Shloka 178

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

Devanagari script

मिथ्या न कारयेद्देवि क्रियया च गुरोः सदा दुर्गुणे ख्यापिते तस्य नैर्गुण्यशतभाग्भवेत्

Transliteration

mithyā na kārayeddevi kriyayā ca guroḥ sadā durguṇe khyāpite tasya nairguṇyaśatabhāgbhavet

Translation

يا ديفي، لا ينبغي قطّ أن يختلق المرءُ كذبًا عن الغورو (Guru) بفعلٍ متصنّع. ومن يُشيع ما يُزعَم من عيوب الغورو، نال مئةَ ضعفٍ من ذلك الإثم نفسه، فتشتدّ نجاسته ويقوى قيدُ الباشا (pāśa).

Word by Word

• मिथ्या: falsely, untruthfully

• न: not

• कारयेत्: should cause/do (make happen)

• देवि: O Goddess

• क्रियया: by an act/deed, by a performed action

• च: and

• गुरोः: of the Guru

• सदा: always

• दुर्गुणे: in (regard to) a fault/vice

• ख्यापिते: when proclaimed, made known, advertised

• तस्य: of that (person)

• नैर्गुण्य: demerit, lack of virtue, moral defect

• शतभाग्: a hundredfold share

• भवेत्: becomes, results

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; verse framed as a Devi-address within the teaching)

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Guru

FAQs

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

It establishes inner purity as a prerequisite for Shiva-puja: slandering or inventing faults about one’s Guru creates heavy demerit, obstructing mantra-siddhi and the fruit of Linga worship.

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

By implication, Shiva-tattva is accessed through disciplined truthfulness and reverence toward the Guru, who functions as the channel of Śiva’s grace (anugraha) that cuts pasha for the pashu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The discipline of guru-sevā and vāg-niyama (restraint of speech) is emphasized as part of Shaiva sādhanā—supporting Pashupata practice by preventing karmic accrual through nindā (censure).