Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20
तारकवाक्य-शक्रविष्णुवीरभद्रयुद्धवर्णनम् — Account of Tāraka’s declarations and the battle involving Śakra (Indra), Viṣṇu, and Vīrabhadra
मोहिनीरूपतोऽनेन पंक्तिभेदः कृतो हि वै । देवासुरसुधापाने वेदमार्गो विगर्हितः
mohinīrūpato'nena paṃktibhedaḥ kṛto hi vai | devāsurasudhāpāne vedamārgo vigarhitaḥ
In der Gestalt Mohinīs bewirkte er wahrlich die Spaltung der Reihen, indem er die Parteien trennte; und beim Trinken des Nektars durch Götter und Asuras wurde der vedische Pfad der rechten Sitte getadelt und beiseitegeschoben.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shakti Form: Lalitā
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: amṛta-manthana aftermath (nectar distribution)
FAQs
It highlights that in extraordinary cosmic crises, even conventional Vedic propriety can be temporarily overridden to protect dharma; the deeper Shaiva point is that right order (ṛta/dharma) is safeguarded by divine will, not merely by outward ritual rules.
By implying that divine action may take many forms to restore balance, it supports Saguna understanding—God acts with form and strategy for loka-saṅgraha—while Linga worship trains the devotee to seek the steady Pati (Lord) behind changing events and appearances.
Practice discernment (viveka) with japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and maintain dharmic restraint; the verse cautions against rigid literalism, encouraging inner alignment through mantra and Shaiva devotion rather than mere external formalism.