Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 130

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

Devanagari script

तद्वदाचारहीनानां सर्वत्रैव भयं भवेत् सदाचारेण देवत्वम् ऋषित्वं च वरानने

Transliteration

tadvadācārahīnānāṃ sarvatraiva bhayaṃ bhavet sadācāreṇa devatvam ṛṣitvaṃ ca varānane

Translation

同样地，缺失正行（sad-ācāra）之人，处处生怖。然唯凭高尚之行，噢容颜姣美者，便能得天众之位，乃至成就仙圣（ṛṣi）之格——为随顺湿婆（Śiva）解脱之道而得清净。

Word by Word

• tadvad: likewise

• ācāra-hīnānām: of those lacking proper conduct

• sarvatra eva: everywhere indeed

• bhayam: fear

• bhavet: arises/comes to be

• sad-ācāreṇa: by noble/right conduct

• devatvam: godhood/divine status

• ṛṣitvam: rishihood/sagehood

• ca: and

• varānane: O beautiful-faced one

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya; addressing a feminine interlocutor within the cited teaching as 'varānane')

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-pūjā and Linga-upāsanā bear stable fruit only when grounded in sadācāra; without ethical discipline the pashu remains disturbed by fear and instability.

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

Śiva-tattva is approached through purification: when the pashu reduces pasha (bondage) via right conduct, the Lord (Pati) becomes experientially accessible as the giver of higher states—deva-like radiance and ṛṣi-like realization.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Sadācāra as the foundational limb of Pāśupata discipline—ethical restraint and purity that support mantra, pūjā, and yogic steadiness leading toward Śiva-realization.