We should not disrespect the demigods. Though the demigods are not the Supreme Lord, they are the servants of Krishna. So Mahaprabhu has taught this thing, and especially Sivaji, vaisnavanam yatha sambhu, Lord Siva is a great Vaisnava. Therefore Mahaprabhu visited, paid respect. Sivaji is known as ksetrapala.

Lord Siva Guards the Ksetras

In Vraja Mandala you’ll find nine Ksetrapala Mahadeva Murtis are there. In Vrndavan you’ll find Gopesvara Mahadeva, in Kamyavan you’ll find Kamesvara Mahadeva, in Govardhana, you’ll find Chakresvara Mahadeva, in Nadagram you’ll find Nandisvara Mahadeva and in Mathura you’ll find Bhutesvara, Gokarnesvara, Chaklesvara, Brdhyesvara and Rangesvara. Besides that, in Mathura many, many Siva temples are there.

In Adi Varaha Purana it is mentioned that Vishnu said to Siviji, Vishnu has ordered Sivaji, in Mathura you’ll become ksetrapala, who guards the ksetra, My ksetra. If someone will pay You respect, have Your darsan, he’ll get the result of visiting My ksetra. Those who do circumambulation or parikrama, Vrndavan parikrama they in the beginning and at the end, visit Bhutesvara Siva in Mathura. Because ‘vaisnavanam yatha sambhu,’ Siva is a great Vaisnava, do you understand?

Sriman Mahaprabhu in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar is also Sivaji’s dhama. Here this Bhubaneswar Ksetra is also Sivaji’s dham. It is mentioned there, in Caitanya Bhagavata, Vrndavan Dasa Thakura has mentioned about Bhubaneswar. When Mahaprabhu came here, while he was going to Jagannatha Puri Dhama, He passed through this Bhubaneswar. So Mahaprabhu came here, visited that temple and that Bhubaneswar Lingaraja is a very dear servitor, servant of Sri Anantadeva, therefore Mahaprabhu came here.
 
In Caitanya Bhagavata it is mentioned: Mahaprabhu with His devotees came here, chanted and danced before Siva in the Bhubaneswar Temple. So following in the footsteps of Mahaprabhu all Vaisnavas came here and visited Bhubaneswar Sivaji and chanted and danced there.
 

Lord Siva Obtains Sri Bhubaneswar Dhama From Lord Krishna

In Skanda Purana, there it is mentioned about this ksetra, Bhubaneswar Ksetra. “Once in Kasi, there was a king who was a great devotee of Lord Siva. But his desires were unfulfilled. That king underwent very severe penances to conquer Krishna. He was in tapasya trying to satisfy Lord Siva, and he had that desire he would conquer Krishna. But one cannot understand the behavior of a Vaisnava. Even the demigods can’t understand, what to speak of the human beings. So Sivaji became satisfied, pleased with his tapasya. At that time Sivaji told him, alright you go and fight against Krishna, I’m following you, I’ll support you, I’ll help you.
 
So that king then started for battle and Siva with all his followers followed him, that raja, king. Then Krishna, Vasudev, Devaki-nandana, Son of Devaki, could understand all these things, so He released His Sudarsan Cakra. That Sudarsan Cakra cut off the head of the king first. After that also that Sudarsan Cakra cut off the heads of all the Siva bhaktas in Kasi. This Varnasi became a crematorium ground - all dead. So Siva became very angry and released his Pasupatastra. But what he’ll do, Pasupatastra in front of Sundarsan Cakra? Couldn’t do anything. So at last Siva also became very terrified, frightened and tried to run away, but where will He go?
 
Then Siva could understand except for Krishna nobody can save me now. So He surrendered unto the lotus feet of Krishna, Govinda. He offered many prayers. Siva offered prayers to Krishna, Govinda. Siva says, “O Lord of my heart, I have one prayer. I am always very puffed up. I have great false ego, but now I understand I can not leave You, I can not stay anywhere else, please tell me where I shall stay.” This is according to Skanda Purana.
 
So Vasudeva said that My ksetra is there, Sri Purosottama Ksetra, so in the North of that ksetra there is Ekamraka Kanana. That place, Ekamraka Kanana is very, very auspicious, which can give bhukti and mukti, a very beautiful place. So you’ll stay there and you’ll be noted as “Bhubaneswar.” So I give you that Ekamraka Kanana, you go and stay there and you become guard of that ksetra, ‘ksetra pala.’
 
