Shloka 61
Kirātāvatāra, Durvāsā-upākhyāna, and the Logic of Divine Rescue
Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga
अतोर्जुनश्च प्रथमं शक्रविद्यां जपेद्दृढः । करिष्यति परीक्षाम्प्राक् संतुष्टस्तद्भविष्यति
atorjunaśca prathamaṃ śakravidyāṃ japeddṛḍhaḥ | kariṣyati parīkṣāmprāk saṃtuṣṭastadbhaviṣyati
Therefore Arjuna should first, with firm resolve, repeat the Śakra-vidyā, the mantra taught in connection with Indra. Before he is tested, he will become satisfied and steady—so it shall come to pass.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, as typical in Purana transmission)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
FAQs
It teaches that mantra-japa done with dṛḍha-niścaya (firm resolve) stabilizes the mind and heart, so that when spiritual trials arise, the sādhaka meets them with inner contentment and readiness—an essential mark of ripening devotion in Shaiva practice.
Though the verse names a specific vidyā (Śakra-vidyā), the Shiva Purana repeatedly presents mantra-discipline as a Saguna method: focused repetition purifies the pashu (bound soul), loosens pasha (bondage), and makes the devotee fit for Shiva’s grace, often expressed through formal worship such as Linga-upāsanā.
Steady mantra-japa (repetition) done first and done firmly—prioritizing daily discipline before seeking results. A practical takeaway is to establish a fixed count of japa with concentration and restraint, so that the mind becomes saṃtuṣṭa (settled) before any major sādhanā “test.”