Why most important characters in Mahabharata did worship Lord Siva?

Wow a lot of questions! Thank you for asking. I will try my best to answer them

1. Why most important characters (eg. Gandhari and many more) in Mahabharata did worship Lord Siva?

Gandhari was the primary Shiva-Bhaktini in the Mahabharat. But there are quite a few occasions in the Mahabharata where it describes the worship of Lord Shiva or any other demigod. For example, Lord Krsna advised Arjuna to seek out Lord Shiva for the Pasupatra-astra and to secure his blessings too. It's just Krsna's way of reciprocating with his devotees. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet out of his causeless mercy and love towards his devotees (the foremost being Lord Shiva), He often acts in such a way to bring glory to his devotees. This also ties in with your first question Sharangat Prabhu. And your second question too.

2. How Gandhari could curse Lord Krsna? What was her power that she could curse even Shri Krsna? Why Krsna accept that gracefully ?

No one can curse the Lord or his devotees, but they are so kind that they happily accept it.

The Yadus were the most powerful clan in the world, thus their destruction before returning to Goloka was necessary (otherwise Krishna himself appearing to rid the burden of Mother Bhoomi would be sort of pointless). Thus, he accepted the curse. Could he have easily nullified the curse, yes. But he doesn't because it's not Krishna's nature to get angry when people who do these things towards him (first time offenders or hundredth time offender). He smiles and accepts whatever offering you give, be it a curse, blessing, food, love, etc. [of course the opposite is the case when someone hurts His devotees and we learn this from the story of Prahlad Maharaj). And to add, Samba (one of Krishna's sons) was also cursed by the Rshi Munis that Samba will give birth to an iron (rod?) that will bring about the destruction of the clan. Again, Krishna accepts because He must rid the world of the burden of the Yadus

No one can really curse God, but he accepts it because we're all his servants one way or another. For example, Narada Muni cursed Lord Vishnu to be separated from his wife (which took effect during the Rama Avatar). Could Lord Vishnu have nullified it, yes. Why? Only Lord Vishnu knows, but we can realize that it's one way of honoring his devotee's wish. And there are infinite examples of such pastimes where Lord Vishnu / Lord Krishna act in such a way to please their devotees.

On to Sharanagat Prabhu's questions:

How could Krishna die of being stuck by an arrow?

Krishna never dies (this by the way is also offensive, since as Vaishnavas we cannot say the Lord "dies" because that implies the Lord is material like us which is a great offense ;) ). But He has mystical ways of coming and leaving this world. In the Rama Avatar, Lord Rama shot the monkey Vali behind some trees or bushes and to set an example Krishna decided to leave the world by fulfilling the "karma". Of course Krsna is beyond Karma, but every incarnation of Krsna is to set some example. When Krsna descended to this material world, one of His purposes was to reestablish the principle of religion, thus Krsna always sets an example. In that case, no one can escape the karmic reactions (again keep in mind Krsna is setting an example; he himself is beyond that). It is also said that the hunter who shot the arrow was Vali reborn...

And to answer your last question on Krsna marrying the various princesses that Narakasur kidnapped.

"When sixteen thousand girls were kidnapped by the demon Bhaumasura, they prayed to Krsna, and therefore Krsna went to the demon's palace, killed the demon, and delivered all the girls. But according to the strict Vedic system, if an unmarried girl leaves her home even for one night, no one will marry her. Therefore when Krsna told the girls, "Now you can safely return to your fathers' homes," they replied, "Sir, if we return to the homes of our fathers, what will be our fate? No one will marry us, because this man kidnapped us."

"Then what do you want?" Krsna asked. The girls replied, "We want You to become our husband." And Krsna is so kind that He immediately said yes and accepted them.

Now, when Krsna brought the girls back home to His capital city, it is not that each of the sixteen thousand wives had to wait sixteen thousand nights to meet Krsna. Rather, Krsna expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms, constructed sixteen thousand palaces, and lived in each palace with each wife."

Teachings of Queen Kunti, Chapter 12"

Narakasur committed various crimes (kidnapping princess was just one of many. He stole Mother Aditi's earrings, Varun's umbrella, and other terrible crimes). Indra requested Krsna to put an end to this terror. And this is Krsna's purpose - to lesson the burden of Mother Bhoomi.

