Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

शरणागतघाती च मित्रविश्वासघातकः दुष्टः पापसमाचारो मातृहा पितृहा तथा

Transliteration

śaraṇāgataghātī ca mitraviśvāsaghātakaḥ duṣṭaḥ pāpasamācāro mātṛhā pitṛhā tathā

Translation

He who slays one who has sought refuge, who betrays a friend’s trust, who is wicked and habituated to sinful conduct—such a one too bears grievous sin, as though a killer of mother and a killer of father.

Word by Word

• śaraṇāgata: one who has taken refuge

• ghātī: slayer/assailant

• ca: and

• mitra: friend

• viśvāsa: trust/confidence

• ghātakaḥ: betrayer/destroyer

• duṣṭaḥ: wicked/depraved

• pāpa: sin

• samācāraḥ: conduct/practice/behavior

• mātṛ-hā: slayer of mother (matricide)

• pitṛ-hā: slayer of father (patricide)

• tathā: likewise/so too

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It defines conduct that is fundamentally opposed to Shiva-puja: harming the refuge-seeker and betraying trust intensify pāśa (bondage), making the mind unfit for pure Linga-upāsanā and its fruits.

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

By condemning betrayal and violence toward the protected, it implies Shiva as Pati upholding dharma and inner purity; approaching Shiva requires aligning the pashu’s conduct with truth, protection, and non-treachery.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is yama-like ethical restraint—especially ahiṃsā toward the śaraṇāgata and satya/viśvāsa (trustworthiness)—as a prerequisite for Pāśupata discipline and effective Shiva-puja.