Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्
बिभर्ति मानं मनुते विभागं मन्यते ऽपि च पुरुषो भोगसंबन्धात् तेन चासौ मतिः स्मृतः
bibharti mānaṃ manute vibhāgaṃ manyate 'pi ca puruṣo bhogasaṃbandhāt tena cāsau matiḥ smṛtaḥ
Melalui kaitan dengan bhoga (kenikmatan), puruṣa yang terikat menanggung rasa-aku, membayangkan pembahagian, dan melekat pada pendapat; maka pembentukan itu disebut “mati”, yakni minda/akal yang terikat.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the Sages of Naimisharanya)
It points to the inner impurity (pāśa) behind outward ritual: bhoga-driven cognition (mati) generates ego and division; Linga worship is meant to purify this mind so the pashu turns toward Pati (Shiva) with steadiness and surrender.
By contrast: Shiva-tattva is the Pati beyond bhoga and mental constructions; the verse diagnoses the pashu’s bondage (mati shaped by enjoyment), implying liberation arises when cognition is no longer ruled by bhoga but aligned to Shiva through grace and discipline.
A core Pashupata-Yoga takeaway: cultivate vairāgya (dispassion) and mental restraint so bhoga no longer conditions mati; this supports steadiness in japa, dhyāna on the Linga, and self-offering (ātma-nivedana) to Mahadeva.