Shloka 28

Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi

Devanagari script

तस्माद्विरागः कर्तव्यो मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा ऋतौ ऋतौ निवृत्तिस्तु ब्रह्मचर्यमिति स्मृतम्

Transliteration

tasmādvirāgaḥ kartavyo manovākkāyakarmaṇā ṛtau ṛtau nivṛttistu brahmacaryamiti smṛtam

Translation

Portanto, deve-se cultivar o desapego (virāga) por meio das ações da mente, da fala e do corpo. E a abstinência em cada estação—o refreamento periódico da atividade sensual—é lembrada como brahmacarya. Por tal autodomínio, o paśu afrouxa o pāśa e torna-se apto à graça de Pati, Śiva.

Word by Word

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• विरागः (virāgaḥ): dispassion, detachment

• कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ): should be done, must be practiced

• मनोवाक्कायकर्मणा (manovāk-kāya-karmaṇā): by the activity/discipline of mind, speech, and body

• ऋतौ ऋतौ (ṛtau ṛtau): in each season/at each proper period

• निवृत्तिः (nivṛttiḥ): withdrawal, abstinence, cessation

• तु (tu): indeed, and

• ब्रह्मचर्यम् (brahmacaryam): brahmacarya, celibate restraint/continence

• इति (iti): thus

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): is remembered/declared (in tradition).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching tradition to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true eligibility for Linga-puja is inner purity—detachment and disciplined conduct of mind, speech, and body—so worship becomes a means to loosen pāśa (bondage) and receive Śiva’s grace.

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as Pati, the liberating Lord: when the paśu practices restraint and vairāgya, the soul becomes fit for Śiva’s anugraha (grace) that ends bondage.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights Pāśupata-oriented self-discipline: cultivating virāga through manas-vāk-kāya and observing brahmacarya as periodic abstinence (ṛtau ṛtau nivṛtti).