Deliverance of Lord Siva 317

ask any benediction from Lord Visnu or Krsna, and even if they ask some-
thing from the Lord, it is not at all dangerous for human society. That is
the difference between the demons and the devotees, or the worshipers of
Lord Siva and the worshipers of Lord Visnu.

While Sukadeva Gosvami was narrating the history of Vrkdsura, he
addressed Maharaja Pariksit as Bharata, referring to King Pariksit’s birth
in a family of devotees. Maharaja Pariksit was saved by Lord Krsna while
he was in his mother’s womb. Similarly, he could have asked Lord Krsna
to save him from the curse of the brahmana, but he did not do so. The
demon, however, wanted to become immortal by killing everyone with
the touch of his hand. Lord Siva could understand this, but because he
had promised, he gave him the benediction.

The demon, however, being very sinful, immediately decided that he
would use the benediction to kill Lord Siva and take away Gauri (Parvati)
for his personal enjoyment. He immediately decided to place his hand
on the head of Lord Siva. Thus Lord Siva was put into an awkward
position because he was endangered by his own benediction to a demon.
This is also another instance of a materialistic devotee’s misusing the power
derived from the demigods.

Without further deliberation, the demon Vrkasura immediately ap-
proached Lord Siva to place his hand on Lord Siva’s head. Lord Siva was
so afraid of him that his body trembled, and he began to flee from the
land to the sky and from the sky to other planets until he reached the
limits of the universe, above the higher planetary systems. Lord Siva fled
from one place to another, but the demon Vrkasura continued to chase
him. The predominating deities of other planets, such as Brahma, Indra
and Candra, could not find any way to save Lord Siva from the impending
danger. Wherever Lord Siva went, they remained silent.

At last Lord Siva approached Lord Visnu, who is situated within this
universe in the planet known as Svetadvipa. Svetadvipa is the local
Vaikuntha planet beyond the jurisdiction of the influence of external
energy. Lord Visnu in His all-pervasive feature remains everywhere, but
wherever He remains personally is the Vaikuntha atmosphere. In the
Bhagavad-gita it is stated that the Lord remains within the heart of all
living entities. As such, the Lord remains within the heart of many low-
born living entities, but that does not mean that He is low-born. Wherever
He remains is transformed into Vaikuntha. So the planet within this
universe known as Svetadvipa is also Vaikunthaloka. It is said in the
Sastras that residential quarters within the forest are in the mode of
goodness, residential quarters in big cities, towns and villages are in the