"....Krsna, at the request of Indra, kills the demon Narakasura, the son of the earth personified, along with the demon's associates, headed by Mura. The earth personified offers prayers to Krsna and returns to Him all the paraphernalia that Narakasura has stolen. Krsna then bestows fearlessness upon the son of Narakasura and marries the sixteen thousand princesses whom the demon kidnapped."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10th Canto Summary

It should also be emphasized that Krishna never intended to marry those princesses, but when they themselves requested Krishna to accept them, he immediately accepted, because this is Krishna's causeless mercy.

Now to answer that last bit: Krsna is the father of the entire creation (aham bijam - the life giving seed is what Krishna says in the Gita). So we can look at Krishna's actions in marrying what we materially would consider as his daughters in law, but that doesn't take us anywhere. Technically, since Krishna is the original and we are his parts and parcels, we are all children of God. So does this mean that wanting to be married to Krishna is incorrect or that experiencing the highest rasa (of conjugal lovers) is incorrect? Nah... relationships with Krishna are completely different from relationships in the material world because our relationships to begin with are different. Krishna is the enjoyer, we are simply the enjoyee.

I think I want to leave it at that and have a more knowledgeable devotee answer your question more accurately.

Please forgive me dear devotees for any offenses I have made and do correct me.

Your servant.

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Radhe October 21, 2013 at 5:38am

Wow a lot of questions! Thank you for asking. I will try my best to answer them

1. Why most important characters (eg. Gandhari and many more) in Mahabharata did worship Lord Siva?

Gandhari was the primary Shiva-Bhaktini in the Mahabharat. But there are quite a few occasions in the Mahabharata where it describes the worship of Lord Shiva or any other demigod. For example, Lord Krsna advised Arjuna to seek out Lord Shiva for the Pasupatra-astra and to secure his blessings too. It's just Krsna's way of reciprocating with his devotees. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet out of his causeless mercy and love towards his devotees (the foremost being Lord Shiva), He often acts in such a way to bring glory to his devotees. This also ties in with your first question Sharangat Prabhu. And your second question too.

2. How Gandhari could curse Lord Krsna? What was her power that she could curse even Shri Krsna? Why Krsna accept that gracefully ?

No one can curse the Lord or his devotees, but they are so kind that they happily accept it.

The Yadus were the most powerful clan in the world, thus their destruction before returning to Goloka was necessary (otherwise Krishna himself appearing to rid the burden of Mother Bhoomi would be sort of pointless). Thus, he accepted the curse. Could he have easily nullified the curse, yes. But he doesn't because it's not Krishna's nature to get angry when people who do these things towards him (first time offenders or hundredth time offender). He smiles and accepts whatever offering you give, be it a curse, blessing, food, love, etc. [of course the opposite is the case when someone hurts His devotees and we learn this from the story of Prahlad Maharaj). And to add, Samba (one of Krishna's sons) was also cursed by the Rshi Munis that Samba will give birth to an iron (rod?) that will bring about the destruction of the clan. Again, Krishna accepts because He must rid the world of the burden of the Yadus

No one can really curse God, but he accepts it because we're all his servants one way or another. For example, Narada Muni cursed Lord Vishnu to be separated from his wife (which took effect during the Rama Avatar). Could Lord Vishnu have nullified it, yes. Why? Only Lord Vishnu knows, but we can realize that it's one way of honoring his devotee's wish. And there are infinite examples of such pastimes where Lord Vishnu / Lord Krishna act in such a way to please their devotees.

On to Sharanagat Prabhu's questions:

How could Krishna die of being stuck by an arrow?

Krishna never dies (this by the way is also offensive, since as Vaishnavas we cannot say the Lord "dies" because that implies the Lord is material like us which is a great offense ;) ). But He has mystical ways of coming and leaving this world. In the Rama Avatar, Lord Rama shot the monkey Vali behind some trees or bushes and to set an example Krishna decided to leave the world by fulfilling the "karma". Of course Krsna is beyond Karma, but every incarnation of Krsna is to set some example. When Krsna descended to this material world, one of His purposes was to reestablish the principle of religion, thus Krsna always sets an example. In that case, no one can escape the karmic reactions (again keep in mind Krsna is setting an example; he himself is beyond that). It is also said that the hunter who shot the arrow was Vali reborn...

