Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Srivaishnava relation to Shiva

From the Bhakti List Archives

Tatachar • October 12, 1995 


Eswar asked:
>>what is our relationship we want to maintain wiht Lord Siva?<<

Basically nothing more than a cultural curiosity or interest. There is no
need to worship Shiva for a Srivaishnava. At the same time disrespect to
Shiva is not called for either. The Lord himself says in the Gita "Rudranam
Shankarah cha asmi".  We can study as much as we want o about Shiva, chant
Shiva sahasranamam, or Rudram, go to a Shiva temple if we wish-but our
association here is nothing more than that of the Christians or other
non-Hindus who do research on Hindu scriptures and visit Hindu shrines.
Another anology may be the way the Muslims of Pakistan watched Ramayan and
Mahabharat TV shows. 
Ramanujacharya was threatend by a Chola King to accept Shiva as the supremo.
This enforcement may have eventually led to the  aversion of followers of
Ramanujacharya to Shiva. In the absence of such a force, there is nothing
wrong for us to show a casual interest in Shiva if we so wish. 
K. Sreekrishna