Lord Krishna and Pashupatha Deeksha-- part-I

Lord Krishna is one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. In Mahabharata , Anushasana Parva, ie., In Book 13, Chapter 15 verses 1 to 51, Lord Krishna explains to Yudistira his association with Rishi Upamanyu. He also explains how he got initiated into Pashupata Diksha and how he obtained the grace of Lord Shiva.

Krishna recounts his fortunate meeting with Rishi Upamanyu. At that time, Upamanyu explains Krishna how he has got the divine grace of Lord Shiva. Inspired by the words of Upamanyu, krishna asks Upamanyu whether he could also obtain the grace of Lord Shiva. The story is continued as follows....

Maha Bharata Book 13, Chapter 15 verses 1 to 51

etān sahasraśaś cānyān samanudhyātavān haraḥ

kasmāt prasādaṃ bhagavān na kuryāt tava mādhava

tvādṛśena hi devānāṃ ślāghanīyaḥ samāgamaḥ

brahmaṇyenānṛśaṃsena śraddadhānena cāpy uta

japyaṃ ca te pradāsyāmi yena drakṣyasi śaṃkaram

"Upamanyu said, 'Without doubt, O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, thou wilt obtain a sight of Mahadeva very soon, even as, O sinless one, I succeeded in obtaining a sight of him. O thou of immeasurable prowess, I see with my spiritual eyes that thou wilt, in the sixth month from this, succeed in obtaining a sight of Mahadeva, O best of all persons. Thou, O foremost of the Yadus, wilt obtain from Maheswara and his spouse, four and twenty boons. I tell thee what is true. Through the grace of that Deity endued with supreme wisdom, the Past, the Future and the Present are known to me. The great Hara has favoured these Rishis numbering by thousands and others as numerous. Why will not the puissant Deity show favour to thee, O Mahadeva? The meeting of the gods is always commendable with one like thee, with one that is devoted to the Brahmanas, with one that is full of compassion and that is full of faith. I shall give thee certain Mantras. Recite them continuously. By this thou art certain to behold Sankara.'

abruvaṃ tam ahaṃ brahmaṃs tvatprasādān mahāmune

drakṣye ditijasaṃghānāṃ mardanaṃ tridaśeśvaram

"The blessed Vishnu continued, 'I then said unto him, O regenerate one, through thy grace, O great ascetic. I shall behold the lord of the deities, that grinder of multitudes of Diti's sons.

dine 'ṣṭame ca vipreṇa dīkṣito 'haṃ yathāvidhi

daṇḍī muṇḍī kuśī cīrī ghṛtākto mekhalī tathā

Eight days, O Bharata, passed there like an hour, all of us being thus occupied with talk on Mahadeva. On the eighth day, I underwent the Diksha (initiation) according to due rites, at the hands of that Brahmana and received the staff from his hands I underwent the prescribed shave. I took up a quantity of Kusa blades in my hand. I wore rags for my vestments. I rubbed my person with ghee. I encircled a cord of Munja grass round my loins

māsam ekaṃ phalāhāro dvitīyaṃ salilāśanaḥ

tṛtīyaṃ ca caturthaṃ ca pañcamaṃ cānilāśanaḥ

For one month I lived on fruits. The second month I subsisted upon water. The third, the fourth and the fifth months I passed, living upon air alone.

Krishna doing Tapas standing on one feet to get Lord Shiva's Darshan

ekapādena tiṣṭhaṃś ca ūrdhvabāhur atandritaḥ

tejaḥ sūryasahasrasya apaśyaṃ divi bhārata

I stood all the while, supporting myself upon one foot and with my arms also raised upwards, and foregoing sleep all the while I then beheld, O Bharata, in the firmament an effulgence that seemed to be as dazzling as that of a thousand Suns combined together.

tasya madhyagataṃ cāpi tejasaḥ pāṇḍunandana

indrāyudhapinaddhāṅgaṃ vidyunmālā gavākṣakam

nīlaśailacaya prakhyaṃ balākā bhūṣitaṃ ghanam

Towards the centre of that effulgence, O son of Pandu, I saw a cloud looking like a mass of blue hills, adorned with rows of cranes, embellished with many a grand rainbow, with flashes of lightning and the thunder-fire looking like eyes set on it.

