यतिप्रायश्चित्तविधानम्
Ascetic Atonements and Discipline
यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः स तस्य हरते प्राणान् यो यस्य हरते धनम्
yadetaddraviṇaṃ nāma prāṇā hyete bahiścarāḥ sa tasya harate prāṇān yo yasya harate dhanam
Ce qu’on nomme « richesse » est en vérité le prāṇa même, le souffle de vie qui se déploie au dehors dans le monde. Ainsi, celui qui vole le bien d’autrui est dit voler son prāṇa : il dépouille le paśu (l’âme liée) des appuis qui soutiennent la vie et approfondit le pāśa (lien), à l’encontre de la loi de Pati, Śiva.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s dharma teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It frames ethical purity as a foundation for Śiva-pūjā: stealing is treated as harming another’s prāṇa, so a devotee must uphold non-stealing and righteous livelihood to approach the Liṅga with inner and outer purity.
By implying Śiva as Pati—the Lord who upholds dharma—this verse shows that actions violating another being’s life-supports intensify pāśa (bondage), whereas alignment with dharma supports the soul’s movement toward Śiva’s grace and liberation.
It highlights yama-like restraint (asteya, non-stealing) as a prerequisite for Pāśupata-oriented discipline; right conduct and dana (charity) purify the pashu so worship and mantra bear fruit.