Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्
यस्माच्च सर्ववर्णत्वं प्रजानां च भविष्यति सर्वभक्षा च मेध्या च वर्णतश् च भविष्यति
yasmācca sarvavarṇatvaṃ prajānāṃ ca bhaviṣyati sarvabhakṣā ca medhyā ca varṇataś ca bhaviṣyati
بسبب هذا السبب يسقط الناس في حالٍ من اختلاط الفَرْنَة (varṇa)؛ ويصيرون آكلين بلا تمييز؛ ومع أنهم يدّعون الطهارة واللياقة، فإن سلوكهم يبقى غير طاهر، ويُحَطّون في فَرْنَتهم ذاتها.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga account to the sages; internal context inferred as a dharma-warning within the narrative)
It warns that outer markers of purity and social identity become unreliable when dharma declines; Linga worship therefore emphasizes inner śuddhi—turning the pashu toward Pati (Shiva) through disciplined conduct and devotion.
By implication, Shiva-tattva stands as the stabilizing Pati beyond social confusion—when pashus fall into disorder through pasha (impurity and indiscrimination), refuge in Shiva restores right order and inner purity.
A key takeaway is dietary and behavioral restraint (niyama) as a prerequisite for effective Shiva-puja and Pashupata-oriented discipline, since indiscriminate conduct undermines ritual fitness and inner purification.