tam āsthitaś ca bhagavān devyā saha mahādyutiḥ

tapasā tejasā kāntyā dīptayā saha bhāryayā

Within that cloud was the puissant Mahadeva. himself of dazzling splendour, accompanied by his spouse Uma.Verily, the great Deity seemed to shine with his penances, energy, beauty, effulgence,and his dear spouse by his side.

rarāja bhagavāṃs tatra devyā saha maheśvaraḥ

somena sahitaḥ sūryo yathā meghasthitas tathā

The puissant Maheswara, with his spouse by his side, shone in the midst of that cloud. The appearance seemed to be like that of the Sun in the midst of racking clouds with the Moon by his side.

saṃhṛṣṭaromā kaunteya vismayotphullalocanaḥ

apaśyaṃ devasaṃghānāṃ gatim ārtiharaṃ haram

The hair on my body, O son of Kunti, stood on its end, and my eyes expanded with wonder upon beholding Hara, the refuge of all the deities and the dispeller of all their griefs.

Krishna gets the Darshan of Supreme Godhead Lord Shiva

kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ śūlapāṇiṃ; vyāghrājinaṃ jaṭilaṃ daṇḍapāṇim

pinākinaṃ vajriṇaṃ tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭraṃ; śubhāṅgadaṃ vyālayajñopavītam

Mahadeva was adorned with a diadem on his head. He was armed with his Sula. He was clad in a tiger-skin, had matted locks on his head, and bore the staff (of the Sanyasin) in one of his hands. He was armed, besides with his Pinaka and the thunderbolt. His teeth was sharp-pointed. He was decked with an excellent bracelet for the upper arm. His sacred thread was constituted by a snake

divyāṃ mālām urasāneka varṇāṃ; samudvahantaṃ gulpha deśāvalambām

candraṃ yathā pariviṣṭaṃ sasaṃdhyaṃ; varṣātyaye tadvad apaśyam enam

He wore an excellent garland of diversified colours on his bosom, that hung down to his toes. Verily, I beheld him like the exceedingly bright moon of an autumnal evening.

prathamānāṃ gaṇaiś caiva samantāt parivāritam

śaradīva suduṣprekṣyaṃ pariviṣṭaṃ divākaram

Surrounded by diverse clans of spirits and ghosts, he looked like the autumnal Sun difficult of being gazed at for its dazzling brightness

ekādaśa tathā cainaṃ rudrāṇāṃ vṛṣavāhanam

astuvan niyatātmānaḥ karmabhiḥ śubhakarmiṇam

Eleven hundred Rudras stood around that Deity of restrained soul and white deeds, then seated upon his bull. All of them were employed in hymning his praises.

ādityā vasavaḥ sādhyā viśve devās tathāśvinau

viśvābhiḥ stutibhir devaṃ viśvadevaṃ samastuvan

The Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Viswedevas, and the twin Aswins praised that Lord of the universe by uttering the hymns occurring in the scriptures.

śatakratuś ca bhagavān viṣṇuś cāditinandanau

brahmā rathantaraṃ sāma īrayanti bhavāntike

The puissant Indra and his brother Upendra, the two sons of Aditi, and the Grandsire Brahma, all uttered, in the presence of Bhava, the Rathantara Saman.

yogīśvarāḥ subahavo yogadaṃ pitaraṃ gurum

brahmarṣayaś ca sa sutās tathā devarṣayaś ca vai

Innumerable masters of Yoga, all the regenerate Rishis with their children, all the celestial Rishis,

pṛtivī cāntarikṣaṃ ca nakṣatrāṇi grahās tathā

māsārdha māsā ṛtavo rātryaḥ saṃvatsarāḥ kṣaṇāḥ

the goddess Earth, the Sky (between Earth and Heaven), the Constellations, the Planets, the Months, the Fortnights, the Seasons, Night, the Years, the Kshanas,

muhūrtāś ca nimeṣāś ca tathaiva yugaparyayāḥ

divyā rājan namasyanti vidyāḥ sarvā diśas tathā

the Muhurtas, the Nimeshas, the Yugas one after another, all the celestial Sciences and branches of knowledge, and all beings conversant with Truth, were seen bowing down unto that Supreme Preceptor, that great Father, that giver (or origin) of Yoga.

sanatkumāro vedāṃś ca itihāsās tathaiva ca

marīcir aṅgirā atriḥ pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ.

