Shloka 36

The Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

येनाद्य कारणेनेह पतिस्ते न निमंत्रितः । कपालपात्रधृक्चर्मी भस्मावृत तनुस्तथा

Transliteration

yenādya kāraṇeneha patiste na nimaṃtritaḥ | kapālapātradhṛkcarmī bhasmāvṛta tanustathā

Translation

ଆଜି କେଉଁ କାରଣରୁ ଏଠାରେ ତୁମ ପତିଙ୍କୁ ନିମନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରାଗଲା ନାହିଁ—ଯିଏ କପାଳପାତ୍ର ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି, ଚର୍ମବସ୍ତ୍ର ପିନ୍ଧନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଯାହାଙ୍କ ଦେହ ଭସ୍ମରେ ଆବୃତ?

Word by Word

• येन: by which, because of which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• कारणेन: by reason, due to a cause
• कारणेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• निमन्त्रितः: was invited
• निमन्त्रितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निमन्त्रित (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय) < नि-√मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) — ‘invited’ (passive predication)

• कपालपात्रधृक्: holder of a skull-bowl
• कपालपात्रधृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल + पात्र + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक) < √धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: कपालपात्रं धत्ते इति धृक् (‘holder of a skull-bowl’)

• चर्मी: wearer of a hide/skin
• चर्मी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessor)

• भस्मावृत: covered with ash
• भस्मावृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्म + आवृत (कृदन्त; क्त) < आ-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (tanauḥ-विशेषणार्थे); तत्पुरुष: भस्मना आवृतः (covered with ash)

• तनुः: body
• तनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: also, thus
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/thus)

Speaker

Unspecified (a speaker questioning another person about the non-invitation of Śiva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: येनाद्य = येन + अद्य; कारणेनेह = कारणेन + इह; पतिस्ते = पतिः + ते; भस्मावृत = भस्म + आवृत.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by skull-bowl, hide, ash)

FAQs

Why is the husband described with a skull-bowl, hide, and ash?

These are classic markers of Śiva’s ascetic and cremation-ground symbolism: the skull-bowl (kapāla) signifies transcendence of social norms, the hide indicates renunciation, and ash signifies impermanence and detachment.

What ethical lesson is implied by asking why he was not invited?

The verse points to the harm of judging worthiness by outward appearance or unconventional practice, and it critiques exclusion in ritual or social settings based on prejudice.

Does this verse teach Bhakti directly?

Indirectly: it frames a situation where respect and inclusion of a revered divine figure is questioned, encouraging devotion that looks beyond external forms and honors the divine presence even in austere or socially marginal expressions.