Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 7
Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī
Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power
त्वं ब्रह्म पूर्णममृतं विगुणं विशोक- मानन्दमात्रमविकारमनन्यदन्यत् । विश्वस्य हेतुरुदयस्थितिसंयमाना- मात्मेश्वरश्च तदपेक्षतयानपेक्ष: ॥ ७ ॥
tvaṁ brahma pūrṇam amṛtaṁ viguṇaṁ viśokam ānanda-mātram avikāram ananyad anyat viśvasya hetur udaya-sthiti-saṁyamānām ātmeśvaraś ca tad-apekṣatayānapekṣaḥ
My Lord, You are the Supreme Brahman, complete in everything. Being completely spiritual, You are eternal, free from the material modes of nature, and full of transcendental bliss. Indeed, for You there is no question of lamentation. Since You are the supreme cause, the cause of all causes, nothing can exist without You. Yet we are different from You in a relationship of cause and effect, for in one sense the cause and effect are different. You are the original cause of creation, manifestation and annihilation, and You bestow benedictions upon all living entities. Everyone depends upon You for the results of his activities, but You are always independent.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) :
FAQs
This verse addresses Viṣṇu as “viguṇa”—transcendent to sattva, rajas, and tamas—describing Him as changeless, sorrowless, and pure bliss, while still being the ultimate cause of cosmic functions.
In the Mohinī-mūrti narrative, Śiva approaches Viṣṇu and offers prayers that glorify His absolute, independent nature—acknowledging that even great devas depend on Him, while He depends on none.
By remembering that the Supreme is steady and complete, one can reduce anxiety born of dependency and change, and cultivate devotion, humility, and inner stability amid life’s shifting circumstances.