In the story of Bhrgu Muni, you know how Bhrgu Muni was sent by the sages to test who is the greatest amongst Brahma, Visnu and Siva. And in this regard Srila Prabhupada explains one’s greatness has to be estimated by one’s ability to tolerate provoking situations. That is greatness! One’s greatness has to be estimated by one’s ability to tolerate provoking situations. Provoking situations of temptations into lust, temptations into anger, temptations into false pride, it is very difficult.
So he offended Brahma and Brahma became angry and then he offended Siva, his own brother. Siva came to greet him, to embrace him. He said, “Don’t touch me you filthy person. Look at people you associate with, look at the clothes you wear, look at the snakes on your body and all the ashes. Don’t contaminate me.” And Siva understanding he became very upset and picked up his trident and ready to punish him, Parvati stopped him.
Then Lord Visnu he came, ran right up to Him and kicked Him in the chest and Lord Visnu after being kicked on the chest, He very humbly put Bhrigu Muni on His seat, His own seat and massaged his feet and said, “I am sorry My chest is so hard and your feet are so soft. Let me massag then and make them feel very nice. Please forgive Me for having such a hard chest.”
Now according to Lord Caitanya in Sri Caitanya Bhagavat He describes that Lord Siva is actually beyond all this. However, he purposly acted in this way angry because he wanted the whole world to know that Visnu is supreme. He wanted the world to worship Visnu and to take a subordinate position. This is his role as a Vaisnava. So Lord Siva takes the role of a demigod although he is actually beyond all the demigods. It is explained here by Lord Brahma himself that he is the Lord of the cosmic manifestation. But he takes the role of demigod and in the role of demigod; if you give a demigod certain worship they are bound to give you something in return. It is like a contract. That is what demigods are about.
Vrkasura, Vrkasura was chopping off his flesh and putting it in the fire and chanting Siva’s names and Siva ‘God, what a nonsense person this is. He knew his heart. He was a demon, a rascal, wanted violence but still as a demigod he has to give him what he wants because he is doing the proper method. So ultimately he was about to put his head in the fire and Lord Siva came and said, “What do you want?” “Give me the benediction that whoever’s head I touch will crack into thousands of pieces.” “So be it.” Then he went to touch Lord Siva’s head. What kind of devotion is that? It is not unconditional love. He wanted Parvati and Siva had to run away because he had to maintain his position as a demigod.
So those who worship Siva as a demigod for material benediction, they are less intelligent. Their mentality is condemned in Bhagavad-gita. However, those who worship Siva to attain pure unalloyed devotion to Krishna, which is the ultimate benediction, the only benediction that Siva wants to give anyone. They are great Vaisnavas and that is why even Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu went to Siva’s temples and worshipped him, not for material benediction. They were not worshipping him in the role of demigod, they were worshipping him in the role of the Lord who had appeared as a pure Vaisnava begging for the blessing of pure uncontaminated service to Radha and Krishna.
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