Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

शुक्लदन्ताजिनाक्षाश् च मुण्डाः काषायवाससः शूद्रा धर्मं चरिष्यन्ति युगान्ते समुपस्थिते

Transliteration

śukladantājinākṣāś ca muṇḍāḥ kāṣāyavāsasaḥ śūdrā dharmaṃ cariṣyanti yugānte samupasthite

Translation

Kapag papalapit ang wakas ng panahon, maging ang mga Śūdra ay magsusuot ng mga tanda ng mga asceta—mapuputing ngipin, balat ng usa at rosaryo, ahit ang ulo at kasāya na kasuotan—at isasagawa ang tinatawag nilang “dharma.”

Word by Word

• śukla-danta: white-tusked/with white teeth

• ajina: deerskin

• akṣāḥ: rosary beads (rudrākṣa/akṣa-beads)

• ca: and

• muṇḍāḥ: shaven-headed

• kāṣāya-vāsasaḥ: wearing ochre robes

• śūdrāḥ: Śūdras

• dharmam: dharma/religious conduct

• cariṣyanti: will practice/undertake

• yuga-ante: at the end of the yuga

• samupasthite: when it has arrived/when it is imminent

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It warns that external signs of religiosity can proliferate near yugānta; for Linga-worship, the implication is that true devotion to Pati (Śiva) is measured by inner purity and right practice, not merely by ascetic costume.

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

Indirectly: Śiva as Pati is not reached by outward marks alone. Shiva-tattva is realized when the pashu (soul) loosens pasha (bondage) through genuine discipline, devotion, and knowledge rather than mere appearance.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights ascetic identifiers (muṇḍa, kāṣāya, ajina, akṣa-mālā) and implies the Shaiva critique: such externals must be joined to authentic sādhanā—especially inner restraint and Pāśupata-oriented transformation—to be meaningful.