Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

भवतीह कलौ तस्मिञ् शयनासनभोजनैः राजानः शूद्रभूयिष्ठा ब्राह्मणान् बाधयन्ति ते

Transliteration

bhavatīha kalau tasmiñ śayanāsanabhojanaiḥ rājānaḥ śūdrabhūyiṣṭhā brāhmaṇān bādhayanti te

Translation

Pada zaman Kali itu, bahkan dalam urusan tempat tidur, tempat duduk, dan makanan, para raja yang berwatak seperti śūdra akan menindas para brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• bhavati: comes to pass/occurs

• iha: here (in this world)

• kalau: in Kali-yuga

• tasmin: in that (time/age)

• śayana-āsana-bhojanaiḥ: with respect to beds/lodging, seats, and food (basic honors and provisions)

• rājānaḥ: kings/rulers

• śūdra-bhūyiṣṭhāḥ: mostly śūdra-like/overwhelmed by śūdra qualities

• brāhmaṇān: the brāhmaṇas

• bādhayanti: oppress, trouble, harass

• te: they

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Kings (Rājānaḥ)
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

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

It frames Kali-yuga as a time of dharma-kshaya where social supports for Vedic life collapse; therefore, taking refuge in Pati (Shiva) through Linga-puja becomes a stabilizing sādhana that preserves purity, devotion, and right conduct even when external honor is denied.

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

By highlighting oppression and disorder as marks of Kali, it implicitly points to Shiva-tattva as the transcendent Pati—unbound by pasha—who remains the reliable refuge and liberator of the pashu (soul) when worldly authorities fail.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No single rite is named, but the takeaway aligns with Pāśupata orientation: maintain disciplined conduct and devotion, and rely on Shiva-upāsanā (especially Linga-puja) as the core practice amid Kali-yuga’s social and ethical disruption.