Shloka 103

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

आद्यान्तयोर् जपस्यापि कुर्याद्वै प्राणसंयमान् तथा चान्ते जपेद्बीजं शतमष्टोत्तरं शुभम्

Transliteration

ādyāntayor japasyāpi kuryādvai prāṇasaṃyamān tathā cānte japedbījaṃ śatamaṣṭottaraṃ śubham

Translation

В начале и в конце джапы следует воистину совершать сдерживание праны (прана-саньяма). А затем, в завершение, нужно произнести благой биджа-мантру сто восемь раз.

Word by Word

• आद्यान्तयोः: at the beginning and end

• जपस्य अपि: even of japa/recitation

• कुर्यात् वै: one should indeed do

• प्राणसंयमान्: restraints/controls of prāṇa (breath-discipline)

• तथा च: and also

• अन्ते: at the end

• जपेत्: one should recite

• बीजम्: seed-mantra (bīja)

• शतम्: one hundred

• अष्टोत्तरम्: plus eight (i.e., 108)

• शुभम्: auspicious

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-upasana procedures to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a core Shaiva practice: bracketing japa with prāṇa-saṃyama and sealing the rite by repeating the bīja 108 times, strengthening focus (ekāgratā) and devotional potency in Linga-upāsanā.

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

By linking breath-discipline and seed-mantra, it implies Shiva as Pati—the inner Lord accessible through refined prāṇa and mantra-śakti—guiding the pashu (soul) beyond pasha (bondage) via disciplined upāsanā.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Prāṇa-saṃyama (a pranayama-like restraint of vital breath) performed at the start and end of japa, followed by 108 repetitions of the bīja-mantra as a concluding (saṃhāra/saṃpūraṇa) act.