Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

यो विद्वान्वै जपेत्सम्यग् अधीत्यैव विधानतः एतावद्धि शिवज्ञानम् एतावत्परमं पदम्

Transliteration

yo vidvānvai japetsamyag adhītyaiva vidhānataḥ etāvaddhi śivajñānam etāvatparamaṃ padam

Translation

有学之求道者，先研习教法，而后依所制仪轨如法修持持诵（japa）——唯此即是湿婆之智；唯此即是至上之境（解脱的最高住处）。

Word by Word

• यः (yaḥ): who

• विद्वान् (vidvān): a learned/knowing person

• वै (vai): indeed

• जपेत् (japet): should repeat (mantra), should perform japa

• सम्यक् (samyak): correctly, rightly

• अधीत्य (adhītya): having studied/recited/learned

• एव (eva): only, indeed

• विधानतः (vidhānataḥ): according to rule/prescription

• एतावत् (etāvat): just this much/this alone

• हि (hi): indeed, for

• शिवज्ञानम् (śiva-jñānam): knowledge/realization of Shiva (Pati-tattva)

• एतावत् (etāvat): this alone

• परम् (paramam): supreme

• पदम् (padam): state/abode/goal (liberation).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Linga-oriented devotion as disciplined sādhana: study the prescribed teaching and then perform correct mantra-japa; this practice itself is presented as Shiva-realization leading to the highest goal.

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

Shiva is implied as the Parama-pada (supreme goal) and the content of true knowledge (śiva-jñāna); realizing Pati is not merely conceptual but attained through properly guided practice.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-japa performed samyak (correctly) and vidhānataḥ (according to injunction), preceded by adhyayana (study/learning)—a Pāśupata-leaning discipline where the pashu moves toward freedom from pāśa through regulated practice.