Shloka 7

यतिप्रायश्चित्तविधानम्

Ascetic Atonements and Discipline

Devanagari script

एकैकातिक्रमे तेषां प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते उपेत्य तु स्त्रियं कामात् प्रायश्चित्तं विनिर्दिशेत्

Transliteration

ekaikātikrame teṣāṃ prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate upetya tu striyaṃ kāmāt prāyaścittaṃ vinirdiśet

Translation

لكلّ مخالفة من تلك القواعد تُشرَع كفّارةٌ تطهيرية (prāyaścitta). وإن اقترب المرء من امرأة بدافع الشهوة، وجب كذلك أن تُعيَّن له كفّارةٌ مناسبة على وجه التحديد.

Word by Word

• एकैक (ekaika): each one, individually

• अतिक्रमे (ātikrame): in the act of transgressing/overstepping

• तेषां (teṣāṃ): of those (rules/observances)

• प्रायश्चित्तं (prāyaścittaṃ): expiation, atonement

• विधीयते (vidhīyate): is ordained/prescribed

• उपेत्य (upetya): having approached

• तु (tu): and/indeed

• स्त्रियं (striyaṃ): a woman

• कामात् (kāmāt): from desire, due to lust

• प्रायश्चित्तं (prāyaścittaṃ): expiation

• विनिर्दिशेत् (vinirdiśet): should prescribe/declare specifically.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the dharma-vidhi of the Linga Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-pūjā and related vratas as discipline-based: when rules are broken, prāyaścitta restores śauca (purity) so the sādhaka may continue worship without reinforcing pāśa (bondage).

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

Implicitly, Shiva as Pati is approached through regulated conduct; expiation is a means to realign the pashu (individual soul) away from kāma-driven impulses that thicken pāśa, and back toward eligibility for Shiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Prāyaścitta as an auxiliary discipline to vrata and Shiva-pūjā—supporting brahmacarya/indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint) as a practical foundation for Pāśupata-oriented purification.