A devotee’s question read by Swami Nikhilanand: A devotee is questioning that in a previous lecture I said it’s nāmaparādh, a spiritual transgression, to think of one name of God being bigger, better, or more important than another name of God. And he’s arguing, giving some quotations from Brahmāsaṁhitā, Gītā, and Bhāgwatam, that Krishna is bigger than God Shiv. Krishna is more important than Shiv Ji.
Swami Nikhilanand Ji’s answer: These quotations are real quotations, of course, and they indicate that Shri Krishna includes the form of Shiv Ji in Himself, which means that He Himself has become Bhagwan Shiv. He Himself is Shiv Ji. So both can be true at the same time that Shri Krishna is Parātpar Brahma, Shri Krishna is Poornatam Purushottam Brahma. He is the absolute Supreme form of God who includes all other forms of God within Him, and He Himself is Swayambhagwan, meaning Supreme God Himself, and He becomes all the other forms of Bhagwan. Just because they look different in appearance than Shri Krishna and behave differently as far as how They reveal their personality and Their Divine powers, nonetheless, They are none other than Shri Krishna. So to think of a form of God as being different, even that is nāmaparādh. That’s a transgression against Shri Krishna to think that Shiv Ji is smaller or less important. Shri Krishna Himself is Shiv Ji. And on top of that, Shiv Ji is the greatest bhakt of Shri Krishna.
निम्नगानां यथा गङ्गा वैष्णवानां यथा शम्भुः ॥
Nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā vaiṣhṇavānāṁ yathā śhambhuḥ.
He is the greatest Vaishnav. Shiv Ji is the greatest devotee of Shri Krishna, and Shri Krishna considers His devotees to be greater than Himself. So even if you look at it from that perspective, disrespect to God Shiv would make Shri Krishna extremely unhappy.
So this is the philosophy behind this. How we have to understand it is that while it is true that Shri Krishna is Supreme God, nonetheless, to think that His other forms are less than Him is an insult to Him, and it’s a grave spiritual transgression. To think that any of His other names are less important is also a spiritual transgression.
So both can be true at the same time: that Shri Krishna is Supreme, but that all His forms are Himself. Therefore, internally, They are one and the same and equal, and all of His names are absolutely blissful. All of His names are the very form of Himself. So to differentiate in that way, thinking that one is bigger and better or more important than another has to be avoided, even though we understand that He Himself gives the supreme form of Divine bliss. That is true. But that doesn’t mean His other forms are less.
This is one of the main reasons that Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj did not promote the idea of sampraday. Sampraday means a lineage—this Guru to this Guru to this Guru on to the present day. People always ask, “What sampraday do you belong to?” because they feel that gives some authenticity to the teachings.
So even within the devotees of Shri Krishna, there are different sampraday: Nimbarkacharya’s sampraday, Haridas Ji’s sampraday, Hithaharivansh’s sampraday, Gaudiya sampraday, Madhvacharya’s sampraday, and the followers of these sampraday up until today. Now, those true Divine Saints whose teachings established that sampraday or took that sampraday future forward. Nowadays the followers quite often use that as a basis for trying to feel superior to other sampradays.
So that’s what’s inherently wrong with this question. Is that the one posing the question has a feeling of self-superiority, that Vaishnavas are greater than Shaivites. Someone who’s worshipping Shri Krishna is correct, and someone who’s worshipping Bhagwan Shiv is ignorant. This is what’s hidden behind the question, and this is exactly why Shree Maharaj Ji did not promote the idea of sampraday because it just promotes more and more of this feeling of self-superiority, which is the exact opposite of devotion. We have to be humble.
So we give full respect to all of Shri Krishna’s forms and all the devotees of all of Shri Krishna’s forms, knowing that many of those devotees may be much greater than we are. That’s how we have to assume.
So to simplify all of this, Shree Maharaj Ji did two things: Number one, He himself didn’t take any Guru. People question why Maharaj Ji didn’t take a Guru. It was so he wouldn’t have to say,
“I belong to this sampradaya or that sampradaya.”
No sampradaya. I am from Shri Krishna sampraday. That’s the second thing he did: he simplified. He said, “Kathopanishad has already told us,
तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति। हीयतेऽर्थाद् य उ प्रेयो वृणीते॥
Tayoḥ shreya ādadānasya sādhu bhavati. Hīyate ‘rthād ya u preyo vṛiṇīte.
There are only two options of how to live your life: you can seek happiness from Supreme God, or you can seek happiness from maya. Those who seek happiness from Supreme God are following the path of shreya, the path that leads to ultimate happiness. And those who follow the path of seeking happiness from maya, they are following the path of preya. So shreya takes you to God, and preya keeps you in maya. There is no third path.
Either you’re going towards God or you’re getting more attached in maya. All of the various Divine sampradays originated from Supreme God anyway, whether it be from Shri Krishna or from Brahma or any other Divine personality. They all come from Supreme God. So when all the sampradays trace back to God originally, why not just say, “I belong to God’s sampraday.” We all come from the same place, “I belong to Shri Krishna’s sampraday.”
And those who aren’t following the path to God are following the mayic sampraday - two sampradays.
So now, all those spiritual religious people who are trying to follow a path to God don’t have to quibble and quarrel with each other. That why are you worshipping that form of God and why are you worshiping in this way? That’s right, that’s wrong.” This is what happens between various sampradays many times.
So to avoid this whole damaging situation that spoils the devotion of the true devotee if they get caught in this type of unnecessary arguing and feelings of self-superiority. Maharaj Ji wiped the whole thing clean. He said “ Don’t worry about what sampraday you belong to, as long as you belong to God’s sampraday.” That’s it.