Sanatkumara, the Vedas, the Histories, Marichi, Angiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu,

manavaḥ sapta somaś ca atharvā sa bṛhaspatiḥ

bhṛgur dakṣaḥ kaśyapaś ca vasiṣṭhaḥ kāśya eva ca

the seven Manus, Soma, the Atharvans, and Vrihaspati, Bhrigu, Daksha, Kasyapa, Vasishtha, Kasya,

chandāṃsi dīkṣā yajñāś ca dakṣiṇāḥ pāvako haviḥ

yajñopagāni dravyāṇi mūrtimanti yudhiṣṭhira

the Schandas, Diksha, the Sacrifices, Dakshina, the Sacrificial Fires, the Havis (clarified butter) poured in sacrifices, and all the requisites of the sacrifices, were beheld by me, O Yudhishthira, standing there in their embodied forms.

prajānāṃ patayaḥ sarve saritaḥ pannagā nagāḥ

devānāṃ mātaraḥ sarvā devapatnyaḥ sa kanyakāḥ

All the guardians of the worlds, all the Rivers, all the snakes, the mountains, the celestial Mothers, all the spouses and daughters of the celestials,

sahasrāṇi munīnāṃ ca ayutāny arbudāni ca

namasyanti prabhuṃ śāntaṃ parvatāḥ sāgarā diśaḥ

thousands upon thousands and millions of ascetics, were seen to bow down to that puissant Lord who is the soul of tranquillity. The Mountains, the Oceans, and the Points of the compass also did the same,

gandharvāpsarasaś caiva gītavāditrakovidāḥ

divyatānena gāyantaḥ stuvanti bhavam adbhutam

vidyādharā dānavāś ca guhyakā rākṣasās tathā

the Gandharvas and the Apsaras highly skilled in music, in celestial strains, sang and hymned the praises of Bhava who is full of wonder.The Vidyadharas, the Danavas, the Guhyakas, the Rakshasas,

sarvāṇi caiva bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca

namasyanti mahārāja vān manaḥ karmabhir vibhum

purastād viṣṭhitaḥ śarvo mamāsīt tridaśeśvaraḥ

and all created beings, mobile and immobile, adorned, in thought, word and deed, that puissant Lord.Before me, that Lord of all the gods viz., Sarva, appeared seated in all his glory.

purastād viṣṭhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā mameśānaṃ ca bhārata

sa prajāpatiśakrāntaṃ jagan mām abhyudaikṣata

Seeing that Isana had showed himself to me by being seated in glory before my eyes, the whole universe, with the Grandsire and Sakra, looked at me.

īkṣituṃ ca mahādevaṃ na me śaktir abhūt tadā

tato māma bravīd devaḥ paśya kṛṣṇa vadasva ca

I, however, had not the power to look at Mahadeva. The great Deity then addressed me saying, 'Behold, O Krishna, and speak to me.

śirasā vandite deve devī prītā umābhavat

tato 'ham astuvaṃ sthāṇuṃ stutaṃ brahmādibhiḥ suraiḥ

Thou hast adorned me hundreds and thousands of times. There is no one in the three worlds that is dearer to me than thou.' After I had bowed unto him, his spouse, viz., the goddess Uma, became gratified with me. I then addressed in these words the great God whose praises are hymned by all the deities with the Grandsire Brahma at their head.'

