Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 17
Dakṣa Offends Lord Śiva: Cursing and Countercursing in the Sacrificial Assembly
मैत्रेय उवाच विनिन्द्यैवं स गिरिशमप्रतीपमवस्थितम् । दक्षोऽथाप उपस्पृश्य क्रुद्ध: शप्तुं प्रचक्रमे ॥ १७ ॥
maitreya uvāca vinindyaivaṁ sa giriśam apratīpam avasthitam dakṣo ’thāpa upaspṛśya kruddhaḥ śaptuṁ pracakrame
Hiền triết Maitreya nói: Sau khi phỉ báng Girīśa (Śiva) như vậy, Dakṣa thấy Ngài ngồi như thể đối nghịch với mình; rồi ông súc miệng theo nghi thức (ācaman), rửa tay và miệng, và trong cơn giận bắt đầu nguyền rủa Ngài.
FAQs
This verse shows Dakṣa first reviling Lord Śiva and then proceeding to curse him—highlighting how pride and offense escalate into harmful speech and actions, a recurring warning in the Bhagavatam against aparādha (offense) toward exalted beings.
After insulting Śiva, Dakṣa performed a formal purificatory act (sipping water) and, driven by anger, began the ritualized act of cursing—showing how he tried to give his resentment an appearance of religious propriety.
Śiva’s non-retaliation models steadiness under insult; in modern life it encourages restraint, humility, and not reacting impulsively when criticized, especially when anger would worsen the situation.