Shloka 16
दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas
व्रतान्येतानि नियमात्कर्तव्यानि द्विजन्मभिः । व्रतान्येतानि तु त्यक्त्वा जायन्ते तस्करा द्विजाः
vratānyetāni niyamātkartavyāni dvijanmabhiḥ | vratānyetāni tu tyaktvā jāyante taskarā dvijāḥ
Diese Gelübde müssen von den Zweimalgeborenen mit Disziplin ausgeführt werden. Werden diese Gelübde jedoch aufgegeben, so werden eben jene Zweimalgeborenen zu Dieben—Räubern ihres eigenen Dharma.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Warns that neglect of niyama undermines dharma; motivates sustained vrata practice for eligibility to receive Śiva’s anugraha.
FAQs
The verse teaches that vrata (sacred observance) is not optional ornamentation but a protective discipline that guards dharma; abandoning it turns one into a “thief” who steals from one’s own spiritual merit and right conduct, obstructing grace and liberation.
Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is sustained by niyama—regularity, purity, and vow-keeping. When vows are dropped, worship becomes hollow and self-serving; when upheld, devotion becomes fit to receive Saguna Shiva’s anugraha (grace) and leads the mind toward the higher, nirguna truth.
Maintain a steady vrata with daily Shiva-puja—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cleanliness and restraint, and consistent observances (especially during pilgrimage or Mahashivratri), rather than sporadic or convenience-based practice.