Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 4
Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī
Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power
श्रीमहादेव उवाच देवदेव जगद्वयापिञ्जगदीश जगन्मय । सर्वेषामपि भावानां त्वमात्मा हेतुरीश्वर: ॥ ४ ॥
śrī-mahādeva uvāca deva-deva jagad-vyāpiñ jagad-īśa jagan-maya sarveṣām api bhāvānāṁ tvam ātmā hetur īśvaraḥ
Śrī Mahādeva sprach: O Gott der Götter, allgegenwärtiger Herr, Jagadīśa! Durch Deine Śakti offenbarst Du Dich als Schöpfung; Du bist der Ātman aller Wesen, die Wurzelursache und der höchste Parameśvara.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, resides within the material world as the sattva-guṇa-avatāra. Lord Śiva is the tamo-guṇa-avatāra, and Lord Brahmā is the rajo-guṇa-avatāra, but although Lord Viṣṇu is among them, He is not in the same category. Lord Viṣṇu is deva-deva, the chief of all the demigods. Since Lord Śiva is in this material world, the energy of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, includes Lord Śiva. Lord Viṣṇu is therefore called jagad-vyāpī, “the all-pervading Lord.” Lord Śiva is sometimes called Maheśvara, and so people think that Lord Śiva is everything. But here Lord Śiva addresses Lord Viṣṇu as Jagadīśa, “the master of the universe.” Lord Śiva is sometimes called Viśveśvara, but here he addresses Lord Viṣṇu as Jaganmaya, indicating that even Viśveśvara is under Lord Viṣṇu’s control. Lord Viṣṇu is the master of the spiritual world, yet He controls the material world also, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā ( mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram ). Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are also sometimes called īśvara, but the supreme īśvara is Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Kṛṣṇa. As stated in Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ: the Supreme Lord is Kṛṣṇa, Lord Viṣṇu. Everything in existence works in proper order because of Lord Viṣṇu. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Even paramāṇu, the small atoms, work because of Lord Viṣṇu’s presence within them.
FAQs
In this verse, Lord Śiva addresses the Supreme Lord as jagad-vyāpin—one who pervades the entire universe—affirming that the Lord is present everywhere as the underlying reality and support of all existence.
Within the Mohinī-mūrti narrative, Śiva glorifies the Supreme Lord as the God of gods, acknowledging Viṣṇu/Śrī Hari as the ultimate controller and source even of the greatest devas.
Remembering the Lord as the inner Self and ultimate cause encourages humility, steadiness in success or failure, and more compassionate behavior toward all beings as spiritually connected.