a lot of westerners casually seeking moksha prefer Shiva to Vishnu because they see Shiva as the path of meditation and Vishnu as the path of worship, or see Shiva as being for ascetics and Vishnu for householders. they don't know that Krishna is the highest yogi, just like Shiva, and that one can worship God in a non-dual way. at least, that was what i was like. Hari and Hara are one!