‘Kill two birds with one stone’
In the Mahābhārata Drona Parva there occurs a dialogue between Veda Vyāsa and Arjuna where two important ideas: 1. Rudra is unborn and 2. The Śatarudriyam is a vedic hymn addressed to Rudra are stated. These two ideas directly annul the pet theories of bigoted vaiṣṇavas propagated in these blogs:
http://narayanastra.blogspot.in/p/blog-page_17.html
http://narayanastra.blogspot.in/p/blog-page_8197.html
Here is where the MB, in the words of Veda Vyāsa, contradicts the idea that Shiva is a jiva and not the Supreme Brahman. The translation of Ganguly is:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07198.htm
// Whatever is highly mysterious in the several branches of the Vedas, in the Upanishads, in the Puranas, and in those sciences that deal with the soul, is that God, viz., Maheswara, Mahadeva is even such. That God is, again, without birth. All the attributes of that God are not capable of being enumerated by me even if, O son of Pandu, I were to recite them continually for a thousand years.//
And Vyasa, in this very dialogue, contradicts the ill-founded bigoted idea that the Śatarudriyam is not in praise of Shiva but Narasimha or Viṣṇu:
//The hymn approved of the Vedas, and called Śata-Rudriya, in honour of that God of gods (Rudra) that excellent, famous, life-enhancing, and sacred hymn, has now, O Partha, been explained to thee. This hymn of four divisions, capable of accomplishing every object, is sacred, destructive of all sins, and competent to drive away all stains and to kill all sorrows and all fears. The men that always listen to this succeeds in vanquishing all his foes and is highly respected in the region of Rudra. The person who always attentively reads or listens to the recitation of this excellent and auspicious account, appertaining to battle, of the illustrious Deity, and he worships with devotion that illustrious Lord of the universe, obtaineth all the objects of desire, in consequence of the three-eyed God being gratified with him.//
Vyasa instructs Arjuna about the greatness of Rudra:
dhRRitarAShTra uvAcha||
tasminnatirathe droNe nihate tatra sa~njaya |
mAmakAH pANDavAshchaiva kimakurvannataH param || 1||
sa~njaya uvAcha||
tasminnatirathe droNe nihate pArShatena vai |
kauraveShu cha bhagneShu kuntIputro dhana~njayaH || 2||
dRRiShTvA sumahadAshcharyamAtmano vijayAvaham |
yadRRichChayAgataM vyAsaM paprachCha bharatarShabha || 3||
sa~NgrAme nighnataH shatrU~nsharaughairvimalairaham |
agrato lakShaye yAntaM puruShaM pAvakaprabham || 4||
jvalantaM shUlamudyamya yAM dishaM pratipadyate |
tasyAM dishi vishIryante shatravo me mahAmune || 5||
na padbhyAM spRRishate bhUmiM na cha shUlaM vimu~nchati |
shUlAchChUlasahasrANi niShpetustasya tejasA || 6||
tena bhagnAnarInsarvAnmadbhagnAnmanyate janaH |
