Shloka 21
Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī
Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power
श्लथद् दुकूलं कबरीं च विच्युतांसन्नह्यतीं वामकरेण वल्गुना । विनिघ्नतीमन्यकरेण कन्दुकंविमोहयन्तीं जगदात्ममायया ॥ २१ ॥
ślathad dukūlaṁ kabarīṁ ca vicyutāṁ sannahyatīṁ vāma-kareṇa valgunā vinighnatīm anya-kareṇa kandukaṁ vimohayantīṁ jagad-ātma-māyayā
കന്ദുകം കളിക്കുമ്പോൾ അവളുടെ ദുകൂലം ഇളകി, കബരിയും വഴുതി ചിതറി. അവൾ മനോഹരമായ ഇടങ്കൈ കൊണ്ട് മുടി കെട്ടാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അതേ സമയം വലങ്കൈ കൊണ്ട് കന്ദുകം അടിച്ച് കളിച്ചു. ജഗദാത്മനായ ഭഗവാൻ തന്റെ അന്തരംഗമായ മായാശക്തിയാൽ ഇങ്ങനെ എല്ലാവരെയും മോഹിപ്പിച്ചു.
In Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: the external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is extremely strong. Indeed, everyone is fully captivated by her activities. Lord Śambhu (Śiva) was not to be captivated by the external potency, but because Lord Viṣṇu wanted to captivate Him also, He exhibited His internal potency to act the way that His external potency acts to captivate ordinary living entities. Lord Viṣṇu can captivate anyone, even such a strong personality as Lord Śambhu.
FAQs
This verse shows Mohinī-mūrti’s enchanting actions and states that the bewilderment occurs by the māyā of the jagad-ātmā (the Supreme Soul), teaching that even powerful beings can be deluded when the Lord’s illusory potency operates.
In this narrative, Mohinī-mūrti (Viṣṇu’s form) displays captivating, feminine charm; the verse describes her graceful gestures, through which the Lord’s māyā bewilders the world—including Śiva—highlighting the supremacy of Viṣṇu’s potency.
It reminds a seeker to recognize the power of sensory illusion and to cultivate steady devotion, self-restraint, and remembrance of the Supreme, rather than trusting the mind’s immediate fascination.