I know that this thread may offense many people, and may anger many more.
What I have observed is that there is a lot of Shiva Dwesha. Some people consider Shiva lesser than human bhaktas. I am quiet regular at Yahoo Answers, and there I have seen many Wise people who have high knowledge and still there they are with their own little understanding of Divinity.
There I found people who claim that Shiva has 86% Vishnu's qualities, and he is nothing but a humble soul living on mercy of Vishnu. Whew! What a foolish thought!
Some people quiet literally take Krishna's statement "Surrender to me" in Bhagavad Gita. They feel that one should worship Krishna only, as Krishna said it. And worshiping other deities is not good. Why don't we understand that Krishna said that "One should surrender to God who is manifested in many forms, who is the self of all, and ruler of universe"
Shiva is compared to Yogurt and Vishnu to Milk. And some people are even claiming that Shiva cannot grant Moksha and Krishna alone can do it. Foolish!
Isn't it our religion that accepted all the faiths as valid? Then, why this shunning of others beliefs by some people? Why can't we understand that Ishwara(Brahman with qualities) is the one who is Vishnu or Brahman or Shiva? That which some call Narayana is called by others as ParamaShiva and by some others as Brahman. We claim that one Source exclusively belonging to our sects and religions! What a wrong thing to do!
Na Deva Pundareekaksho Na Cha Deva Trilochana
Na Devo Deharupihi Na Deva Chittarupadruk
Akrutrimam Anadyantam Devanam Deva Ucchyate.
The Lotus–eyed (Vishnu) is not the Deity. The tree-eyed (Shiva) is also not the Deity. For, the Deity is not incarnate in the body; nor is the Deity of the form of the mind. The splendour which is not artificial and which is without beginning and end is called the Deity.
2nd Shloka, (Sanskrit shloka is not given):
For those who have not known the essential nature of the deity, the worship of the form and the like has been prescribed. To one who is incapable of (travelling) a distance of one Yojana (eight miles) a distance of one kosa (two miles) have been prescribed.
-------------------------------------------Yoga Vashistam
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