Adhyaya 23: श्वेत-लोहित-पीत-कृष्ण-विश्व-कल्पेषु रुद्रस्वरूप-गायत्री-तत्त्ववर्णनम्
यस्माच्च सर्ववर्णत्वं प्रजानां च भविष्यति सर्वभक्षा च मेध्या च वर्णतश् च भविष्यति
yasmācca sarvavarṇatvaṃ prajānāṃ ca bhaviṣyati sarvabhakṣā ca medhyā ca varṇataś ca bhaviṣyati
ഈ കാരണത്താൽ പ്രജകൾ വർണ്ണസങ്കരാവസ്ഥയിൽ പതിക്കും; അവർ സർവ്വഭക്ഷകരാകും; ശുചിത്വവും ധർമ്മാചാരവും പറയുന്നുവെങ്കിലും ആചരണത്തിൽ അശുദ്ധരായി വർണ്ണതഃ ഹീനരാകും।
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga account to the sages; internal context inferred as a dharma-warning within the narrative)
It warns that outer markers of purity and social identity become unreliable when dharma declines; Linga worship therefore emphasizes inner śuddhi—turning the pashu toward Pati (Shiva) through disciplined conduct and devotion.
By implication, Shiva-tattva stands as the stabilizing Pati beyond social confusion—when pashus fall into disorder through pasha (impurity and indiscrimination), refuge in Shiva restores right order and inner purity.
A key takeaway is dietary and behavioral restraint (niyama) as a prerequisite for effective Shiva-puja and Pashupata-oriented discipline, since indiscriminate conduct undermines ritual fitness and inner purification.