Shloka 21
प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च
The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival
नन्दीश्वर उवाच । रेरे शठ महा मूढ दक्ष दुष्टमते त्वया । यज्ञबाह्यो हि मे स्वामी महेशो हि कृतः कथम्
nandīśvara uvāca | rere śaṭha mahā mūḍha dakṣa duṣṭamate tvayā | yajñabāhyo hi me svāmī maheśo hi kṛtaḥ katham
Nandīśvara said: “Alas, you deceitful one—O Dakṣa, great fool of wicked intent! How could you make my Lord Maheśa, truly the Supreme, into one excluded from the sacrifice?”
Nandīśvara (Nandi)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
Significance: Affirms that excluding Śiva from yajña is spiritually self-defeating; true merit arises only when Pati (Śiva) is acknowledged as the inner Lord of all rites.
FAQs
It condemns ritual pride and spiritual arrogance: excluding Maheśa from worship symbolizes ignorance of Pati (the Supreme Lord). In Shaiva Siddhanta, true dharma is devotion and right understanding—ritual without reverence for Shiva becomes empty and obstructive to grace.
Daksha’s act is the refusal to acknowledge Shiva as the rightful recipient of worship. Linga/Saguna worship restores that recognition—honoring Shiva as the indwelling Lord of all rites, beyond social rank and ego, and the true sanctifier of yajna.
Practice humility and Shiva-centered worship: offer simple Linga-pūjā with the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and cultivate bhakti that removes ego (ahaṅkāra), the root cause of Daksha’s offense.