In Bhagavad-gita it is said that in order to make spiritual progress, one must become fearless. Abhayam sattva-samsuddhih (Bg. 16.1). Fearfulness is the result of material involvement. It is also said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.37), bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat: fearfulness is a creation of the bodily conception of life. As long as one is absorbed in the thought that he is this material body, he is fearful, and as soon as one is freed from this material conception, he becomes brahma-bhuta, or self-realized, and immediately becomes fearless. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma (Bg. 18.54). Without being fearless, one cannot be joyful. The bhaktas, the devotees, are fearless and always joyful because they are constantly engaged in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. It is also said:   (More...)

If one strictly follows the process of devotional service, he has no fear of death, for he is predestined to go back home, back to Godhead. The nondevotees are fearful of death because they have no guarantee of where they are going or of the type of body they are going to get in their next life. The word rudra-bhaya is significant in this verse because Rudra himself, Lord Siva, is speaking of fear of Rudra. This indicates that there are many Rudraseleven Rudrasand the Rudra (Lord Siva) who was offering this prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is different from the other Rudras, although he is as powerful as they are. The conclusion is that one Rudra is afraid of another Rudra because each and every one of them is engaged in the destruction of this cosmic manifestation. But for the devotee, everyone is afraid of Rudra, even Rudra himself. A devotee is never afraid of Rudra because he is always secure, being protected by the lotus feet of the Lord. As Sri Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (9.31), kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: My dear Arjuna, you may declare publicly that My pure devotee will not be vanquished under any circumstances.   (More...)