Text 23] Lord Siva Saves the Universe 261
TRANSLATION
O lord, you are the cause of bondage and liberation of the en-
tire universe because you are its ruler. Those who are advanced in
spiritual consciousness surrender unto you, and therefore you are
the cause of mitigating their distresses, and you are also the cause
of their liberation. We therefore worship Your Lordship.
PURPORT
Actually Lord Visnu maintains and accomplishes all good fortune. If
one has to take shelter of Lord Visnu, why should the demigods take
shelter of Lord Siva? They did so because Lord Visnu acts through Lord
Siva in the creation of the material world. Lord Siva acts on behalf of
Lord Visnu. When the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (14.4) that He is the
father of all living entities (aham bija-pradah pita), this refers to actions
performed by Lord Visnu through Lord Siva. Lord Visnu is always unat-
tached to material activities, and when material activities are to be per-
formed, Lord Visnu performs them through Lord Siva. Lord Siva is
therefore worshiped on the level of Lord Visnu. When Lord Visnu is un-
touched by the external energy He is Lord Visnu, but when He is in
touch with the external energy, He appears in His feature as Lord Siva.
TEXT 23
S x
ye aT anfacarataat |
aed Wal ae aaah R31
guna-mayya sva-saktydsya

sarga-sthity-apyayan vibho

dhatse yadda sva-drg bhiiman

brahma-visnu-sivabhidham
guna-mayyda—acting in three modes of activity; sva-saktya—by the
external energy of Your Lordship; asya—of this material world; sarga-
sthiti-apyayan—creation, maintenance and annihilation; vibho—O
lord; dhatse—you execute; yadé—when; sva-drk—you manifest
