Siva Ratri 2018

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada\
All glories to my Sri Guru and Gauranga
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundara

Srila Prabhupada did not insitute Siva Ratri in ISKCON as a regular festival but in Gaudiya math it is observed strictly so I want to share why , it is mandatory according to Srila HariBhakti Vilasa, my Gurudeva Srila Bhakti Narayana Maharaha observed it strictly , Srila Prabhupada writes in Krsna book that vaisnavas may or may not observe it but I have found among all 4 Vaisnava Sampradayas to not observe Siva Ratri is not seen upon very kindly ,actually like low class behavior , I teach my initiated disciple to only take ekadasi prasadam on Sivaratri is this way I am doing him more a favor than any Guru in ISKCON , so I might not have the rubber stamp of ISKCON Guru ,but I am directlng properly also anyone I who ask to be my student I ask they chant 64 rounds because my Gurudeva taught me this and it wasSrila Prabhupadas original desire for ISKCON as well

Siva ratri is at least half day fasting and then no grains only ekadasi prasadam

vrndavanavani-pate! Jaya soma soma maule
sanaka-sanandana-sanatana-naradedya gopisvara! Vraja-vilasi-yugangri-padme prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namaste
"O gatekeeper of Vrndavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipable by the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopisvara (Shiva), desiring that you bestow upon me that prema for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava who perform joyous pastimes in Vraja-dhama, I
offer obeisances unto you time and again."

