Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्
यस्मात्तेषां वृता बुद्धिर् दुःखानि करणानि च तस्मात्ते संवृतात्मानो नगा मुख्याः प्रकीर्तिताः
yasmātteṣāṃ vṛtā buddhir duḥkhāni karaṇāni ca tasmātte saṃvṛtātmāno nagā mukhyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ
Kerana budi mereka terselubung, dan pancaindera mereka terikat oleh penderitaan, maka mereka disebut Nāga yang utama—makhluk yang diri batinnya tertutup dan terbelenggu.
Suta Goswami
It frames the core Shaiva problem—veiled buddhi and suffering-bound faculties (pāśa). Linga worship is the remedial discipline that purifies the instruments and turns the pashu (bound soul) toward Pati (Shiva).
By contrast: Shiva-tattva is the revealer and liberator, while these beings are marked by concealment (saṃvṛta) and duḥkha. The verse implies Shiva as the one who removes the veil over intelligence and frees the soul from bondage.
The takeaway aligns with Pāśupata discipline: purification of karaṇas (senses and mind) and removal of āvaraṇa over buddhi through Shiva-oriented japa, dhyāna, and Linga-pūjā to overcome duḥkha-born bondage.