Devotee (6): Srila Prabhupada, I was asked a question by a man. He asked that Lord Siva… Lord Ramacandra was praying to Lord Siva in the Ramayana, and so he’s taking Lord Siva as being God. And we didn’t have a clear answer to him.

Prabhupada: Lord Ramacandra worshiped His devotees. Just like sometimes Krsna worships Radharani and touched Her feet. That does not mean that Krsna… Just like Krsna was tolerating ear pulling by Mother Yasoda. That does not mean that Mother Yasoda is the Supreme. Krsna was carrying the wooden shoes of Nanda Maharaja. So that does not mean Nanda Maharaja is greater than Krsna. It is Krsna’s pleasure. Just like sometimes a father takes the son on the shoulder, carries. Does it mean the father is inferior than the son? So this is third-class man’s conclusion. They do not know what is Krsna, what is Rama. Krsna says that aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. So He is the origin of Lord Siva. So how Siva can be the Supreme? We have to consult sastra. Krsna does not say that Siva is Supreme. So if a third-class man says Siva is Supreme, we have to accept it? We are preaching Krsna consciousness. Whatever Krsna says, that is Supreme, not a third-class man’s version. Is it clear? Yes. We should not take a third-class, fourth-class man’s version. We should take from the sastra.

Morning Walk — October 5, 1975, Mauritius