Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

न प्रामाण्यं श्रुतेरस्ति नृणां चाधर्मसेवनम् अधार्मिकास्त्वनाचारा महाकोपाल्पचेतसः

Transliteration

na prāmāṇyaṃ śruterasti nṛṇāṃ cādharmasevanam adhārmikāstvanācārā mahākopālpacetasaḥ

Translation

लोकांमध्ये श्रुती (वेद) यांचे प्रामाण्य उरत नाही, आणि ते अधर्माचे आचरण करतात। अधार्मिक लोक सदाचारहीन असतात—महाक्रोधी व अल्पबुद्धी।

Word by Word

• na: not

• prāmāṇyam: (accepted) authority/validity

• śruteḥ: of Śruti (the Veda)

• asti: exists/is

• nṛṇām: of men/people

• ca: and

• adharma-sevanam: resorting to/serving adharma

• adhārmikāḥ: the unrighteous

• tu: indeed/but

• anācārāḥ: without proper conduct/discipline

• mahā-kopāḥ: of great anger/very wrathful

• alpa-cetasaḥ: of little intelligence/poor discernment

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

FAQs

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

It frames a dharmic crisis—when śruti is disregarded and conduct collapses—implying the need to re-anchor life in Śiva-oriented discipline (ācāra) and worship that purifies the pashu and loosens pasha.

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

By highlighting human anger and diminished discernment, it implicitly points to Śiva as Pati—the steady, luminous principle of right knowledge and restraint—who restores order when the pashu is overwhelmed by krodha and adharma.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Not a specific rite is named, but the verse emphasizes ācāra (regulated conduct) and mastery over krodha—core prerequisites for Pāśupata-style purification and effective Śiva-pūjā.