aparijñeya-vīryasya

athāvagata-māhātmya

ātmano jagad-ātmanaḥ

aparijñeya-vīryasya

na mene tad u hādbhutam

Śiva, understanding the greatness of the Lord of inestimable power, did not consider it astonishing since the Lord resides everywhere in the universe.

At the moment of regaining his discriminating power, he saw that Mohinī had disappeared. He then understood that his own bewilderment and discrimination depended on the Lord. He understood the greatness of the Lord (ātmanaḥ). Or, he understood his own power of yoga. He was not surprised that he had been befooled and given discrimination, since the Lord resides everywhere within the universe, and thus is capable of bewildering or enlightening even Śiva.  

|| 8.12.37 ||

tam aviklavam avrīḍam

ālakṣya madhusūdanaḥ

uvāca parama-prīto

bibhrat svāṁ pauruṣīṁ tanum

Seeing Lord Śiva unagitated and unashamed, Lord Viṣṇu, in his male form, very pleased, spoke as follows.

Śiva was not agitated with guilt, thinking “What calamity! I, the lord of great yoga, have been blinded by material enjoyment.” He was without shame, since the Lord is his antaryāmī, witnessing everything. The meaning is this. I cannot be bewildered by anyone, and bewilderment caused by my Lord is not a fault, but an ornament. Without causing my bewilderment, how could one say my Lord has extraordinary power? That display of power nourishes the quality of bhakti of me, his servant.  

|| 8.12.38 ||

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

diṣṭyā tvaṁ vibudha-śreṣṭha

svāṁ niṣṭhām ātmanā sthitaḥ

yan me strī-rūpayā svairaṁ

mohito 'py aṅga māyayā

The Lord said: Though you have been bewildered without restraint by my potency in the form of a woman, you have become fixed in your position by yourself, by good fortune.

Though you have been bewildered by māyā arising from my svarūpa in the form of a woman Mohinī, you are situated in your position of being humble and without pride, which arises from bhakti.

 

|| 8.12.39 ||