Shloka 21
नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion
पश्चात्तापमवाप्याति निनिन्द स्वं मुहुर्मुहुः । प्रशशंस तदा मायां शांभवीं ज्ञानिमोहिनीम्
paścāttāpamavāpyāti nininda svaṃ muhurmuhuḥ | praśaśaṃsa tadā māyāṃ śāṃbhavīṃ jñānimohinīm
Thereafter he was seized by remorse and again and again reproached himself. Then he praised Śāmbhavī Māyā—the power of Śiva that can bewilder even the learned—marvelling at her irresistible force.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse highlights that remorse and self-reflection arise when one recognizes how Śiva’s Māyā (the veiling power) can cause even the intelligent to err; liberation comes not by pride in knowledge but by humility and turning toward Śiva (Pati) for grace.
By acknowledging Śāmbhavī Māyā’s power, the devotee is guided toward Saguna worship—such as reverence to the Śiva-liṅga—where focused devotion, purity, and surrender stabilize the mind and reduce Māyā’s delusion, opening the way to Śiva’s anugraha (grace).
A practical takeaway is sincere repentance followed by steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and liṅga-pūjā; this aligns the intellect with Śiva and weakens the binding force of Māyā.