Footsteps of Lord Siva

Expressions researched:
"footsteps of Lord siva" |"follow siva"

SB Canto 8

Bali Mahārāja, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord's lotus feet

SB 8.18.28, Translation: Lord Śiva, the best of demigods, who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon, receives on his head with great devotion the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Viṣṇu. Being aware of religious principles, Bali Mahārāja knew this. Consequently, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord's lotus feet.

Bali Mahārāja, who perfectly knew all religious principles, therefore took that water on his head, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva

SB 8.18.28, Purport: Lord Śiva is known as Gaṅgā-dhara, or one who carries the water of the Ganges on his head. On Lord Śiva's forehead is the emblem of the half-moon, yet to give supreme respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śiva placed the water of the Ganges above this emblem. This example should be followed by everyone, or at least by every devotee, because Lord Śiva is one of the mahājanas. Similarly, Mahārāja Bali also later became a mahājana. One mahājana follows another mahājana, and by following the paramparā system of mahājana activities one can become advanced in spiritual consciousness. The water of the Ganges is sanctified because it emanates from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu. Bali Mahārāja washed the lotus feet of Vāmanadeva, and the water with which he did so became equal to the Ganges. Bali Mahārāja, who perfectly knew all religious principles, therefore took that water on his head, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

They cannot follow the footsteps of Lord Śiva that he is the greatest devotee, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa. That is not their business, to follow. But they are very much eager to follow the footsteps of Lord Śiva for smoking gāñjā

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971: Here it is also stated that rakṣanti. Rakṣanti. Rakṣanti means protect. What is the business? The rakṣanti. From where? Parebhyaḥ, from the hands of the enemies. Kṛṣṇa is able. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can protect Himself. Just like when Kṛṣṇa was a child on the lap of His mother, the Pūtanā came to attack by policy to poison the child. But Kṛṣṇa was so able that He agreed to suck the breast of the Pūtanā smeared with poison. But we should not imitate that. Unconsciously, somebody gives poison. That is... Kṛṣṇa protects. But we should not imitate. Kṛṣṇa can eat any amount of poison. Even Kṛṣṇa's greatest devotee, Lord Śiva, he can also drink any amount of poison. But the rascals, fools, they think that "Lord Śiva smokes gāñjā and he can drink the ocean of poison. So let us also try to follow the footsteps of Lord Śiva by smoking gāñjā." They cannot follow the footsteps of Lord Śiva that he is the greatest devotee, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa. That is not their business, to follow. But they are very much eager to follow the footsteps of Lord Śiva for smoking gāñjā. But they do not know that Śiva, Lord Śiva, can drink an ocean of poison and he can keep it just here. He does not allow it go to the stomach. That is his power. He cannot... He does not allow the poison. Therefore His another name is Nīlakaṇṭha, Nīlakaṇṭha, Nīlakaṇṭha, because he keeps the poison here, kaṇṭha. It is called? Throat. Because he keeps the poison just on the door of the throat, he does not... That is Lord Śiva. Just like there are many fools who try to imitate Kṛṣṇa for performing the rāsa-līlā with women. But they cannot imitate Kṛṣṇa for killing Pūtanā, Aghāsura, Bakāsura, or lifting the Govardhana. That they do not follow. That is very difficult for them. The rascals, they take easily.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Is that the way you would see it then, that those that follow Śiva are after more material gain?

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prof. Hopkins: What about those who would worship Śiva?

Prabhupāda: Śiva is just like milk and yogurt. The yogurt is milk but it is not milk.

Prof. Hopkins: In another form then. So, ah...

Prabhupāda: You will not derive the benefit of milk from yogurt.

Prof. Hopkins: But do you get benefits?

Prabhupāda: Benefit there must.

Prof. Hopkins: Benefits there are but not the same.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Lord Śiva means you get material opulence but not salvation.

Prof. Hopkins: So you would see Śiva as more related to material.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Prof. Hopkins: There is a passage in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I forget where, where Viṣṇu is asked "Why is it that the followers of the ascetic Śiva are all wealthy and prosperous people and the followers of You who are the Lord of the universe are all poor?" Is that the way you would see it then, that those that follow Śiva are after more material gain?

Prabhupāda: More material gain means you become more implicated.

Prof. Hopkins: More what?

Prabhupāda: Implicated. Our problem is birth and death, old age and disease. [break] ...this birth, death, old age and disease. For them, liberation, the ultimate liberation is to transfer oneself to the spiritual world.

Prof. Hopkins: So you see... You see a clear difference there between those who follow the Vaiṣṇava tradition, which is less worldly, more spiritual...

Prabhupāda: That is the ultimate goal of life. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. People do not know what is his self-interest. The self-interest is to approach Viṣṇu.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They neither follow Śiva nor Kṛṣṇa. They are impersonalists. Their idea is the Absolute Truth is imperson. You can worship Him either as Śiva or as Kṛṣṇa, as you like. That is their philosophy

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Indian man: Muktananda. And he has got his retreat, and some of our people go there, and I heard from them that he is teaching... He is quoting Gītā, but if you go to his room, oṁ namaḥ śivāya. I said, "This is contradiction." I said, "If he is a Śiva follower, he should teach Śiva Purāṇa and not Gītā." I said...

Prabhupāda: But they are actually impersonalists. They neither follow Śiva nor Kṛṣṇa. They are impersonalists. Their idea is the Absolute Truth is imperson. You can worship Him either as Śiva or as Kṛṣṇa, as you like. That is their philosophy. Yes.

Indian man: Yes. But this is the height of hypocrisy, to teach Gītā and to chant oṁ namaḥ śivāya.

Prabhupāda: No, because they say, "Either way, you become impersonal at the end. You Brahma-liṅga;(?) you become one with Brahma. But before you become Brahma-liṅga, you can imagine some form, either Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu or Śiva or Durgā, the same thing."