Shloka 38
The Pracetās Meet Lord Viṣṇu—Benedictions, Pure Prayer, and the Birth of Dakṣa
वयं तु साक्षाद्भगवन् भवस्य प्रियस्य सख्यु: क्षणसङ्गमेन । सुदुश्चिकित्स्यस्य भवस्य मृत्यो- र्भिषक्तमं त्वाद्य गतिं गता: स्म ॥ ३८ ॥
vayaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavan bhavasya priyasya sakhyuḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgamena suduścikitsyasya bhavasya mṛtyor bhiṣaktamaṁ tvādya gatiṁ gatāḥ sma
يا بهاگفان، ببركة لحظةٍ من الصحبة مع شَمبهو (شيفا)، صديقك الحميم العزيز عليك، نلنا حظّ الوصول إليك. أنت الطبيب الأبرع القادر على شفاء داء السمسارا المستعصي؛ وقد احتمينا بقدميك اللوتسيتين.
It has been said, hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. without taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, one cannot attain relief from the clutches of māyā, the repetition of birth, old age, disease and death. The Pracetās received the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the grace of Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is the supreme devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: the most exalted Vaiṣṇava is Lord Śiva, and those who are actually devotees of Lord Śiva follow Lord Śiva’s advice and take shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. The so-called devotees of Lord Śiva, who are simply after material prosperity, are in a way deceived by Lord Śiva. He does not actually deceive them, because Lord Śiva has no business deceiving people, but because the so-called devotees of Lord Śiva want to be deceived, Lord Śiva, who is very easily pleased, allows them all kinds of material benedictions. These benedictions might ironically result in the destruction of the so-called devotees. For instance, Rāvaṇa took all material benediction from Lord Śiva, but the result was that he was ultimately destroyed with his family, kingdom and everything else because he misused Lord Śiva’s benediction. Because of his material power, he became very proud and puffed up so that he dared kidnap the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. In this way he was ruined. To get material benedictions from Lord Śiva is not difficult, but actually these are not benedictions. The Pracetās received benediction from Lord Śiva, and as a result they attained the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. This is real benediction. The gopīs also worshiped Lord Śiva in Vṛndāvana, and the lord is still staying there as Gopīśvara. The gopīs, however, prayed that Lord Śiva bless them by giving them Lord Kṛṣṇa as their husband. There is no harm in worshiping the demigods, provided that one’s aim is to return home, back to Godhead. Generally people go to the demigods for material benefit, as indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) :
FAQs
This verse teaches that even momentary association (kṣaṇa-saṅga) with the Supreme Lord can grant the highest shelter, because such contact connects one to the cure for saṁsāra.
They compare material existence to a deadly, hard-to-cure disease whose symptom is repeated death; the Lord is called the supreme physician because devotion to Him is the true remedy and refuge.
Seek regular saintly association and intentional time with the Lord through hearing and chanting; even small, sincere contact with bhakti can begin curing anxiety, attachment, and fear rooted in saṁsāra.