उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः
एवं तुष्टो गुरुः शिष्यं पूजितं वत्सरोषितम् शुश्रूषुम् अनहङ्कारम् उपवासकृशं शुचिम्
evaṃ tuṣṭo guruḥ śiṣyaṃ pūjitaṃ vatsaroṣitam śuśrūṣum anahaṅkāram upavāsakṛśaṃ śucim
如是,师尊心满意足,观其弟子——恭敬供养并侍奉居止满一年者——勤于承事,无我慢,因斋戒而消瘦,且清净。此等持戒谦卑,乃为被缚之灵(paśu)得受湿婆之智之门;凭主宰帕提(Pati)之恩,令缚索(pāśa)渐松。
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages; describing an internal guru–disciple scene)
It establishes the inner qualifications that make Linga-puja fruitful: guru-honour, sustained service, purity, and ego-less discipline—preparing the paśu to receive Śiva’s grace (Pati-anugraha).
By implication, Śiva-tattva is accessed through purification and grace rather than mere external rites; the guru, as Śiva’s conduit, responds when the disciple becomes free from ahaṅkāra and fit for liberating knowledge.
Upavāsa (fasting) joined with śauca (purity) and guru-śuśrūṣā (service to the teacher)—a Pāśupata-leaning discipline that weakens pāśa (bondage) and strengthens receptivity to mantra, jñāna, and Śiva-puja.