Shloka 99

Adhyaya 40: Kali-yuga Lakshana, Yuga-sandhyamsha, and the Re-emergence of Dharma

Devanagari script

युगस्वभावश् च तथा विधत्ते वै तदा प्रभुः वर्णाश्रमविभागाश् च युगानि युगसिद्धयः

Transliteration

yugasvabhāvaś ca tathā vidhatte vai tadā prabhuḥ varṇāśramavibhāgāś ca yugāni yugasiddhayaḥ

Translation

Dann ordnet der Herr (Pati) wahrhaft die besondere Natur jedes Yuga—indem er die Einteilungen von varṇa und āśrama, die Yugas selbst und die jedem Zeitalter entsprechenden Siddhis (Vollkommenheiten) festsetzt.

Word by Word

• yuga-svabhāvaḥ: the inherent character of an age

• ca: and

• tathā: likewise/accordingly

• vidhatte: arranges/ordains

• vai: indeed

• tadā: then/at that time

• prabhuḥ: the Lord, sovereign (Pati)

• varṇa-āśrama-vibhāgāḥ: the classifications of social order and life-stages

• ca: and

• yugāni: the yugas (ages)

• yuga-siddhayaḥ: age-specific perfections/attainments

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the supreme governor (Pati) who establishes cosmic order across the yugas; Linga worship aligns the pashu (individual soul) with that ordained order through devotion, discipline, and right conduct.

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

Shiva is presented as Prabhu/Pati—the sovereign intelligence who sets the laws of time (yuga), society (varṇa-āśrama), and the attainable spiritual powers (siddhis), indicating his lordship over both worldly structure and spiritual fruition.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies yuga-appropriate sādhana: regulated dharma and disciplined life (āśrama-niyama) as the foundation for siddhi and liberation—consistent with Shaiva/Pāśupata emphasis on conduct, vows, and devotion to Mahādeva.