Lord Siva was given the task to protect the Rasa Mandal ,where Radha and Krsna performs the Rasa lila, so in this form he is a Gopi, and vaisnavas pray to Lord Siva in this form to be abel to observe the Rasa lila of the Divine couple.Srila Sanatana Goswami used to take darshan of Gopisvara Mahadeva every day in Vrindavana ,Bankandi Mahadeva .When he stayed at Manasi Ganga at Cakalesvara Mahadeva temple, because he would daily do Govardhana Parikrama ,so many mosquitos bothered Sanatana Goswami .Lord Siva appeared in the form of a Brahmana and asked Sanatana Goswami to stay there when he did his Govardhana Parikrama , and that was Lord Siva himself ,and after that you never find one Mosquito in this place.
jaya jaya gopiswara vrindavana-majh jaya jaya krishna-sakha batu dwija-raj
All glories, all glories to Gopisvara Siva, who resides in Vrindavana in order to protect the holy dhama. All glories, all glories to Krishna’s funny brahmana friend, Madhumangala.
Lord Siva exist in all Krsnas holy Dhamas to protect them also in Vraja Mandal where Lord Siva appears in many forms,such as Pipalesvara Mahadeva in Mathura or Kamesvara Mahadeva.
In Brahma Samhita we read:
Brahma Samhita chapter 5 TEXT 45
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt
sañjāyate na hi tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ
yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
SYNONYMS
ksiram--milk; yatha--as; dadhi--yogurt; vikara-visesa--of a special transformation; yogat--by the application; sanjayate--is transformed into; na--not; hi--indeed; tatah--from the milk; prthak--separated; asti--is; hetoh--which is the cause; yah--who; sambhutam--the nature of Lord Siva; api--also; tatha--thus; samupaiti--accepts; karyat--for the matter of some particular business; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
TRANSLATION
Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.
PURPORT
(The real nature of Sambhu, the presiding deity of Mahesa-dhama, is described.) Sambhu is not a second Godhead other than Krsna. Those, who entertain such discriminating sentiment, commit a great offense against the Supreme Lord. The supremacy of Sambhu is subservient to that of Govinda; hence they are not really different from each other. The nondistinction is established by the fact that just as milk treated with acid turns into curd so Godhead becomes a subservient when He Himself attains a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. This personality has no independent initiative. The said adulterating principle is constituted of a combination of the stupefying quality of the deluding energy, the quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency and a slight degree of the ecstatic-cum-cognitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency. This specifically adulterated reflection of the principle of the subjective portion of the Divinity is Sadasiva, in the form of the effulgent masculine-symbol-god Sambhu from whom Rudradeva is manifested. In the work of mundane creation as the material cause, in the work of preservation by the destruction of sundry asuras and in the work of destruction to conduct the whole operation, Govinda manifests Himself as guna-avatara in the form of Sambhu who is the separated portion of Govinda imbued with the principle of His subjective plenary portion. The personality of the destructive principle in the form of time has been identified with that of Sambhu by scriptural evidences that have been adduced in the commentary. The purport of the Bhagavata slokas, viz., vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh, etc., is that Sambhu, in pursuance of the will of Govinda, works in union with his consort Durgadevi by his own time energy. He teaches pious duties (dharma) as stepping-stones to the attainment of spiritual service in the various tantra-sastras, etc., suitable for jivas in different grades of the conditional existence. In obedience to the will of Govinda, Sambhu maintains and fosters the religion of pure devotion by preaching the cult of illusionism (Mayavada) and the speculative agama-sastras. The fifty attributes of individual souls are manifest in a far vaster measure in Sambhu and five additional attributes not attainable by jivas are also partly found in him. So Sambhu cannot be called a jiva. He is the lord of jiva but yet partakes of the nature of a separated portion of Govinda. (Sri Brahma Samhita, translation by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad.)
Quotes from Vaishnava smriti compilation Hari Bhakti Vilas of Srila Gopal Bhattar Goswami, and the Dikdarshini Tika of Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhupada.
SIVA RATRI VRTAM KRSNA CATUR-DASYANTU PHALGUNE
VAISNAVER API TAT KARYAM SRI KRSNA PRITAYE SADA
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/187 from GAUTAMIYA TANTRA)
On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February-March), for the pleasure of Lord Sri Krsna, a Vaisnava should always take a vow to fast. (It is called Siva Ratri, or the night of Lord Siva.)
PARAT PARATARAM YANTI NARAYANA PARAYANAH NATE TATRA GAMISYANTI YE DVISANTI MAHESVARAM
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/189 from KURMA PURANA the Supreme Lord speaks to Bhrgu Muni)
(One who avoids fasting on Siva Ratri or the "night of Lord Siva", he becomes very offensive. Whatever offenses one accumulates by not fasting on Siva Ratri day is explained here.) The destination of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, is certainly in the spiritual world. But if one is envious of Lord Sri Siva, he does not attain the spiritual world.
YANI KANY ATRA LINGANI STHAVARANI CARANI CA TESU SANKRAMATE DEVAS TASYAM RATRAU YATO HARAH SIVARATRIS TATAH PROKTA TENA SA HARI VALLABHAH
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/200 from SKANDA PURANA, NAGARA KHANDA)
Whatever Siva Linga of Lord Siva that can be found on this earthly planet, on the night of this fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna, Lord Siva, who is a leading demigod, enters into them. For this reason, this day is called Siva Ratri. For this reason, this day is very dear to Lord Sri Hari.
SRI KRSNE VAISNAVANANTU PREMA BHAKTI VIVARDHATE
KRSNA BHAKTI RASA SARA VARSI RUDRA ANUKAMPAYA
