[Advaita-l] Remarkable Consistency between the Vishnu and Shiva Puranas!

[S Jayanarayanan]

 Happy Maha-Shivaratri!
 
 
An episode that is common to both the Vishnu and Shiva Puranas is the description of the battle involving Banasura,
where Krishna and Shiva face off each other.
 
 
The Vishnu Purana (obviously) grants the victory to Krishna:
 
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp150.htm
 
  “A fierce combat took place between Hari and Śankara; all the regions shook, scorched by their flaming weapons,
  and the celestials felt assured that the end of the universe was at hand. Govinda, with the weapon of yawning,
  set Śankara a-gape; and then the demons and the demigods attendant upon Śiva were destroyed on every side;
  for Hara, overcome with incessant gaping, sat down in his car, and was unable longer to contend with Krishńa,
  whom no acts affect.”
 
 
It appears from the above account that Krishna effortlessly overpowers Shiva. The Shiva Purana narrates the
same story, where too Krishna emerges the so-called "victor", but expands on how exactly it came to be:
 
  “Lord Krishna resorted to Shiva, favourably disposed to his devotees, bowed to him with devotion with palms joined
  in reverence and submitted as follows.
  Lord Krishna said, "O Lord Shiva, Lord of the gods, favourably disposed to those who seek refuge in you,
  I bow to you the Great Lord, the Soul of All and Infinite Power...You are the Brahman...the Primordial Purusha
  without a second...O Lord, command me to cut off the hands of Bana."
  Lord Shiva said, "O dear, what you say is true...make me benumbed by means of your Jrimbhana missile.
  Thereafter you can do as you please and be happy."
  ...thus urged by Shiva, Lord Krishna...rejoiced...fixed the Jrimbhana missile...and discharged it at Shiva.”
 
 
NOTE:- The Shiva Purana does not anywhere contradict the Vishnu Purana, including the passage where Krishna
"defeats" Shiva, but presents the minute details as to why it doesn't affect the Status of Shiva!
 
 
The end of the incident in the Vishnu Purana says it all:
 
  “When he had concluded, Govinda, dismissing his resentment against the Asura, looked graciously on the lord of Umá,
  the wielder of the trident, and said to him, "Since you, Śankara, have given a boon unto Báńa, let him live:
  from respect to your promises, my discus is arrested: the assurance of safety granted by you is granted also by me.
  YOU ARE FIT TO APPREHEND THAT YOU ARE NOT DISTINCT FROM ME. THAT WHICH I AM, THOU ART; and that also is this world,
  with its gods, demons, and mankind. Men contemplate distinctions, because they are stupified by ignorance."”
 
 
Shiva declares in the Shiva Purana:
 
  “If a devotee of Vishnu hates me or if a devotee of Shiva hates Vishnu, both will incur curses and never realise reality.”
 
 
Salutations to the Great Veda Vyasa for preserving TRULY ASTOUNDING CONSISTENCY between the two Maha-Puranas! _/|\_
 
 
Regards,
Kartik