tena dagdhAni sainyAni pRRiShThato.anudahAmyaham || 7||
bhagava.nstanmamAchakShva ko vai sa puruShottamaH |
shUlapANirmahAnkRRiShNa tejasA sUryasaMnibhaH || 8||
vyAsa uvAcha||
prajApatInAM prathamaM taijasaM puruShaM vibhum |
bhuvanaM bhUrbhuvaM devaM sarvalokeshvaraM prabhum || 9||
IshAnaM varadaM pArtha dRRiShTavAnasi sha~Nkaram |
taM gachCha sharaNaM devaM sarvAdiM bhuvaneshvaram || 10||
mahAdevaM mahAtmAnamIshAnaM jaTilaM shivam |
tryakShaM mahAbhujaM rudraM shikhinaM chIravAsasam || 11||
dAtAraM chaiva bhaktAnAM prasAdavihitAnvarAn || 11||
tasya te pArShadA divyA rUpairnAnAvidhaiH vibhoH |
vAmanA jaTilA muNDA hrasvagrIvA mahodarAH || 12||
mahAkAyA mahotsAhA mahAkarNAstathApare |
AnanairvikRRitaiH pAdaiH pArtha veShaishcha vaikRRitaiH || 13||
IdRRishaiH sa mahAdevaH pUjyamAno maheshvaraH |
sa shivastAta tejasvI prasAdAdyAti te.agrataH || 14||
tasminghore tadA pArtha sa~NgrAme lomaharShaNe || 14||
droNakarNakRRipairguptAM maheShvAsaiH prahAribhiH |
kastAM senAM tadA pArtha manasApi pradharShayet || 15||
RRite devAnmaheShvAsAdbahurUpAnmaheshvarAt || 15||
sthAtumutsahate kashchinna tasminnagrataH sthite |
na hi bhUtaM samaM tena triShu lokeShu vidyate || 16||
gandhenApi hi sa~NgrAme tasya kruddhasya shatravaH |
visa~nj~nA hatabhUyiShThA vepanti cha patanti cha || 17||
tasmai namastu kurvanto devAstiShThanti vai divi |
ye chAnye mAnavA loke ye cha svargajito narAH || 18||
ye bhaktA varadaM devaM shivaM rudramumApatim |
iha loke sukhaM prApya te yAnti paramAM gatim || 19||
namaskuruShva kaunteya tasmai shAntAya vai sadA |
rudrAya shitikaNThAya kaniShThAya suvarchase || 20||
kapardine karAlAya haryakShNe varadAya cha |
yAmyAyAvyaktakeshAya sadvRRitte sha~NkarAya cha || 21||
kAmyAya harinetrAya sthANave puruShAya cha |
harikeshAya muNDAya kRRishAyottaraNAya cha || 22||
bhAskarAya sutIrthAya devadevAya raMhase |
bahurUpAya sharvAya priyAya priyavAsase || 23||
uShNIShiNe suvaktrAya sahasrAkShAya mIDhuShe |
girishAya prashAntAya pataye chIravAsase || 24||
hiraNyabAhave chaiva ugrAya pataye dishAm |
parjanyapataye chaiva bhUtAnAM pataye namaH || 25||
vRRikShANAM pataye chaiva apAM cha pataye tathA |
vRRikShairAvRRitakAyAya senAnye madhyamAya cha || 26||
sruvahastAya devAya dhanvine bhArgavAya cha |
bahurUpAya vishvasya pataye chIravAsase || 27||
sahasrashirase chaiva sahasranayanAya cha |
sahasrabAhave chaiva sahasracharaNAya cha || 28||
sharaNaM prApya kaunteya varadaM bhuvaneshvaram |
umApatiM virUpAkShaM dakShayaj~nanibarhaNam || 29||
prajAnAM patimavyagraM bhUtAnAM patimavyayam || 29||
kapardinaM vRRiShAvartaM vRRiShanAbhaM vRRiShadhvajam |
vRRiShadarpaM vRRiShapatiM vRRiShashRRi~NgaM vRRiSharShabham || 30||
vRRiShA~NkaM vRRiShabhodAraM vRRiShabhaM vRRiShabhekShaNam |
vRRiShAyudhaM vRRiShasharaM vRRiShabhUtaM maheshvaram || 31||
mahodaraM mahAkAyaM dvIpicharmanivAsinam |
