Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46
दक्षस्य यज्ञप्रवृत्तिः तथा ईश्वरवर्जितदेवसमागमः
Dakṣa’s Sacrificial Undertaking and the Devas’ Assembly without Īśvara
यज्ञेश्वरमनाहूय यज्ञकर्मरतो ऽभवत् । दक्षं वैरेण तं तस्माद्भिंधि यज्ञं गणेश्वर
yajñeśvaramanāhūya yajñakarmarato 'bhavat | dakṣaṃ vaireṇa taṃ tasmādbhiṃdhi yajñaṃ gaṇeśvara
Ohne den Herrn des Opfers (Shiva) einzuladen, vertiefte er sich in die Riten des Opfers. Deshalb, o Ganesvara, aus Feindschaft gegenüber jenem Daksha – geh und zerschmettere das Opfer.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Daksha-yajña episode as part of the Vāyavīya discourse)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: destructive
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that yajña (ritual action) attains sanctity only when centered on Pati—Lord Śiva, the inner Lord of all offerings. When ego and hostility replace devotion, the rite collapses, showing that bhakti and right intention are superior to mere ceremonial correctness.
Calling Śiva “Yajñeśvara” implies that all worship and offerings culminate in Him, whether approached as Saguna Śiva (with form) or through the Liṅga as the focal symbol of His immanent presence. Excluding Śiva from worship—even while performing elaborate rites—reflects spiritual ignorance of the true recipient of all sacred acts.
The takeaway is to begin any sacred act with Śiva-smaraṇa and mantra-japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and to perform worship with humility. Offering with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma reverence and steady devotion aligns outer ritual with inner surrender.