Lord Krishna's Prayer to lord Shiva

namo 'stu te śāśvatasarvayone; brahmādhipaṃ tvām ṛṣayo vadanti

tapaś ca sattvaṃ ca rajas; tamaś ca tvām eva satyaṃ ca vadanti santaḥ

The blessed Vishnu said, 'I saluted Mahadeva, saying,--Salutations to thee, O thou that art the eternal origin of all things. The Rishis say that thou art the Lord of the Vedas. The righteous say that thou art Penance, thou art Sattwa, thou art Rajas, thou art Tamas, and thou art Truth

tvaṃ vai brahmā ca rudraś ca varuṇo 'gnir manur bhavaḥ

dhātā tvaṣṭā vidhātā ca tvaṃ prabhuḥ sarvato mukhaḥ

Thou art Brahma, thou art Rudras, thou art Varuna, thou art Agni, thou art Manu, thou art Bhava, thou art Dhatri, thou art Tashtri, thou art Vidhatri, thou art the puissant Master of all things, and thou art everywhere.

tvatto jātāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca

tvam ādiḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ saṃhāraś ca tvam eva hi

All beings, mobile and immobile, have sprung from thee. This triple world with all its mobile and immobile entities, has been created by thee.

ye cendriyārthāś ca manaś ca kṛtsnaṃ; ye vāyavaḥ sapta tathaiva cāgniḥ

ye vā divisthā devatāś cāpi puṃsāṃ; tasmāt paraṃ tvām ṛṣayo vadanti

The Rishis say that thou art superior to the senses, the mind, the vital breaths, the seven sacrificial fires, all others that have their refuge in the all-pervading Soul, and all the deities that are adored and worthy of adoration.

vedā yajñāś ca somaś ca dakṣiṇā pāvako haviḥ

yajñopagaṃ ca yat kiṃ cid bhagavāṃs tad asaṃśayam

Thou, O illustrious one, art the Vedas, the Sacrifices, Soma, Dakshina, Pavaka, Havi, and all other requisites of sacrifice.

iṣṭaṃ dattam adhītaṃ ca vratāni niyamāś ca ye

hrīḥ kīrtiḥ śrīr dyutis tuṣṭiḥ siddhiś caiva tvad arpaṇā

The merit obtained by sacrifices, gifts made to others, the study of the Vedas, vows, regulations in respect of restraint, Modesty, Fame, Prosperity, Splendour, Contentment, and Success, all exist for leading to thee.

kāmaḥ krodho bhayaṃ lobho madaḥ stambho 'tha matsaraḥ

ādhayo vyādhayaś caiva bhagavaṃs tanayās tava

Desire, Wrath, Fear, Cupidity, Pride, Stupefaction, and Malice, Pains and Diseases, are, O illustrious one, thy children.

kṛtir vikāraḥ pralayaḥ pradhānaṃ prabhavo 'vyayaḥ

manasaḥ praramā yoniḥ svabhāvaś cāpi śāśvataḥ

avyaktaḥ pāvana vibho sahasrāṃśo hiraṇmayaḥ

Thou art all acts that creatures do, thou art the joy and sorrow that flow from those acts, thou art the absence of joy and sorrow, thou art that Ignorance which is the indestructible seed of Desire, thou art the high origin of Mind, thou art Puissance, and thou art Eternity.Thou art the Unmanifest, thou art Pavana, thou art inconceivable, thou art the thousand-rayed Sun, thou art the effulgent Chit, thou art the first of all the topics, and thou art the refuge of life.

ādir guṇānāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhavān vai jīvanāśrayaḥ

mahān ātmā matir brahmā viśvaḥ śambhuḥ svayambhuvaḥ

buddhiḥ prajñopalabdhiś ca saṃvit khyātir dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ

paryāya vācakaiḥ śabdair mahān ātmā vibhāvyase

Thou art Trigunas, Thou art Mahat atma, Thou art Brahman, Thou art Universe, Thou art Sambhu, and Thou art Self-born and Thou art intellect,Thou art Prajna,Thou art sound(vedas),

tvāṃ buddhvā brāhmaṇo vidvān an pramohaṃ nigacchati

hṛdayaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ kṣetrajñas tvam ṛṣiṣṭutaḥ

Verily, regarding thee as all this, the learned Brahmanas win over that ignorance which lies at the root of the world.Thou residest in the heart of all creatures, and thou art adored by the Rishis as Kshetrajna.

sarvataḥ pāṇipādas tvaṃ sarvato 'kṣiśiromukhaḥ

sarvataḥ śrutimāṁl loke sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhasi

Thy arms and feet extend to every place, and thy eyes, head, and face are everywhere. Thou hearest everywhere in the universe, and thou stayest, pervading all things.