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/221 from SKANDA PURANA)
Being a Vaisnava, if somebody fasts on Lord Siva's night (Siva Ratri day), by the mercy of him (Lord Siva) who is diving in the ocean of the mellow of devotion to Krsna, one's devotion to Krsna increases rapidly.
So Srila Sanatana Goswami has advised we fast on Siva Ratri, this is a common practice observed in Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition, and was also the practice of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada.Srila Prabhupada did not introduce Siva ratri to his neophyte disciples
In 34th chapter of Krishna Book, Srila Prabhupada describes that devotees sometimes observe Shivaratri and sometimes they don't:
========== Once upon a time, the cowherd men of Vrindavan, headed by Nanda Maharaja, desired to go to Ambikavana to observe the Shivaratri ceremony. The rasa-lila was performed during the autumn, and after that the next big ceremony is Holi, or the Dolayatra ceremony. Between the Dolayatra ceremony and the rasa-lila ceremony there is an important ceremony called Shiva-ratri, which is especially observed by the Saivites, or devotees of Lord Shiva. Sometimes the Vaishnavas also observe this ceremony because they accept Lord Shiva as the foremost Vaishnava. But the function of Shivaratri is not observed very regularly by the bhaktas, or devotees of Krishna. Under the circumstances, Srimad Bhagavatam states that Nanda Maharaja and the other cowherd men "once upon a time desired." This means that they were not regularly observing the Shivaratri function but that once upon a time they wanted to go to Ambikavana out of curiosity.
comment: This Ambikavana is Northwest of Mathura ( some claim it is in Gujarat, but Krsna so many times stopped the Vrijabasis to leave Vraja mandal to go to Badri Nath even to the Ganges, so the Gujarat version makes no sense), and Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has clearly indicadet Ambikavana to be in Mathura not in Gujarat .Sarasvati river does not flow in Gujarat , in Mathura is Sarasvati Patana Tirtha
where Sarsvati used to meet Yamuna, so it seems likely that is the location or near to there they took bath.
My Gurudeva Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja strictly observed all Siva ratris for begging Lord Siva for his mercy ,and many vaisnava acaryas has done the same and it is the recommandation of Srila Sanatana Goswami .
sri krsne vaisnavanam tu prema-bhaktir vivardhate krsna-bhakti-rasa-sara-varsi-rudranukampaya
The loving devotion of the vaisnavas for Lord Krishna greatly increases by the mercy of Lord Shiva who distributes the essence of krsna-bhakti-rasa. - Hari-bhakti-vilasa 14.203
yani kanyatra lingani sthavarani carani ca tesu samkramate devas tasyam ratrau yato harah sivaratris tatah prokta tena sa hari-vallabha
On the night of the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna Lord Shiva enters into whatever siva-lingas are present on this earthly planet. For this reason, this day is called Shivaratri. For this reason, this day is very dear to Lord Sri Hari. - Nagara khanda of Skanda Purana quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 14.200.
We should understand that Lord Siva is especailly present to bestow his blessings on Siva ratri to bestow blessings to the vaisnavas, those who worship Lord Siva as the Supreme do not please him, but he is most inclined to the Vaisnavas.
We should string this vers around our neck:
siva-ratri-vratam krsna-caturdasyam tu phalgune vaisnavair api tat karyam sri-krsna-pritaye sada
On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February-March), for the pleasure of Lord Sri Krishna, a vaisnava should always take a vow to fast on this day. (It is called Shivaratri, or the night of Lord Shiva.) - Gautamiya-tantra quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 14.187.
Sadly I have not always been abel to perform, sometimes just so busy preaching and distributing Srila Prabhupadas books as well, and I know it is not a good excuse, but I really want to always fast for Lord Siva, on Siva ratri.
Once upon a time I recived a 100 year old Siva linga from a Sri Vaisnava in Simhacalam in Andra Pradesh, sadly later this Siva linga was stolen.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order” By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Chapter Four, Text 14
yad dvy-akṣaraṁ nāma gireritaṁ nṛṇāṁ sakṛt prasaṅgād agham āśu hanti tat pavitra-kīrtiṁ tam alaṅghya-śāsanaṁ bhavān aho dveṣṭi śivaṁ śivetaraḥ
yat—which; dvi-akṣaram—consisting of two letters; nāma—named; girā īritam—merely being pronounced by the tongue; nṛṇām—persons; sakṛt—once; prasaṅgāt—from the heart; agham—sinful activities; āśu—immediately; hanti—destroys; tat—that; pavitra-kīrtim—whose fame is pure; tam—him; alaṅghya-śāsanam—whose order is never neglected; bhavān—you; aho—oh; dveṣṭi—envy; śivam—Lord Śiva; śiva-itaraḥ—who are inauspicious.
TRANSLATION
Satī continued: My dear father, you are committing the greatest offense by envying Lord Śiva, whose very name, consisting of two syllables, śi and va, purifies one of all sinful activities. His order is never neglected. Lord Śiva is always pure, and no one but you envies him.
PURPORT
Since Lord Śiva is the greatest soul among the living entities within this material world, his name, Śiva, is very auspicious for persons who identify the body with the soul. If such persons take shelter of Lord Śiva, gradually they will understand that they are not the material body but are spirit soul. Śiva means maṅgala, or auspicious. Within the body the soul is auspicious. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: “I am Brahman.” This realization is auspicious. As long as one does not realize his identity as the soul, whatever he does is inauspicious. Śiva means “auspicious,” and devotees of Lord Śiva gradually come to the platform of spiritual identification, but that is not all. Auspicious life begins from the point of spiritual identification. But there are still more duties—one has to understand one’s relationship with the
Srimad Bhagavatam 12 Canto states:
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.13.16
nimna-gānāḿ yathā gańgā
devānām acyuto yathā
vaiṣṇavānāḿ yathā śambhuḥ
purāṇānām idam tathā

