तदा सर्वाणि भूतानि श्रुत्वा मीढुष्टमोदितम् ।
परितुष्टात्मभिस्तात साधु साध्वित्यथाब्रुवन् ॥६॥
maitreya uvÄca
tadÄ sarvÄṇi bhÅ«tÄni
Å›rutvÄ mÄ«á¸huá¹£á¹amoditam
parituá¹£á¹Ätmabhis tÄta
sÄdhu sÄdhv ity athÄbruvan
maitreyaḥ - the sage Maitreya; uvÄca - said; tadÄ - at that time; sarvÄṇi - all; bhÅ«tÄni - personalities; Å›rutvÄ - after hearing; mÄ«á¸huḥ-tama - the best of the benedictors (Lord Åšiva); uditam - spoken by; parituá¹£á¹a - being satisfied; Ätmabhiḥ - by heart and soul; tÄta - my dear Vidura; sÄdhu sÄdhu - well done, well done; iti - thus; atha abruvan - as we have said.
The great sage Maitreya said: My dear Vidura, all the personalities present were very much satisfied in heart and soul upon hearing the words of Lord Åšiva, who is the best among the benedictors.
In this verse Lord Åšiva is described as mÄ«á¸huá¹£á¹ama, the best of the benedictors. He is also known as Āśutoá¹£a, which indicates that he is very quickly satisfied and very quickly angered. It is said in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ that less intelligent persons go to the demigods for material benedictions. In this connection, people generally go to Lord Åšiva, and because he is always quickly satisfied and gives benedictions to his devotees without consideration, he is called mÄ«á¸huá¹£á¹ama, or the best of the benedictors. Materialistic persons are always anxious to get material profit, but they are not serious about spiritual profit.
Sometimes, of course, it so happens that Lord Åšiva becomes the best benedictor in spiritual life. It is said that once a poor brÄhmaṇa worshiped Lord Åšiva for a benediction, and Lord Åšiva advised the devotee to go to see SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ«. The devotee went to SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« and informed him that Lord Åšiva had advised him to seek out the best benediction from him (SanÄtana). SanÄtana had a touchstone with him, which he kept with the garbage. On the request of the poor brÄhmaṇa, SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« gave him the touchstone, and the brÄhmaṇa was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left SanÄtana, he thought, “If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« kept it with the garbage?†He therefore returned and asked SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ«, “Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?†SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« then informed him, “Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?†The brÄhmaṇa said, “Yes, sir. Lord Åšiva has sent me to you for the best benediction.†Then SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then come back. The poor brÄhmaṇa did so, and when he returned, SanÄtana GosvÄmÄ« initiated him with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Thus by the benediction of Lord Åšiva the brÄhmaṇa got the association of the best devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and was thus initiated in the mahÄ-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare RÄma, Hare RÄma, RÄma RÄma, Hare Hare.
