Śivasaṃhitā 1.5

This verse expands the inventory of recommended practices: dāna (charitable giving), pitṛkarma (ancestral rites), karma (ritual action), and vairāgya (dispassion). The juxtaposition of karma and vairāgya is particularly striking, as these two orientations—engaged action and renunciation—form the central axis of debate between Mīmāṃsā and Vedānta schools.

Dāna is a cardinal virtue in both brahmanical and Buddhist ethical frameworks. Pitṛkarma refers to the śrāddha rites performed for deceased ancestors, a central obligation in dharmaśāstra literature. Vairāgya, «dispassion», combines vi- (separation) with rāga (attachment, passion), literally denoting the state free from emotional coloring.

Placing vairāgya alongside active ritual practices highlights the historical tension between the path of engagement (pravṛtti mārga) and that of renunciation (nivṛtti mārga). The Śivasaṃhitā takes no side here; it accumulates testimonies to demonstrate that the very diversity of opinions is itself an obstacle to liberation.