Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च
तथाभूतमहं दृष्ट्वा शयानं पङ्कजेक्षणम् मायया मोहितस्तस्य तमवोचममर्षितः
tathābhūtamahaṃ dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ paṅkajekṣaṇam māyayā mohitastasya tamavocamamarṣitaḥ
Als ich ihn so daliegen sah, lotusäugig, wurde ich von seiner māyā betört; und von Ungeduld ergriffen sprach ich ihn verärgert an.
Brahma (within Suta’s narration to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It shows how even cosmic authorities can be veiled by māyā; Linga-worship centers the devotee on Pati (Śiva) beyond pride and delusion, preparing the mind for the Linga’s revelation as the supreme sign.
By implication, Shiva-tattva stands prior to and beyond the māyā that can bewilder Brahmā and Viṣṇu; the coming Linga episode frames Śiva as Pati—transcendent, the ground of creation and the remover of avidyā.
A key Pāśupata-Yogic takeaway is vigilance against māyā and krodha (irritated ego); the verse points to inner purification—restraint and discernment—as prerequisites for true Linga-upāsanā.