उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः
तस्मात्संसिद्धिमन्विच्छन् सम्यगाचारवान् भवेत् दुर्वृत्तः शुद्धिभूयिष्ठः पापीयान् ज्ञानदूषकः
tasmātsaṃsiddhimanvicchan samyagācāravān bhavet durvṛttaḥ śuddhibhūyiṣṭhaḥ pāpīyān jñānadūṣakaḥ
Поэтому тот, кто ищет подлинного совершенства, должен утвердиться в праведном поведении. Ибо человек дурного нрава — даже если занят внешними «очищениями» — становится ещё более грешным и в конце концов оскверняет освобождающее знание, которое есть средство достичь Пати (Владыки) за пределами уз.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It states that Linga-puja bears fruit (siddhi) only when grounded in samyag-ācāra (right conduct); mere external cleanliness without ethical transformation becomes a distortion of worship.
By implication, Shiva as Pati is approached through jñāna supported by dharma; when conduct is corrupt, one ‘pollutes’ that jñāna and remains bound as pashu under pasha.
It emphasizes the Shaiva principle that inner discipline and truthful conduct are primary, while śuddhi-kriyās (purificatory rites) are secondary and must not become a substitute for Pashupata-style ethical restraint and clarity of knowledge.