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Shloka 16

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

शूद्रानभ्यर्चयन्त्यल्पश्रुतभाग्यबलान्विताः न प्रेक्षन्ते गर्विताश् च शूद्रा द्विजवरान् द्विज

śūdrānabhyarcayantyalpaśrutabhāgyabalānvitāḥ na prekṣante garvitāś ca śūdrā dvijavarān dvija

अल्पश्रुतभाग्यबलान्विताः शूद्राः शूद्रान् नाभ्यर्चयन्ति; गर्विताश्च द्विज, द्विजवरान् न प्रेक्षन्तेऽपि।

śūdrān/śūdrāḥŚūdras
śūdrān/śūdrāḥ:
abhyarcayantihonor, worship, pay reverence
abhyarcayanti:
alpalittle, meagre
alpa:
śrutalearning, sacred hearing
śruta:
bhāgyafortune, merit
bhāgya:
balastrength (here: moral/spiritual power)
bala:
anvitāḥendowed with
anvitāḥ:
nanot
na:
prekṣantelook upon, regard
prekṣante:
garvitāḥproud, arrogant
garvitāḥ:
caand
ca:
dvija-varānthe best among the twice-born
dvija-varān:
dvijaO twice-born (vocative address)
dvija:

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

FAQs

It frames pride and disrespect as inner impurities that obstruct eligibility (adhikāra) for Śiva-bhakti; true Linga-pūjā requires humility and disciplined conduct, not mere external ritual.

Implicitly, it points to Śiva as Pati who is approached through purification of the pashu; arrogance is a pasha that veils right vision, whereas reverence and self-restraint align the soul toward Śiva-tattva.

Sadācāra (right conduct) as a foundational limb of Pāśupata discipline—mastery over pride and proper reverence—supporting effective pūjā and inner yoga rather than empty formality.