Bhagavan.

[eeshwar]

Har Har Mahadev

 

Can you tell me who are the pancha brahmas?

[eeshwar]

:mad:

 

Shiva is attibute less . He is lord of pancha brahmas (brahma,vishnu,rudra,shankara,maheshwara) .On his(Sada Shiva) order pancha brahmas perform five activities like srishti,sthiti,laya,thirodaanam,anugraham to run this universe

systematically.But all this pancha brahmas are equal in power

 

Jai Mahadev

[saiprasad1987]

jai sri Krishna

 

Dear Gokul ji

Why do people like you create this types of forum saying that Lord shiva prayed vishnu and vice versa?? Why you people drag the common man with little knowledge of sanathana dharma to all contraversies?? These type of posts, activities etc are very favorable for muslims and christians to convert the people to their religion.

 

Think about Hindus (sanathana dharma followers) in other countries, what are the miseries faced by them as minorities in other countries. Please stop religious conversions in India and many more.

 

Please dont dilute the religion. Once all the people are good at puranas and vedas then we will have this type of debates.

 

Like our both eyes vishnu and shiva are necessary.

Please preach sanathana dharma but not debate.

Thanks

Regards

Sai prasad

Hare Krishna

Har Har Mahadev