Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8
उत्पातवर्णनम् / Description of Portents at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
ववाशिरे यागभूमौ क्रोष्टारो नेत्रकस्तदा । उल्कावृष्टिरभूत्तत्र श्वेतवृश्चिकसंभवा
vavāśire yāgabhūmau kroṣṭāro netrakastadā | ulkāvṛṣṭirabhūttatra śvetavṛścikasaṃbhavā
Alors, sur le terrain du sacrifice, les chacals hurlèrent, et des présages funestes apparurent aux yeux. Là aussi survint une pluie de météores enflammés, comme nés de scorpions pâles — signes terrifiants annonçant le trouble du rite et l’essor de l’adharma contre l’ordre sacré de Śiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Shakti Form: Durgā
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: Ulkā-vṛṣṭi (meteor shower) and jackal howls at the yajña-bhūmi—classical apashakuna indicating imminent rupture of the rite
FAQs
The verse depicts inauspicious omens at a yajña, signaling that ritual power (karma-kāṇḍa) becomes spiritually distorted when driven by pride and hostility to Śiva; nature itself reflects the disruption of dharma.
In the Satī narrative, contempt toward Śiva leads to the collapse of sacrificial harmony; the omens underline the Purāṇic teaching that worship of Saguna Śiva (including the Liṅga) is essential for sanctifying rites and aligning them with divine grace.
A practical takeaway is to purify intention with Śiva-bhakti—recite the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and perform worship with humility so that outer ritual is supported by inner surrender.