Shloka 30
Satī at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice: Condemnation of Blasphemy and Voluntary Departure by Yoga-Fire
सोऽयं दुर्मर्षहृदयो ब्रह्मध्रुक् च लोकेऽपकीर्तिं महतीमवाप्स्यति । यदङ्गजां स्वां पुरुषद्विडुद्यतां न प्रत्यषेधन्मृतयेऽपराधत: ॥ ३० ॥
so ’yaṁ durmarṣa-hṛdayo brahma-dhruk ca loke ’pakīrtiṁ mahatīm avāpsyati yad-aṅgajāṁ svāṁ puruṣa-dviḍ udyatāṁ na pratyaṣedhan mṛtaye ’parādhataḥ
Dakṣa, hardhearted and unfit for the dignity of a brāhmaṇa, a blasphemer of Brahman, will attain great ill fame in the world; for by his offense he did not restrain his own daughter as she went toward death, and he bore envy toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Dakṣa is described here as most hardhearted and therefore unqualified to be a brāhmaṇa. Brahma-dhruk is described by some commentators to mean brahma-bandhu, or friend of the brāhmaṇas. A person who is born in a brāhmaṇa family but has no brahminical qualifications is called a brahma-bandhu. Brāhmaṇas are generally very softhearted and forbearing because they have the power to control the senses and the mind. Dakṣa, however, was not forbearing. For the simple reason that his son-in-law, Lord Śiva, did not stand up to show him the formality of respect, he became so angry and hardhearted that he tolerated even the death of his dearest daughter. Satī tried her best to mitigate the misunderstanding between the son-in-law and the father-in-law by coming to her father’s house, even without an invitation, and at that time Dakṣa should have received her, forgetting all past misunderstandings. But he was so hardhearted that he was unworthy to be called an Āryan or brāhmaṇa. Thus his ill fame still continues. Dakṣa means “expert,” and he was given this name because of his ability to beget many hundreds and thousands of children. Persons who are too sexually inclined and materialistic become so hardhearted because of a slight loss of prestige that they can tolerate even the death of their children.
FAQs
This verse labels Dakṣa as brahma-dhruk (an offender against brāhmaṇas/Vedic sanctity) and states that such offense leads to great infamy and ruin.
Because Dakṣa failed to restrain his own daughter when she became intent on hostility toward the Supreme Lord and contempt toward Śiva, setting the stage for grave offense and its karmic results.
Do not encourage or tolerate blasphemy and hatred toward God and His devotees within one’s family or community; unchecked offense destroys character, relationships, and spiritual progress.