Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय
देवद्रोहगुरुद्रोहात् कोटिमात्रेण शुध्यति महापातकशुद्ध्यर्थं तथैव च यथाविधि
devadrohagurudrohāt koṭimātreṇa śudhyati mahāpātakaśuddhyarthaṃ tathaiva ca yathāvidhi
За тяжкое прегрешение — измену Девам или Гуру — очищение достигается совершением предписанных искупительных действий в мере «коṭи» (неисчислимого множества). Так же и ради очищения от великих грехов (mahāpātaka) следует совершать обряды в точности по установлению.
Suta Goswami (narrating prescribed expiations within the Linga Purana discourse)
It emphasizes that Shaiva purification is not casual: even after serious transgressions like devadroha or gurudroha, cleansing is approached through large-scale, rule-bound prayashchitta performed yathāvidhi—supporting the integrity required for effective Linga-puja.
Implicitly, it presents Shiva’s order (vidhi) as a precise dharmic framework where pāśa (bondage through sin) can be attenuated by disciplined action; purification becomes possible when the pashu aligns conduct with the ordained path that leads toward Pati.
Prāyaścitta performed in great measure (koṭi-mātra) and strictly according to injunction (yathāvidhi), forming the ethical-ritual foundation that supports Pashupata-oriented discipline and eligibility for deeper Shiva-upāsanā.