Shloka 18

यतिप्रायश्चित्तविधानम्

Ascetic Atonements and Discipline

Devanagari script

तेन धारयितव्या वै प्राणायामास्तु षोडश दिवा स्कन्नस्य विप्रस्य प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

Transliteration

tena dhārayitavyā vai prāṇāyāmāstu ṣoḍaśa divā skannasya viprasya prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate

Translation

Daher sind wahrlich sechzehn Prāṇāyāmas auszuführen; für den Brāhmaṇa, der am Tage einen Fehltritt begangen hat, ist dies als Sühne vorgeschrieben. Durch diese Übung lockert der Paśu das Pāśa der Unreinheit und wird erneut tauglich für die Verehrung Śivas.

Word by Word

• tena: therefore/by that (method)

• dhārayitavyāḥ: should be performed/maintained

• vai: indeed

• prāṇāyāmāḥ: breath-regulations (prāṇāyāma)

• tu: and/indeed

• ṣoḍaśa: sixteen

• divā: by day/during daytime

• skannasya: of one who has slipped/erred (committed a lapse)

• viprasya: of a brāhmaṇa

• prāyaścittam: expiation/atonement

• vidhīyate: is prescribed/ordained

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating prescribed observances to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a concrete śuddhi (purificatory) remedy—sixteen prāṇāyāmas—so the practitioner becomes ritually and inwardly fit again to approach the Liṅga, aligning the paśu toward Pati (Śiva) by removing impurity (pāśa).

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as supreme purity and the sanctifying refuge: when the bound soul incurs a lapse, discipline and expiation restore the soul’s capacity to commune with Śiva, the Pati who liberates by dissolving bonds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Prāṇāyāma is highlighted as a prāyaścitta (atonement)—specifically sixteen rounds—showing a Pāśupata-leaning integration of yogic breath-discipline with ritual purity required for Śaiva observance.