Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti
तां दृष्टवा भगवान् ब्रह्मा मामुवाच जगत्पतिः / मोहायाशेषभूतानां नियोजय सुरूपिणीम् / येनेयं विपुला सृष्टिर्वर्धते मम माधव
tāṃ dṛṣṭavā bhagavān brahmā māmuvāca jagatpatiḥ / mohāyāśeṣabhūtānāṃ niyojaya surūpiṇīm / yeneyaṃ vipulā sṛṣṭirvardhate mama mādhava
ఆమెను చూచి జగత్పతి భగవాన్ బ్రహ్మ నాకు ఇలా పలికెను— “హే మాధవా, ఆ సురూపిణిని సమస్త భూతములకు ‘మోహ’ముగా నియమించు; ఆమె ద్వారా నా ఈ విస్తార సృష్టి వృద్ధి చెంది విస్తరించుగాక।”
Lord Brahma (addressing Vishnu as Mādhava)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
It distinguishes the Supreme (addressed as Mādhava) from the operational power of Moha: delusion is deployed within creation, implying the Atman/Ishvara remains the witness and controller, not intrinsically bound by the deluding function that conditions embodied beings.
The verse points to the problem Yoga must solve—Moha that veils discernment. In the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching (including later Ishvara Gita themes), practice centers on viveka (discriminative insight), devotion to Ishvara, and disciplined conduct to transcend delusion and see reality as it is.
While Shiva is not named here, the Purana’s synthesis is reflected in the shared metaphysical framework: cosmic functions (creation, delusion, liberation) operate under the Supreme Lord’s governance. This supports the text’s non-sectarian stance where ultimate divinity is one, approached through Vaishnava and Shaiva idioms.