36 - Praise of Shiva by lord Krishna 

Radhika said- Because of this, Brahma disowned Mohini. It is true but how could Brahma become unadorable because of the curse of the wicked women. 

Bow could lord Vishnu who happens to be the cause of everything and the lord himself shatter the pride of Brahma? 

Narayana said- On hearing the words of Radhika, Krishna smiled and started narrating the ancient history. 

Sri Krishna said- Having been blessed by me Brahma performed tapas for a long time and engaged himself in creation of the universe. 

Brahma on the other hand, who happens to be the bestower of the reward for all the tapas and who regulates the universe thinking himself to be the great lord was filled with pride. 

The progress is seen in all the globes till one is not infested with pride. Realising this, I shattered the pride of all those who are filled with immense pride in the globes.

О dear one, first of all I shattered the pride of Brahma, which I have already narrated to you. Now I am going to tell you about the story of the shattering of pride of Shiva, Parvati, the sun, the moon, the god of fire, Durvasa and Dhanvantari. 

О dear one, whenever all the people irrespective of being big or small are filled with pride, I surely shatter their pride. 

Narayana said- On hearing the words of Sri Krishna, the lips, throat and palate of Radhika were dried up, she was upset with fear and she asked him in panic. 

Radhika said- Who was influenced with pride because of whom? How did you shatter their pride? 

О lord of my life, you are the one who shatter the pride of all. You fill the people with pride, you provide fearlessness to the people besides while restoring life and are their sole lord. You tell me the truth. 

Sri Krishna said- О Radha, you are already listening, to the story by means of which the pride of Brahma was shattered. How I am going to tell you the story about the shattering of the pride of others. 

Lord Shiva happens to be my own amsha and is the destroyer of the three worlds, he is equal to me in lustre, qualities and intelligence, the ascetics meditate upon him. He is the teacher of all the yogis and is blissful besides being the store of knowledge. О dear one, you listen to the story about him. 

After performing tapas for sixty thousand yugas throughout the day and nights he achieved all my rays and becoming complete in all respects, he pervaded the universe. As a result of the performing of the continuously tapas and gaining the lustre, he became the store of lustre. His influence, exceeded, the three crores of suns. He is kalpavruksha for his devotees. 

The ascetics after performing great tapas and meditating upon him for a long time, visualise his beautiful form. 

He has a complexion of crystal, five faces and three eyes. He holds a trident and a pattisa in his hands and is clad in tiger skin. He is adorned with the garland of white lotus flowers and recites his own mantras. He always wears a serene smile on his face, the eternal Shiva has a crescent on his head serving as a crown on the matted locks of hair. He is peaceful in appearance and is always compassionate on his devotees. 

Considering himself to be supreme lord and the bestower of all the riches he fulfils the desires of all like a kalpa tree.

Whenever things are desired by anyone, he bestows the same on him. Thus, Shiva who always roamed about in his own soul was once filled with pride. 

Once a demon named Vruka went to the Kedara region of Shiva and performed severed tapas there. The compassionate lord Shiva always visited that demon in order to bestow a boon on him but the demon did not accept any boon. 

At the end of the year Shiva started remaining present before him always. Lord Shiva having bound with the fetters of devotion of the demon, could not leave that place even for a moment. 

Shiva offered him all the fortunes, the siddhis, the devotion, salvation and the highest stage of the lord, but the demon did not accept them.

He only continued devoting his mind at his lotus-like feet. Then suddenly finding that the body of the demon become motionless, Shiva felt panicky and overwhelmed with love started crying. 

With the crying of Shiva, the meditation of the demon was disturbed. He then found lord Shiva, the bestower of toll the riches standing before him. 

With this illusion, the demon with his mind filled with devotion asked for a boon, "The person on whose head I place my hand, he should be reduced to ashes.". 

When Shiva moved from that place after pronouncing the boon on the demon, he followed Shiva. Lord Shiva who has already over-come the death felt panicky of the death and started running about. 

His damaru and the pleasant tiger-skin fell down, getting terrified from the demon. He roamed about from the fear of the demon unrobed and in terror rushed in all the directions. 

In spite of that the compassionate Shiva did not want to kill him because the noble people do not get cruel even to the wicked people. 

The noble people kill only the people who intend to kill them but the servants, son and the beloved are never killed by them. Shiva could not understand well the demon because he treated the demon to be his own son. Finding his death nearing him, Shiva was extremely terrified and devoid of all the pride. О dear one, reciting my name again and again, he arrived to take refuge with me. 

I found him arriving in my abode. His throat, lips and palate had dried up. He was crying, "O lord Hari save me." Thus, uttering these words again and again, he felt upset.

Making the demon to remain by the side of Shiva I addressed him and he narrated to me, the entire story. Thereafter, with the influence of my illusion the demon placed his hand on his own head and was reduced to ashes. 

At that point of time all the siddhas, Indra, the sages, Manus and even Shiva feeling ashamed, started eulogising me. 