So this is Bhubaneswar. It is known as ‘Hemacala’ and ‘Svarnadi Ksetra’ also. In this ksetra, crores, crores, koti lingum, crores of Sivajis are here. Asta tirtha, the famous eight tirthas are also here. It is superior to Varnasi, this Bhubaneswar, and this is more dear to Siva than Varnasi, this Bhubaneswar.

Srila Vyasadeva Glorifies Sri Bhubaneswar Dhama

In Svarnadi Mahadev Grantha, we’ll find once Vyasadev came here. This is Vaisnava Ksetra, Ekamraka Kanana, and Srila Vyasadev has described its glories, it is mentioned in Svarnadi Mahadev Grantha.
 
There it is mentioned once Devi Bhagavati, this means Goddess Parvati, was hearing the glories of this Ekamraka Kanana from the lips of Siva, Sambhu. So Bhagavati Devi came here to see this ksetra. She saw maha-linga, do you understand ‘linga’? Siva is worshipped in linga form. And that linga has the complexion of half white, half blank, sitasita varna, maha-linga and Devi also offered puja to that Linga. Once Devi saw that from a lake hundreds of cows were coming out, and they were pouring milk from their udders onto that maha-linga, circumambulating that maha-linga and then going away. Devi saw this thing.
 
Another day also she saw the same thing. Then Devi assumed the form of a gopalini, a cowherd girl, and followed those cows. At the time there were two demon brothers named Kriti and Vasa. They were very much enchanted by the beauty of Parvati Devi, so they approached her and expressed their desire that they wanted to have her as their wife. So Bhagavati Devi disappeared from that place and went to Siva and narrated everything before her Lord. Siva then assumed the form of a gopa, a cowherd boy, and went there. Then Lord Siva could understand the history of those two demons.
 
Siva revealed that those two demons Kriti and Vasa were the sons of Drumilla Raksasa. So that Drumilla worshipped many demigods, they were very much pleased and gave him one boon that the two sons couldn’t be killed by any weapon. Then Sivaji said, “Now they will be killed by you, O Devi. You kill them. They won’t be killed by any weapons, so I can’t kill them.”
 
So getting the instruction from Sivaji, Devi who was in the form of a cowherd girl, gopalini, came in front of those two demons and said, “Alright, I’ll fulfill your desires, but I have one condition, if one of you carry me on your shoulder or head I’ll be his wife.”
 
Bhagavati Devi manifested her potency and placed one of her feet on the shoulder of one demon, and the other on the shoulder of the other demon, and crushed them, they were killed. At that time Bhagavati assumed the form of Visvambari, Visvambari-rupa. Vishnu means universe, she expanded as Visvambari and crushed them. So from this day, this Lord Sambhu, vaisnava pravara sambhu, and Devi Bhagavati stayed here in this ksetra of Ekamraka Kanana.

Bindhu-Sarovara & Sri Ananta Vasudeva

After killing these two demons Kriti and Vasa, Bhagavati Devi became very tired and was also very thirsty. She wanted water, so Siva with His trident, Trishula pierced a hill top and a great well was created that is known as Sankar Vampi. But Devi said, “I want water from a great tank, sarovara, pond, which will be eternally there.” So Sivaji ordered his bull carrier, Nandi, to install that sarovara. All tirthas came there, and all the holy rivers, like Kaveri, Gomati, Krishna, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Gandaki, Rishikulya, Mahanadi, all holy rivers came here. Again from the heavenly planets and from Patala came the Mandakini and Ksirodaka, all came here. When Siva saw all those holy rivers had come, with his trident he pierced that hilltop and asked all those holy rivers and all the tirthas to please pour water drop by drop here, (bindhu means drop). So they did it and Brahma installed that sarovara. And that sarovara is known as Bindhu-sarovara. Have you seen it? Mahaprabhu took bath there in that Bindhu-sarovara. Bhagavan Janardan and all the demigods headed by Brahma all took bath in that sarovara. So in this way Bindhu-sarovara was installed.
 
Then Sambhu paid obeisances to Janardana and the Lord placed Anatadeva on the eastern side of Bindhu-sarovara. You’ll find on the eastern side Sri Ananta Vasudeva is there. Siva became ksetrapala, and Anantadev became the controller of the ksetra. Here Anantadeva stays with His Sister, Srimati Subhudra Devi. He is known as Sri Vasudeva, Lord Vasudeva, who has been fulfilling Lord Siva’s desires. To fulfill Lord Siva’s desires Ananta Vasudeva stayed on the eastern side of Bindhu-sarovara and has been staying there till now. Have you gone to that temple? So in the front wall of that temple you’ll find there is Laksmi Devi and Sudarsan Cakra is also there.
  
