Listen now to the wondrous account of the divine hymn of dispelling, as revealed in the sacred Liṅga Purāṇa. Whoever recites—or even merely hears—this celestial hymn, having shed all sins, is honored in the exalted realm of Rudra. The blessings bestowed by this hymn are manifold: one who desires a bride will surely obtain her; one who seeks victory will attain it; one who longs for wealth will be granted riches; and one who wishes for sons will have many sons. Those who yearn for knowledge will find it; those who seek enjoyment will obtain it; whatever other wishes a person may hold, by hearing or reciting this hymn, those desires are fulfilled. When the hymn is recited with a particular intention, the devotee swiftly achieves all those wishes and becomes dear to the gods. Moreover, diseases arising from wind, bile, and similar afflictions do not trouble him; he is spared untimely death and is protected even from the bite of serpents. The merit gained from pilgrimages, the fruits of sacrifices, the virtue from giving, and especially the rewards from vows—all these, multiplied a crore-fold, are obtained through the recitation of this hymn. Even those burdened by the gravest sins—such as slaying cows, being ungrateful, killing heroes, or harming Brahmins—are purified. Those who have killed a refugee, betrayed a friend’s trust, acted wickedly or sinfully, or slain their mother or father—having cast off all such sins, are honored in the world of Shiva. After hearing this meritorious hymn of dispelling, the sages, filled with reverence, requested, “Now, in connection with the giving of the liṅga, please tell us also about the vows.” The teacher replied, “I shall declare to you the auspicious vows, O best of sages, as told here by Nandin to the wise son of Brahma. Having heard them from Vyasa, I shall relate them to you. On the eighth and fourteenth days of both lunar fortnights, whoever, eating only at night for one year, worships Shiva on those days, attains the fruit of all sacrifices and reaches the supreme state. By making the earth a vessel and eating on festival days, a person attains in one day and night the fruit of a three-night vow. On the fifth day of both lunar months and on the first day of both fortnights, a man should perform the milk-stream vow and obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice. On the dark eighth, by eating only at night until the dark fourteenth, one attains enjoyments and goes to the world of Brahma. Whoever performs, for a year, eating only at night on each festival, remaining celibate, self-controlled, and devoted to meditation on Shiva, at the end of the year, feeds foremost Brahmins according to rule, and attains the world of Shankara—there is no doubt about this. Fasting is superior to alms-food; alms-food is superior to food not begged; food not begged is surpassed by eating only at night. Therefore, one should live by eating at night. Food is consumed by the gods in the forenoon, by the seers at midday, by the ancestors in the afternoon, and by beings like the Guhyakas at twilight. Surpassing all times, eating at night is best. Eating sacrificial food, bathing, truthfulness, and moderation in food are to be observed. One who eats at night should perform fire rituals and sleep on the ground. Now, month by month, the supreme vow of Shiva is described. For the sake of righteousness, desire, wealth, and liberation, and for purification from all sins, whoever worships in the month of Puṣya and observes night-eating—speaking truth, controlling anger, subsisting on rice, wheat, and cow’s milk, and carefully fasting on the eighth day of both lunar fortnights—at the end of the month, on the full moon, having bathed Rudra with ghee and the like, and worshipped him according to the rite, should sleep on the ground. Giving barley and cooked rice with milk and ghee, one should feed worthy Brahmins and recite the Śānti hymn. Likewise, one should offer a tawny cow and calf to Shiva, the supreme lord, for well-being. Thus, he attains the excellent world of Vāhneyas; enjoying vast worlds there, he is liberated. In the month of Māgha, whoever worships and observes night-eating, eating rice porridge mixed with ghee, with controlled senses, fasting on the fourteenth day in both lunar fortnights, should, on the full moon, give a ghee-soaked blanket to Rudra. He should give a black cow and calf, worship Śaṅkara, and feed Brahmins according to his means. Having attained the southern realm, he enjoys with Yama. When the month of Phālguna arrives, he should again observe night-eating. With self-control and subdued anger, eating wild millet with ghee and milk, fasting on the fourteenth and eighth days, on the full moon, after bathing and worshipping Mahādeva Śaṅkara, he should give a tawny or copper-colored cow and calf to the wielder of the trident. After feeding the Brahmins, he should pray to the supreme lord, attaining union with the moon—there is no doubt. In the month of Chaitra, having worshipped Rudra, he should observe night-eating, eating rice mixed with milk and ghee, as is pleasing. One who sleeps in a cowshed should remember Bhava at night upon the full moon, bathe Shiva, and offer a white pair of cows. He should also feed Brahmins and will attain the realm of Nirṛti. Likewise, in the month of Vaiśākha, having observed night-fasting, on the full moon, after bathing Bhava with five products of the cow, ghee, and the like, by giving a white pair of cows, he obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice. In the month of Jyeṣṭha, having worshipped Bhava, Lord of gods, Śarva, the consort of Umā, with faith and devotion, he should observe night-fasting. Thus, month by month, the sacred vows and observances are revealed, each leading the devotee ever closer to purification, merit, and union with the supreme Lord Shiva.