Shloka 9
Aghora-Mantra Japa: Graded Expiations, Pañcagavya Purification, and Homa for Mahāpātaka-Nivṛtti
मातृहा नियुतं जप्त्वा शुध्यते नात्र संशयः गोघ्नश्चैव कृतघ्नश् च स्त्रीघ्नः पापयुतो नरः
mātṛhā niyutaṃ japtvā śudhyate nātra saṃśayaḥ goghnaścaiva kṛtaghnaś ca strīghnaḥ pāpayuto naraḥ
Selbst wer seine Mutter getötet hat, wird rein, wenn er eine Niyuta an Japa vollzieht — daran besteht kein Zweifel. Ebenso können der Kuhmörder, der Undankbare, der seine Wohltäter verrät, und der Frauenmörder — obgleich von Sünde beladen — durch eine auf Śiva ausgerichtete Wiederholung gereinigt werden.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching on prāyaścitta to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
FAQs
It declares the purificatory power of Śiva-centered japa as a core prāyaścitta, implying that devotion and disciplined repetition can loosen pasha (bondage) and reorient the pashu (soul) toward Pati (Śiva), which is the inner purpose of Linga worship.
By presenting purification as certain through japa, the verse points to Śiva-tattva as the supreme purifier—grace working through mantra-discipline to burn pāpa and restore the soul’s fitness for Śiva-bhakti and liberation.
Mantra-japa in a prescribed count (niyuta) is highlighted as a Shaiva prāyaścitta practice—an applied form of Pāśupata discipline where repeated remembrance and mantra-śakti weaken karmic bonds.