Shloka 45

दारुवनलीला—नीललोहितपरीक्षा, ब्रह्मोपदेशः, अतिथिधर्मः, संन्यासक्रमः

Devanagari script

अन्यथा नास्ति संतर्तुं गृहस्थैश् च द्विजोत्तमैः त्यक्त्वा चातिथिपूजां ताम् आत्मनो भुवि शोधनम्

Transliteration

anyathā nāsti saṃtartuṃ gṛhasthaiś ca dvijottamaiḥ tyaktvā cātithipūjāṃ tām ātmano bhuvi śodhanam

Translation

गृहस्थैर्द्विजोत्तमैश्च संतर्तुं नान्यथा मार्गोऽस्ति; ताम् अतिथिपूजां त्यक्त्वा भुवि स्वात्मनः शोधनं भवति।

Word by Word

• anyathā: otherwise

• na asti: there is not

• saṃtartuṃ: to cross over, pass beyond (saṃsāra)

• gṛhasthaiḥ: by householders

• ca: and

• dvijottamaiḥ: by the best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa-ādi)

• tyaktvā: having abandoned, forsaken

• ca: and

• atithi-pūjām: honoring/worship of the guest

• tām: that (practice)

• ātmanaḥ: of oneself, one’s own self

• bhuvi: on earth, in this world

• śodhanam: cleansing/purification (used here in the sense of moral purification

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating dharma-teachings within the Linga Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-oriented life in dharmic purity: for a householder, honoring guests is treated as a necessary purifier of karma, supporting eligibility (adhikāra) for Shiva-puja and for crossing saṃsāra.

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

Indirectly: Shiva as Pati is approached not only by ritual but by inner and outer śuddhi; neglecting dharma increases pasha (bondage), while purification supports the soul’s (pashu’s) turning toward Shiva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Atithi-pūjā (guest-honoring) as a daily grihastha discipline that purifies conduct and karma—an ethical foundation that complements Shaiva sādhanā and prepares the mind for worship and yoga.