Shloka 26
प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः
The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava
ब्रह्मचर्येण मुनयो देवा यज्ञक्रियाध्वना । पितरः प्रजया तृप्ता इति हि श्रुतिरब्रवीत्
brahmacaryeṇa munayo devā yajñakriyādhvanā | pitaraḥ prajayā tṛptā iti hi śrutirabravīt
诚然，《圣闻》（Śruti）宣说：诸牟尼以梵行（brahmacarya，清净持戒与节制）而得圆满；诸天以祭祀仪轨之道而得满足；诸祖灵（Pitṛ）以子嗣而得欢喜。是故，各类众生各以其相应之法而受滋养——然而这一切义务，唯当以虔敬奉献于至上之主湿婆、解脱之赐者、超越诸缚的最高主宰（Pati）时，方得更高的究竟成就。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Sthala Purana: Not a sthala-purāṇa passage; the verse cites Śruti to frame the āśrama-dharma economy (ṛṣi–deva–pitṛ satisfaction) as preparatory to higher Śiva-bhakti and liberation.
Significance: General: establishes that Vedic duties (brahmacarya, yajña, prajā) are valid supports for purification, but become spiritually complete when oriented to Śiva as Pati (liberating Lord).
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
The verse classifies dharma by function: brahmacarya strengthens the sage’s inner power, yajña sustains the devas through sacred obligation, and progeny continues the ancestral line—showing that disciplined life, ritual duty, and family responsibility each have a sacred place, ultimately to be oriented toward Śiva for final liberation.
It frames worldly and Vedic duties as supportive paths; in Shaiva understanding, these duties become most fruitful when dedicated to Saguna Śiva—often through Linga worship—so that action (karma) is purified into devotion (bhakti) and knowledge (jñāna).
The practical takeaway is disciplined brahmacarya (sense-restraint) alongside faithful performance of one’s prescribed rites; a Shaiva application is to offer daily Linga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner anchor of all duties.