Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa
मोहाद्यो वै पूजयेद्देवदेवं महाधर्माद्याति चान्धं तमो वै / ब्रह्मादिनामानि हरेर्हि देवीं विष्णोः स्वनामानि ददौ दिवौकसाम्
mohādyo vai pūjayeddevadevaṃ mahādharmādyāti cāndhaṃ tamo vai / brahmādināmāni harerhi devīṃ viṣṇoḥ svanāmāni dadau divaukasām
మోహం మొదలైన కారణాలవల్ల దేవదేవుడిని పూజించని వాడు మహాధర్మం నుండి పడిపోయి అంధకారమైన తమస్సులోకి వెళ్తాడు. నిజంగా దేవి బ్రహ్మాది దేవతలకు వారి దివ్య నామాలను ఇచ్చింది; విష్ణువుకు మాత్రం ఆయన స్వనామాలను (స్తుతినామాలను) ప్రసాదించింది.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)
Concept: Neglect of worship due to moha leads to deviation from mahā-dharma and entry into tamas; divine names (nāma) are bestowed and carry revelatory power for praise and remembrance.
Vedantic Theme: Moha/tamas as bondage; śabda (nāma) as a means of īśvara-smaraṇa and purification; movement from avidyā to light through devotion.
Application: Counter delusion with regular nāma-japa and satsanga; treat worship as a stabilizing dharmic anchor; use sacred names as daily antidote to tamas.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.42-43 (necessity/constancy of worship); Garuda Purana 3.24.46 (Govinda-Nārāyaṇa-Mādhava nāma-kīrtana)
This verse states that worship of the supreme Lord (Devadeva) is aligned with mahā-dharma; neglecting it due to delusion leads to a fall into 'blind darkness'—a metaphor for spiritual ignorance and decline.
It frames the soul’s direction as determined by clarity versus delusion: devotion and right orientation toward the Supreme support dharma, while moha causes a descent into inner darkness, which in Garuda Purana contexts is tied to unfavorable post-death outcomes.
Reduce moha (confusion, ego-driven neglect) by regular remembrance and worship—especially nāma-japa (recitation of divine names)—and by choosing dharmic actions that keep the mind clear and accountable.