Is Lord Mahādeva superior to Lord Kṛṣṇa? Why does Kṛṣṇa worship Him?

Ashaadha-S02 ☆08 1946 S.E.

An interesting conversation between Bhagavān Ṡrīkṛṣṇa and Arjuna occurs in the Nārāyaṇīya section of the Mahabhārata Ṡānti Parva (BORI CE 12.328). Here Lord Ṡrīkṛṣṇa Himself answers the most vexing questions:

1. Are Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu one and the same?
2. Can Vaishnavas worship Lord Shiva? Is it optional or mandatory?
3. Why does Lord Ṡrīkṛṣṇa worship Lord Shiva on many occasions?

The entire chapter is worth reading. Here I quote only the relevant verses, following mostly southern readings (but all the verses occur in the Critical Edition too):

Lord Bhagavān Ṡrīkṛṣṇa starts by saying that He and Arjuna are Nara-Nārāyaṇa themselves:

kathyamānaṃ mayā tāta tvaṃ hi mē’rdhaṃ smṛtaḥ purā
namō’tiyaṡasē tasmai dēvānāṃ paramātmanē /8.11/

It has been said by Me that in olden times, you were half of Me. I bow down to the extremely famous one, the Supreme Soul of all gods,…

nārāyaṇāya viṡvāya nirguṇāya guṇātmanē
yasya prasādajō brahmā rudraṡ ca krōdhasambhavaḥ /8.12/

To Nārāyaṇa who is the universe, who is nirguṇa (without qualities), yet possesses all the qualities in His essence (guṇātmanē). Brahmā, who was born of His favour, generated Rudra from Brahma’s rage.

dakṣakratuharaṡ caiva bhaganētraharas tathā
nārāyaṇātmakō jn̄ēyaḥ pāṇḍavēya yugē yugē /8.21/

He (Lord Rudra) destroyed king Dakṣa’s sacrifice and removed god Bhaga’s eyes. O Panḍavēya! From one yuga to another yuga, know that Lord Nārāyaṇa is always present in his (Rudra’s) ātman.

tasmin hi pūjyamānē vai dēvadēvē mahēṡvarē
sampūjitō bhavēt pārtha dēvō nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ /8.22/

O Pārtha Arjuna! Hence, if the god of the gods Mahēṡvara is worshipped, that is the same thing as the worshipping god Lord Nārāyaṇa.

aham ātmā hi lōkānāṃ viṡvānāṃ pāṇḍunandana
tasmād ātmānam ēvāgrē rudraṃ sampūjayāmy aham /8.23/

O delight of Pāṇḍu! I am indeed the soul of all the worlds. Therefore, I foremost worship My own self only as Rudra.

yady ahaṃ nārcayēyaṃ vai īṡānaṃ varadaṃ ṡivam
ātmānaṃ nārcayēt kaṡcid iti mē bhāvitaṃ manaḥ /8.24/

If I do not worship the auspicious Lord Īṡāna, the granter of boons, then I think of that as My own self not being worshipped.

mayā pramāṇaṃ hi kṛtaṃ lōkaḥ samanuvatsyatē
pramāṇāni hi pūjyāni tatas taṃ pūjayāmy aham /8.25/

The world certainly follows the standard I set. These standards are certainly honourable (by others) and therefore I also honour them.

yas taṃ vētti sa māṃ vētti yō’nu taṃ sa hi mām anu
rudrō nārāyaṇaṡ caiva sattvam ēkaṃ dvidhākṛtam /8.26/

A person who knows him knows Me. A person who knows Me, knows him. Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are one in essence (sattva) but are arranged twofold.

lōkē carati kauntēya vyaktisthaṃ sarvakarmasu
na hi mē kēna cid dēyō varaḥ pāṇḍavanandana /8.27/

O Kauntēya, the delight of Pāṇḍavas! It (sattva) travels in the world being situated in the people in all their actions. There is no one else who can grant Me a boon.

iti san̄cintya manasā purāṇaṃ viṡvam īṡvaram
putrārtham ārādhitavān ātmānam aham ātmanā /8.28/

In earlier times, thus I mentally thought and by My own self worshipped Myself the Lord of the Universe (Rudra), for the sake of obtaining a son.

na hi viṣṇuḥ praṇamati kasmai cid vibudhāya tu
ṛta ātmānam ēvēti tatō rudraṃ bhajāmy aham /8.29/

There is no one that the Lord Viṣṇu bows down before, other than the Wise one (Rudra), who is My own self. Therefore, I worship Rudra.

sabrahmakāḥ sarudrāṡ ca sēndrā dēvāḥ saharṣibhiḥ
arcayanti suraṡrēṣṭhaṃ dēvaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ harim /8.30/

Lord Brahmā, the (eleven) Rudras, Indra and the rishis worship the god who is most excellent among the gods, Lord Nārāyaṇa Hari.

bhaviṣyatāṃ vartatāṃ ca bhūtānāṃ caiva bhārata
sarvēṣām agraṇīr viṣṇuḥ sēvyaḥ pūjyaṡ ca nityaṡaḥ /8.31/

O scion of Bharata! Among creatures of the past, the present and the future, Lord Viṣṇu is the foremost and He must always be served and worshipped.

caturvidhā mama janā bhaktā ēvaṃ hi tē ṡrutam
tēṣām ēkāntinaḥ ṡrēṣṭhās tē caivānanyadēvatāḥ /8.33/

You have heard the four kinds of My devotees. Among these, the best are the ones who exclusively seek Me, and not any other god.