Shloka 20
Dakṣa Offends Lord Śiva: Cursing and Countercursing in the Sacrificial Assembly
विज्ञाय शापं गिरिशानुगाग्रणी- र्नन्दीश्वरो रोषकषायदूषित: । दक्षाय शापं विससर्ज दारुणं ये चान्वमोदंस्तदवाच्यतां द्विजा: ॥ २० ॥
vijñāya śāpaṁ giriśānugāgraṇīr nandīśvaro roṣa-kaṣāya-dūṣitaḥ dakṣāya śāpaṁ visasarja dāruṇaṁ ye cānvamodaṁs tad-avācyatāṁ dvijāḥ
Al saber que Girīśa (Śiva) había sido maldecido, Nandīśvara, principal de los seguidores de Śiva, se enfureció con los ojos enrojecidos; y se dispuso a lanzar una terrible maldición contra Dakṣa y contra los brāhmaṇas presentes que toleraron las ásperas palabras contra Śiva.
There is a long-standing dissension among some of the neophyte Vaiṣṇavas and Śaivites; they are always at loggerheads. When Dakṣa cursed Lord Śiva in harsh words, some of the brāhmaṇas present might have enjoyed it because some brāhmaṇas do not very much admire Lord Śiva. This is due to their ignorance of Lord Śiva’s position. Nandīśvara was affected by the cursing, but he did not follow the example of Lord Śiva, who was also present there. Although Lord Śiva could also have cursed Dakṣa in a similar way, he was silent and tolerant; but Nandīśvara, his follower, was not tolerant. Of course, as a follower it was right for him not to tolerate an insult to his master, but he should not have cursed the brāhmaṇas who were present. The entire issue was so complicated that those who were not strong enough forgot their positions, and thus cursing and countercursing went on in that great assembly. In other words, the material field is so unsteady that even personalities like Nandīśvara, Dakṣa and many of the brāhmaṇas present were infected by the atmosphere of anger.
FAQs
This verse shows that blasphemy of Lord Śiva provokes severe karmic reactions—Nandī, as Śiva’s chief attendant, responds by cursing Dakṣa and those brāhmaṇas who endorsed the offense.
Because Dakṣa publicly insulted and effectively “cursed” Lord Śiva; hearing this, Nandī—overcome by anger—issued a counter-curse against Dakṣa and against the brāhmaṇas who supported Dakṣa’s condemnation.
Avoid harsh criticism of revered personalities and devotees, do not applaud or amplify slander, and cultivate restraint in speech—since approving wrongdoing can implicate the listener as well.