LORD Shiva'S HIGHEST BENEDICTION

Lord Shiva eternally resides in Lord Krishna’s abode, Vrindavana, where he manifests many forms to render devotional services to Him. The form of Gopishvara Mahadeva was manifested by Lord Krishna’s desire. When Krishna desired to perform His Rasa dance, Srimati Radhika, the embodiment of His pleasure potency, manifested from His left side and Gopishvara Mahadeva manifested from His right side. The form of Shiva who lives in Kashi or Kailash in the material world is a partial manifestation of the original SadaShiva in Vrindavana. The many other commonly worshiped forms of Lord Shiva are expansions of SadaShiva. They are not the original. Partial expansions such as Pippaleshvara Mahadeva, Bhuteshvara Mahadeva, Rangeshvara Mahadeva and so on, cannot award the benediction that can be attained by the mercy of Gopishvara - the highest perfection of love, namely Vraja-Prema.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has composed a prayer in his Vraja-vilasa-stava: 

muda gopendrasyatmaja bhuja parisranga nidhaye
sphurad gopirvrndair yam iha bhagavatam pranayibhih
bhajadbhistair bhaktyas vamabhilasitam praptam acirad
yamitire gopisvaram anudinam tam kila bhaje 

'I daily worship Gopishvara Mahadeva, who is situated on the bank of Yamuna. That very Gopishvara was worshipped with deep devotion by the Gopis, and he quickly fulfilled their desire to attain a supremely precious jewel in the form of the embrace of the son of Nanda Maharaja [Krishna].'

Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the great Vaishnava saint who resided in Vrindavana near the old Sri Madana-Mohana temple, would go daily to see Sri Gopishvara Mahadeva at his temple. Once, in his older years, Sanatana Gosvami had a dream wherein Gopishvara Mahadeva appeared and instructed him: "Now that you are old, please do not go through so much trouble to see me." Sanatana Gosvami replied, "I will continue to come. I cannot change this habit." Gopishvara Mahadeva said, "Then I will come and stay very near to your residence, manifesting in Bankhandi" The very next day, Sri Gopishvara Mahadeva appeared in Bankhandi, halfway between his original temple and Srila Sanatana Gosvami's residence. Seeing this, Sanatana Gosvami became overwhelmed with transcendental ecstasy, and from that day on he visited Bankhandi Mahadeva every day.

Wherever he was, Srila Sanatana Gosvami could not live without his beloved Lord Shiva - Gopishvara Mahadeva and Bankhandi Mahadeva in Vrindavana, and Kameshvara Mahadeva in Kamyavana forest. In Govardhana he would stay near his very dear friend, Cakreshvara Mahadeva, who acquired the name when he served Govardhana Hill and the Vrajavasis by holding up his trident like a Chakra, protecting them from the torrential deluge sent by King Indra. Prior to this, Lord Shiva, had asked Sri Krishna for the boon to witness His childhood pastimes. Krishna ordered him to situate himself in Nandagaon in the form of a hill. Shiva followed this order and became Nandishvara Hill, and he thus became known as Nandishvara. (Lord Brahma became Brahma-parvata, the mountain in Srimati Radhika's birthplace, Varshana. Because Brahma is so near to Radhika, he is also our Gurudeva.)

We honour Lord Shiva as a great Vaishnava and as Guru. We do not worship him separately. We observe Shiva-ratri, Lord Shiva's appearance day, and we glorify him in connection to his relationship with Sri Krishna. Srila Sanatana Gosvami has written in his Hari-Bhakti-vilasa that all Vaishnavas should observe Shiva-caturdasi (Shiva-ratri). Lord Shiva in whom all good qualities reside, should certainly be honoured by the observance of this day.

We offer obeisance to Lord Shiva with prayers like this:

vrindavanavani-pate! jaya soma soma-maule
sanaka-sanandana-sanatana-naradedya
gopisvara! vraja-vilasi-yuganghri-padme
prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namas te

(Sankalpa-kalpadruma 103)

'O Gatekeeper of Vrindavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worship able by the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopishvara! Desiring that you bestow upon me prema for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha- Madhava, who perform joyous pastimes in Vraja- Dhama, I offer obeisance’s unto you time and again.'

From the small book "Siva Tattva" - ISBN #81-86737-74-X, Gaudiya Vedanta Publications 2005