Shloka 13
तारकपीडितदेवशरणागतिḥ — The Devas Seek Refuge from Tāraka
न यज्ञास्संप्रवर्तते न तपस्यंति तापसाः । दानधर्मादिकं किंचिन्न लोकेषु प्रवर्त्तते
na yajñāssaṃpravartate na tapasyaṃti tāpasāḥ | dānadharmādikaṃ kiṃcinna lokeṣu pravarttate
พิธียัญญะมิได้ดำเนินโดยสมบูรณ์ ฤๅษีผู้บำเพ็ญตบะก็มิได้ประกอบตบะ แม้ทาน ธรรม และกิจอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ทั้งหลายก็ไม่ปรากฏดำเนินอยู่ในโลกทั้งปวง
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
FAQs
It depicts a dharmic breakdown: when inner discipline and sacred intention fade, outer rites (yajña), austerity (tapas), and ethical duties (dāna-dharma) stop bearing fruit—prompting the need to return to Shiva-centered devotion and right conduct.
When public dharma weakens, the Purana repeatedly points to accessible Saguna worship—especially Linga worship—as a stabilizing refuge, restoring purity of mind and re-establishing the foundations for yajña, tapas, and charity to become meaningful again.
A practical takeaway is to re-ground life in Shiva-sādhana—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with simple Linga-pūjā (water, bilva) and disciplined charity—so that dharma becomes living practice rather than mere formality.