Shloka 117

Devanagari script

हिंसया ते प्रवर्तन्ते जपयज्ञो न हिंसया यावन्तः कर्मयज्ञाः स्युः प्रदानानि तपांसि च

Transliteration

hiṃsayā te pravartante japayajño na hiṃsayā yāvantaḥ karmayajñāḥ syuḥ pradānāni tapāṃsi ca

Translation

ಆ (ಇತರ) ಯಜ್ಞಗಳು ಹಿಂಸೆಯಿಂದ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತವೆ; ಆದರೆ ಜಪಯಜ್ಞ ಹಿಂಸೆಯಿಂದಲ್ಲ. ಎಷ್ಟೇ ಕರ್ಮಯಜ್ಞಗಳಿರಲಿ, ದಾನ-ತಪಸ್ಸುಗಳಿರಲಿ—(ಅವುಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಜಪಯಜ್ಞ ಶುದ್ಧ), ಶೈವಮಾರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪತಿಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಪಶು ಪಾಶದಿಂದ ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• हिंसया (hiṃsayā): by violence, through injury

• ते (te): they, those (rites)

• प्रवर्तन्ते (pravartante): proceed, are undertaken

• जपयज्ञः (japayajñaḥ): the sacrifice in the form of mantra-repetition

• न (na): not

• हिंसया (hiṃsayā): by violence

• यावन्तः (yāvantaḥ): as many as, whatever

• कर्मयज्ञाः (karmayajñāḥ): action-based ritual sacrifices

• स्युः (syuḥ): may be, might exist

• प्रदानानि (pradānāni): gifts, charitable offerings

• तपांसि (tapāṃsi): austerities, penances

• च (ca): and

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates inner offering—mantra-japa—as a non-violent yajna, fitting Linga-puja where devotion and purity of consciousness are primary over external, injury-linked rites.

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

Shiva as Pati is approached through sattvic, non-injurious worship; japa refines the paśu’s mind and loosens pāśa, making liberation-oriented devotion central to Shiva-tattva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa-yajna—continuous mantra repetition as an internal sacrifice—aligned with Shaiva discipline and the Pashupata emphasis on transforming the practitioner through mantra and restraint.