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
ด้วยความสัมพันธ์กับโภคะ (ความเสวยสุข) ปุรุษผู้ถูกผูกพันย่อมแบกอหังการ คิดแบ่งแยก และยึดติดในทิฏฐิ ดังนั้นภาวะนั้นจึงเรียกว่า ‘มติ’
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.