Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 30
Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī
Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power
सोपगूढा भगवता करिणा करिणी यथा । इतस्तत: प्रसर्पन्ती विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहा ॥ २९ ॥ आत्मानं मोचयित्वाङ्ग सुरर्षभभुजान्तरात् । प्राद्रवत्सा पृथुश्रोणी माया देवविनिर्मिता ॥ ३० ॥
sopagūḍhā bhagavatā kariṇā kariṇī yathā itas tataḥ prasarpantī viprakīrṇa-śiroruhā
Being embraced by Lord Śiva like a female elephant embraced by a male, the woman, whose hair was scattered, swirled like a snake. O King, this woman, who had large, high hips, was a woman of yoga-māyā presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She released Herself somehow or other from the fond embrace of Lord Śiva’s arms and ran away.
FAQs
This verse depicts Mohinī being embraced by Bhagavān and then slipping away, illustrating how the Lord’s līlā and māyā can bewilder even exalted beings and stir powerful attraction.
The elephant-and-mate comparison emphasizes the intensity of the embrace and the overpowering pull of the līlā, making the narrative vivid while highlighting the force of divine illusion.
Recognize how attraction can cloud judgment; cultivate devotion and self-restraint, remembering that only Bhagavān is fully independent and that māyā can unsettle anyone without spiritual grounding.