Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39
प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च
The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival
विनष्टानंदकमुखो विस्मृतात्मगतिः पशुः । भ्रष्टकर्मानयसदा दक्षो बस्तमुखोऽचिरात्
vinaṣṭānaṃdakamukho vismṛtātmagatiḥ paśuḥ | bhraṣṭakarmānayasadā dakṣo bastamukho'cirāt
Aller Freude beraubt wurde jenes tierhafte Dakṣa, der den wahren Gang der Seele vergaß, fortwährend im Wandel gefallen und im Handeln irregeführt; und schon bald erhielt er das Antlitz eines Bockes.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Bhairava
FAQs
It frames Dakṣa as a “paśu” (bound soul) who forgets the soul’s liberating direction (ātma-gati) and falls into wrong action—showing that pride and hostility to Shiva-bhakti lead to inner degradation and visible karmic consequence.
In the Satī narrative, Dakṣa’s downfall is tied to rejection of Shiva’s supreme status; devotion to Saguna Shiva (and reverence for Shiva’s worship such as the Liṅga) is upheld as the corrective to the paśu-state—restoring right understanding and dharma.
The takeaway is to counter “vismṛta-ātma-gati” through steady Shiva-smaraṇa: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, and regular Shiva-pūjā (often with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa where traditional).