Just as the Gańgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Śambhu [Śiva] the greatest of Vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the greatest of all Purāṇas.
In Nandagrama Lord Siva has taken the form of Nandisva hill,where Nanda Maharaja build his palace.Some Brijabasis and Vaisnavas sometimes take stone from Nandisvara hill and paint Siva tilaka on them and worship them as Lord Siva.
Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has given us a beautiful prayer in his Stavamrta Lahari:
Nandisvarastakam
Author: Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Book Name: Stavamrta Lahari
Language: Sanskrit
LYRICS:
(1)
sākṣān mahattama-mahā-ghana-cid-vilāsa-
puñjaḥ svayaḿ śikhari-śekharatām upetaḥ
yatreśvaraḥ sa khalu nandati yena veti
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(2)
brahmāṇḍa-vapra-gata-loka-nikāya-śasya-
santarpi kṛṣṇa-caritāmṛta-nirjharāḍhyaḥ
parjanya-santati-sukhāspada-pūrvako yo
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(3)
yat-saubhagaḿ bhagavatā dharaṇī-bhṛtāpi
na prāpyate sura-giriḥ sa hi ko varākaḥ
nandaḥ svayaḿ vasati yatra sa-putra-dāro
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(4)
yatra vrajādhipa-purā-pratima-prakāśa-
prāsāda-mūrdha-kalaśopari-nṛtya-rańgī
barhīkṣyate bhuvi jayadhvaja-ketu-bhūto
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(5)
yac chṛńga-sańgata-sugandha-śilādhirūḍhaḥ
kṛṣṇaḥ satṛṣṇa-nayanaḥ parito vrajābjam
ālokyate dvi-ṣaḍ-udāra-dālāṭavīs tā
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(6)
jigye yadīya-taṭa-rāji-saroja-rāji-
saurabhya-mañjula-saro-jala-śīkareṇa
trailokya-varti-vara-tīrtha-yaśo rasaughair
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(7)
yat-tīra-sańgi-pavanair abhimṛśyamānāḥ
syuḥ pāvanā api janāḥ sva-daśāḿ pareṣām
sā pāvanākhya-sarasī yadu-patya-kāyāḿ
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(8)
kṛṣṇākhyam asti mahad-ujjvala-nīla-ratnaḿ
sūte tad eva vasu tat svabhuvaiva dṛṣṭam
tal labhyate sukṛtinaiva yadīya-sānau
nandīśvaraḥ sa mada-manda-mudaḿ dadhātu
(9)
durvāsanā-śata-vṛto'pi bhavat-prayatnaḥ
padyāṣṭakaḿ paṭhati yaḥ śikharīśa tubhyam
kṛṣṇāńghri-padya-rasa eva sadā sa-tṛṣṇam
etaḿ janaḿ kuru guru-praṇayaḿ dadhānam
TRANSLATION
1) May Nandisvara Hill, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, crowned with a peacock feather and splendid as a monsoon cloud, enjoyer of pastimes, delight me.
2) May Nandisvara Hill, rich with the nectar rivers of Krsna's pastimes that please the grass of the living entities in the world, and previously the place of happiness for a great monsoon cloud, delight me.
3) With his son and wife King Nanda lived on Nandisvara Hill. The good-fortune of Nandisvara Hill was never attained by any other mountain. What is tiny Mount Meru in comparison to it? May Nandisvara Hill delight me.
4) May Nandisvara Hill, where the king of Vraja had his capitol of splendid palaces with spires and domes where a peacock could be seen happily dancing among the colourful victory flags, delight me.
5) Krsna sometimes climbs its aromatic summit and sits on a rock, gazing out with thirsty eyes at the twelve forests that are the great petals of the Vrajabhumi lotus spread beneath Him. May Nandisvara Hill delight me.
6) May Nandisvara Hill, which by sprinkling the nectar waters of it's lakes fragrant with lotus flowers defeats the glory of the most exalted holy places in the three worlds, delight me.
7) May Nandisvarah Hill, which has at its base a lake named Pavana that purifies and liberates all its touches with the purifying breeze from its shore, delight me.
8) May Nandisvara Hill, which has at its peak a great and splendid sapphire treasure named Krsna, which was seen by the demigod Brahma, and which may be gotten by the most pious person, delight me.
9) O Nandisvara Hill, O king of mountains, please be kind to they who try to glorify you by reading these prayers. Even if such readers are infested with hundreds of sinful desires, please transform them into great devotees, full of devotion for their spiritual master, and thirsty for the nectar of Krsna's lotus feet.
One time Sri Radha was very angry with Krsna and manifested Her Maan lila, sulky mood and would not see Sri Krishna. Krsna assumed the form just like Lord Siva and begged like in Yavat and when He came to Radharanis house, He begged Her to give up her Maan ,transcendental jealous love.
Lord Siva is described all over the Srimad Bhagavatam like the prayers of Lord Siva given to the Pracetas (in the Fourth Canto) ,or Lord Siva benedicting Markandeya Rsi in the 12 Canto, are few of many examples.
So one may ask did Srila PRabhupada even allow Siva ratri, the chapter 34 of the Krsna book is an indicator that a vaisnava may or may not always observe, or sometimes observe. But this statement is very clear:
Prabhupäda: ...observing Siva-rätri, Nanda Mahäräja and all the cowherds men, they increased their attachment for Krsna. That is wanted. (A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Morning Walk. May 1st 1974. Bombay.)
I found this nice article about the origin of Siva ratri:
The Story of King Chitrabhanu
In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on a bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows.