And to answer your last question on Krsna marrying the various princesses that Narakasur kidnapped.

"When sixteen thousand girls were kidnapped by the demon Bhaumasura, they prayed to Krsna, and therefore Krsna went to the demon's palace, killed the demon, and delivered all the girls. But according to the strict Vedic system, if an unmarried girl leaves her home even for one night, no one will marry her. Therefore when Krsna told the girls, "Now you can safely return to your fathers' homes," they replied, "Sir, if we return to the homes of our fathers, what will be our fate? No one will marry us, because this man kidnapped us."

"Then what do you want?" Krsna asked. The girls replied, "We want You to become our husband." And Krsna is so kind that He immediately said yes and accepted them.

Now, when Krsna brought the girls back home to His capital city, it is not that each of the sixteen thousand wives had to wait sixteen thousand nights to meet Krsna. Rather, Krsna expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms, constructed sixteen thousand palaces, and lived in each palace with each wife."

Teachings of Queen Kunti, Chapter 12"

Narakasur committed various crimes (kidnapping princess was just one of many. He stole Mother Aditi's earrings, Varun's umbrella, and other terrible crimes). Indra requested Krsna to put an end to this terror. And this is Krsna's purpose - to lesson the burden of Mother Bhoomi.

"....Krsna, at the request of Indra, kills the demon Narakasura, the son of the earth personified, along with the demon's associates, headed by Mura. The earth personified offers prayers to Krsna and returns to Him all the paraphernalia that Narakasura has stolen. Krsna then bestows fearlessness upon the son of Narakasura and marries the sixteen thousand princesses whom the demon kidnapped."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10th Canto Summary

It should also be emphasized that Krishna never intended to marry those princesses, but when they themselves requested Krishna to accept them, he immediately accepted, because this is Krishna's causeless mercy.

Now to answer that last bit: Krsna is the father of the entire creation (aham bijam - the life giving seed is what Krishna says in the Gita). So we can look at Krishna's actions in marrying what we materially would consider as his daughters in law, but that doesn't take us anywhere. Technically, since Krishna is the original and we are his parts and parcels, we are all children of God. So does this mean that wanting to be married to Krishna is incorrect or that experiencing the highest rasa (of conjugal lovers) is incorrect? Nah... relationships with Krishna are completely different from relationships in the material world because our relationships to begin with are different. Krishna is the enjoyer, we are simply the enjoyee.

I think I want to leave it at that and have a more knowledgeable devotee answer your question more accurately.

Please forgive me dear devotees for any offenses I have made and do correct me.

Your servant.
- dhameshvari devi dasi > Radhe November 12, 2013 at 5:41am
  
  HARE KRISHNA ...PRANAM....a job well done Radhe prabhu....very nice explanations with examples.... just to add on, during Yudhisthira Maharaj's Rajasuya ceremony, everyone was assigned with a particular task....For example, Duryodhan was in charge of the feast, Arjun was in charge of welcoming the guests, and Krishna, volunteerly took the duty of washing the feet of the guests.....THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.....that is how humble and merciful He could be..... But can we conclude that since Krishna's washed their feet, they are all superior to Krishna? No way..... Krishna enjoys his devotees being glorified rather than He himself being glorified......and he loves to be engaged in the service of His devotees....
  
  JAI JAGANNATH
Sharanagat October 21, 2013 at 4:01am

Hari Bol!

Same thought came to my mind couple of days back.

Why did Krishna pray Shiv jee to get a son like him (Shiv jee).

Why did Krishna ask Arjuna to pray to Durga Devi for power?

How could Krishna die of being stuck by an arrow?

Also, someone asked me (on Narak Chaturdashi discussion): Narakasur was son of Bhu Devi and Varah Avatar. So he was son of Krishna. In that sense, his wives (princess that he kept forcefully as Rakshash vivah), were Krishna's daughter in law. So how could Krishna kill his own son and marry his own daughter in laws? I feel extremely bad about last question. Please take it first.

Please enlighten.

Your aspiring servant,

Sharanagat

This reply was deleted.