lokeshaM varadaM muNDaM brahmaNyaM brAhmaNapriyam || 32||
trishUlapANiM varadaM khaDgacharmadharaM prabhum |
pinAkinaM khaNDaparashuM lokAnAM patimIshvaram || 33||
prapadye sharaNaM devaM sharaNyaM chIravAsasam || 33||
namastasmai sureshAya yasya vaishravaNaH sakhA |
suvAsase namo nityaM suvratAya sudhanvine || 34||
sruvahastAya devAya sukhadhanvAya dhanvine |
dhanvantarAya dhanuShe dhanvAchAryAya dhanvine || 35||
ugrAyudhAya devAya namaH suravarAya cha |
namo.astu bahurUpAya namashcha bahudhanvine || 36||
namo.astu sthANave nityaM suvratAya sudhanvine |
namo.astu tripuraghnAya bhagaghnAya cha vai namaH || 37||
vanaspatInAM pataye narANAM pataye namaH |
apAM cha pataye nityaM yaj~nAnAM pataye namaH || 38||
pUShNo dantavinAshAya tryakShAya varadAya cha |
nIlakaNThAya pi~NgAya svarNakeshAya vai namaH || 39||
karmANi chaiva divyAni mahAdevasya dhImataH |
tAni te kIrtayiShyAmi yathApraj~naM yathAshrutam || 40||
na surA nAsurA loke na gandharvA na rAkShasAH |
sukhamedhanti kupite tasminnapi guhAgatAH || 41||
vivyAdha kupito yaj~naM nirbhayastu bhavastadA |
dhanuShA bANamutsRRijya saghoShaM vinanAda cha || 42||
te na sharma kutaH shAntiM lebhire sma surAstadA |
vidrute sahasA yaj~ne kupite cha maheshvare || 43||
tena jyAtalaghoSheNa sarve lokAH samAkulAH |
babhUvurvashagAH pArtha nipetushcha surAsurAH || 44||
ApashchukShubhire sarvAshchakampe cha vasundharA |
parvatAshcha vyashIryanta disho nAgAshcha mohitAH || 45||
andhAshcha tamasA lokA na prakAshanta sa.nvRRitAH |
jaghnivAnsaha sUryeNa sarveShAM jyotiShAM prabhAH || 46||
chukrushurbhayabhItAshcha shAntiM chakrustathaiva cha |
RRiShayaH sarvabhUtAnAmAtmanashcha sukhaiShiNaH || 47||
pUShANamabhyadravata sha~NkaraH prahasanniva |
puroDAshaM bhakShayato dashanAnvai vyashAtayat || 48||
tato nishchakramurdevA vepamAnA natAH sma tam |
punashcha sa.ndadhe dIptaM devAnAM nishitaM sharam || 49||
rudrasya yaj~nabhAgaM cha vishiShTaM te nvakalpayan |
bhayena tridashA rAja~nsharaNaM cha prapedire || 50||
tena chaivAtikopena sa yaj~naH sandhitastadA |
yattAshchApi surA AsanyattAshchAdyApi taM prati || 51||
asurANAM purANyAsa.nstrINi vIryavatAM divi |
AyasaM rAjataM chaiva sauvarNamaparaM mahat || 52||
AyasaM tArakAkShasya kamalAkShasya rAjatam |
sauvarNaM paramaM hyAsIdvidyunmAlina eva cha || 53||
na shaktastAni maghavAnbhettuM sarvAyudhairapi |
atha sarve.amarA rudraM jagmuH sharaNamarditAH || 54||
te tamUchurmahAtmAnaM sarve devAH savAsavAH |
rudra raudrA bhaviShyanti pashavaH sarvakarmasu || 55||
nipAtayiShyase chainAnasurAnbhuvaneshvara || 55||
sa tathoktastathetyuktvA devAnAM hitakAmyayA |
atiShThatsthANubhUtaH sa sahasraM parivatsarAn || 56||
yadA trINi sametAni antarikShe purANi vai |
triparvaNA trishalyena tena tAni bibheda saH || 57||
purANi na cha taM shekurdAnavAH prativIkShitum |
