Hamsa-vahana Siva Temple

Opening Time
6:00am – 12:00am
3:00pm – 8:00pm

Information – The name Hamsa-vahana refers to Lord Siva who traveled with Lord Brahma’s swan carrier. Hamsa means “swan” and vahana means “one who is carried by”.

Giving up his bull carrier, Śiva once mounted Śrī Hansa-vāhana, Brahma’s swan, and came here to hear the recitation of the Purāņas. Along with his followers, he sang the glories of Gaura. While singing and dancing, the followers surrounded Siva, and shouting the name of Gaurahari, threw heaps of flowers all around.”
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 9)

There also, on the bank of the Gomati in Naimiṣāraṇya, the rsis are listening to the Gaura Bhagavat. To hear this narration about Gauranga. Lord Siva mounted Śrī Hamsa-vāhana, Brahma’s swan, to come here quickly. When will I wander through this forest and see that assembly listening to the Gaura Purana? On the bank of the Gomati during Ekadasi in the holy month of Kartika, I will hear stories about Sri Caitanya.
(Sri Navadvipa Bhava-taranga)

On another day a great devotee of Lord Śiva, chanting of Lord Śiva’s qualities, came to Lord Caitanya’s house, where he began dancing in the courtyard and playing his ḍamaru [a musical instrument].
(CC Ādi 17.99 )

Then Lord Caitanya, adopting the mood of Lord Śiva, got on the man’s shoulders, and thus they danced together for a long time.
PURPORT
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu adopted the mood of Lord Śiva, for He is Śiva also. According to the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, Lord Śiva is not different from Lord Viṣṇu, but still Lord Śiva is not Lord Viṣṇu, just as yogurt is nothing but milk and yet is not milk nevertheless. One cannot get the benefit of milk by drinking yogurt. Similarly, one cannot get salvation by worshiping Lord Śiva. If one wants salvation, one must worship Lord Viṣṇu. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4): mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. Everything is resting on the Lord, for everything is His energy, yet He is not everywhere. Lord Caitanya’s adopting the mood of Lord Śiva is not extraordinary, but one should not therefore think that by worshiping Lord Śiva one is worshiping Lord Caitanya. That would be a mistake.
(CC Ādi 17.100)