Once, King Chitrabhanu was observing a fast with his wife, and it was the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the king’s court. The sage asked, “ O king why are you observing a fast today?” King Chitrabhanu explained the reason, as he had the gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth. The king said to the sage, “in my past birth I was a hunter in Varanasi (Kashi). My name was Suswara. My livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day, I was overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, I climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a bael tree. I had shot a deer that day, but I did not have time to take it home. I bundled it up and tied it to a branch on the tree. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst, I kept awake throughout the night. I shed profuse tears when I thought of my poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously awaiting my return. To pass away time that night I engaged myself in plucking bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground. “The day dawned and I returned home and sold the deer. I bought some food for myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast when a stranger came to me, begging for food. I served him first and then took my food.”
“ At the time of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, they were sent down to take me to his abode. I then learnt for the first time of the great merit I had earned but the unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. They told me that there was a lingam under that tree and that I had dropped the leaves on that Lingam. My tears, which I had shed out of pure sorrow for my family, fell onto the Lingam and washed it. And I had fasted all day and all night. Thus, I unconsciously worshipped Lord Shiva on that most auspicious day.” “I lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages. And now I am reborn as Chitrabhanu.”
Lord Shiva’s assurance
When creation was completed Lord Shiva and Parvati Mata went to live on the top of Mount Kailash. Parvati asked, “O adorable lord, which of the many rituals observed in your honour pleases you the most.” The Lord replied, “the fourteenth night of the new moon in the dark fortnight during the month of Phalgun, is my favorite day. It is called Maha Shivaratri. My devotees give me great joy and happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths and offerings of flower, sweets and incense.” “The devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships me in four different forms during each of the four successive three hour periods of the night. The offering of a few bael leaves is more precious to me than precious jewels and flowers. My devotee should bath me in milk in the first period, in yogurt in the second period, in ghee in the third, and in honey in the fourth and the last. In the morning he should feed Brahmins (that is if this is possible), and after doing that he/she breaks his/her fast. No ritual can compare with this simple routine in sanctity.” Parvati was deeply impressed by the words of her husband. She repeated this to her friends, who in turn passed it on to everyone else. Thus the sanctity of Maha Shivaratri was broadcast all over the world. The Shivaratri fast is aimed at controlling a persons two great vices (rajas – the quality of passionate activity) and (tamas - that of inertia).
The entire day is spent on worshipping Lord Shiva. Continuous worship of the Lord necessitates the devotee’s constant presence in the place of worship. Ones motion is controlled and evils like lust, anger and jealousy, born of Rajas, are ignored and subdued. The devotee observes virgil throughout the night and thus conquers tamas also. Constant control is exercised over the mind. Every three hours a round of worship of the Shiva lingam is conducted and thus Shivaratri is the perfect vrat.
At many ashrams around the world Shivaratri is celebrated in the following manner.
Aspirants fast the whole day, many of them without taking a single drop of water. Some ashrams perform a grand havan (fire yajnas) to Lord Shiva for peace and welfare of all. The whole day is spent in chantinge of the mantra “Om namah Shivaya” and in meditation upon the Lord. At night all assemble in the temple and chant this mantra and during the four quarters of the night the Shiva lingam is worshipped with intense devotion.
In Kali yuga Sada Siva and MahaVisnus combined form appears as Advaita Acarya, so this fasting for Advaita Acaryas apperance day is also essential to strict vaisnavas, and should also be done like ekadasi fasting.
Some may ask but Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita not to worship the Devas, but we see even Krsna Himself shows by His example we should perform Siva Ratri and also Lord Ramachandra worshipped Lord Siva for example when He went to Sri Lanka at Ramesvaram.
Srila Jiva Goswami gives a pastime in his Sandarbhas how one Vaisnava Brahmin was forced to worship Lord Siva but he simply refused and worshipped Lord Narasimhadeva instead, when the dacoits that was trying to force him tried to kill him, Lord Narasimha appeared from the Siva linga and killed these demons.
But surely this is no excuse to neglect Siva ratri.We see how Daksa thought he could offend Lord Siva and worship Lord Visnu only and he ended up with the head of a goat as a result.Srimad Bhagavatam 4th Canto this is described.
your humble servant
Paramananda das

