Shloka 154

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

मार्जारश् च गृहे यस्य सो ऽप्यन्त्यजसमो नरः भोजयेद्यस्तु विप्रेन्द्रान् मार्जारसंनिधौ यदि

Transliteration

mārjāraś ca gṛhe yasya so 'pyantyajasamo naraḥ bhojayedyastu viprendrān mārjārasaṃnidhau yadi

Translation

الرجل الذي في بيته قطّ يُعَدّ كمن يُشابه المنبوذ؛ وإن أطعم أعيان البراهمة والقطّ قريبٌ منه، عُدَّ ذلك الفعل غير لائقٍ طقسيًّا.

Word by Word

• मार्जारः: cat

• च: and

• गृहे: in the house

• यस्य: of whom/whose

• सः: he

• अपि: even

• अन्त्यज-समः: equal to an antyaja (outcaste) in ritual status

• नरः: man

• भोजयेत्: should feed/causes to eat

• यः: who

• तु: indeed

• विप्र-इन्द्रान्: the best among Brāhmaṇas

• मार्जार-संनिधौ: in the proximity/presence of a cat

• यदि: if

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śaiva ritual conduct to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It underscores śuddhi (ritual purity) around offerings and hospitality—an extension of Śiva-pūjā discipline where food-gifts and feeding the worthy must be done without doṣa-causing impurities in the immediate environment.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it points to Śiva as Pati who is approached through regulated ācāra: when the pashu (individual soul) seeks grace, it removes pasha (bondage) expressed as impurity and negligence in worship-related actions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (pūjā-ācāra) is highlighted—specifically doṣa-avoidance during brāhmaṇa-bhojana and sacred feeding, a supporting limb to Śaiva vrata and pūjā rather than a yogic technique.