Shloka 24

Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

प्रवर्तयामास च तं यज्ञं दक्षो ऽथ निर्भयः / रक्षते भगवान् विष्णुः शरणागतरक्षकः

Transliteration

pravartayāmāsa ca taṃ yajñaṃ dakṣo 'tha nirbhayaḥ / rakṣate bhagavān viṣṇuḥ śaraṇāgatarakṣakaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ നിർഭയനായി ദക്ഷൻ ആ യജ്ഞം ആരംഭിച്ചു; ശരണാഗതരക്ഷകനായ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണുവാണ് സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• प्रवर्तयामास: set in motion / commenced
• प्रवर्तयामास: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√वृत्/√वर्त् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• अथ: then
• अथ: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Discourse adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject; adjective of दक्षः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक; निः+भय)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine); नञ्/निषेध-तत्पुरुष (fearless)

• रक्षते: protects
• रक्षते: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to भगवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• शरणागत-रक्षकः: protector of those who seek refuge
• शरणागत-रक्षकः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject; epithet of विष्णुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरणागत (कृदन्त; शरणम्+√गम्, क्त) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक; √रक्ष्)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शरणागतानां रक्षकः)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic episode

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Vishnu

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By portraying Bhagavān Viṣṇu as the unfailing protector of the surrendered, the verse points to a supreme, sovereign reality that upholds cosmic order and grants inner fearlessness through refuge (śaraṇāgati).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as a core spiritual discipline—an inner yogic posture of trust and surrender that stabilizes the mind (abhaya) and aligns action (yajña) with dharma.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, Viṣṇu’s role as the guardian of dharma supports the wider Purāṇic frame in which yajña and divine grace operate harmoniously with Śaiva currents, presenting protective lordship as a shared, non-sectarian principle.