Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic CreationsChapter 12: The Mohinī-mūrti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Śiva

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.12.38

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

diṣṭyā tvaḿ vibudha-śreṣṭha

svāḿ niṣṭhām ātmanā sthitaḥ

yan me strī-rūpayā svairaḿ

mohito 'py ańga māyayā

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; diṣṭyā — all auspiciousness; tvam — unto you; vibudha-śreṣṭhaO best of all the demigods; svāmin your own; niṣṭhām — fixed situation; ātmanā — of your own self; sthitaḥ — you are situated; yatas; meMine; strī-rūpayā — appearance like a woman; svairam — sufficiently; mohitaḥ — enchanted; apiin spite of; ańgaO Lord Śiva; māyayā — by My potency.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best of the demigods, although you have been amply harassed because of My potency in assuming the form of a woman, you are established in your position. Therefore, may all good fortune be upon you.

PURPORT

Since Lord Śiva is the best of the demigods, he is the best of all devotees (vaiṣṇavānāḿ yathā śambhuḥ). His exemplary character was therefore praised by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gave His benediction by saying, "May all good fortune be upon you." When a devotee becomes a little proud, the Supreme Lord sometimes exhibits His supreme power to dissipate the devotee's misunderstanding. After being amply harassed by Lord Viṣṇu's potency, Lord Śiva resumed his normal, unagitated condition. This is the position of a devotee. A devotee should not be agitated under any circumstances, even in the worst reverses. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (6.22), yasmin sthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate: because of his full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee is never agitated, even in the greatest trials. This pridelessness is possible only for the first-class devotees, of whom Lord Śambhu is one.

<<< >>>

Buy Online Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness