If you really, really want to go that way, I think the -Dldflags or -Aldflags (for -Append) options to ./Configure are the way. But are you sure you don't want to use the cctools? They come with a shell window and make, gcc and all the shell utilities and at least I didn't need to jump through too many hoops when compiling Perl for Android.

The configure command I use to compile Perl 5.21.11 on Android is:

  sh ./Configure -Dprefix=/storage/sdcard0/perl
    -des
    -Dusedevel
    -Dprefix=/data/local/perl-5.21.11/
    -Dsysroot=/data/data/com.pdaxrom.cctools/root/cctools
    -Alibpth=/system/lib /vendor/lib
    -Dman1dir=none
    -Dman3dir=none
    -Dsite1man=none
    -Dsite3man=none
    -Dvendorman1=none
    -Dvendorman3=none
    -DNO_LOCALE
[download]

Also you might want to take a look at App::staticperl, which will try to compile a perl with all libraries linked statically into it.

KBOX is a shell environment that emulates a Linux filesystem...make, gcc and a ton of other utilites are included.

Its one quirk is that it only supports dynamic linking to libc...that plus Android's broken linker means any ext that uses symbols from libperl.so needs to be linked to it.

Will using -Aldflags propagate down to the part of the build where extensions are compiled?

Additionally, -Aldflags doesn't seem to work...

I think you will have to show some of your output how -Aldflags fails, and maybe also how installing modules fails after you've compiled your Perl.

Hopefully this post will show up in the thread this time...having a bit of difficulty posting via tablet

Here's how the extensions build fails. WARNING: lengthy output follows

make[1]: Leaving directory `/bld/perl/perl-5.20.2/dist/threads-shared'
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/bld/perl/perl\-5.20.2:/data/data/jackpal.androidterm/
+kbox2/lib  ./perl -Ilib -f pod/buildtoc -q
Can't load 'lib/5.20.2/armv7l-linux-android/auto/re/PL_re.so' for modu
+le re: dlopen failed: cannot locate symbol "Perl_bytes_to_utf8" refer
+enced by "PL_re.so"... at lib/5.20.2/armv7l-linux-android/DynaLoader.
+pm line 218.
 at lib/5.20.2/Text/Wrap.pm line 58.
Compilation failed in require at lib/5.20.2/Text/Wrap.pm line 58.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at lib/5.20.2/Text/Wrap.pm line 58.
Compilation failed in require at pod/buildtoc line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at pod/buildtoc line 7.
make: *** [pod/perltoc.pod] Error 2
[download]

Here's how the build fails with -Aldflags

Use which C compiler? [gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot]
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/bin/ld: cannot find -lperl
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Uh-oh, the C compiler 'gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot' doesn't s
+eem to be working.
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/bin/ld: cannot find -lperl
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Uh-oh, the C compiler 'gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot' doesn't s
+eem to be working.
You need to find a working C compiler.
Either (purchase and) install the C compiler supplied by your OS vendo
+r,
or for a free C compiler try http://gcc.gnu.org/
I cannot continue any further, aborting.
[download]

And if I copy -lperl to $SYSROOT

Use which C compiler? [gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot]
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/bin/ld: warning: libm.so, needed by /usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysr
+oot/usr/lib/libperl.so, not found (try using -rpath or -rpath-link)
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `log
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sqr
+t'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `cei
+l'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `flo
+or'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sca
+lbnl'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `mod
+f'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `fmo
+d'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `cos
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sin
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `ata
+n2'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `pow
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `exp
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `ilo
+gbl'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `fre
+xp'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Uh-oh, the C compiler 'gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot' doesn't s
+eem to be working.
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/bin/ld: warning: libm.so, needed by /usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysr
+oot/usr/lib/libperl.so, not found (try using -rpath or -rpath-link)
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `log
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sqr
+t'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `cei
+l'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `flo
+or'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sca
+lbnl'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `mod
+f'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `fmo
+d'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `cos
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `sin
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `ata
+n2'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `pow
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `exp
+'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `ilo
+gbl'
/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot/usr/lib/libperl.so: undefined reference to `fre
+xp'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Uh-oh, the C compiler 'gcc --sysroot=/usr/gcc-4.9.2/sysroot' doesn't s
+eem to be working.
You need to find a working C compiler.
Either (purchase and) install the C compiler supplied by your OS vendo
+r,
or for a free C compiler try http://gcc.gnu.org/
I cannot continue any further, aborting.
[download]

Please use the quick non-interactive Configure with -des, like Corion has shown above. For example

./Configure -des -Dprefix=... -Duseshrplib -Alddlflags='-shared -O2 -Wl,-E,-z,now'

Yes, I do need a shared libperl. Yes, I do need shared objects linked with -lperl, due to Android linker limitations (any symbols referenced in shared object must be in lib explicitly linked to object. )I will try z,-now as requested...but if it assumes linker can find symbols in loaded, non-linked libs, I fear it may not work

Hmm. Not sure what the correct approach might be, but here's one possible hack to try:

./Configure -des -Dprefix=/foo -Dcc=gcc -Duseshrplib
make install; make distclean
./Configure -des -Dprefix=/foo -Dcc=gcc -Duseshrplib \
  -Alddlflags='-shared -O2 -Wl,-E,-L/foo/lib/perl5/5.20.2/armv7l-linux
+-android/CORE,-as-needed,-lperl,-no-as-needed'
make install
[download]

This would compile and install perl twice, second time linking any shared objects against libperl. You may also want a ,-rpath,/foo... in the flags. But if you make a symlink in $KBOX/usr/lib to libperl.so, then neither -L nor -rpath should be required.