vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ
Lord Śiva is the best of all devotees.
निम्नगानां यथा गङ्गा देवानामच्युतो यथा ।
वैष्णवानां यथा शम्भु: पुराणानामिदं तथा ॥ १६ ॥
nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā
devānām acyuto yathā
vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ
purāṇānām idam tathā
Synonyms: nimna–gānām — of rivers flowing down to the sea; yathā — as; gaṅgā — the Ganges; devānām — of all deities; acyutaḥ — the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead; yathā — as; vaiṣṇavānām — of devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; yathā — as; śambhuḥ — Śiva; purāṇānām — of Purāṇas; idam — this; tathā — similarly.
Just as the Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Śambhu [Śiva] the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest of all Purāṇas. (SB 12.13.16)
***
Prabhupāda: No, vaiṣṇavānām yathā śambhuḥ: “Amongst the Vaiṣṇavas, Śaṁbhu, Lord Śiva, is the greatest Vaiṣṇava.” So we worship Lord Śiva as Vaiṣṇava. We gives respect to Vaiṣṇavas. So why not Lord Śiva? Lord Śiva is a big Vaiṣṇava. But generally, the devotees of Lord Śiva, they take Lord Śiva is independent God. That is offensive. If you know that Lord Śiva is also a devotee, you can give more respect to Lord Śiva. Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. (Room Convers. July 9, 1975, Chicago)
One who has developed love for Viṣṇu must develop love and respect for Viṣṇu’s devotees. Lord Śiva is considered the foremost personality amongst the Vaiṣṇavas. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. (SB 4.4.10, Purport)
Lord Śiva is the greatest of all devotees of Lord Viṣṇu. It is stated, vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is the greatest of all devotees of Lord Viṣṇu. In the previous verses, Satī has described that Lord Śiva is always in a transcendental position because he is situated in pure vasudeva. Vasudeva is that state from which Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is born, so Lord Śiva is the greatest devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Satī’s behavior is exemplary because no one should tolerate blasphemy against Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee. (SB 4.4.22, Purport)
Lord Śiva is known as the greatest devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is known as the best of all types of Vaiṣṇavas (vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ). Consequently, Lord Śiva has a Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, the disciplic succession known as the Rudra-sampradāya. Just as there is a Brahma-sampradāya coming directly from Lord Brahmā, the Rudra-sampradāya comes directly from Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is one of the twelve great personalities, as stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [6.3.20] – (SB 4.24.18, Purport)
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
These are twelve great authorities in preaching God consciousness. The name Śambhu means Lord Śiva. His disciplic succession is also known as the Viṣṇu Svāmī-sampradāya, and the current Viṣṇu Svāmī-sampradāya is also known as the Vallabha-sampradāya.
It is said, vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: Lord Śiva is the best of all devotees. Therefore all devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are also devotees of Lord Śiva. In Vṛndāvana there is Lord Śiva’s temple called Gopīśvara. The gopīs used to worship not only Lord Śiva but Kātyāyanī, or Durgā, as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa. (SB 4.24.30, Purport)
Lord Śiva is the ideal husband, not in the sense of riches or sense gratification, but because he is the greatest of all devotees. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ: Śambhu, or Lord Śiva, is the ideal Vaiṣṇava. He constantly meditates upon Lord Rāma and chants Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Lord Śiva has a Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, which is called the Viṣṇu Svāmī-sampradāya. Unmarried girls worship Lord Śiva so that they can expect a husband who is as good a Vaiṣṇava as he. The girls are not taught to select a husband who is very rich or very opulent for material sense gratification; rather, if a girl is fortunate enough to get a husband as good as Lord Śiva in devotional service, then her life becomes perfect. The wife is dependent on the husband, and if the husband is a Vaiṣṇava, then naturally she shares the devotional service of the husband because she renders him service. This reciprocation of service and love between husband and wife is the ideal of a householder’s life. (SB 3.23.1_pp)