sharaM kAlAgnisa.nyuktaM viShNusomasamAyutam || 58||
bAlama~NkagataM kRRitvA svayaM pa~nchashikhaM punaH |
umA jij~nAsamAnA vai ko.ayamityabravItsurAn || 59||
bAhuM savajraM shakrasya kruddhasyAstambhayatprabhuH |
sa eSha bhagavAndevaH sarvalokeshvaraH prabhuH || 60||
na sambubudhire chainaM devAstaM bhuvaneshvaram |
saprajApatayaH sarve bAlArkasadRRishaprabham || 61||
athAbhyetya tato brahmA dRRiShTvA cha sa maheshvaram |
ayaM shreShTha iti j~nAtvA vavande taM pitAmahaH || 62||
tataH prasAdayAmAsurumAM rudraM cha te surAH |
abhavachcha punarbAhuryathAprakRRiti vajriNaH || 63||
teShAM prasanno bhagavAnsapatnIko vRRiShadhvajaH |
devAnAM tridashashreShTho dakShayaj~navinAshanaH || 64||
sa vai rudraH sa cha shivaH so.agniH sharvaH sa sarvavit |
sa chendrashchaiva vAyushcha so.ashvinau sa cha vidyutaH || 65||
sa bhavaH sa cha parjanyo mahAdevaH sa chAnaghaH |
sa chandramAH sa cheshAnaH sa sUryo varuNashcha saH || 66||
sa kAlaH so.antako mRRityuH sa yamo rAtryahAni cha |
mAsArdhamAsA RRitavaH sandhye sa.nvatsarashcha saH || 67||
sa cha dhAtA vidhAtA cha vishvAtmA vishvakarmakRRit |
sarvAsAM devatAnAM cha dhArayatyavapurvapuH || 68||
sarvairdevaiH stuto devaH saikadhA bahudhA cha saH |
shatadhA sahasradhA chaiva tathA shatasahasradhA || 69||
IdRRishaH sa mahAdevo bhUyashcha bhagavAnajaH | […..Mahādeva is Unborn]
na hi sarve mayA shakyA vaktuM bhagavato guNAH || 70||
sarvairgrahairgRRihItAnvai sarvapApasamanvitAn |
sa mochayati suprItaH sharaNyaH sharaNAgatAn || 71||
AyurArogyamaishvaryaM vittaM kAmA.nshcha puShkalAn |
sa dadAti manuShyebhyaH sa chaivAkShipate punaH || 72||
sendrAdiShu cha deveShu tasya chaishvaryamuchyate |
sa chaiva vyAhRRite loke manuShyANAM shubhAshubhe || 73||
aishvaryAchchaiva kAmAnAmIshvaraH punaruchyate |
maheshvarashcha bhUtAnAM mahatAmIshvarashcha saH || 74||
bahubhirbahudhA rUpairvishvaM vyApnoti vai jagat |
asya devasya yadvaktraM samudre tadatiShThata || 75||
eSha chaiva shmashAneShu devo vasati nityashaH |
yajantyenaM janAstatra vIrasthAna itIshvaram || 76||
asya dIptAni rUpANi ghorANi cha bahUni cha |
loke yAnyasya kurvanti manuShyAH pravadanti cha || 77||
nAmadheyAni lokeShu bahUnyatra yathArthavat |
niruchyante mahattvAchcha vibhutvAtkarmabhistathA || 78||
vede chAsya samAmnAtaM shatarudrIyamuttamam |
nAmnA chAnantarudreti upasthAnaM mahAtmanaH || 79||
sa kAmAnAM prabhurdevo ye divyA ye cha mAnuShAH |
sa vibhuH sa prabhurdevo vishvaM vyApnuvate mahat || 80||
jyeShThaM bhUtaM vadantyenaM brAhmaNA munayastathA |
prathamo hyeSha devAnAM mukhAdasyAnalo.abhavat || 81||
sarvathA yatpashUnpAti taishcha yadramate punaH |
teShAmadhipatiryachcha tasmAtpashupatiH smRRitaH || 82||
nityena brahmacharyeNa li~Ngamasya yadA sthitam |
mahayanti cha lokAshcha maheshvara iti smRRitaH || 83||
RRiShayashchaiva devAshcha gandharvApsarasastathA |
