Shloka 22
शुक्रस्य जठरस्थत्वं तथा मृत्युशमनी-विद्या (Śukra in Śiva’s belly and the death-subduing vidyā)
यः पीत्वा कणधूमं वै सहस्रं शरदां पुरा । त्वया प्राप्ता वरा विद्या तस्याः कालोयमागतः
yaḥ pītvā kaṇadhūmaṃ vai sahasraṃ śaradāṃ purā | tvayā prāptā varā vidyā tasyāḥ kāloyamāgataḥ
He who, long ago, drank the smoke of chaff for a thousand autumns—of that excellent sacred knowledge (vidyā) which you obtained as a boon, the time for its fruition has now arrived.
Suta Goswami (narrating the dialogue of the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
FAQs
It teaches that intense tapas and boon-granted spiritual knowledge (vidyā) bear fruit only when the divinely appointed time matures—highlighting Shiva’s governance of karma and grace (anugraha).
The verse implies that realized knowledge is not merely intellectual; through devotion and discipline directed to Saguna Shiva (often approached via Linga worship), the granted vidyā becomes effective when Shiva’s will aligns with the seeker’s ripened merit.
A takeaway is steadfast tapas with mantra-vidyā and disciplined sādhanā (japa and dhyāna), trusting that its siddhi manifests at the proper time—often supported in Shaiva practice by bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and regular Shiva-pūjā.