अध्याय ९६: शरभ-प्रादुर्भावः, नृसिंह-दर्पशमनम्, विष्णोः शिवस्तुतिः, फलश्रुति
तद्वक्त्रशेषमात्रान्तं कृत्वा सर्वस्य विग्रहम् शुक्तिशित्यं तदा मङ्गं वीरभद्रः क्षणात्ततः
tadvaktraśeṣamātrāntaṃ kṛtvā sarvasya vigraham śuktiśityaṃ tadā maṅgaṃ vīrabhadraḥ kṣaṇāttataḥ
پھر ویر بھدر نے ایک ہی لمحے میں اس کے پورے پیکر کو صرف چہرے کے باقیات تک محدود کر دیا، اور فوراً اسے زرد و پژمردہ اور شکستہ کر دیا—یَجْن کا غرور چکناچور ہو گیا۔
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It underscores that Shiva (Pati) is not controlled by external ritual alone; when yajña becomes ego-driven, it collapses. Linga worship emphasizes surrender, purity of intent, and Shiva’s grace (anugraha) rather than pride in performance.
Through Vīrabhadra—Shiva’s empowered force—it shows Shiva-tattva as the sovereign regulator of dharma: He can instantly dissolve embodied power and status, revealing the Pāśa (bondage of pride) that binds the Pashu (individual soul).
The takeaway is restraint of ego (ahaṅkāra-tyāga) and inner consecration: ritual must be joined with bhakti and Pashupata-oriented discipline—humility, devotion to Shiva, and alignment with dharma—otherwise it becomes mere bondage-producing karma.