Shloka 17
Yatinātha-līlā: Śiva’s Test of the Bhilla Devotees at Arbuda Mountain
रात्रौ तम्पशवः क्रूरा हिंसकाः समपीडयन् । तेनापि च यथाशक्ति कृतो यत्नो महांस्तदा
rātrau tampaśavaḥ krūrā hiṃsakāḥ samapīḍayan | tenāpi ca yathāśakti kṛto yatno mahāṃstadā
At night, those fierce and violent creatures tormented him greatly; even so, he then exerted a mighty effort, to the best of his ability.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: Nocturnal violence as a narrative emblem of tamas and karmic pressure (pāśa) tightening on the embodied being.
FAQs
It highlights the devotee’s steadfastness amid fear and suffering—an image of the pashu (bound soul) striving against pasha (bondage) until Pati (Shiva) grants protection and grace.
In Purana narrative style, such torment underscores why devotees take refuge in Saguna Shiva—approaching the Linga as a tangible sanctuary of Shiva’s protective presence when worldly forces become hostile.
The practical takeaway is to persist in japa—especially the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—with steady resolve during adversity, seeking Shiva’s guardianship.