Shloka 483
Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
त॑ यज्ञमदहच्छीघ्रं रुद्रकर्मा समनन््ततः । अनेक प्रकारकी आकृतिवाले वे रुद्रगण खेलते-कूदते और देवांगनाओंको दूर फेंक देते थे। यद्यपि सम्पूर्ण देवताओंने मिलकर प्रयत्नपूर्वक उस यज्ञकी रक्षा की थी तथापि रुद्रकर्मा वीरभद्रने रुद्रदेवके क्रोधसे प्रेरित हो सब ओरसे शीघ्र ही उसे जलाकर भस्म कर दिया
taṁ yajñam adahac chīghraṁ rudrakarmā samanantataḥ | aneka-prakārakī ākṛti-vāle te rudragaṇāḥ khelante-kūdante ca devāṅganāḥ dūraṁ kṣipanti sma | yady api sampūrṇa-devatābhiḥ militvā prayatna-pūrvakaṁ tasya yajñasya rakṣā kṛtā tathāpi rudrakarmā vīrabhadraḥ rudradevasya krodhena preritaḥ sarvataḥ śīghram eva taṁ dagdhvā bhasma-sāt cakāra ||
ダクシャは言った。「ルドラの使者は、たちまちその祭祀を四方から焼き払った。ルドラの軍勢は種々の異形となり、狂おしく戯れて天女たちを遠くへ投げ飛ばした。諸天がこぞって力を尽くし儀礼を守ろうとしたにもかかわらず、ルドラの怒りに駆られたヴィーラバドラは、四方より速やかにそれを焼き尽くし、灰燼に帰せしめた。」
दक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual power without humility and reverence for the divine order becomes hollow; arrogance and exclusion in sacred acts invite collapse. The episode underscores that dharma is not mere ceremony but right intention, respect, and alignment with cosmic authority (here symbolized by Rudra).
Daksha describes the destruction of his sacrifice: Rudra’s fierce attendants create chaos, and Vīrabhadra—acting under Rudra’s anger—burns the yajña to ashes despite the gods’ collective attempt to protect it.