Ananta Vasudeva and Madan Mohan, They are the Lords of Lingaraja Siva. So at the time of Chandan Yatra, Sivaji along with Ananta Vasudeva and Madan Mohan ride a swing, dola and go to Chandan Yatra. They make Candana Yatra in Bindhu-sarovara.

When a Vaisnava is Served, Sri Krishna is Worshipped

At that time also Candana Yatra will begin from Puri Temple. In Puri there are three famous Lord Sivas, They also come with Madan Mohan to do Candan Yatra. The Madan Mohan here in Bhubaneswar is a four handed form. In Ananta Vasudeva mandir Vaisnavi Bhagavati herself cooks bhoga to serve for Ananta Vasudeva. First Ananta Vasudeva will be worshipped, bhoga-arati will be there, then that bhoga will go to the Siva temple and Siva always is in need of that prasad of Ananta Vasudeva, he becomes very pleased. This is the Vaisnava process. The Vaisnava will first worship Lord Visnu, then he’ll offer that prasad to Sivaji. In this way a Vaisnava worships Siva, but if one is not a Vaisnava then he’ll offer that prasad to Siva. In this way a Vaisnava worships Siva, but if one is not a Vaisnava then he’ll directly worship Siva. Therefore a Vaisnava never accepts such prasad.

The Vaisnava will worship first Vasudev, Visnu, another thing, offer bhoga then that prasad will be offered to Lord Siva. This system is going on in the Sri Jagannatha Temple. In Jaganntha Temple in the campus you’ll find Goddess Durga is there, Siva is there, all are there so Laksmiji is there. So Jaganntha prasad goes there, no Siva prasad. That’s the Vaisnava process, so we accept it.
 
If someone takes bath in Bindhu-sarovara then he’ll get the result of taking bath in all tirthas, because all tirthas are there. If someone goes to Ananta Vasudeva Temple and gets darsan of Ananta Vasudeva then he gets result of darsan of the Supreme Lord. So Siva by the order of Janardana, by the mercy of Janardana has become ksetrapala. Siva simultaneously is bhakti-pradatah he is a great Vaisnava so he can give you bhakti if he is pleased and also give you the adhikar to serve the dham of the Lord. Dham-seva adhikar and bhakti-pradatah. Siva can give you. Therefore the Vaisnavas go to the temple of Sivaji, because Mahaprabhu has also gone there, and we follow in the footsteps of Mahaprabhu. The Vaisnavas, gaura-priya, dear devotees of Gauranga Mahaprabhu also visit Siva temples and pay respects to Siva and pray for the mercy of Siva that let us get Krsna-bhakti. Therefore Mahaprabhu visited. Siva is a Vaisnava, ‘vaisnava-sevana krsna-pujana’, if a Vaisnavais served then Krishna is worshipped. That is Mahaprabhu’s instruction. So Mahaprabhu did that in order to teach us.

Srimad Bhagavatam First Spoken in
Sri Bhubaneswar Dhama

The Srimad-Bhagavatam was first spoken in Bhubaneswar, Ekamara Kanana. Sivaji was speaking to Paravti Devi. Sivaji says,

aham vedmi suko vetti vyaso vetti na vetti va
bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam na buddhya na ca tikaya

“I know Bhagavata, Sukadev knows, I don’t know if Vyasadeva knows or not.” Bhagavata can only be understood by bhakti. (Cc. Madhya 24.313)

Sivaji was speaking Srimad-Bhagavatam before Goddess Paravati here in Ekamraka Kanana. At that time, a parrot was listening, suka means parrot. So at first Parvati Devi was listening and was saying “Hmm. Hmm, hmm. Then Parvati Devi fell asleep. That suka, parrot, was listening and the parrot was saying “Hmm, hmm, hmm.” So Sivaji couldn’t understand at first that Parvati Devi had fallen asleep, then at last He noticed she had fallen asleep. So he thought who was saying, “Hmm, hmm, hmm.” He saw a parrot is there so Sivaji ran to catch the parrot but the parrot flew away. That suka then entered into the womb of Srila Vyasadev’s wife. That became Srila Sukadev Goswami. This is how Sukadev Goswami knows the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is such a famous place this Bhubaneswar Dham, Ksetra. This is Vaisnava Ksetra.