Shloka 9
दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva
अपूज्या यत्र पूज्यंते पूजनीयो न पूज्यते । त्रीणि तत्र भविष्यंति दारिद्र्यं मरणं भयम्
apūjyā yatra pūjyaṃte pūjanīyo na pūjyate | trīṇi tatra bhaviṣyaṃti dāridryaṃ maraṇaṃ bhayam
Where those unworthy of reverence are honoured, and the truly worshipful are not worshipped, three outcomes certainly arise there: poverty, death, and fear.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
FAQs
It teaches discernment (viveka) in dharma: when reverence is given to the unworthy and withheld from the truly worthy, the order that supports spiritual and worldly well-being collapses, producing suffering—symbolized by poverty, fear, and ruin.
In Shaiva practice, Shiva (worshipped as the Liṅga/Saguṇa Śiva for devotees) is the supreme worshipful reality (Pati). Neglecting Shiva-worship while elevating lesser, unworthy objects of reverence reflects spiritual inversion, which the verse warns leads to decline rather than grace (anugraha).
Prioritize daily Shiva-upāsanā—Liṅga worship with purity and sincerity, japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and adopting Shaiva marks like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as reminders to honour the truly worshipful and avoid misplaced devotion.