li~NgamasyArchayanti sma tachchApyUrdhvaM samAsthitam || 84||
pUjyamAne tatastasminmodate sa maheshvaraH |
sukhI prItashcha bhavati prahRRiShTashchaiva sha~NkaraH || 85||
yadasya bahudhA rUpaM bhUtabhavyabhavatsthitam |
sthAvaraM ja~NgamaM chaiva bahurUpastataH smRRitaH || 86||
ekAkSho jAjvalannAste sarvatokShimayo.api vA |
krodhAdyashchAvishallokA.nstasmAchCharva iti smRRitaH || 87||
dhUmraM rUpaM cha yattasya dhUrjaTistena uchyate |
vishve devAshcha yattasminvishvarUpastataH smRRitaH || 88||
tisro devIryadA chaiva bhajate bhuvaneshvaraH |
dyAmapaH pRRithivIM chaiva tryambakashcha tataH smRRitaH || 89||
samedhayati yannityaM sarvArthAnsarvakarmasu |
shivamichChanmanuShyANAM tasmAdesha shivaH smRRitaH || 90||
sahasrAkSho.ayutAkSho vA sarvatokShimayo.api vA |
yachcha vishvaM mahatpAti mahAdevastataH smRRitaH || 91||
dahatyUrdhvaM sthito yachcha prANotpattisthitashcha yat |
sthitali~Ngashcha yannityaM tasmAtsthANuriti smRRitaH || 92||
viShamasthaH sharIreShu samashcha prANinAmiha |
sa vAyurviShamastheShu prANApAnasharIriShu || 93||
pUjayedvigrahaM yastu li~NgaM vApi samarchayet |
li~NgaM pUjayitA nityaM mahatIM shriyamashnute || 94||
UrubhyAmardhamAgneyaM somArdhaM cha shivA tanuH |
Atmano.ardhaM cha tasyAgniH somo.ardhaM punaruchyate || 95||
taijasI mahatI dIptA devebhyashcha shivA tanuH |
bhAsvatI mAnuSheShvasya tanurghorAgniruchyate || 96||
brahmacharyaM charatyeSha shivA yAsya tanustayA |
yAsya ghoratarA mUrtiH sarvAnatti tayeshvaraH || 97||
yannirdahati yattIkShNo yadugro yatpratApavAn |
mA.nsashoNitamajjAdo yattato rudra uchyate || 98||
eSha devo mahAdevo yo.asau pArtha tavAgrataH |
sa~NgrAme shAtravAnnighna.nstvayA dRRiShTaH pinAkadhRRik || 99||
eSha vai bhagavAndevaH sa~NgrAme yAti te.agrataH |
yena dattAni te.astrANi yaistvayA dAnavA hatAH || 100||
dhanyaM yashasyamAyuShyaM puNyaM vedaishcha sa~nj~nitam |
devadevasya te pArtha vyAkhyAtaM shatarudriyam || 101||
sarvArthasAdhakaM puNyaM sarvakilbiShanAshanam |
sarvapApaprashamanaM sarvaduHkhabhayApaham || 102||
chaturvidhamidaM stotraM yaH shRRiNoti naraH sadA |
vijitya sarvA~nshatrUnsa rudraloke mahIyate || 103||
charitaM mahAtmano divyaM sA~NgrAmikamidaM shubham |
paThanvai shatarudrIyaM shRRiNva.nshcha satatotthitaH || 104||
bhakto vishveshvaraM devaM mAnuSheShu tu yaH sadA |
varAnsa kAmA.Nllabhate prasanne tryambake naraH || 105||
gachCha yudhyasva kaunteya na tavAsti parAjayaH |
yasya mantrI cha goptA cha pArshvataste janArdanaH || 106||
sa~njaya uvAcha||
evamuktvArjunaM sa~Nkhye parAsharasutastadA |
jagAma bharatashreShTha yathAgatamari.ndama || 107||
\medskip ## \hrule Mahabharata Critical Edition Only for Personal Studies Encoding: ISCII
Electronic text (C) Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, India, 1999
http://bombay.indology.info/mahabharata/statement.html for further details.
