Shloka 18

युगधर्मवर्णनम् — चतुर्युग, गुण, धर्मपाद, तथा वार्तोत्पत्ति

Devanagari script

ता वै निष्कामचारिण्यो नित्यं मुदितमानसाः अप्रवृत्तिः कृतयुगे कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः

Transliteration

tā vai niṣkāmacāriṇyo nityaṃ muditamānasāḥ apravṛttiḥ kṛtayuge karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ

Translation

إنهم حقًّا كانوا يسيرون بلا شهوة، وقلوبهم على الدوام هادئةً فرِحة. وفي كِرِتا-يوغا لم يكن ثَمَّ انخراطٌ في فعلٍ تدفعه برّةٌ أو إثم—ولا اندفاعٌ قسريٌّ نحو كارما صالحة أو آثمة.

Word by Word

• tāḥ: they (those women/people)

• vai: indeed

• niṣkāma-cāriṇyaḥ: acting/behaving without desire (desireless in conduct)

• nityam: always

• mudita-mānasāḥ: with joyful/clear minds

• apravṛttiḥ: non-propensity, non-engagement, cessation of outward drive

• kṛta-yuge: in the Kṛta Yuga

• karmaṇoḥ: with respect to the two kinds of action (dual karmas)

• śubha: auspicious/meritorious

• pāpayoḥ: sinful/demeritorious

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames the ideal inner condition for Shiva-bhakti: desireless conduct and a joyful, purified mind—qualities that make Linga-puja a means of loosening pasha (bondage) rather than producing fresh karmic entanglement.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By emphasizing freedom from the duality of merit and sin, it points toward Shiva-tattva as the state beyond karmic opposites—Pati (the Lord) who is untouched by karma and grants the pashu release from pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The yogic principle of apravṛtti (cessation of outward, desire-driven activity) and niṣkāma-caryā (desireless discipline), foundational to Pāśupata-oriented renunciation and steady worship.