Shloka 11
ब्राह्मणा यदि नष्टास्स्युर्वेदा नष्टास्ततस्त्वयम् । अतस्तेषु प्रणष्टेषु विनष्टाः सततं सुराः
brāhmaṇā yadi naṣṭāssyurvedā naṣṭāstatastvayam | atasteṣu praṇaṣṭeṣu vinaṣṭāḥ satataṃ surāḥ
If the Brāhmaṇas are destroyed, then the Vedas are destroyed—and with that, you too are undone. Therefore, when they perish, the gods are inevitably ruined as well.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa discourse; the verse reflects a warning given within the battle narrative about protecting Brāhmaṇas and Vedic order)
Tattva Level: pasha
FAQs
The verse teaches that the continuity of dharma depends on the living transmission of Vedic wisdom. In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, orderly dharma supports the soul’s purification (paśu) and weakens bondage (pāśa), making the soul fit for Shiva’s grace (Pati).
Linga-worship is presented in the Purana as Veda-aligned devotion: it preserves sacred order through mantra, ritual purity, and right conduct. By protecting the Vedic custodians and their recitation, Saguna Shiva worship remains grounded in śāstra rather than mere sentiment.
The practical takeaway is to uphold Vedic discipline: daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), reverence to teachers and Brāhmaṇas, and maintaining purity practices such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) where appropriate—so worship becomes dharma-protecting and grace-inviting.