Secret Teachings of Shiva

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Sri Shiva heard these prayers from Sri Brahmaji and later spoke them to the Pracetas. They are called “Rudra Gita” in the Srimad Bhagavatam. This post highlights its special verses along with the wonderful commentaries of Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada.

Sri Shiva: “Bhagavan Sri Krishna, You have revealed yourself as supreme for producing the most auspicious condition for the best of atmaramas. May I also attain that auspicious condition! May I also attain perfection by worshipping you. I offer respects to you, who are everyone, including guru.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.33)

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “May I also attain perfection by worshipping you.”

Sri Krishna replies, “But you will attain my worship by the mercy of a guru and no one else. Not by me.”

Shiva: “But you are the form of everyone. You are the guru and the devotee. Thus you can make me worship you.”

Sri Shiva: “I offer my respects to Bhagavan Sri Aniruddha, the master of the mind, which is the chief sense. I offer respects to the perfect sun, who nourishes the jiva.” 36

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “O devata of the sun! Make my eyes see the beauty of Sri Krishna’s form. (The sun is the devata of eyes.) May the energy coming from my body, non-different from the sun’s energy, be purified!”

Sri Shiva: “I offer respects to the deity of the moon.” 38

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “Though already the mind had been purified by offering respects to the upasya devata (for worship) of the mind, Aniruddha, because the mind is difficult to control, Sri Shiva again purifies the mind by offering respects to its presiding deity, the moon devata.”

Sri Shiva: “O Bhagavan Sri Krishna! Show us your form worshipped by the devotees. That beautiful form most treasured by your devotees is endowed with all qualities and senses and we desire to see it.” 44

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “Remembering in this way, purifying the body, senses and mind by offering respects, Sri Shiva has become qualified. Now he prays to see Bhagavan Sri Krishna.”

Sri Krishna: “Sri Shiva, what form should I show you?”

Sri Shiva: “It should be a beautiful form, most loved by your devotees. It is attractive with senses, qualities and form. Your form is a beneficial ointment for all the senses. And by seeing it the senses will give up the blindness of material enjoyment and be able to experience you.”

Sri Shiva: “Bhagavan Sri Krishna shines dark like a rain cloud, the sum of all beauty, with four long arms and noble, attractive face. Sri Krishna has lotus eyes, graceful brows and nose, fine teeth and forehead, and well-proportioned ears.” 45-46

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “Sneha means affectionate and glossy. Sri Krishna’s form is like a rain cloud showering profusely what the devotee desires. It gives relief from suffering and joy to the mind which is like a cataka bird drinking the rain. In Sri Krishna one finds the combined beauty of all material and spiritual objects.”

“Thus Krishna is completely attractive because there is no comparison with Krishna’s beauty. All beauty feels successful in being accepted by Krishna. Four arms mean Sri Krishna has four arms for serving his lovers. Krishna’s face is beautiful like a perfect lotus and his eyes are like the soft petals of a lotus.”

Sri Shiva: “O Krishna! Show your divine form with a foot beautiful as an autumn lotus petal, which dissipates the darkness in the heart by the light from its toenails! O guru! You are the teacher of bhakti for us, who are covered in ignorance!’’ 52

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “Another meaning: Sri Shiva said, ‘O Krishna! I have seen your beautiful form, but I have not seen the beauty of the soles of your feet. Even if you can’t show your two feet completely since you are standing in the Maha-yogapitha, just raise one foot a little while standing on the other. Standing on the earth with your left foot, raise and tilt your right foot to show the sole, so that the fear of material existence will be destroyed.”

Sri Krishna says, ‘Mahadeva! How did such a thought arise in you?’

Sri Shiva: ‘It has arisen by the mercy of guru. O guru! You are the teacher of bhakti for us whose eyes are blinded due to ignorance.’”

Sri Shiva: “Desiring purification of oneself, one should repeatedly meditate on the form of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Devotion to Krishna’s form gives freedom from the fear of death, even to those practicing varnashram duties.” 53

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “Sri Shiva gives some special information in this verse. As long as one has not seen Krishna one must repeatedly meditate on his beautiful sweet form. This is the best means to purify one’s identity. Eventually the devotee sees Sri Krishna and becomes his associate. Thus the goal of the shuddha-bhakta has been shown.”

Sri Shiva: “Death, who destroys everyone in the universe with his power, cannot take possession of one surrendered to Krishna’s lotus feet.” 56

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “The devotee has no fear of samsara. What need has he to pray for release from samsara? Time does not consider that person who has taken shelter of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet.”

Sri Shiva: “What to speak of any blessings on this earth or on Svarga, even the blessing of liberation cannot compare with even half a moment’s association with a Krishna bhakta.” 57

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “If by half a moment’s association one obtains such results, then how much more result will be obtained if the association takes place with devotion, which produces further bhakti?”

Sri Shiva: “The devotee whose heart is pure is not agitated by external objects, and does not fall asleep during worship. Thus being blessed by Bhakti-devi herself, certainly one will easily see Krishna’s pastimes and beauty.” 59

Sri Visvanatha Cakravartipada: “O Sri Krishna! From association with your devotees, the heart becomes especially pure (vishuddham). With a pure heart, one can realize your form, pastimes and beauty. The pure heart (chittam) is described. It is not agitated by external objects nor subject to drowsiness.”

“The reason is that it has been purified by bhakti. Sleep and agitation are caused by nama-aparadha which are offenses to bhakti. When offenses disappear Bhakti-devi becomes pleased and gives mercy. Then there will be no agitation or sleep while doing bhakti. When the heart is pure, one will be able to meditate and see your pastimes and beauty.”

Concluding his “Rudra Gita”, Sri Shiva advises the Pracetas:

tam -evatmanam -atma-stham
sarva-bhuteshv -avasthitam
pujayadhvam –grnantash -ca
dhyayantash –ca -sakrd -dharim

Srila Prabhupada translation: “Therefore, O sons of the King, Bhagavan Sri Hari is situated in everyone’s heart. He is also within your hearts. Therefore, chant the glories of Sri Krishna and always meditate upon Krishna continuously.”

Srila Prabhupada purport: The word asakrt is significant, for it means not just for a few minutes but continuously. That is the instruction given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, kirtaniyah –sada –hari. The holy name of the Krishna should be chanted twenty-four hours daily.

“Because the princes [Pracetas] were ready to enter into some severe austerity in order to worship Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Sri Shiva advised them to constantly chant and meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is significant that Sri Shiva personally offered his prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead just as he was taught by his father, Sri Brahma.

“One can search out Bhagavan Sri Krishna very easily within one’s heart, for Krishna is situated in every living entity’s heart. Anyone can sit down anywhere and simply chant the holy names of Krishna.”

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Rudra Gita ki jai! Sri Shiva ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!