Shloka 24
ज्योतिर्लिङ्गमाहात्म्य-प्रस्तावना तथा सोमनाथ-प्रसङ्गः
Prologue to the Glory and Origin of the Jyotirliṅgas; Somnātha Episode Begins
ब्रह्मोवाच । अहो कष्टं महज्जातं सर्वलोकस्य दुःखदम् । चन्द्रस्तु सर्वदा दुष्टो दक्षश्च शप्तवानमुम्
brahmovāca | aho kaṣṭaṃ mahajjātaṃ sarvalokasya duḥkhadam | candrastu sarvadā duṣṭo dakṣaśca śaptavānamum
Brahmā said: “Alas! A great calamity has arisen, bringing sorrow to all the worlds. The Moon, Candra, has ever been improper in conduct, and Dakṣa has cursed him.”
Brahma
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga; Brahmā diagnoses the calamity as arising from adharma (Candra’s misconduct) and the binding force of a curse (Dakṣa’s śāpa).
Significance: Ethical warning: even luminous beings fall under pāśa (karma/śāpa) through misconduct; motivates restraint (niyama) and propitiation of Śiva for release.
Cosmic Event: A curse (śāpa) becomes a cosmic-level disturbance affecting ‘all worlds’—a dharmic ripple across loka-order.
FAQs
It frames cosmic suffering as the consequence of adharma and reactive cursing, preparing the listener to see Shiva as the compassionate Pati (Lord) whose grace alone restores harmony when worldly actions create bondage and pain.
Such crises in the Purana typically culminate in taking refuge in Saguna Shiva—often through Linga-worship—because Shiva is portrayed as the supreme healer of afflictions that even gods cannot resolve through mere authority or anger.
A practical takeaway is to counter misconduct and its fruits through Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with disciplined conduct and prayer for Shiva’s anugraha (grace) to remove doṣa and duḥkha.