नारदमोहवर्णनम् — Description of Nārada’s Delusion
सूत उवाच । मुनौ यदृच्छया विष्णुर्गते तस्मिन्हि नारदे । शिवेच्छया चकाराशु माया मायाविशारदः
sūta uvāca | munau yadṛcchayā viṣṇurgate tasminhi nārade | śivecchayā cakārāśu māyā māyāviśāradaḥ
Sūta disse: Quando Nārada, assim, por mero acaso, havia partido para junto do sábio Viṣṇu (Brahmā), Viṣṇu—versado nos artifícios da māyā—logo criou uma ilusão, conforme a vontade de Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: teaching
It teaches that māyā is not supreme; it operates under the Lord’s governance—here, even Viṣṇu’s illusory power functions according to Śiva’s will, affirming Śiva as Pati (the supreme controller).
By showing Śiva as the one whose will directs cosmic functions, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship (including Liṅga worship) as devotion to the sovereign Lord who alone can lift the veils of māyā.
A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion, as a means to pierce māyā and align the mind with Śiva’s grace.