Shloka 64
The Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
निर्ददाह तदात्मानं सदेवासुरपन्नगैः । किंकिमेतदिति प्रोक्ते गंधर्वगणगुह्यकैः
nirdadāha tadātmānaṃ sadevāsurapannagaiḥ | kiṃkimetaditi prokte gaṃdharvagaṇaguhyakaiḥ
بحضرة الدِّيفات، والآسورات، وكائنات الأفاعي، أحرق ذاته بنفسه. فلمّا قال الغاندارفات وجموع الخَدَمَة السَّماويّين والغوهيَكَات: «ما هذا—ما الذي يحدث؟»، تتابع الخبر.
Narrator (context not fully specified from single verse; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame of Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: The body can be relinquished through yogic mastery; extreme acts expose the fragility of ritual pride and the supremacy of inner spiritual power.
Application: Do not romanticize extremes; take the principle: cultivate inner discipline and let ego die—symbolically—through humility, service, and steady practice.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Before a vast assembly—devas in shining armor, asuras with darker splendor, and nāgas coiled like living jewels—the yogin’s body erupts into a controlled pillar of fire, not chaotic but ritual-precise. Gandharvas and Guhyakas recoil in astonishment, hands raised, as the flames form a luminous column that seems to connect earth and heaven, turning the moment into a cosmic omen.","primary_figures":["yogin/tapasvin (self-immolating)","Devas","Asuras","Nāgas (pannagas)","Gandharvas","Guhyakas"],"setting":"Open ritual courtyard adjoining the yajña pavilion; multi-tiered crowd with celestial balconies and hovering vimānas; smoke spirals into the sky.","lighting_mood":"blazing pillar of fire against a darkened, stunned assembly","color_palette":["incandescent gold","ember red","midnight blue","obsidian black","opal white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central vertical fire-pillar rendered with thick gold-leaf and embossed flame patterns; surrounding devas/asuras/nāgas arranged in concentric tiers with jewel-like ornamentation; Gandharvas and Guhyakas in expressive poses of astonishment; rich reds and greens in garments, heavy gold detailing on crowns and weapons, dramatic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a tall, elegant flame column painted with delicate gradients; crowd scenes with refined faces—devas luminous, asuras shadowed, nāgas iridescent; cool night sky and soft cloud bands; narrative clarity with lyrical astonishment, fine brushwork and subtle emotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized flame geometry; large-eyed celestial beings in layered rows; nāgas with patterned scales; strong red/yellow/green palette anchored by deep blues; temple-wall grandeur emphasizing the central fiery axis.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central flame as a patterned vertical motif, bordered by lotus and floral designs; devas/asuras/nāgas arranged symmetrically like a mandala; deep indigo background with gold and red highlights; intricate borders and repeating ornamental elements, theatrical astonishment in simplified gestures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["roaring fire","celestial drums","gasping crowd murmur","sudden bell clang","wind rush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तदात्मानं = तद् + आत्मानम् (तत्पुरुष); सदेवासुरपन्नगैः = स + देव + असुर + पन्नगैः (द्वन्द्व-समास with सह-भाव); किंकिमेतदिति = किम् + किम् + एतत् + इति; गंधर्वगणगुह्यकैः = गन्धर्व + गण + गुह्यकैः (द्वन्द्व)
FAQs
It describes a figure burning up his own body/self, witnessed by multiple classes of celestial and semi-celestial beings, prompting them to ask what is happening.
Gandharvas are celestial musicians and courtiers; Guhyakas are a class of yakṣa-like hidden guardians/attendants often associated with divine treasuries and sacred places.
The verse points to extreme tapas or a dramatic transformative act (self-consuming fire), highlighting the Puranic theme that powerful inner resolve or austerity can trigger cosmic attention and inquiry.