Shloka 14

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

भैक्ष्यं चरेद्वनस्थेषु यायावरगृहेषु च श्रेष्ठा तु प्रथमा हीयं वृत्तिरस्योपजायते

Transliteration

bhaikṣyaṃ caredvanastheṣu yāyāvaragṛheṣu ca śreṣṭhā tu prathamā hīyaṃ vṛttirasyopajāyate

Translation

He should subsist by alms, moving among the dwellings of forest-dwellers and the homes of wandering ascetics; for this first mode of livelihood is declared the most excellent for him—born of restraint and non-possessiveness, loosening the bonds of pāśa that bind the paśu (the individual soul) and turning it toward the Pati, Śiva.

Word by Word

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms-based sustenance

• चरेत्: he should practice/undertake

• वनस्थेषु: among forest-dwellers (vānaprasthas)

• यायावरगृहेषु: in the houses of yāyāvaras (wandering ascetics)

• च: and

• श्रेष्ठा: most excellent

• तु: indeed

• प्रथमा: the first (primary)

• हि: surely

• इयम्: this

• वृत्तिः: livelihood/means of subsistence

• अस्य: for him/of this person

• उपजायते: arises/is prescribed as suitable.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating dharma teachings within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates alms-based living (bhikṣā) as the श्रेष्ठ (best) livelihood for an ascetic, supporting inner purity and non-possessiveness—key prerequisites for steady Linga-pūjā and one-pointed devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

By implying that turning away from acquisition and dependence on possessions helps the pashu loosen pāśa, the verse points to Śiva-tattva as the Pati—the liberating Lord toward whom disciplined renunciation naturally directs consciousness.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The discipline of bhikṣā-vṛtti (living on alms) associated with forest and wandering ascetic life, a practical support for Pāśupata-style vairāgya (dispassion) and self-restraint that stabilizes meditation and worship.