His pride was shattered thereafter I enlightened him and he left the place. I myself fulfil the effects of pronouncing a boon. m

Thereafter, Shiva with his mind filled with pride went to kill Tripurasura. He believed in his mind that he was the only one who could destroy all the three worlds then how could the great demon who was like a fire fly before him, face lord Shiva? He then went to the battle-field while going to the battle-field, he left the trident and the kavacha given by me at his place.

He continued fighting with Tripurasura for one year throughout the day and night but no one could be victorious. In the battle-field, both of them appeared to be equals.

О dear, the demon while fighting on earth by his illusion rose higher in the space around fifty crores of yojanas. 

Shiva the lord of the universe also raised himself to fight with the demon. In the space they went on fighting for a month. 

The valorous demon shattered the weapon and the bow of Shiva broke his chariot and destroyed his all other weapons. 

The enraged Shiva administered a powerful fist on the chest of the demon. With the blow of the fist by Shiva, the demon at once fainted. 

Regaining consciousness in a moment, the demon picked up Shiva, while he was asleep and threw him on the ground. 

When Shiva together with his chariot was so badly defeated all the gods felt panicky. Thus, Shiva started offering prayers to me again and again. 

Finding the danger ahead Shiva meekly uttered my name again and again. At the time of danger, he recited the stotra given by me to him with devotion. Then I, taking to the form of a bull lifted up Shiva over my horn. I then gave him my kavacha and the trident which always destroyed the enemies. With the use of that trident he attracted Tripura who had been present in the sky without any base and destroyed him with the attack of my trident. Thereafter lord Shiva having his pride shattered praised me again and again. 

The demon was than reduced to ashes and fell down on the ground. At the sight of the killing of the demon, the gods, the sages and Shiva started prising me. Thereafter Shiva realising that the pride had been the cause of all the trouble got rid of it. He devoted his mind to the blissful knowledge and indulged in all the deeds in an unattached manner.

Since then I started carrying Shiva over my back as his vehicle because no one else in the three worlds is dearer to me than Shiva. 

Brahma represents my mind Shiva intelligence and Mula-Prakruti also known as Durga represents wisdom. All other shaktis including sleep they represent the form of Prakruti and Sarasvati happens to be the goddess of my speech. Ganesha who bestows all the welfares is the form of my pleasure. Dharma stands for the welfare of all and Agni is fully devoted to me. All these residing in Goloka are the gods of my fortune. You happen to be the great goddess of my life and are dearer to me than my life. 

All the cowherdesses happen to be your rays and are therefore quite dear to me. All the cowherds residing in Goloka have emerged from my hair-pits. 

Thus, the sun is the form of my lustre, the wind-god represent breathing Varuna stands for the lord of waters and the earth had emerged out of my refuse. 

The space void for me. The god of love was created out of my mind and all the gods including Indra emerged out of my rays.

All the tattvas which form the part of the seed in the universe, I happen to be the base of all of them and the soul of all. 

The Jiva happens to be my reflection, who has to face the result of his deeds, I am unattached and the witness of all but I never have to face the reward of any action. This body which has been self-created by me is meant for the adoration of my devotees. I happen to be Prakruti Purusa and the only great lord. 

O Radha, thus I have narrated to you the story of out the shattering of the pride of Shiva. Now you listen to the story relating to the shattering of the pride of Parvati who happens to be the seed of all the creation.

Narayana said- After listening from Sri Krishna, Radhika asked him a secret question. 

Radhika said- О virtuous one, you are well aware of all the tattvas and the seed of all, you are the eternal one and are competent enough to remove all the doubts. You give me an appropriate reply to my question. 

Shiva happens to be the lord of all the knowledge, well-versed in all the tattvas conqueror of the death, the death for all the times and is as great as you are. 

But why does he apply ashes on his body why does he have five faces, three eyes remain without robes, wearing matted locks of hair on the head, using the serpents as his ornament why does he move on the bull leaving all other vehicles, why does he not adorn himself with gem-studded ornament. 

Leaving aside the costumes sanctified by fire, why does he clad himself in tiger skin. Leaving aside the Parijata flowers, why does he use the thorn apple flowers. 

Instead of the gem-studded kirita-crown why does he adorn his head with matted locks of hair. Why does Shiva intend to dwell in the cremation grounds, instead of living in the divine places?

Leaving aside the sandal-paste, aguru, kasthuri and fragrant flowers, why does he prefer the leaves of wood-apple and also its fruit. 

I would like to have a clarification on all these points. You kindly let me know. О lord, I am getting anxious to know about them. 

On hearing the words of Radhika, lord Madhusudana smiled for a moment and taking her in his embrace he said. 

Sri Krishna said- In the ancient times lord Maheshvara after performing tapas for sixty thousand yugas, felt blissful and devoting his mind in me became disinterested in the universe. 

