Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 16

Dakṣa’s Sacrifice Restored: Śiva’s Mercy and Nārāyaṇa’s Appearance

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय उवाच क्षमाप्यैवं स मीढ्‍वांसं ब्रह्मणा चानुमन्त्रित: । कर्म सन्तानयामास सोपाध्यायर्त्विगादिभि: ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

maitreya uvāca kṣamāpyaivaṁ sa mīḍhvāṁsaṁ brahmaṇā cānumantritaḥ karma santānayām āsa sopādhyāyartvig-ādibhiḥ

Translation

Maitreya sprach: So, von Herrn Śiva begnadigt und mit Brahmās Zustimmung, begann König Dakṣa erneut die Ausführung des yajña zusammen mit den ācāryas, den ṛtvij (Priestern) und anderen.

Synonyms

• maitreyaḥ: Maitreya
• maitreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वचने) + liṭ (लिट्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• kṣamāpya: having sought pardon
• kṣamāpya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣamāpay (णिजन्त; √kṣam सहने/क्षमायाम्) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त), causative sense; “having asked forgiveness/appeased”

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• mīḍhvāṁsam: the beneficent one (Rudra/Śiva)
• mīḍhvāṁsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mīḍhvas (प्रातिपदिक; epithet)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; object of kṣamāpya (appeasing/asking pardon of)

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; here “by Brahmā”

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• anumantritaḥ: having been instructed/authorized
• anumantritaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + √mantr (मन्त्रणे/आमन्त्रण) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative Singular; agrees with saḥ

• karma: the ritual act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• santānayām: continued/caused to proceed
• santānayām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: santānaya (णिजन्त; √tan विस्तारे)
• Form: Causative present stem; with āsa forms periphrastic perfect; here used with āsa

• āsa: did/was (aux.)
• āsa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (भुवि/अस्तित्वे) + liṭ (लिट्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; auxiliary with santānayām

• sa-upādhyāya-ṛtvig-ādibhiḥ: together with the preceptor, priests, and others
• sa-upādhyāya-ṛtvig-ādibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + upādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural; copulative list “with teachers and priests etc.”; sa- = “along with” (सह)

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Shiva
• Brahma
• Daksha

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about seeking forgiveness after offending Lord Shiva or devotees?

This verse shows Dakṣa reconciling by offering forgiveness to Lord Śiva; only after humility and proper guidance (from Brahmā) could sacred duties like yajña be resumed.

Why did Daksha resume the sacrifice after meeting Lord Shiva?

Because the conflict was resolved through forgiveness and Brahmā’s authorization, restoring the proper dharmic order so the ritual could proceed with qualified priests and teachers.

How can the teaching of this shloka be applied in modern life?

When relationships are damaged by pride or offense, reconciliation, guidance from wise elders, and returning to one’s rightful duties helps restore harmony and spiritual progress.