Sambhu

SREE SAJJANA-TOSHANI OR THE HARMONIST OCTOBER 1929

THE Ganges is the holiest river, Krishna is the greatest God, Srimad Bhagavata is the most authoritative Purana and Sambhu is the crown and glory of the Vaishnava world. In certain cycles he shoots forth from the forehead of Vidhi the creator while in others he issues out of the forehead of Sri Vishnu the protector and at the end of the cycle he comes out of Samkarshan as the Fire of Universal cataclysm. As an inseparate part of Krishna he is above Maya the illusory energy of Krishna and as a separated part of Krishna he plays the part of a jiva. As an inseparate part of Krishna he exists eternally at Siva Loka in Baikuntha as the attendant of Sri Bhagaban the Supreme Lord and is known as Sada Siva. As a separated part of Krishna he lives at Kailash and Kashi, reputed as Siva the Destroyer, regarded as a jiva and disappears at the time of universal cataclysm. He told Durbasa when he was chased by Sudarsana the weapon of the Supreme Lord Krishna that this universe as well as millions of its like do in course of time proceed from Sri Vishnu and in the end dissolve in Him. Brahma said, ‘Myself, Bhaba, Daksha, Bhrigu, the lords of elements and gods and all that ‘speed and post o’er land and ocean’ do His behests. A single glance of His can annihilate time and space and reduce this vast universe to nothingness. The world is under the thraldom of His illusory energy and the jiva steeped as he is in the darkness of ignorance, tries to please Siva for the attainment of selfish ends prompted by the desire for enjoyment or freedom from misery and he also gives them these not as rewards but by way of punishment for impiety and foolish craving. These are evils in disguise and beguile humanity.

We learn from the story of the Prochetas in Srimad Bhagavata that those devotees who sincerely approach Sambhu in a spirit of submission and humility are endowed with unalloyed love for Krishna, which is the highest object of human achievement. The lives of Ravana, Kalayavana, Vana, Paundraka, Vrika, Crauncha, Andhraka, and certain other ambitious worshippers teach that the lives of worldly minded people devoid of devotion to Vishnu can indeed satisfy their worldly ambition by worshipping Him, but neither do they win His love nor are they saved from the clutches of that fell Reaper.

The Srimad Bhagavata and other Sattvik Puranas illustrate the devotional nature of Siva but in the other Puranas statements are found that tend to show that Siva is the greatest god but these are meant only for the beguilement of the impious. In the Padma Purana Siva himself declares that he propounded the wrong doctrine of illusion for the destruction of the world. Those who are misled by evil doctrines and take Sankara the greatest Vaishnava for a non-Vaishnava or anti-Vaishnava can never win his favour and find the better path. He sins against Siva and suffers damnation.

Mahesh derives a hundredfold more pleasure from the worship of Vishnu than from the worship of himself. He is mad with love for Hari and is always absorbed in chanting His Name. All his five mouths incessantly sing the glory of the Supreme Lord. He associates himself with those only who are assiduously devoted to Krishna; they are his only friends dearest and nearest to his heart. He says to the Prachetas that he who surrenders himself wholly to the holy feet of Vasudeva the Supreme Lord is his greatest favourite. Sri Rudra eulogises the Supreme Lord and says, ‘Those devotees who give themselves up to the devotional contemplation of Him who is full of transcendental glory and has the sweetest appearance are truly wise.’

We learn from the Srimad Bhagabata that empiric knowledge, virtuous attainments, opulence, physical beauty, youth and lineage elevate the good and degrade the bad. The latter’s conscience is dulled and blunted, their vanity wanes and they become unsusceptible to the intrinsic merit of the really great. Daksha given as he was to carnal pleasures and worldly enjoyments could not appreciate Siva and insulted him though he had committed no offence. Men of the type of Daksha cannot but envy one who is superior to themselves though in spirit he might be humbler than a blade of grass. They have not merit enough to raise themselves to his position but they try to go against him as the satanic hosts try to go against the Supreme Lord of the universe. On one occasion Siva did not bodily stand up in order to show respect to Daksha who accordingly cursed Siva and went away. The reason of Siva’s doing so is that the devotee greets only Vasudeva who manifests Himself in the absolutely pure heart; he prostrates his own heart to Vasudeva alone but does not show despisal and contempt to anybody. He does not show honour to that physical body which the fool identifies with his self (soul). Siva not only bows down mentally to Vasudeva but incessantly meditates on Him alone. How can Daksha who has no insight into the transcendental apprecitate the welcome accorded him by Siva who saluted not Daksha’s body but the Vasudeva within his heart. He proceeded to the length of insulting Siva even the casual utterance of whose name suffices to wash away the sins of mankind. Brahma the premier Vaishnava appreciated the mental prostrations of Siva and said ‘You bow down to me like the humblest creature; still you cannot blind me to your superior position and transcendental glory.’

Yudhisthira requested one of the wisest and greatest devotees Bhishma to make him acquainted with the greatness of Sambhu and was told that Sambhu was so great that Sri Krishna alone and none else knows him fully.

So dear is Siva to Hari that when we speak of two bosom friends we call them Hariharatma. He incessantly washes his head with the water of the Ganges that flows from the holy feet of Vishnu and is best satisfied with that worshipper who offers him those very objects that have already been offered to Hari and accepted by Him.