Shloka 14

दक्षयज्ञध्वंसः—वीरभद्रप्रेषणं, देवविष्ण्वोः पराजयः, पुनरनुग्रहः

Devanagari script

गणेश्वराश् च संक्रुद्धा यूपानुत्पाट्य चिक्षिपुः प्रस्तोत्रा सह होत्रा च दग्धं चैव गणेश्वरैः

Transliteration

gaṇeśvarāś ca saṃkruddhā yūpānutpāṭya cikṣipuḥ prastotrā saha hotrā ca dagdhaṃ caiva gaṇeśvaraiḥ

Translation

And the lords of the gaṇas, inflamed with wrath, uprooted the yūpas (sacrificial posts) and hurled them away; and the priests—the Prastotṛ along with the Hotṛ—were likewise burned by those Gaṇeśvaras. Thus the outward ritual, divorced from reverence to Pati (Śiva), was shattered.

Word by Word

• गणेश्वराः: the lords of the Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

• च: and

• संक्रुद्धाः: enraged, wrathful

• यूपान्: sacrificial posts (yūpa)

• उत्पाट्य: uprooting, tearing out

• चिक्षिपुः: they threw, cast away

• प्रस्तोत्रा: the Prastotṛ priest (Sāma-chanting officiant)

• सह: together with

• होत्रा: the Hotṛ priest (Ṛgvedic reciter)

• च: and

• दग्धम्: burned

• च एव: indeed, also

• गणेश्वरैः: by the Gaṇeśvaras (Gaṇa-lords).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas (Gaṇeśvaras)
• Prastotṛ
• Hotṛ
• Yūpa (sacrificial post)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It asserts that external yajña-structures (like the yūpa) are powerless when severed from surrender to Pati—Śiva; true worship culminates in honoring Śiva as the inner receiver of all offerings, a key thrust behind Linga-centered devotion.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign over ritual efficacy: when the cosmos ignores Pati, His Gaṇas embody the corrective force that dissolves prideful sacrifice, redirecting the pashu (bound soul) from pasha (ritualistic ego and attachment) toward the Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A warning is implied: yajña must be integrated with Śiva-bhakti and inner discipline; the verse pushes the practitioner toward inward “yajña” (self-offering) aligned with Pāśupata orientation rather than mere external performance.