Unfortunately the bloggers have believed in a verse from the Mahābhārata (Dronaparva) that has been mistaken to say that ‘Rudra is (also) a target of the vaiṣṇavāstra’:
//tasmAtprAgjyotiShaM prAptaM tadastraM pArtha mAmakam |
nAsyAvadhyo.asti lokeShu sendrarudreShu mAriSha || 33||//
It is clear from the passages cited from the very Dronaparva of the Mahābhārata that Shiva is unborn. The Bhagavadgītā 2.27 teaches: He who is born is bound to die and he who dies is bound to be born. When Shiva is unborn where is the question of his being a target of any astra? In fact Shiva is the one who destroys, absorbs, the entire creation at the time of pralaya according to the Vishnusahasranama Bhashya of Shankara and the Prashnopanishad and the Bhashya thereon. So there is no question of Shiva being a target of any missile.
In fact the wording of the above verse where the plural occurs ‘lokeShu sendrarudreShu’ means: ‘all those lokas including that of Indra and the eleven Rudras..’ That the eleven Rudras are jīvas and that state can be attained by certain upāsana is established in the Chandogya upaniṣad. See this article:
Click to access Reference+to+Rudra+and+%C4%80ditya+in+the+Bh.g.pdf
In case someone argues that the Rudra in this verse is the Lord Shiva alone, then too, it must be noted, the plural in the verse will not be applicable to just Rudra but even Vishnu and Brahma. For, all these are specific entities in the cosmos who manage certain portfolios. For, the Kaivalyopanishat has placed all these deities on an equal footing:
स ब्रह्मा स शिवः सेन्द्रः सोऽक्षरः परमः स्वराट् ।
स एव विष्णुः स प्राणः स कालोऽग्निः स चन्द्रमाः ॥ ८॥
[He the Supreme Imperishable alone is Brahmā, He alone is Shiva, Indra, Viṣṇu, Prāṇa, Kāla,Agni and Chandra.]
No astra of that magnitude has ever been allowed to take its full course once released by anyone. Why? It is because there is a particular method, niyama, of creation, sustenance and dissolution which happen in a cyclical fashion. There is a timeframe too for this. At no time has this final dissolution been done by employing a missile. Dissolution or absorption of the created world happens only by the Sankalpa of Shiva. If a missile of that magnitude is let to do its intended work, then all worlds including that of Vishnu will be destroyed. It has been categorically decided in the Advaitasiddhi by Sri Madhusudana Saraswati that all lokas including Vaikunṭha are ephemeral as they are within creation.
Thus, if someone thinks that the MB verse holds that Indra and Rudra lokas will be targeted by the astra, there is no reason why the Vishnu lokas will not be. This is because of one reason stated in the earlier paragraph: all lokas are created. The reason for Krishna ‘containing’ the vaishnavāstra in the Bhagadatta episode is purely for the reason that the Vishnulokas too are to be protected from the target of the astra. This is the logical and unavoidable consequence of holding that this astra will target Indra and Rudra.
The additional reason is: Veda Vyasa, in the MB has said, through the very mouth of Krishna:
रुद्रो नारायणश्चैव सत्वमेकं द्विधा कृतम्।
लोके चरति कौन्तेय व्यक्तिस्थं सर्वकर्मसु।। 12-350-27a 12-350-27b.
Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are both really one Principle, only appearing as two.
So, whatever ‘fate’ falls on Rudra, Nārāyaṇa too cannot escape, according to the above verse. That will be the logical and unavoidable consequence of anyone trying to adduce the alleged meaning to the MB Dronaparva verse on the Vaishnavāstra.
