Stories from the Siva Purana

Description

The Siva Puräna is especially meant for those in the mode of ignorance. The distinctive feature of the Siva Puräna is that Lord Çiva is portrayed as the Absolute Truth and all others, even Lord Visnu, are said to be his servants. Because this contradicts the version of other Purana, one may doubt how different Purana can say different things. How this is so is nicely understood from this passage found in the book, Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead: Våkäsura happened to meet the great sage Närada and consulted with him as to whom he should approach to achieve quick results from his austerity. He inquired, “Of the three deities, namely Lord Brahmä, Lord Visnu and Lord Siva, who is most quickly satisfied?” Närada could understand the plan of the demon, and he advised him, “You had better worship Lord Siva; then you will quickly get the desired result. Lord Çiva is very quickly satisfied and very quickly dissatisfied also. So you try to satisfy Lord Siva.” Närada also cited instances wherein demons like Rävana and Banasura were enriched with great opulences simply by satisfying Lord Siva with prayers. Because the great sage Närada was aware of the nature of the demon Våkäsura, he did not advise him to approach Visnu or Lord Brahmä. Persons such as Våkäsura, who are situated in the material mode of ignorance, cannot stick to the worship of Visnu.