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
噢，大自在天（摩诃伊湿伐罗）！我们所能见到的仅此而已：你的至上本体非我等所能了知。你的显现为世间带来吉祥与安乐；除此之外，无人能体会你的作为。
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.