उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः
तथैव गुरुसंपर्कात् पापं त्यजति मानवः यथा वह्निसमीपस्थो घृतकुंभो विलीयते
tathaiva gurusaṃparkāt pāpaṃ tyajati mānavaḥ yathā vahnisamīpastho ghṛtakuṃbho vilīyate
اسی طرح گُرو کے قرب و صحبت سے انسان گناہ چھوڑ دیتا ہے؛ جیسے آگ کے پاس رکھا ہوا گھی کا گھڑا پگھل جاتا ہے۔
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana’s teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It teaches that purity for Linga-puja is not merely external; through guru-saṅga and upadeśa, pāpa (impurity) dissolves, making the pashu fit for Shiva-bhakti and Linga-ārādhana.
Shiva as Pati removes pasha primarily through anugraha (grace), often mediated by the Guru; the ‘fire’ imagery points to a transforming, purifying power that dissolves karmic accretions rather than merely suppressing them.
Guru-sevā and guru-saṅga as a core limb of Pashupata discipline: staying near the Guru, receiving mantra and conduct (ācāra), whereby pāpa-kṣaya occurs naturally—like ghee melting near fire.