अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति
शक्तिमानभितस्त्वं च ह्य् अनलस्त्वं च मोहितः तत्तेजसो ऽपि माहात्म्यं युवां द्रष्टुं न हि क्षमौ
śaktimānabhitastvaṃ ca hy analastvaṃ ca mohitaḥ tattejaso 'pi māhātmyaṃ yuvāṃ draṣṭuṃ na hi kṣamau
إنك قويٌّ من كل جانب، وأنتَ أَغني (Agni) النارُ ذاتُها—ومع ذلك فأنتَ مُغَوَّى. حتى جلال ذلك التِّيجَس الإلهي (tejas) لا يقدر اثنانكما على مشاهدته؛ لستما أهلًا لرؤيته.
Suta Goswami (narrating the internal episode of the Devas being humbled by the Linga’s tejas)
It establishes that the Linga’s tejas (Shiva’s transcendent presence) exceeds even the powers of Vedic deities like Agni, guiding devotees to worship the Linga as Pati—beyond sensory and ritual pride.
Shiva-tattva is presented as immeasurable radiance (tejas) whose māhātmya cannot be grasped by limited beings; without grace and inner purification, even powerful devas remain under moha (delusion).
The takeaway is Pashupata-oriented: conquer moha through bhakti, jñāna, and disciplined sādhana so the pashu (soul) loosens pasha (bondage) and becomes fit to approach Pati (Shiva) symbolized by the Linga.