Yatinātha-līlā: Śiva’s Test of the Bhilla Devotees at Arbuda Mountain
युवां चोभौ मिलित्वा च राजभोगं सुविस्तरम् । भुक्त्वा मुक्तिं च योगीन्द्रेर्लप्स्येथे दुर्लभां ध्रुवम्
yuvāṃ cobhau militvā ca rājabhogaṃ suvistaram | bhuktvā muktiṃ ca yogīndrerlapsyethe durlabhāṃ dhruvam
Vereint werdet ihr beide in weitem Maße königliche Freuden genießen; und danach werdet ihr gewiss die standhafte Mukti, die Befreiung, erlangen, die selbst den erhabensten Yogins schwer zugänglich ist.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Role: liberating
It teaches that when life is lived in alignment with dharma and under Śiva’s grace, even worldly prosperity (bhoga) can culminate in certain liberation (mokṣa), a goal difficult even for advanced yogins without the Lord’s favor.
The promise of ‘sure’ liberation reflects the fruit of devotion to Saguna Śiva—approaching the Lord through worship (including Liṅga-pūjā) and righteous living—by which His anugraha (grace) grants what mere self-effort in yoga may not.
A practical takeaway is steady Śiva-bhakti alongside duty: daily Liṅga worship with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as supports for remembrance and purity.