Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7
सती-शिवचरित्रप्रसङ्गः / The Account of Satī and Śiva’s Divine Conduct
Prelude to Detailed Narrative
सा त्यक्ता दक्षजा दृष्ट्वा पतिना जनकाध्वरे । शंभोरनादरात्तत्र देहं तत्याज संगता
sā tyaktā dakṣajā dṛṣṭvā patinā janakādhvare | śaṃbhoranādarāttatra dehaṃ tatyāja saṃgatā
ณพิธียัญของบิดา ธิดาของทักษะคือสตี—เมื่อถูกดูหมิ่น—เห็นการไม่ให้เกียรติแด่พระสวามีศัมภู จึงแน่วแน่แล้วสละกายของตน
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Sthala Purana: Dakṣa’s sacrifice becomes the archetypal warning against śiva-nindā: Satī’s self-immolation triggers Śiva’s fierce response (later Vīrabhadra’s advent) and the dismantling of adharmic yajña.
Significance: Hearing/reciting the Dakṣa-yajña episode is traditionally held to purify śiva-apacāra tendencies and cultivate reverence toward Śiva and devotees.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
Offering: homa
FAQs
It teaches that disrespect toward Śiva (Pati, the supreme Lord) is a grave spiritual fault: rituals performed with ego and contempt lose their sanctity, while steadfast devotion and truth to dharma become the higher path.
Daksha’s sacrifice represents external ritualism without reverence; Satī’s response underscores that authentic worship—whether of the Linga or Saguna Śiva—must be rooted in śraddhā and honor toward Śiva, not social pride.
The takeaway is to avoid Shiva-aparādha and cultivate humble bhakti: daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, offered with reverence rather than mere formality.