Shloka 47
Niṣādasya Bhillasya Itihāsaḥ — Śivarātri-vrata-prabhāvaḥ
The Hunter’s Account and the Efficacy of the Śivarātri Observance
कृत्वा च पारतापं हि करोति वचनं पुनः । तेन पापेन लिंपामि नागच्छेयं पुनर्यदि
kṛtvā ca pāratāpaṃ hi karoti vacanaṃ punaḥ | tena pāpena liṃpāmi nāgaccheyaṃ punaryadi
Setelah melakukan kesalahan yang begitu berat, ia kembali berkata dengan janji-janji. Oleh dosa itu pula aku akan ternoda, bila aku pergi ke sana lagi.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Jyotirlinga-related account in Kotirudra Samhita to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
FAQs
It highlights that repeated wrongdoing followed by empty assurances deepens inner impurity; Shaiva dharma stresses remorse, restraint, and rectification as prerequisites for spiritual progress and Shiva’s grace.
Linga worship is not only external ritual but inner purity (śuddhi). The verse underscores that approaching Shiva’s sacred presence—especially in Jyotirlinga contexts—requires truthful conduct and avoidance of repeated faults.
A practical takeaway is prāyaścitta (atonement) with vow-renewal: sincere confession, disciplined restraint, and steadiness in japa—such as repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—before undertaking pilgrimage or Linga worship again.