Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30
नभोवाणी-दक्ष-निन्दा तथा सती-माहात्म्य-प्रतिपादनम् / The Celestial Voice Rebukes Dakṣa and Proclaims Satī’s Greatness
ज्वलत्वद्य मुखं ते वै यज्ञध्वंसो भवत्वति । सहायास्तव यावंतस्ते ज्वलंत्वद्य सत्वरम्
jvalatvadya mukhaṃ te vai yajñadhvaṃso bhavatvati | sahāyāstava yāvaṃtaste jvalaṃtvadya satvaram
ഇന്നുതന്നെ നിന്റെ മുഖം ജ്വലിക്കട്ടെ; യജ്ഞം നശിക്കട്ടെ. നിന്റെ സഹായികൾ എത്രയുണ്ടോ, അവർ എല്ലാവരും ഇന്നുതന്നെ ഉടൻ ദഹിക്കട്ടെ।
Satī (addressing Dakṣa, cursing the sacrifice and its supporters)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: The verse intensifies the motif of ‘yajña-dhvaṃsa’: a sacrifice performed in ego (ahaṅkāra) and exclusion of Śiva becomes self-consuming, like its own fire turning against the sacrificer.
Significance: Ethical-purāṇic teaching for pilgrims: do not weaponize ritual; align rites with dharma and devotion to Śiva to avoid ‘yajña-śūnya’ (hollow ritual).
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
FAQs
It teaches that spiritual power (śakti) aligned with dharma protects devotion to Śiva, and that arrogance in ritual—when divorced from reverence—collapses into self-destruction; true auspiciousness comes from humility and honoring the Lord and His devotees.
Dakṣa’s yajña represents external religiosity without surrender to Saguna Śiva; the verse underscores that worship is incomplete without acknowledging Śiva as the supreme Pati and honoring His presence (often symbolized by the Liṅga) in all sacred acts.
The takeaway is to purify worship with devotion and restraint: approach yajña, japa, and pūjā with Śiva-bhakti (e.g., Pañcākṣarī japa—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and avoid offense to Śiva and His devotees, as such aparādha undermines all merit.