Shloka 191

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

Devanagari script

जपेदष्टोत्तरशतं सोममृत्युहरो भवेत् आदित्याभिमुखो भूत्वा जपेल्लक्षमनन्यधीः

Transliteration

japedaṣṭottaraśataṃ somamṛtyuharo bhavet ādityābhimukho bhūtvā japellakṣamananyadhīḥ

Translation

Er soll es hundertachtmal rezitieren; so wird er zum Vertreiber des mit Soma verbundenen Todes. Der Sonne zugewandt, mit ungeteiltem Geist, soll er ein Lakh (hunderttausend) Wiederholungen vollziehen—so wird der Sādhaka der Gnade Śivas würdig, die das pāśa (Band) des paśu (gebundenen Selbst) lockert.

Word by Word

• japet: let (him) recite

• aṣṭottara-śatam: one hundred and eight (times)

• soma: Soma (Moon / Soma-deity)

• mṛtyu-haraḥ: remover of death

• bhavet: becomes

• āditya-abhimukhaḥ: facing Āditya (the Sun)

• bhūtvā: having become/being

• japet: should recite

• lakṣam: one lakh (100,000)

• ananya-dhīḥ: with single-pointed, undivided attention

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-related japa-vidhi within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Aditya
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a concrete japa-count (108 and then one lakh) and a disciplined orientation (facing Aditya) that supports Linga-upāsanā by purifying the pashu (individual soul) and preparing it for Pati’s (Shiva’s) anugraha (grace).

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as Mṛtyuñjaya—beyond decay and death—whose grace can sever pāśa (bondage). The fruit described as “mṛtyu-hara” points to Shiva as the liberating Lord (Pati) who overcomes mortality for the bound soul (pashu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-japa with ananya-dhī (one-pointed concentration), performed āditya-abhimukha (facing the Sun), with prescribed counts (108 and 100,000), aligning with Shaiva sādhana and Pashupata-style discipline of focused repetition.