Text 38] The Activities of the Pracetas 1537

TRANSLATION

Dear Lord, by virtue of a moment’s association with Lord Siva, who is
very dear to You and who is Your most intimate friend, we were fortunate
to attain You. You are the most expert physician capable of treating the
incurable disease of material existence. On account of our great fortune,
we have been able to take shelter at Your lotus feet.

PURPORT

It has been said: harim vind na srtim taranti. Without taking shelter of
the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, one cannot attain relief from
the clutches of maya, the repetition of birth, old age, disease and death.
The Pracetias received the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
by the grace of Lord Siva. Lord Siva is the supreme devotee of Lord Visnu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaisnavanan yatha sambhuh: The
most exalted Vaisnava is Lord Siva, and those who are actually devotees
of Lord Siva follow Lord Siva’s advice and take shelter at the lotus feet of
Lord Visnu. The so-called devotees of Lord Siva who are simply after ma-
terial prosperity are in a way deceived by Lord Siva. He does not actually
deceive them, because Lord Siva has no business deceiving people, but
because the so-called devotees of Lord Siva want to be deceived, Lord
Siva, who is very easily pleased, allows them all kinds of material benedic-
tions. These benedictions might ironically result in the destruction of the
so-called devotees. For instance, Ravana took all material benediction
from Lord Siva, but the result was that he was ultimately destroyed with
his family, kingdom and everything else because he misused Lord Siva’s
benediction. Because of his material power, he became very proud and
puffed up so that he dared kidnap the wife of Lord Ramacandra. In this
way he was ruined. To get material benedictions from Lord Siva is not
difficult, but actually these are not benedictions. The Pracetas received
benediction from Lord Siva, and as a result they attained the shelter of
the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. This is real benediction. The gopis also wor-
shiped Lord Siva in Vrndavana, and the Lord is still staying there as
Gopiévara. The gopis, however, prayed that Lord Siva bless them by giving
them Lord Krsna as their husband. There is no harm in worshiping the
demigods, provided that one’s aim is to return home, back to Godhead.
Generally people go to the demigods for material benefit, as indicated in
Bhagavad-gitda:

kamais tats tair hrta-jiianah
prapadyante ’nya-devatah
