Śiva’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa at Kailāsa
This is the Sanskrit stotra that Bhagavān Śiva offered to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa when the two met on Kailāsa. In it Śiva praises Kṛshṇa as Parābrahman, the highest reality, and speaks of Hari and Hara as one. It is found in the Bhavishya Parva of the Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, in Chapter 84.
The setting
Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and Bhagavān Śiva met on Kailāsa. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa first offered his own stotra to Bhagavān Śiva. Then Bhagavān Śiva in turn made a Sanskrit stotra and offered it to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. The two stotras together complete the exchange of praise between them.
The stotra
The stotra has these themes.
Kṛshṇa as Parābrahman
Śiva declares Bhagavān Kṛshṇa to be the Parābrahman, the highest reality, beyond all description and beyond all forms. This includes the forms of Śiva himself, of Brahmā and of the devas. Kṛshṇa is the one from whom all that appears comes, including Śiva’s own work as the one who dissolves the world. He is the source of all avatāras (descents), Śiva among them.
Śiva as Kṛshṇa’s own śakti
Śiva speaks of his own part as the dissolving power of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. What Śiva dissolves is what Kṛshṇa creates. The turning of the universe is one divine play (līlā), and its author and its final enjoyer is Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. Śiva places himself in loving service to Kṛshṇa, as one who knows the source from which he comes.
Beyond saguṇa and nirguṇa
The stotra praises Kṛshṇa as both saguṇa (with qualities, appearing as an avatāra with form) and nirguṇa (beyond all qualities, the formless Brahman). Because of this, Bhagavān Kṛshṇa can be reached through bhakti (loving devotion) and is also beyond all thought.
Bhakti as the direct path
Śiva teaches that Kṛshṇa is known and reached not by great tapas alone and not by jñāna (knowledge) alone, but by bhakti, the love that comes from knowing the highest nature of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. Even Śiva, who has done the greatest tapas in all creation, says that bhakti is the direct path.
Hari and Hara are one
The stotra ends by saying that Hari and Hara are one. The one who worships Śiva and the one who worships Kṛshṇa worship the same supreme reality. The difference between Vishṇu and Śiva is kept in creation for devotees of different natures.
What came after
After the stotra, Bhagavān Śiva turned to the ṛshis gathered on Kailāsa and gave a long teaching on Kṛshṇa-tattva, the highest truth of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa’s nature. This teaching runs from Chapter 85 to Chapter 90 of the Bhavishya Parva.
The Bhavishya Parva holds the longest teaching in the Harivaṃśa on Hari-Hara-sāmya, the oneness of Hari and Hara.
Sources
- Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Bhavishya Parva, Chapter 84 (the stotra)
- Harivaṃśa Purāṇa, Bhavishya Parva, Chapters 85–90 (Śiva’s teaching on Kṛshṇa-tattva)