Shri Shivashtakam

Shri Shivashtakam composed by the Supreme Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu Himself should be recited on Shivaratri to glorify Lord Shiva:

namo namas te tri-dasesvaraya, bhutadi-nathaya mridaya nityam
ganga-tarangotthita-bala-candra-cudaya gauri-nayanotsavaya 13

nama nama - repeated obeisances; te - to you; tri-dasa-isvaraya - to the lord of the 30 principal demigods; bhuta - of all beings; adi-nathaya - unto the primeval lord; mdaya - to the gracious one; nityam - perpetually; ganga-taranga - the waves of the Ganga; utthita - arises; bala-candra - by the new moon; cudaya - crested; gauri - for the goddess Gauri (the fairest of women); nayana-utsavaya - to the festival for the eyes.

"I perpetually offer obeisances unto you, the lord of the thirty primal devas, who are the original father of created beings, whose character is gracious, upon whose head, which is crested by the sickle moon, the Ganga springs, and who are a festival for the eyes of Gauri, the fair goddess.

su-tapta-camikara-candra-nila-padma-pravalambuda-kanti-vastraih
suntya-rangeta-vara-pradaya, kaivalya-nathaya va-dhvajaya 14

su-tapta - molten; camikara - gold; candra - moon; nila-padma - blue lotus; pravala - budding; ambuda - cloud; kanti - luster; vastraih - with garments; sa - he; ntya-ranga - of pleasure-dancing; ita - desired; vara-pradaya - to you who bestow the boon; kaivalya-nathaya - to the lord of the monists; va-dhvajaya - to he whose flag bears a bull.

"I offer my obeisances to you who resemble a moon of molten gold, who are dressed in garments colored like a group of budding blue lotuses or lustrous rainclouds, who bestow the most desirable boon to your devotees by your delightful dancing, who offer shelter to those who seek to become one with the transcendental effulgence of Godhead, and whose flag bears the image of the bull.

sudhasu-suryagni-vilocanena, tamo-bhide te jagatah sivaya
sahasra-subhrasu-sahasra-rasmi-sahasra-sanjittvara-tejase 'stu 15

sudha-asu - nectar-rayed (moon); surya - sun; agni - fire; vilocanena - by your eyes; tamo-bhide - the dissipater of darkness; te - to you; jagatah - of the cosmos; sivaya - for auspiciousness; sahasra - a thousand; subhra-asu - white-rayed (moon) sahasra-rasmi - the thousand-rayed sun; sahasra - a thousand; sanjit - completely defeated; tvara - swift; tejase - to you whose power; astu - let it be.

