Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 10

Vīrabhadra Destroys Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Dakṣa-yajña-vināśa

Devanagari script

यस्त्वन्तकाले व्युप्तजटाकलाप: स्वशूलसूच्यर्पितदिग्गजेन्द्र: । वितत्य नृत्यत्युदितास्त्रदोर्ध्वजान् उच्चाट्टहासस्तनयित्नुभिन्नदिक् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

yas tv anta-kāle vyupta-jaṭā-kalāpaḥ sva-śūla-sūcy-arpita-dig-gajendraḥ vitatya nṛtyaty uditāstra-dor-dhvajān uccāṭṭa-hāsa-stanayitnu-bhinna-dik

Translation

Vào lúc đại hủy diệt, tóc bện của Thần Śiva tung xõa; Ngài dùng đinh ba đâm xuyên các vị hộ phương. Dang tay cao như cờ phướn, Ngài cười vang và múa đầy oai lực, như tiếng sấm làm rung chuyển khắp bốn phương.

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of nṛtyati
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), contrast/emphasis

• anta-kāle: at the time of dissolution
• anta-kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (सप्तमी) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'antasya kālaḥ' (time of the end) used as locative of time

• vyupta-jaṭā-kalāpaḥ: with loosened mass of matted hair
• vyupta-jaṭā-kalāpaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of yaḥ (Rudra)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyupta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + kalāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: 'vyuptaḥ jaṭā-kalāpo yasya' (whose matted-hair mass is loosened/spread)

• sva-śūla-sūci-arpita-dig-gajendraḥ: having the guardian elephants impaled on his trident-tip
• sva-śūla-sūci-arpita-dig-gajendraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of yaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + sūci (प्रातिपदिक) + arpita (कृदन्त) + dik (प्रातिपदिक) + gajendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: 'svaśūlasūcyā arpitaḥ diggajendraḥ yasya' (who has the directional elephant impaled on the tip of his own trident)

• vitatya: having spread out
• vitatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√tan (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'vitatya' (having spread/extended)

• nṛtyati: dances
• nṛtyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, parasmaipada

• udita-astra-dor-dhvajān: his arms like banners with weapons raised
• udita-astra-dor-dhvajān: Karma (कर्म) of vitatya (what is spread)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक) + dor (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'udita-astraḥ' (raised weapons) qualifying 'dor-dhvajān' = 'arms as banners'

• uccāṭṭa-hāsa-stanayitnu-bhinna-dik: whose directions are rent by loud laughter and thunder
• uccāṭṭa-hāsa-stanayitnu-bhinna-dik: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of yaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uccāṭṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + hāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + stanayitnu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhinna (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + dik (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: 'uccāṭṭahāsastanayitnubhyāṁ bhinnā diśo yasya' (whose directions are shattered by loud laughter and thunder)

Purport

Prasūti, who appreciated the power and strength of her son-in-law, Lord Śiva, is describing what he does at the time of dissolution. This description indicates that the strength of Lord Śiva is so great that Dakṣa’s power could not be set in comparison to it. At the time of dissolution, Lord Śiva, with his trident in hand, dances over the rulers of the different planets, and his hair is scattered, just as the clouds are scattered over all directions in order to plunge the different planets into incessant torrents of rain. In the last phase of dissolution, all the planets become inundated with water, and that inundation is caused by the dancing of Lord Śiva. This dance is called the pralaya dance, or dance of dissolution. Prasūti could understand that the dangers ahead resulted not only from Dakṣa’s having neglected her daughter, but also because of his neglecting the prestige and honor of Lord Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Śiva (Rudra)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Shiva at the time of pralaya (cosmic dissolution)?

This verse depicts Lord Śiva’s fearsome pralaya-form: with loosened matted hair, he dances with uplifted weapons, and even the guardians of the directions are overcome—showing his role as the great agent of dissolution.

Why is Lord Shiva described so fiercely in the Daksha-yajna context (Canto 4, Chapter 5)?

In the narrative surrounding Dakṣa’s sacrifice and offenses, the Bhāgavatam emphasizes Śiva’s immense potency; the fierce imagery underscores that insulting great devotees and devas has grave consequences.

What is a practical application of this shloka for modern life?

It teaches humility and reverence: do not minimize spiritually powerful personalities, and remember that the universe is governed by higher divine order beyond human pride and control.