Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 10
Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī
Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power
नाहं परायुर्ऋषयो न मरीचिमुख्याजानन्ति यद्विरचितं खलु सत्त्वसर्गा: । यन्मायया मुषितचेतस ईश दैत्य-मर्त्यादय: किमुत शश्वदभद्रवृत्ता: ॥ १० ॥
nāhaṁ parāyur ṛṣayo na marīci-mukhyā jānanti yad-viracitaṁ khalu sattva-sargāḥ yan-māyayā muṣita-cetasa īśa daitya- martyādayaḥ kim uta śaśvad-abhadra-vṛttāḥ
Ô Īśa, ni moi, Indra, ni Brahmā, ni les grands ṛṣis conduits par Marīci—bien que nés de la qualité de bonté—ne comprenons ce que Tu as agencé dans cette création. Ta māyā trouble même notre esprit; que dire alors des asuras, des humains et des autres, établis dans rajo et tamo, à la conduite sans cesse néfaste—comment Te connaîtraient‑ils ?
Factually speaking, even those who are situated in the material mode of goodness cannot understand the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What then is to be said of those who are situated in rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, the base qualities of material nature? How can we even imagine the Supreme Personality of Godhead? There are so many philosophers trying to understand the Absolute Truth, but since they are situated in the base qualities of material nature and are addicted to so many bad habits, like drinking, meat-eating, illicit sex and gambling, how can they conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? For them it is impossible. For the present day, the pāñcarātrikī-vidhi as enunciated by Nārada Muni is the only hope. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, therefore, has quoted the following verse from the Brahma-yāmala:
FAQs
This verse says that even great sages and Lord Śiva acknowledge they cannot fully grasp the Lord’s arrangements, because His māyā can bewilder daityas, humans, and others—so ordinary materially conditioned people are even more easily deluded.
In the Mohinī-līlā context, Śiva admits the supreme power of Viṣṇu’s māyā and expresses humility—recognizing that bewilderment is natural for conditioned beings when confronted with the Lord’s divine illusory potency.
Cultivate humility and dependence on the Lord: don’t overestimate intellectual control, and instead practice bhakti (hearing, chanting, and remembrance) to keep the mind anchored when illusion and distraction arise.