"I offer my obeisances to you who dispel darkness with your three eyes - the moon, the sun, and fire - and thus cause auspiciousness for all the living entities of the universe, and whose potency easily defeats thousands of moons and suns.

nagesa-ratnojjvala-vigrahaya, sarddula-carmasuka-divya-tejase
sahasra-patropari sasthitaya, varangadamukta-bhuja-dvayaya 16

naga-isa - the king of snakes; ratna - gems; ujjvala - luminous; vigrahaya - to you whose form; sardula-carma - skins of tigers; asuka - garments; divya-tejase - to you of divine potency; sahasra-patra-upari - upon a thousand-petalled lotus; sasthitaya - to you who stand; vara-angada - with beautiful bangles; amukta - dressed; bhuja-dvayaya - to you whose two arms are such.

"I offer my obeisances to you, whose form is brilliantly illuminated by the jewels of Ananta-deva, the king of snakes, who possess divine potencies and are clothed in a tiger-skin, who stands in the midst of a thousand-petalled lotus, and whose two arms are adorned by lustrous bangles.

su-nupuraranjita-pada-padma-karat-sudha-bhtya-sukha-pradaya
vicitra-ratnaugha-vibhuitaya, premanam evadya harau vidhehi 17

su-nupura - fine anklebells; aranjita - reddish; pada-padma - lotus feet; karat - flowing; sudha - nectar; bhtya - to your servants; sukha-pradaya - to you who give joy; vicitra - wonderful; ratna-ogha - a multitude of jewels; vibhuitaya - to you who are adorned; premanam - love; eva - certainly; adya - today; harau - for Hari; vidhehi - You should endow.

"I offer my obeisances to you who bestow happiness to your servitors as you pour upon them the liquid nectar flowing from your reddish lotus feet, upon which charming anklebells ring. Obeisances unto you who are adorned by an abundance of gems. Please endow Me today with pure love for Shri Hari.

shri-rama govinda mukunda saure, shri-kna narayana vasudeva
ity adi-namamta-pana-matta-bhngadhipayakhila-duhkha-hantre 18

shri-rama - O splendid reservoir of pleasure!; govinda - O awarder of delight to the cows, the senses and the land!; mukunda - O giver of liberation!; saure - O hero!; shri-kna - O all-attractive!; nara-ayana - O shelter of mankind!; vasudeva - O all-pervading Lord, son of Vasudeva!; iti - thus; adi - headed by; nama-amta - nectarean names; pana - drinking; matta - intoxicated; bhnga - bee; adhipaya - unto the monarch; akhila - all; duhkha-hantre - unto the slayer of grief.

"`O Shri Rama! O Govinda! O Mukunda! O Sauri! O Shri Krishna! O Narayana! O Vasudeva!' I offer my obeisances unto you, Shri Siva, who are the monarch ruling over all the bee-like devotees who are mad to drink the nectar of these and other innumerable names of Hari, and who thus destroys all grief.

shri-naradadyaih satata sugopya-jijnasitayasu vara-pradaya
tebhyo harer bhakti-sukha-pradaya, sivaya sarvva-gurave namah 19

shri-narada-adyaih - by those headed by Narada Muni; satatam - always; su-gopya - very confidential; jijnasitaya - to you who are inquired of; asu - easily; vara-pradaya - to you who give boons; tebhya - to them; hare - of Lord Hari; bhakti-sukha-pradaya - to you who give the joy of devotional service; sivaya - to the auspicious; sarva-gurave - to the guru of all; namah - obeisances.

"I offer my respectful obeisances to you, Shri Siva, who are forever inquired of confidentially by Shri Narada and other great sages, who very easily bestow boons on them, who bestow the happiness of Hari-bhakti to those who seek boons of you, who thereby create auspiciousness and are thus the guru of everyone.

shri-gauri-netrotsava-mangalaya, tat-prana-nathaya rasa-pradaya
sada samutkantha-govinda-lila-gana-pravinaya namo 'stu tubhyam 20

shri-gauri-netra - for the eyes of Shri Gauri; utsava-mangalaya - to you who are an auspicious festival; tat-prana-nathaya - to the lord of Gauri's life breath; rasa-pradaya - to the giver of rasa; sada - always; samutkantha - with great longing; govinda-lila - of the pastimes of Govinda; gana-pravinaya - to the expert singer; nama - obeisances; astu - let there be; tubhyam - to you.

"I offer my obeisances to you who are a festival of auspiciousness for the eyes of Gauri, who are the lord of her life-energy, who bestow rasa and are expert in forever singing songs with eagerness of the pastimes of Govinda