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Thread: Lord Shiva

  1. #1
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    Lord Shiva

    Namaste,

    As per Gaudiya Vaishnavism, mother Parvathi or Durga is mahamaya. Other name being 'Poornamaasi'. That is, she is the personification of maya inherent in all born humans, and thus she rules, grants and redeems this delusional maya-factor from those who strive for spiritual ascension. This is how GAudiyas view mother Parvathi to be. Gaudiya shastras describe mother Parvathi to be this Mahamaya.

    Coming to what can be interpreted out of the above statements: We have always heard of Prakrithi and Purusha, the cosmic pair responsible for all creation. If mother Parvathi becomes Maya or Prakrithi, then Lord Shiva has to be purusha, the primeval being from whom everything emanated. May be, that is why he rules destruction as per the role assigned to the Trimurthis, as he then becomes the Lord of all created beings.

    To me, this explanation has made ultimate sense so far.... To me, Krishna the swayam-bhagawan marks the ultimate state an enlightened being attains - the blissful and perfected state. While Shiva personifies Purusha from whom all things emanated, but not necessarily a personification of the spiritual state we should aim for.

    This description explains to me the role of Lord Shiva in Gaudiya Vaishnavism where Shiva is deemed someone very important but nonetheless holds a secondary position to Krishna. But he is someone not to be neglected.

    Going by description of mother Mahamaya being Durga/Parvathi, this explanation makes sense to me.

    Thanks. Pranam.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Lord Shiva

    Hello Vraja,

    How are you? Interesting and wondering from where you got this "Mother Parvathi is Mahamaya" understanding and can you please share the sources?
    I will be keen to know as my understanding and also based on the "Expansion of Vishnu Tattva" along with the consorts - does not give such idea. So, please share.

    Thank you
    Hare Krshna

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    Re: Lord Shiva

    Quote Originally Posted by grames View Post
    Hello Vraja,

    How are you? Interesting and wondering from where you got this "Mother Parvathi is Mahamaya" understanding and can you please share the sources?
    I will be keen to know as my understanding and also based on the "Expansion of Vishnu Tattva" along with the consorts - does not give such idea. So, please share.

    Thank you
    Hare Krshna
    Namaste Grames ji,

    I am not sure if you are familiar with ISKCON guru and scholar Indradyumna Swami Maharaja. He has spent years studying at the Brindavan research lab/library and has a website running under his name with more than 2000 videos on everything Krishna-related.

    In one of his lectures - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmQP0E0ATFY - he discusses how according to ISKCON/Gaudiya principles, Mother Parvathi is Poornamaasi or Mahamaya.

    I have again heard that acc. to Gaudiya scriptures Mother Parvathi is Mahamaya, when listening to the discourses of I believe of Jagadhananda Jps, esteemed ISKCON religious speaker. There is one video wherein he clearly states about this role of Mother Parvathi and also goes on to say how Subadra, sister of Jagannatha, is "Yogamaya" and Mother Parvathi is "Mahamaya".

    Also Krishna's birth and exchange with Durga, Gaudiyas and also all forms of Vaishnavas, claim Durga to be "mahamaya" but I am not asking to place importance to this point, as you want specifically 'Gaudiya' sources.

    Now, coming to your comments, I am very curious to learn your understanding, with sources if possible, about "Expansion of Vishnu tattwa" along with consorts. (Hopefully they are also Gaudiya principles.)

    Thanks and regards,

    Viraja.

    PS: Even sage Kanchi Paramacharya asserts Mother Parvathi is Mahamaya in one of his short Tamil speeches, but that should not be relevant here as he is not a Gaudiya. But just citing this as the point he makes is the same.
    Last edited by Viraja; 30 August 2022 at 02:29 PM.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Lord Shiva

    Namaskar.

    Quote Originally Posted by Viraja View Post
    This description explains to me the role of Lord Shiva in Gaudiya Vaishnavism where Shiva is deemed someone very important but nonetheless holds a secondary position to Krishna. But he is someone not to be neglected.
    Just as the Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Śambhu [Śiva] the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest of all Purāṇas.(Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.16)

    Pranam.

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    Re: Lord Shiva

    Quote Originally Posted by orlando View Post
    Namaskar.



    Just as the Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Śambhu [Śiva] the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest of all Purāṇas.(Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.16)

    Pranam.
    Namaste,

    Thanks Orlando.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Lord Shiva - Align the consorts to the deities here.


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    Re: Lord Shiva - Align the consorts to the deities here.

    Namaste Grames ji

    Thanks for the expansion diagram of Krishna. But I am not sure what way that diagram is relevant to this post.

    To the reader, the OP is a speculative post, but based on facts.

    The facts are that according to Gaudiya principles,

    i) Mother Parvathi is regarded as Mahamaya or Pournamasi. I had furnished on video of Indradyumna Swami Maharaja speaking about this fact.

    ii) Lord Shiva is worshiped as the all-important Gopeshwara by Gaudiyas. He is seen as one of the 5 deities who grant residence in Vraja (Goloka Vrindavana). https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/posts/pfbid0TQZTxkwQb62x7LEJx3K6rCw8WqSytMMScVcunMnMmkMWk9RCWYCHU5dbyb6m4Aoal

    Therefore, speculating on the above facts, I am inclined to think Lord Shiva must be purusha if Parvathi is Mahamaya or Prakruthi.

    Thanks and regards,

    Viraja
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Lord Shiva - Align the consorts to the deities here.

    Namaste Vraja,

    My responses are to make sure, we aren't seeing Gaudiyas through the lens of Shaiva's faith and fundamentals but rather the tenets of Vaishavaism. So, Lord Shiva of Shaiva's faith is not the same as Lord Shiva or Gopeswara of Gaudiyas. They aren't one and the same and with that understanding, it will be clear that the expansion of Srimati Radharani in the same hierarchy as Lord Krishna leads to better understanding. The personification of "Maya" is also not the best way to understand these concepts - the easiest way to understand Yoga Maya is, its Krishna's internal potency, and MahaMaya is Krishna's external potency - understood and associated with Srimati Radharani as internal potency and Sri Durga as external potency. ( Again, this should not be understood even remotely as Ma Parvathi of Shaiva lineages or philosophies)

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    Re: Lord Shiva - Align the consorts to the deities here.

    Ok. Got it, grames ji. Thank you.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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