Shloka 117

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

Devanagari script

हिंसया ते प्रवर्तन्ते जपयज्ञो न हिंसया यावन्तः कर्मयज्ञाः स्युः प्रदानानि तपांसि च

Transliteration

hiṃsayā te pravartante japayajño na hiṃsayā yāvantaḥ karmayajñāḥ syuḥ pradānāni tapāṃsi ca

Translation

Jene Riten schreiten durch Gewalt voran; doch das Japa-Yajña schreitet nicht durch Gewalt voran. Welche Karma-Yajñas es auch gebe, ebenso Dāna und Tapas—auf dem śaivischen Pfad befreit die Darbringung des Japa in Bhakti an den Herrn Pati den Paśu von den Fesseln des Pāśa.

Word by Word

• हिंसया (hiṃsayā): by violence, through injury

• ते (te): they, those (rites)

• प्रवर्तन्ते (pravartante): proceed, are undertaken

• जपयज्ञः (japayajñaḥ): the sacrifice in the form of mantra-repetition

• न (na): not

• हिंसया (hiṃsayā): by violence

• यावन्तः (yāvantaḥ): as many as, whatever

• कर्मयज्ञाः (karmayajñāḥ): action-based ritual sacrifices

• स्युः (syuḥ): may be, might exist

• प्रदानानि (pradānāni): gifts, charitable offerings

• तपांसि (tapāṃsi): austerities, penances

• च (ca): and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates inner offering—mantra-japa—as a non-violent yajna, fitting Linga-puja where devotion and purity of consciousness are primary over external, injury-linked rites.

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

Shiva as Pati is approached through sattvic, non-injurious worship; japa refines the paśu’s mind and loosens pāśa, making liberation-oriented devotion central to Shiva-tattva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa-yajna—continuous mantra repetition as an internal sacrifice—aligned with Shaiva discipline and the Pashupata emphasis on transforming the practitioner through mantra and restraint.