Shloka 53

दक्षयज्ञे मुनिदेवसमागमः / The Gathering of Sages and Gods at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

विनष्टचित्ता मंदाश्च मिथ्यावादरताः खलाः । वेदबाह्या दुराचारास्त्याज्यास्ते मखकर्मणि

Transliteration

vinaṣṭacittā maṃdāśca mithyāvādaratāḥ khalāḥ | vedabāhyā durācārāstyājyāste makhakarmaṇi

Translation

ചിത്തം നശിച്ചവർ, മന്ദബുദ്ധികൾ, അസത്യവചനത്തിൽ രമിക്കുന്ന ദുഷ്ടർ—വേദമാർഗ്ഗത്തിന് പുറത്തുനിന്ന് ദുരാചാരം ചെയ്യുന്നവർ—ഇത്തരവർ മഖകർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ ഉപേക്ഷ്യർ.

Word by Word

• vinaṣṭa-cittāḥ: ruined-minded
• vinaṣṭa-cittāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; कर्मधारय: ‘vinaṣṭam cittam yeṣām’ (those whose minds are ruined)

• mandāḥ: dull/weak
• mandāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-निपात)

• mithyā-vāda-ratāḥ: fond of falsehood
• mithyā-vāda-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; तत्पुरुष (upapada/locative sense): ‘mithyāvāde ratāḥ’ (attached to false speech)

• khalāḥ: wicked people
• khalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• veda-bāhyāḥ: outside the Veda
• veda-bāhyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; तत्पुरुष: ‘vedāt bāhyāḥ’ (outside the Veda)

• dur-ācārāḥ: of bad conduct
• dur-ācārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; कर्मधारय: duṣṭa ācāraḥ yeṣām

• tyājyāḥ: to be rejected
• tyājyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tyaj (धातु) + ya (यत्/णीय)
• Form: Gerundive (णीय/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘to be abandoned’

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; demonstrative pronoun

• makha-karmaṇi: in the sacrificial rite
• makha-karmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makha (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष: ‘makhasya karma’ (sacrificial rite); locative ‘in/with regard to’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages, conveying the Satī-khaṇḍa teaching on eligibility for rites)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that outer ritual (makha/yajña) must be supported by inner fitness—truthfulness, clarity of mind, and right conduct—otherwise the rite loses its sanctifying power and cannot properly lead toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship in the Shiva Purana emphasizes purity of intention and disciplined living; this verse aligns with that by stating that those devoted to falsehood and misconduct are unfit for sacred actions, including offerings and formal worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is ethical purification as a daily practice: cultivate satya (truth), restrain harmful speech, and approach Shiva worship with disciplined conduct—supporting mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a purified mind.