Shloka 28

Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi

Devanagari script

तस्माद्विरागः कर्तव्यो मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा ऋतौ ऋतौ निवृत्तिस्तु ब्रह्मचर्यमिति स्मृतम्

Transliteration

tasmādvirāgaḥ kartavyo manovākkāyakarmaṇā ṛtau ṛtau nivṛttistu brahmacaryamiti smṛtam

Translation

Por ello, debe cultivarse el desapego (virāga) mediante las acciones de la mente, la palabra y el cuerpo. Y la abstinencia en cada estación—la contención periódica de la actividad sensual—es recordada como brahmacarya. Con tal dominio de sí, el paśu afloja el pāśa y se vuelve apto para la gracia de Pati, Śiva.

Word by Word

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• विरागः (virāgaḥ): dispassion, detachment

• कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ): should be done, must be practiced

• मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा (manovāk-kāya-karmaṇā): by the activity/discipline of mind, speech, and body

• ऋतौ ऋतौ (ṛtau ṛtau): in each season/at each proper period

• निवृत्तिः (nivṛttiḥ): withdrawal, abstinence, cessation

• तु (tu): indeed, and

• ब्रह्मचर्यम् (brahmacaryam): brahmacarya, celibate restraint/continence

• इति (iti): thus

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): is remembered/declared (in tradition).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching tradition to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true eligibility for Linga-puja is inner purity—detachment and disciplined conduct of mind, speech, and body—so worship becomes a means to loosen pāśa (bondage) and receive Śiva’s grace.

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as Pati, the liberating Lord: when the paśu practices restraint and vairāgya, the soul becomes fit for Śiva’s anugraha (grace) that ends bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights Pāśupata-oriented self-discipline: cultivating virāga through manas-vāk-kāya and observing brahmacarya as periodic abstinence (ṛtau ṛtau nivṛtti).