Shloka 47
Dakṣa’s Sacrifice Restored: Śiva’s Mercy and Nārāyaṇa’s Appearance
स प्रसीद त्वमस्माकमाकाङ्क्षतां दर्शनं ते परिभ्रष्टसत्कर्मणाम् । कीर्त्यमाने नृभिर्नाम्नि यज्ञेश ते यज्ञविघ्ना: क्षयं यान्ति तस्मै नम: ॥ ४७ ॥
sa prasīda tvam asmākam ākāṅkṣatāṁ darśanaṁ te paribhraṣṭa-sat-karmaṇām kīrtyamāne nṛbhir nāmni yajñeśa te yajña-vighnāḥ kṣayaṁ yānti tasmai namaḥ
O Lord, Yajñeśa, we longed for Your darśana, for we have fallen from properly performing the yajñas according to Vedic rite. Be pleased with us. When people chant Your holy name, all obstacles to sacrifice are destroyed; therefore, in Your very presence, we offer our respectful obeisances.
The brāhmaṇa priests were very hopeful that their sacrifice would be carried out without obstacles now that Lord Viṣṇu was present. It is significant in this verse that the brāhmaṇas say, “Simply by chanting Your holy name we can surpass the obstacles, but now You are personally present.” The performance of yajña by Dakṣa was obstructed by the disciples and followers of Lord Śiva. The brāhmaṇas indirectly criticized the followers of Lord Śiva, but because the brāhmaṇas were always protected by Lord Viṣṇu, Śiva’s followers could not do any harm to their prosecution of the sacrificial process. There is a saying that when Kṛṣṇa protects someone, no one can do him harm, and when Kṛṣṇa wants to kill someone, no one can protect him. The vivid example was Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but when Lord Rāmacandra wanted to kill him, Lord Śiva could not protect him. If some demigod, even Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, wants to do harm to a devotee, Kṛṣṇa protects the devotee. But when Kṛṣṇa wants to kill someone, such as Rāvaṇa or Hiraṇyakaśipu, no demigod can protect him.
FAQs
This verse states that when Lord Viṣṇu’s name is chanted by people, the obstacles that disrupt sacrifice (yajña-vighnāḥ) are destroyed.
After the sacrificial arena was disturbed and Dakṣa’s own conduct had become offensive and misguided, he sought the Lord’s mercy, acknowledging that glorification of the Lord removes impediments and restores auspiciousness.
When facing disruptions, conflict, or inner deviation from good habits, one can return to steadiness through sincere remembrance and chanting of God’s names, cultivating humility and seeking divine guidance.