Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11
सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body
अहो त्वनात्म्यं सुमहदस्य दक्षस्य पश्यत । चराचरं प्रजा यस्य यत्पुत्रस्य प्रजापतेः
aho tvanātmyaṃ sumahadasya dakṣasya paśyata | carācaraṃ prajā yasya yatputrasya prajāpateḥ
Alas—behold the great unworthiness and lack of true discernment in Dakṣa! From him has issued a progeny of moving and unmoving beings, for he is the son of Prajāpati—yet even so he has fallen into such delusion.
Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, describing the episode around Dakṣa’s offense toward Śiva)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse condemns pride and spiritual blindness: even a powerful progenitor like Dakṣa can become bound by pāśa (ego and delusion) when devotion to Pati (Śiva) is absent, showing that status cannot replace humility and right understanding.
Dakṣa’s fault in the wider Sati narrative is disrespect toward Śiva’s worship and supremacy; the verse supports the Shaiva view that honoring Saguna Śiva (including Liṅga worship) with bhakti and reverence is essential, and that ritual without devotion becomes spiritually sterile.
Cultivate humility through daily Śiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), paired with simple Shaiva observances like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and devotion-centered pūjā, to avoid the pride that this verse criticizes.