Shloka 25

युगधर्मवर्णनम् — चतुर्युग, गुण, धर्मपाद, तथा वार्तोत्पत्ति

Devanagari script

प्रणश्यन्ति ततः सर्वे वृक्षास्ते गृहसंज्ञिताः ततस्तेषु प्रनष्टेषु विभ्रान्ता मैथुनोद्भवाः

Transliteration

praṇaśyanti tataḥ sarve vṛkṣāste gṛhasaṃjñitāḥ tatasteṣu pranaṣṭeṣu vibhrāntā maithunodbhavāḥ

Translation

Thereafter, all those trees—known as “houses” (shelters)—perished. And when those shelters were destroyed, the beings born of sexual union became bewildered and wandered in confusion.

Word by Word

• प्रणश्यन्ति: perish/are destroyed

• ततः: thereafter/then

• सर्वे: all

• वृक्षाः: trees

• ते: those

• गृह-संज्ञिताः: called ‘houses’/serving as dwellings

• ततस्: then

• तेषु: in them/among them

• प्रनष्टेषु: when destroyed/when perished

• विभ्रान्ताः: deluded, confused, wandering

• मैथुन-उद्भवाः: born from sexual union/procreated beings

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya; internal creation narrative)

FAQs

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

It contrasts perishable “shelters” (worldly supports) with the need for an imperishable refuge—implicitly pointing toward the Linga as the stable sign of Pati (Shiva) when created supports collapse.

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

By showing that all conditioned refuges can be destroyed, the verse prepares the Shaiva Siddhanta insight that only Pati—Shiva, beyond change—can be the true āśraya (support) for the pashu when pasha-bound structures fail.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Pashupata discipline: cultivating steadiness (dhāraṇā) and taking refuge in Shiva through Linga-puja and mantra when external supports are unstable.