उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः
तस्मात्संसिद्धिमन्विच्छन् सम्यगाचारवान् भवेत् दुर्वृत्तः शुद्धिभूयिष्ठः पापीयान् ज्ञानदूषकः
tasmātsaṃsiddhimanvicchan samyagācāravān bhavet durvṛttaḥ śuddhibhūyiṣṭhaḥ pāpīyān jñānadūṣakaḥ
是故,求真实成就者,当安住于正行。邪行之人——纵使忙于外在的“净化”——反更增罪业,终至败坏解脱之智;而此智正是超越系缚、趋向主宰(Pati)之道。
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.