Shloka 37

दक्षयज्ञध्वंसः—वीरभद्रप्रेषणं, देवविष्ण्वोः पराजयः, पुनरनुग्रहः

Devanagari script

जघान मूर्ध्नि पादेन दक्षं चैव यशस्विनम् चिछेद च शिरस्तस्य ददाहाग्नौ द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

jaghāna mūrdhni pādena dakṣaṃ caiva yaśasvinam cicheda ca śirastasya dadāhāgnau dvijottamāḥ

Translation

Then he struck the illustrious Dakṣa upon the crown of his head with his foot; he severed Dakṣa’s head and cast it into the sacrificial fire—O best of the twice-born—thus bringing the yajña to ruin through the irresistible ordinance of the Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• जघान (jaghāna): struck down

• मूर्ध्नि (mūrdhni): on the head/crown

• पादेन (pādena): with the foot

• दक्षम् (dakṣam): Daksha

• च एव (caiva): and indeed

• यशस्विनम् (yaśasvinam): illustrious, renowned

• चिछेद (cicheda): cut off, severed

• च (ca): and

• शिरः (śiraḥ): head

• तस्य (tasya): his

• ददाह (dadāha): burned/consigned to fire

• अग्नौ (agnau): in the fire (Agni)

• द्विजोत्तमाः (dvijottamāḥ): O best of the twice-born (address to Brahmins/sages).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya; describing the Daksha-yajna episode)

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Agni
• Dvijas (Brahmins)

FAQs

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

It shows that yajña without reverence to Śiva (Pati) collapses; Linga-worship emphasizes inner surrender and right recognition of the Lord over mere external ritual performance.

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

Śiva-tattva is portrayed as the sovereign ordinance that overrules pride-bound ritualism; the Lord breaks the pasha of arrogance and restores dharma by revealing the futility of ego-centered sacrifice.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is purification of yajña through Śiva-bhakti and Pāśupata orientation—disciplining the pashu (individual soul) to relinquish ahaṅkāra, the key pasha (bondage), before undertaking worship.