Shloka 24

दक्षयज्ञे मुनिदेवसमागमः / The Gathering of Sages and Gods at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

एवं प्रवर्तमाने हि दक्षयज्ञे महोत्सवे । स्वकार्यलग्नास्तत्रासन् सर्वे तेऽध्वरसंमताः

Transliteration

evaṃ pravartamāne hi dakṣayajñe mahotsave | svakāryalagnāstatrāsan sarve te'dhvarasaṃmatāḥ

Translation

So geschah es: Während Dakṣas Opfer (Yajña) als großes Fest fortschritt, blieben alle, die für das Opfer anerkannt waren, dort und waren ganz in ihre jeweiligen rituellen Pflichten vertieft.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• प्रवर्तमाने: while (it was) going on
• प्रवर्तमाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त—शतृ/शानच् (present participle, ātmanepada sense), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; नपुंसक/पुं (contextual), “while proceeding/going on”

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• दक्ष-यज्ञे: in Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• दक्ष-यज्ञे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (“in Dakṣa’s sacrifice”)

• महा-उत्सवे: in the great festival
• महा-उत्सवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (“in the great festival”)

• स्व-कार्य-लग्नाः: engaged in their own tasks
• स्व-कार्य-लग्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (“attached/engaged in one’s own duties”)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश विशेषण, here substantively “all (of them)”

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• अध्वर-संमताः: approved for the sacrifice
• अध्वर-संमताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + संमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (“approved/accepted for the rite/sacrifice”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Scene-setting for Dakṣa’s ongoing yajña; no direct Jyotirliṅga linkage.

Significance: Illustrates how collective ritual momentum can normalize adharma (exclusion of the Lord) until a discerning devotee intervenes.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It sets the scene of a perfectly organized yajña where everyone is busy with sanctioned ritual roles—highlighting that outer ritual efficiency alone does not guarantee spiritual wholeness when reverence for Pati (Śiva) is absent.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In the Dakṣa-yajña context, the narrative contrasts Vedic sacrificial formality with devotion to Śiva (often approached as Saguna through Linga-worship). The verse underscores how a rite can appear complete externally while lacking the essential honoring of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to join karma (ritual action) with Śiva-smaraṇa—steady remembrance of Śiva through mantra-japa (e.g., the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) so that action is purified of ego and becomes inwardly devotional.