Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 13
Vīrabhadra Destroys Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
Dakṣa-yajña-vināśa
तावत्स रुद्रानुचरैर्महामखो नानायुधैर्वामनकैरुदायुधै: । पिङ्गै: पिशङ्गैर्मकरोदराननै: पर्याद्रवद्भिर्विदुरान्वरुध्यत ॥ १३ ॥
tāvat sa rudrānucarair mahā-makho nānāyudhair vāmanakair udāyudhaiḥ piṅgaiḥ piśaṅgair makarodarānanaiḥ paryādravadbhir vidurānvarudhyata
Mein lieber Vidura, die Gefolgsleute Rudras umringten den Opferplatz und rannten ringsumher. Sie waren klein von Gestalt und mit allerlei Waffen ausgerüstet; ihre Leiber wirkten wie die von Haien, dunkel und gelblich, und sie begannen, das Opfer mit schweren Störungen zu überziehen.
FAQs
This verse describes how Rudra’s attendants stormed in with weapons and surrounded the sacrificial arena, signaling the collapse of Daksha’s proud ritual when devotion and respect were absent.
In the narrative of Canto 4, Daksha insulted Śiva and rejected him from the sacrificial assembly; after Sati’s departure from her body, Śiva’s followers entered and overwhelmed the sacrifice, demonstrating the consequence of offending devotees.
The shloka warns that spiritual practice without humility and respect for saintly persons becomes hollow; cultivate reverence, avoid ego-driven “religiosity,” and protect relationships with devotees.