Hare Krishna,
Vaishnava Sastras states Krishna to be the cause of all causes. Shaivite Sastras states Shiva to be the cause of all causes. Why such contradiction ?
I am aware of the catagorization of sastras.
We find the names of the 18 puranas and their classification into Satvika, Rajasa and Tamasa in Padmapurana Uttarakhanda 235 Adhyaya.
Satvika Puranas:
वैष्णवं नारदीयं च तथा भागवतं शुभम् ।
गारुडं च तथा पाद्मं वाराहं शुभदर्शने ।
सात्विकानि पुराणानि विज्ञेयानि शुभानि वै ।।
Vishnu Purana,Naradiya Puran,Padma Purana,Garuda Purana,Varaha Purana,Srimad Bhagavata Maha Purana
Rajasa Puranas:
ब्रह्माण्डं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं मार्कण्डेयं तथैव च ।
भविष्यं वामनं ब्राह्मं राजसानि निबोधत ।।
Brahmanda Purana,Brahmavaivarta,Markandeya Purana,Bhavishya Purana,Vamana Purana,Brahma Purana
Tamasa Puranas :
मात्सयं कौर्मं तथा लैङ्गम् शैवं स्कान्दं तथैव च ।
आग्नेयं च षडेतानि तामसानि निबोधत ।।
Matsya Purana,Kurma Purana,Linga Purana,Shiva Purana,Skanda Purana,Agni Purana
सात्विका मोक्षदाः प्रोक्ताः राजसा सर्वदा अशुभाः ।
तथैव तामसा देवि निरयप्राप्तिहेतवः ।।
प.पु. उत्तर 236.21
Among these puranas Satvika Puranas lead one to liberation, Rajasa do not cause good and tamasa puranas lead one to hell.
But the absolute truth is transdental to these three modes and is one under all circumstances.
So why there is contradiction ?
It causes people to be confussed and ultimately come to conclusion that all paths lead to same.
How they will believe in Padma Purana when it is a Vaishnava text while shaivite text says Shiva is origin. Those texts also say personification of Shiva is the Tamashik maniffestation of impersonal Shiva.
Replies
There is nothing called Shaiva Sastra or Vaishnava Shastra. Only Vedas and Upanishads should be used as the pramanas or proofs for any statement.
In this context, if you refer to Narayana Upanishad, it is clear that Lord Narayana (Krishna) is the only Supreme Lord.
näräyanäd - brahmä jäyate| näräyanäd - rudro jäyate|
From Narayana came Brahma. From Narayana emerged Rudra.
They are sustained by Narayana and they also merge in Narayana ultimately.
na dviteeyosti kaschit | He is the Lord without a second (meaning there is no one equal to Him).
Just like Vishnu tatva, Shiva tatva if whole another study.
Lord Shiva has 16 aspects of Him, 15 of which bind you to the material world. One must not worship these forms if you want to go to the spiritual planets.
We worship the 16th form Sada Shiv who is Eternal in the spiritual world.
If Shiva purana is referring to Sada Shiva as eternal, there is no disagreement.
Ramanuja said that Vishnu is the cause of all causes. We all know that according to Bhagavatam, every Universe has its own Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and that all these Universes are emanating from the pores of MahaVishnu who is lying in the causal ocean.
So why did Ramanuja say that His Lord, Vishnu as the supreme personality of Godhead?
This was done in Love for Lord Vishnu. In reality Krishna, Vishnu and MahaVishu are the same. He is ALL, beginning, middle and end.
Prabhupada said that if you want to know something, you must go to the authority. If a person wants to know who his father is, you ask your mother. Once she say, so and so is your father, end of the story, you just accept it. That is called authority.
Same way, if you want to know who the supreme lord is, then we go to the creator Brahma.
Brahma says "Govindam Aadipurusham", Krishnastu Bhagavanu Swayam.
So we accept Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead.
You may find in many places in Shiva Purana, that mentions were made that Shiva is Supreme by the devotees of Lord Shiva. They have only done this out of Love for the greatest Vaishnava, Shiva, who is also param guru to all.
Shiva, who resides in Kailash on the Earth took birth from the brow of Lord Brahma, when Brahma became uncontrollably angry when His 4 Kumaras disobeyed Him, unwilling to procreate on Bhahmas orders.
So it is clear that Brahma created Shiva on the Earth.
Hare Krishna, prabhu !!!
There is no contradiction here, the process is very pragmatic. Now we never expected that we would have to read piles of dictionary like books when we were in nursery. We only studied alphabets, sentences and numbers but not grammar or simplifications because lacked the maturity and iq level to do all these. Similarly the atheists and demons who are spiritually immature can never appreciate the supremacy of Krishna. They try to give their own version of interpretation to ignore the supremacy of Krishna just as the Mayavadis do. So just to stop them from doing this, Vyasa composed these puranas( exclusively for them) so that after reading them,take for example Shiva Purana, by the mercy of Shiva who is the greatest Vaishnava, they will be able to understand as well as appreciate Krishna's supremacy. It is like approaching the king through the aid of minister. The Vaishnavas directly approach the king and the less intelligent men are guided by Lord's favourite ministers like Shiva and Bramha to approach Krishna, but the goal is same and the process is systematic rather than whimsical. Those puranas that hold certain demigods to be Supreme may apparently seem to contradict the verdict of the shrutis but it actually shows the mercy of Lord in his incarnation as Vyas. The demigods are devotees of gods and when the less intelligent atheists read them(the tamasik and rajasik puranas), the demigods give them the intelligence to understand Krishna's supremacy and after receiving intelligence the atheists will be spiritually promoted to the standard when they will be able to appreciate the sattvic scriptures.
Your aspiring servant,
Hari bol !!
THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH. part 1.
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...
THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH. part 2.
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...
It is true there are many books. and many of them now are considered as shastras. Here also we have to use our intelligence and find really saintly people and inquire from them. If Shivaits are saying that Lord Shiva is the source of everything that we have to observe them if they themselves are pure in heart.
If they follow at least 4 regulative principles, eat only Prasadam, wake up in Brahma Muhurta, if they are free from anger, lust, envy, greed, illusion, ignorance...if they are humble, tolerant, respectful to others and do not wait for respect to themselves.
If we do not find such like qualities in them then FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE TO THEM??? IT IS ONLY LIE. WHATEVER THEY TELL IS NOTHING BUT A LIE ;(
Your servant,
mataji, would you be kind enough to remove the computer add image, or make it small so it doesnt look like Iskcon desire tree is running these massive ads.
very well Said Prabhuji..... There is No contradiction in My mind both are Supreme :)