Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

भस्मशायी भवेन्नित्यं भिक्षाचारी जितेन्द्रियः य इच्छेत् परमं स्थानं व्रतं पाशुपतं चरेत्

Transliteration

bhasmaśāyī bhavennityaṃ bhikṣācārī jitendriyaḥ ya icchet paramaṃ sthānaṃ vrataṃ pāśupataṃ caret

Translation

常に聖灰の上に臥し、托鉢により生き、諸根を制した者となれ。最高の境地（主宰パティたるシヴァの住処）を願う者は、パーシュパタの誓戒を修すべきである。

Word by Word

• भस्मशायी (bhasmaśāyī): one who reclines on sacred ash

• भवेत् (bhavet): should become/should be

• नित्यम् (nityam): always

• भिक्षाचारी (bhikṣācārī): one who lives by begging/alms

• जितेन्द्रियः (jitendriyaḥ): one who has conquered the senses

• यः (yaḥ): who

• इच्छेत् (icchet): would desire

• परमम् (paramam): supreme

• स्थानम् (sthānam): state/abode/station

• व्रतम् (vratam): vow/observance

• पाशुपतम् (pāśupatam): belonging to Paśupati (Śiva), the Pāśupata discipline

• चरेत् (caret): should practice/undertake.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Pāśupata-vrata teaching within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Paśupati)

FAQs

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

It links inner purity and renunciation (bhasma, alms-living, sense-control) with eligibility for the highest fruit of Śiva-upāsanā, presenting the Pāśupata vow as a direct discipline for approaching the supreme state of Paśupati.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati (Paśupati), the supreme station sought by the bound soul (paśu); reaching Him requires loosening pāśa (bondage) through self-mastery and austerity rather than mere external ritual.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The Pāśupata-vrata: ash-observance (bhasma as a mark of dispassion and purification), bhikṣā-based living, and indriya-jaya (sense conquest) as core ascetic-yogic components.