Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

देवैस्तुल्याः सर्वयज्ञक्रियास्तु यज्ञाज्जाप्यं ज्ञानमाहुश् च जाप्यात् ज्ञानाद् ध्यानं संगरागादपेतं तस्मिन्प्राप्ते शाश्वतस्योपलम्भः

Transliteration

devaistulyāḥ sarvayajñakriyāstu yajñājjāpyaṃ jñānamāhuś ca jāpyāt jñānād dhyānaṃ saṃgarāgādapetaṃ tasminprāpte śāśvatasyopalambhaḥ

Translation

Todas las acciones rituales del yajña se dicen comparables a los dioses en mérito. Pero más alto que el sacrificio es el japa; más alto que el japa, declaran, es el conocimiento liberador; y más alto que el conocimiento es la meditación, libre de apego y de la pasión que enreda. Al alcanzarse esa meditación, surge la realización directa del Eterno (el Pati, Śiva).

Word by Word

• देवैः (devaiḥ): with/like the gods

• तुल्याः (tulyāḥ): equal, comparable

• सर्व-यज्ञ-क्रियाः (sarva-yajña-kriyāḥ): all sacrificial rites/actions

• तु (tu): but, however

• यज्ञात् (yajñāt): than sacrifice

• जाप्यम् (jāpyam): japa, recitation (of mantra)

• ज्ञानम् (jñānam): knowledge, true discernment

• आहुः (āhuḥ): they say, declare

• च (ca): and

• जाप्यात् (jāpyāt): than japa

• ज्ञानात् (jñānāt): than knowledge

• ध्यानम् (dhyānam): meditation, contemplative absorption

• संगरागात् (saṃga-rāgāt): from attachment and passion

• अपेतम् (apetam): departed, free from

• तस्मिन् (tasmin): in that (state/meditation)

• प्राप्ते (prāpte): when attained

• शाश्वतस्य (śāśvatasya): of the Eternal, everlasting Reality

• उपलम्भः (upalambhaḥ): attainment, direct apprehension/realization

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya, summarizing the Shaiva path of inner ascent)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It places outer yajña (ritual) below inner disciplines—japa, jñāna, and especially nirāsaṅga-dhyāna—implying that true Linga worship culminates in inward meditation on Śiva (Pati) beyond mere external offerings.

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

Śiva is indicated as the “Śāśvata” (Eternal) who is not merely reached by ritual merit but realized directly when the pashu’s mind becomes free from saṅga-rāga (attachment and passion) through dhyāna.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A graded Shaiva sādhanā: yajña → mantra-japa → jñāna (discriminative insight) → dhyāna devoid of attachment, aligning with Pāśupata-oriented inner practice where liberation comes by cutting pasha (bondage) through steady contemplation.