Shloka 483
Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
त॑ यज्ञमदहच्छीघ्रं रुद्रकर्मा समनन््ततः । अनेक प्रकारकी आकृतिवाले वे रुद्रगण खेलते-कूदते और देवांगनाओंको दूर फेंक देते थे। यद्यपि सम्पूर्ण देवताओंने मिलकर प्रयत्नपूर्वक उस यज्ञकी रक्षा की थी तथापि रुद्रकर्मा वीरभद्रने रुद्रदेवके क्रोधसे प्रेरित हो सब ओरसे शीघ्र ही उसे जलाकर भस्म कर दिया
taṁ yajñam adahac chīghraṁ rudrakarmā samanantataḥ | aneka-prakārakī ākṛti-vāle te rudragaṇāḥ khelante-kūdante ca devāṅganāḥ dūraṁ kṣipanti sma | yady api sampūrṇa-devatābhiḥ militvā prayatna-pūrvakaṁ tasya yajñasya rakṣā kṛtā tathāpi rudrakarmā vīrabhadraḥ rudradevasya krodhena preritaḥ sarvataḥ śīghram eva taṁ dagdhvā bhasma-sāt cakāra ||
Wika ni Dakṣa: “Ang kinatawan ni Rudra ay mabilis na nagsindi ng apoy sa yajña mula sa lahat ng panig. Ang mga pangkat ni Rudra, na nag-aanyong sari-saring kakaiba, ay nagwawala sa paglalaro at itinatapon palayo ang mga dalagang makalangit. Bagaman nagsama-sama ang lahat ng mga diyos at buong sikap na ipinagtanggol ang ritwal, si Vīrabhadra—ang bayaning tagapagpatupad ng gawain ni Rudra, na ginanyak ng poot ni Rudra—ay mabilis na sinunog iyon mula sa bawat dako at ginawang abo.”
दक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual power without humility and reverence for the divine order becomes hollow; arrogance and exclusion in sacred acts invite collapse. The episode underscores that dharma is not mere ceremony but right intention, respect, and alignment with cosmic authority (here symbolized by Rudra).
Daksha describes the destruction of his sacrifice: Rudra’s fierce attendants create chaos, and Vīrabhadra—acting under Rudra’s anger—burns the yajña to ashes despite the gods’ collective attempt to protect it.