Shloka 23

Dakṣa Offends Lord Śiva: Cursing and Countercursing in the Sacrificial Assembly

Devanagari script

बुद्ध्या पराभिध्यायिन्या विस्मृतात्मगति: पशु: । स्त्रीकाम: सोऽस्त्वतितरां दक्षो बस्तमुखोऽचिरात् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

buddhyā parābhidhyāyinyā vismṛtātma-gatiḥ paśuḥ strī-kāmaḥ so ’stv atitarāṁ dakṣo basta-mukho ’cirāt

Translation

Dakṣa has accepted the body as all in all. Therefore, since he has forgotten the viṣṇu-pāda, or viṣṇu-gati, and is attached to sex life only, within a short time he will have the face of a goat.

Synonyms

• बुद्ध्या: by (his) intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• पराभिध्यायिन्या: by a hostile/ill-wishing (meditating against)
• पराभिध्यायिन्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराभिध्यायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; विशेषणम् ‘बुद्ध्या’

• विस्मृतात्मगतिः: one who has forgotten the course/goal of the self
• विस्मृतात्मगतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मृत-आत्म-गति (प्रातिपदिक; विस्मृत + आत्म + गति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘आत्मनः गतिः’), उपपदपूर्वक ‘विस्मृत’

• पशुः: a beast
• पशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; विशेष्यः

• स्त्रीकामः: desirous of women
• स्त्रीकामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-काम (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री + काम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘स्त्रियाः कामः’/‘स्त्रीषु कामः’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, nominative singular

• अस्तु: let (him) be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular; ‘let him be’

• अतितराम्: exceedingly, very much
• अतितराम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतितर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Proper noun, nominative singular

• बस्तमुखः: having a goat’s face
• बस्तमुखः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बस्त-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; बस्त + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (‘बस्तस्य मुखं यस्य सः’) विशेषणम् ‘दक्षः/सः’

• अचिरात्: soon, before long
• अचिरात्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थे/कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Nandī
• Śiva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the results of envy and blasphemy?

This verse states that intelligence corrupted by envy makes one forget the soul’s true goal, and such offense can bring swift degradation and humiliation, as shown by Dakṣa’s fate.

Why did Nandi curse Daksha in Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 2?

Because Dakṣa insulted and blasphemed Lord Śiva in the sacrificial assembly; Nandī, as Śiva’s devoted attendant, responded by condemning Dakṣa’s lust and spiritual forgetfulness and pronouncing a curse.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Guard the intellect from envy and contempt, avoid criticizing saints and devotees, and redirect desire into disciplined, dharmic living—so the true purpose of life (ātma-gati) is not forgotten.