Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 35

Sanskrit:

एतत् परं प्रपश्यामो न परं ते महेश्वर ।मृडनाय हि लोकस्य व्यक्तिस्तेऽव्यक्तकर्मण: ॥ ३५ ॥

ITRANS:

etat paraṁ prapaśyāmona paraṁ te maheśvaramṛḍanāya hi lokasyavyaktis te ’vyakta-karmaṇaḥ

Translation:

O greatest of all rulers, your actual identity is impossible for us to understand. As far as we can see, your presence brings flourishing happiness to everyone. Beyond this, no one can appreciate your activities. We can see this much, and nothing more.

Purport:

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.