Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7
दक्षयज्ञ-प्रसङ्गे देवतानां आश्वासनं तथा दण्डविधानम् | Consolation of the Devas and the Ordinance of Consequences in the Dakṣa-Yajña Episode
दक्षस्य यज्ञशीर्ष्णो हि भवत्वजमुखं शिरः । मित्रनेत्रेण संपश्येद्यज्ञभागं भगस्सुरः
dakṣasya yajñaśīrṣṇo hi bhavatvajamukhaṃ śiraḥ | mitranetreṇa saṃpaśyedyajñabhāgaṃ bhagassuraḥ
“Let the sacrificial head of Dakṣa indeed become a head with the face of a goat. And let Bhaga, the deity, behold his share in the sacrifice only through Mitra’s eye.”
Lord Shiva (issuing the consequence/boon-curse in the Daksha-yajña episode as narrated by Suta Goswami)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Offering: naivedya
FAQs
It teaches that yajña (ritual) becomes spiritually fruitful only when aligned with reverence for Pati (Shiva). Pride and exclusion of Shiva distort the sacrifice itself, and the corrective consequence restores dharma while humbling ego.
Daksha’s ritual ignored Shiva; the verse underscores that Saguna Shiva must be honored as the inner Lord of yajña. Linga-worship symbolizes acknowledging Shiva as the indwelling reality behind all sacred acts, preventing ritual from becoming empty form.
Perform worship with Shiva-bhakti as the core—begin rituals with Shiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), coupled with humility; this aligns outer yajña with inner purification (antaryāga).