दक्षयज्ञध्वंसः—वीरभद्रप्रेषणं, देवविष्ण्वोः पराजयः, पुनरनुग्रहः
निहत्य गदया विष्णुं ताडयामास मूर्धनि ततश्चोरसि तं देवं लीलयैव रणाजिरे
nihatya gadayā viṣṇuṃ tāḍayāmāsa mūrdhani tataścorasi taṃ devaṃ līlayaiva raṇājire
Tendo derrubado Viṣṇu com a maça, golpeou-o na cabeça; e depois, no campo de batalha, feriu também o peito daquele Deva, como se o combate fosse mero jogo. Nisto, o Purāṇa assinala que até as mais altas deidades se movem sob a vontade de Pati (Śiva), enquanto os seres vinculados (paśu) permanecem sujeitos ao laço (pāśa) até que a graça se manifeste.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It reinforces that all deities and powers ultimately function under Pati (Śiva); thus Linga worship is directed to the supreme governor beyond deva-level might, seeking release of the paśu from pasha through Śiva’s grace.
By portraying the conflict as līlā, it implies Shiva-tattva as sovereign, effortless, and transcendent—able to regulate even cosmic protectors like Viṣṇu without strain, indicating mastery over karma and cosmic order.
The implied takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation: relinquish fascination with power and victory, cultivate vairāgya (dispassion), and seek Śiva’s anugraha (grace) through Linga-pūjā and inner surrender.