In the meantime, he found me standing before him having beautiful limits, tender age and dark complexion. Everything was beyond description. At the sight of my form, the eyes of three-eyed Shiva were never satisfied. 

He, the great devotee continued staring at me and overwhelmed with my devotion, he started lamentation. 

He thought that serpent Ananta with thousand hoods and Brahma having four faces were more fortunate than myself, who could look at the lord with many eyes and offered prayers with many mouthy. 

On finding such a lord of mine, how should I look at him and how should I adore him because I have a single mouth and only two eves. He repeated this sentence four times.

Having thus thought in his mind by Shiva, four more faces were added to his body making total of five of them. Each and every face than bad three eyes as a result of which he was known as five-faced and three eyed. 

In preference to the prayer of Shiva he was more interested in staring at me with more eyes as a result of which more ryes appeared on his faces. 

The eyes of Shiva having the form of Brahman, present sattva, rajas and tamas. I am going to speak out the reason for the same. You please listen to me. 

Lord Shiva looks at the sattvika people with his sattvika eyes, the raj as l people with his raja’s eyes and tamasi people with tamas eyes. He protects them all. 

At the time of dissolution, the destructive fire emerges from the wrathful third eye of the forehead of destroyer Shiva. 

The flames of that fire rise as high as the height of crores of tala trees placed one on the other, has the lustre of crores of suns and have innumerable flames which reduce to ashes everything in the universe. 

Shiva applied the dust produced by the burning of the body of Sati. That is why, he is known by the name of the one who applied ashes on his body. Because of his love for Sati, he adorned himself with the garland of her bones had also applied the ashes on his body.

Though Shiva is all knowledgeable, still he carried the dead body of Sati on his shoulder for full one year and roamed about everywhere in all the four comers, while crying. Wherever the limb of Sati fell, a siddha-pitha was created there where the success in mantras is achieved. 

О Radhike, thereafter, embracing the bones of the body of Sati, Shiva fell down at the place of accomplishment and was fainted. 

At that point of time I went to that place and carrying Shiva in my lap and bestowed him the divine knowledge which relieved him of the grief. 

Thereafter, getting satisfied, Shiva left for his abode and after sometime Shiva regained Sati in another form.

Shiva remains without robes because he always remains engrossed in yogic practices, the eternal lord is devoid of all the desires the matted locks of hair on his head relate to the period when he performed tapas which he maintains even to this day because of his eternal awareness. 

The ascetics have no desire to clad themselves in beautiful garments or to arrange the heed dress. An ascetic finds no difference between the sandal-paste and mud or a ball of earth; even the gems are treated by him like the dust. 

The Nagas getting terrified from Garuda took refuge with lord Shiva and with his mind filled with Compassion, he adorned all his limbs with the snakes. 

I myself carry him in the form of a bull because no one else is competent enough to transport him. In the earlier times during the killing of Tripurasura, a bull was created with my amsha. 

He has already offered Parijata and other flowers besides the sandal-paste and fragrant articles to me, therefore he never feels attracted towards them. 

The flowers of thorn-apple, the leaves of wood apple tree and its fruits and the paste of the wood-apple besides the flowers having no fragrance, the skin of tiger is always like by the yogis. Therefore, he always remains attracted towards them. 

He does not feel happy in the divine places, divine beds and the places filled with crowds. Therefore, he prefers to reside in lonely places including the cremation grounds and is always engaged in reciting my name. 

He considered everyone right for Brahma to the blade of grass as equal. He only devotes his mind towards me. 

After the fall of Brahma only a moment of Shiva passes. I am not aware of his age in the measure then how can the shrutis know about it. 

Shiva who has ever-powered death carry the trident that emerged from my lustre and also the intelligence. No one else except me would be in a position to conquer Shiva. Shiva is the lord supreme and is dearer to me than my own life. I always devote my mind to Shiva in the form of Tryambaka. No one else is dearer to me than Shiva, my illusion pervades the entire universe, but she gets panicky at the sight of Shiva. She is unable to over-power him. 

I never reside in Goloka, Vaikuntha or your heart. On the other hand, I am over-powered by the fetters of love of Shiva and I always reside in his heart.

Shiva always sings my praise in divine tunes from his five mouths therefore I always remain close to him. The one is in a position to reduce the entire universe to ashes with mere frowning and as such no ascetic could ever be compared with Shiva. The one who is in a position to playfully destroy and recreate the universe with the application of his divine knowledge. There is no one else more knowledgeable than Shiva. Shiva is competent enough to bestow my devotion, my slave hood, salvation, all the fortunes and the siddhis and as such there is no one greater than him in the performing of the charities. 

Не engages himself always reciting my glory with all his five faces; therefore, there is no other devotee in the world better than him. 

Myself, Sudarshana-chakra and Shiva are equal in glory. Even Brahma the creator of the universe cannot equate us in yogic practices as well as the glory. 

Thus, I have narrated to you the spotless glory of Shiva and the story about the shattering of his pride. What else do you want to listen from me?