Also, if anyone wants to say that the dialogue between Veda Vyasa and Arjuna about the greatness of Shiva occurring in that very Drona Parva of the MB, is an interpolation, then none can succeed in giving even a single reason as to why the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna appearing in this very Parva where occurs the alleged verse ‘Indra and Rudra will be targeted by that astra’ also does not face the similar fate of interpolation.
Thus none can get away by making a preposterous claim that Rudra is a jiva without inviting a counter claim that Vishnu is a jiva. If anyone tries to show this or that shruti or smriti passage to support the claim that Rudra is a jiva, there are equally passages from shruti and smṛti available to show that Vishnu is a jiva, born of Rudra. See this blog for such references:
https://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/turiya-shiva-of-the-kaivalyopanishat/
The irony is, far from adding weight to the bloggers’ claim that Rudra is a jiva, the very MB Drona parva demolishes such a claim by showing that Rudra is not born at all.
Om Tat Sat
Adbhutam's Blog 
Sri Vyasa also states that from Rudra Hiranyagarbha emerged. He calls Rudra as the Lord that has become everything.
By: Arun Subramaniyan on April 22, 2015
at 3:07 pm
Without resorting to the underhand tricks such as ‘
– calling portions as interpolations’,
– ‘labelling texts as tamasic’ and
– ‘imposing what Vaishnavite acharyas had said as the ONLY truth’
There is no other way possible for vaishnavites to show shiva in poor light.
By: Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula on April 23, 2015
at 2:17 pm
Mahabharata Also says that Even Vishnu is Incapable of resisting Shiva’s Pashupata.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13a014.htm
“Verily, that shaft was the excellent Pasupata that mighty and terrible weapon, which is without a second, indescribable for its power, and capable of striking every creature with fear. Of vast proportions, it seemed to constantly vomit sparks of fire. Possessed of one foot, of large teeth, and a thousand heads and thousand Stomachs, it has a thousand arms, a thousand tongues, and a thousand eyes. Indeed, it seemed to continually vomit fire. O thou of mighty arms, that weapon is superior to the Brahma, the Narayana, the Aindra, the Agneya, and the Varuna weapons. Verily, it is capable of neutralising every other weapon in the universe. It was with that weapon that the illustrious Mahadeva had in days of yore, burnt and consumed in a moment the triple city of the Asuras. With the greatest ease, O Govinda, Mahadeva, using that single arrow, achieved that feat. That weapon, shot by Mahadeva’s arms, can, without doubt consume in half the time taken up by a twinkling of the eyes the entire universe with all its mobile and immobile creatures. In the universe there is no being including even Brahma and Vishnu and the deities, that are incapable of being slain by that weapon.”
Those trying to portray Shiva as a jiva with the Vaishnavastra verse evidently don’t know what exaggerations are.
By: Deepak on September 30, 2021
at 7:47 am
नमश्शिवाय। 🙏🏼 mahodaya
mahodaya, there are various schools of viśiṣṭādvaitam as you would be aware of in which even viṣṇu viśiṣṭādvaitam is one. The सूर्यगीता mentions various schools of viśiṣṭādvaitam such as Śiva viśiṣṭādvaitam & so on. And the text states that the advaitam is the परमार्थः।
So, in one school of viśiṣṭādvaitam one is treated as brahma & others as जीवः।
But these are just concepts where advaita is the परमार्थः।
By: विवेकः (Vivēkaḥ) on September 30, 2021
at 8:11 am
Indeed.
The same Mahabharata which while describing the power of Vaishnavasta claims it can even slay Rudra also claims that there’s nobody including Brahma and Vishnu capable of resisting Shiva’s Pashupata. My point here is, Such Instances should be interpreted as arthavAda instead of being taken literally (else it leads to uninformed Conclusions like Rudra/Vishnu being jivas) .
Regards
By: Deepak on September 30, 2021
at 12:10 pm
True. Only those who have not yet evolved to be genuine aspirants of moksha jnana remain in such ignorance taking puranic statements literally true.
By: adbhutam on October 1, 2021
at 6:53 am