Indian man: No, no, we pray Śiva first and then we go to pray Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: So that you do. There is no harm. There is no harm. But you should understand what is Śiva and what is Viṣṇu. If you offer first prayer to Lord Śiva, there is no harm. It is good. He is… Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. He is our spiritual master. He is Vaiṣṇava. Why not offer first respect to him? But if you take Lord Śiva as the Supreme, that is insult. You are giving me respect as spiritual master, but if you give me overestimation, that “You are the king of the whole world,” that is insult. That is insult. That is not prayer. If you offer me prayer as I am befitting, then it is all right. But if you give me prayer for which I am not befitting, that is insult. That is insult. So you must know what is the position of… Lord Śiva is Vaiṣṇava. He is the greatest devotee. He is the number-one demigod, and everything is all right. But if you say that he is the Supreme, then he will feel insulted, that “What is this nonsense saying?” So don’t insult him in that way. That will go against your credit. He doesn’t like that. (Morning Walk – Oct, 5, 1975, Mauritius)
Pamho agtacbsp, mahadeva Siva ratri ki jai, it’s the origin of all mysticism He got His own tattvam as Siva tattvam lord Siva is not a ordinary deva is called mahadeva the greatest of all devata, He is called with many names as asutosh bhutesvara gopesvara it’s Siva sankara mahadeva who pray Sri sankarsana to bind to the material samsara all the envious people and make free all the devotees I see in f-iskcon they don’t speak nicely about lord Siva I said it’s the best devotee and they say no we don’t worship demigod but lord Siva is not a ordinary deva actually they don’t make any spiritual advancement because they disrespect lord Siva when we know that offer Gayatri to Him daily is very important because He is the guru of the material world Jaya Siva sankara mahadeva ki jai Siva ratri ki jai agtacbsp ys haribol
S.B.Canto 4. Ch.7.TEXT 6
from the purport
” Sometimes, of course, it so happens that Lord Siva becomes the best benedictor in
spiritual life. It is said that once a poor brahmana worshipped Lord Siva for a
benediction, and Lord Siva advised the devotee to go see Sanatana Gosvami. The
devotee went to Sanatana Gosvami and informed him that Lord Siva had advised him to
seek out the best benediction for him (Sanatana).Sanatana had a touchstone with
him, which he kept with the garbage. Sanatana Gosvami gave him the touchstone, and
the brahmana was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired
simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left Sanatana, he thought,”If a
touchstone is the best benediction, why has Sanatana Gosvami kept it with the garbage?”
He therefore returned and asked Sanatana Gosvami,” Sir, if this is the best benediction,
why did you keep it with the garbage?” Sanatana Gosvami then informed him,”Actually
this is not the best benediction.But are you prepared to take the best benediction from
me?” The brahmana said,”Yes, sir. Lord Siva has send me to you for the best
benediction.” Then Sanatana Gosvami asked him to throw the touchstone in the water
nearby and than come back. The poor brahmana did so,and when he returned,
Sanatana Gosvami initiated him with the Hare Krsna mantra.Thus by the benediction of
Lord Siva the brahmana got the association of the best devotee of Lord Krsna and was
thus initiated in the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
In 1974 we had the mercy of staying with Srila Prabhupada in the Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari Mandir, after the Mayapur-Vrndavan festival.
We were Srila Prabhupada’s SKP devotees, going out daily with Visnujana Swami around surrounding suburbs, having street Kirtan and inviting all back to hear Srila Prabhupada lecture each evening in the huge pandal and take Maha Prasad. Srila Prabhupada was campaigning against the Nair family to keep Sri Sri Radha Rasbihari’s land. This was of course prior to the opening of Radha Rasbihari’s grand temple in 1978.
I recall one morning while walking with Srila Prabhupada, he went to the Lord Siva Mandir in Juhu and offered obeisance to Lord Siva. I can’t say for certain now, however it’s possible it may have been Siva-Ratri. Srila Prabhupada went in alone and told us to wait outside the Temple, so I can’t say how he offered his respects to Lord Siva.
We were only a small number of devotees there, however if anyone else recalls the incident it would be nice to hear their recollections.
“Srimad-Bhagavatam is supreme among Puranas just as the Ganga is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta [Visnu] the best among deities, and Lord Sambhu [Shiva] the greatest among devotees of Lord Visnu [vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ].” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.16)
Yfs, Balaram das.
Lord Shiva has a position which is very unique and partakes in the Rasa Dance Lila of Lord Krishna in the form of a gopi (Gopishvara Mahadeva) so this is the most elevated position and unique among the demigods.
This Madhurya Rasa position includes all the other Rasa’s also, and is the most intense.
Mudhas and rascals however do not worship Lord Shiva as a vaisnava, they mistakenly believe than his position is higher than Lord Krishna …..which is a great offense! They simply worship Lord Shiva to become materially powerful, so they can lord it over others and gain adoration and distinction for themselves!