Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 35
Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha
एतत् परं प्रपश्यामो न परं ते महेश्वर । मृडनाय हि लोकस्य व्यक्तिस्तेऽव्यक्तकर्मण: ॥ ३५ ॥
etat paraṁ prapaśyāmo na paraṁ te maheśvara mṛḍanāya hi lokasya vyaktis te ’vyakta-karmaṇaḥ
Hỡi Maheshvara, chúng con chỉ thấy được đến thế: bản thể tối thượng của Ngài vượt ngoài hiểu biết của chúng con. Sự hiển lộ của Ngài đem lại cát tường và an lạc cho thế gian; vượt hơn nữa, không ai thấu hiểu các hành vi của Ngài.
When the demigods offered these prayers to Lord Śiva, their inner purpose was to please him so that he would rectify the disturbing situation created by the hālahala poison. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) , kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ: when one worships demigods, this is certainly because of deep-rooted desires he wants fulfilled by the mercy of those demigods. People are generally attached to the worship of demigods for some motive.
FAQs
This verse says Śiva’s very manifestation is for the welfare of the worlds—his actions may be beyond human grasp, but his purpose is compassionate auspiciousness.
During the churning of the ocean, when deadly poison threatened all beings, the devas approached Śiva and glorified him as the supreme benefactor who appears to protect and bless the world.
Even when outcomes are hard to understand, cultivate faith and service-mindedness—act for others’ welfare, and judge spiritual greatness by compassion and protection, not by outwardly explainable motives.