phalaṃ tvam asi tigmāṃśo nimeṣādiṣu karmasu

tvaṃ vai prabhārciḥ puruṣaḥ sarvasya hṛdi saṃsthitaḥ

aṇimā laghimā prāptir īśāno jyotir avyayaḥ

Of all acts that are performed in the Nimeshas and other divisions of time that spring in consequence of the puissance of the Sun, thou art the fruit. Thou art the original effulgence (of the supreme Chit).Thou art Purusha, and thou residest in the hearts of all things. Thou art the various Yogic attributes of success, viz., Subtility and Grossness and Fruition and Supremacy and Effulgence and Immutability.

tvayi buddhir matir lokāḥ prapannāḥ saṃśritāś ca ye

dhyānino nityayogāś ca satyasaṃdhā jitendriyāḥ

Understanding and intelligence and all the worlds rest upon thee. They that are devoted to meditation, that are always engaged in Yoga, that are devoted to or firm in Truth and that have subjugated their passions, seek thee and rest on thee.

yas tvāṃ dhruvaṃ vedayate guhā śayaṃ; prabhuṃ purāṇaṃ puruṣaṃ viśvarūpam

hiraṇmayaṃ buddhimatāṃ parāṃ gatiṃ; sa buddhimān buddhim atītya tiṣṭhati

They that know thee for one that is Immutable, or one that resides in all hearts, or one that is endued with supreme puissance, or one that is the ancient Purusha, or one that is pure Knowledge, or one that is the effulgent Chit, or one that is the highest refuge of all persons endued with intelligence, are certainly persons of great intelligence. Verily, such persons stay, transcending intelligence.

viditvā sapta sūkṣmāṇi ṣaḍaṅgaṃ tvāṃ ca mūrtitaḥ

pradhānavidhiyogasthas tvām eva viśate budhaḥ

By understanding the seven subtile entities (viz., Mahat, Ego, and five subtile primal elements called Tanmatras), by comprehending thy six attributes (of Omniscience, Contentment of Fullness, Knowledge without beginning, Independence, Puissance that is not at fault at any time and that is infinite), and being conversant with Yoga that is freed from every false notion, the man of knowledge succeeds in entering into thy great self

vam ukte mayā pārtha bhave cārti vināśane

carācaraṃ jagat sarvaṃ siṃhanādam athākarot

After I had said these words, O Partha, unto Bhava, that dispeller of grief and pain, the universe, both mobile and immobile, sent up a leonine shout (expressive of their approval of the correctness of my words).

sa vipra saṃghāś ca surāsurāś ca; nāgāḥ piśācāḥ pitaro vayāṃsi

rakṣogaṇā būta gaṇāś ca sarve; maharṣayaś caiva tathā praṇemuḥ

The innumerable Brahmanas there present, the deities and the Asuras, the Nagas, the Pisachas, the Pitris, the birds, diverse Rakshasas, diverse classes of ghosts and spirits, and all the great Rishis, then bowed down unto that great Deity.

mama mūrdhni ca divyānāṃ kusumānāṃ sugandinām

rāśayo nipatanti sma vāyuś ca susukho vavau

There then fell upon my head showers of celestial flowers possessed of great fragrance, and delicious winds blew on the spot.

nirīkṣya bhagavān devīm umāṃ māṃ ca jagad dhitaḥ

śatakratuṃ cābhivīkṣya svayaṃ mām āha śaṃkaraḥ

The puissant Sankara then, devoted to the good of the universe, looked at the goddess Uma and the lord of the celestials and myself also, and thus spoke unto me,

vidmaḥ kṛṣṇa parāṃ bhaktim asmāsu tava śatruhan

kriyatām ātmanaḥ śreyaḥ prītir hi paramā tvayi

vṛṇīṣvāṣṭau varān kṛṣṇa dātāsmi tava sattama

brūhi yādava śārdūlayān icchasi sudurlabhān

-We know, O Krishna, that thou, O slayer of foes, art filled with the greatest devotion towards us. Do what is for thy good. My love and affection for thee is very great. Do thou ask for eight boons. I shall verily give them unto thee, O Krishna, O best of all persons, tell me what they are, O chief of the Yadavas. Name what thou wishest. However difficult of attainment they be, thou shalt have them still.'"