Adhyaya 40: Kali-yuga Lakshana, Yuga-sandhyamsha, and the Re-emergence of Dharma
वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं श्रौतं स्मार्तं द्विधा तु यम् ततस्तेषु क्रियावत्सु वर्धन्ते वै प्रजाः कृते
varṇāśramācārayutaṃ śrautaṃ smārtaṃ dvidhā tu yam tatasteṣu kriyāvatsu vardhante vai prajāḥ kṛte
Esse Dharma, unido às disciplinas de varṇa e āśrama, é de dois tipos: Śrauta (védico, baseado na śruti) e Smārta (baseado na smṛti). No Kṛta Yuga, quando as pessoas são firmes nesses deveres rituais, os seres (prajās) de fato florescem e aumentam.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
It grounds Śiva-bhakti in Vaidika order: prosperity and harmony arise when devotees uphold Śrauta and Smārta duties within varṇa-āśrama, creating a stable field for Śiva-pūjā and Linga-pratiṣṭhā to bear fruit.
Indirectly, it presents Śiva as Pati who upholds ṛta/dharma: when pashus (souls) align conduct and rites with sacred law, the world flourishes—reflecting Śiva’s governance through dharma rather than mere force.
Śrauta yajñas and Smārta observances are highlighted; the verse emphasizes kriyā (disciplined ritual action) as the practical foundation that supports higher Śaiva sādhanā, including Pāśupata-oriented purification.