In this live English translation of Sripada Premananda Prabhu's evening class, we hear the glories of Lord Siva, and Siva-ratri. Premananda Prabhu is speaking from his remembrances of when Srila Gurudeva spoke this katha of Lord Siva at the Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneswar. We hear the glories of Siva, who is the form of auspiciousness and the importance of worshiping Siva by offering him the prasada of Bhagavan. By following Siva-ratri, we gain Siva's mercy, and pure knowledge, or pancaratra, and are delivered from the dark night of illusion, or ratri, in material existence.
We also hear about the essential need to remember, pray, and perform kirtana of Srila Gurudeva, or Guru and Vaisnavas. Without the mercy of Guru and Vaisnavas, we cannot hope to make relation with Krsna or worship Krsna. If we try to independently worship Krsna, without taking shelter of Guru and Vaisnavas, we will pray for material poison from Krsna or try to become Krsna instead of serving Him. Thus, when we remember and are connected to Gurudeva and Vaisnavas, then their quality of love and service tendency towards Krsna transfers into us by their mercy. Without their mercy we have no hope to progress in spiritual life.