Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39
प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च
The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival
विनष्टानंदकमुखो विस्मृतात्मगतिः पशुः । भ्रष्टकर्मानयसदा दक्षो बस्तमुखोऽचिरात्
vinaṣṭānaṃdakamukho vismṛtātmagatiḥ paśuḥ | bhraṣṭakarmānayasadā dakṣo bastamukho'cirāt
Bị tước mất mọi niềm hoan lạc, con “thú” Dakṣa ấy—quên mất lộ trình chân thật của linh hồn—luôn sa đọa trong hạnh kiểm và lầm lạc trong hành nghiệp; chẳng bao lâu sau, ông ta mang gương mặt dê.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Bhairava
FAQs
It frames Dakṣa as a “paśu” (bound soul) who forgets the soul’s liberating direction (ātma-gati) and falls into wrong action—showing that pride and hostility to Shiva-bhakti lead to inner degradation and visible karmic consequence.
In the Satī narrative, Dakṣa’s downfall is tied to rejection of Shiva’s supreme status; devotion to Saguna Shiva (and reverence for Shiva’s worship such as the Liṅga) is upheld as the corrective to the paśu-state—restoring right understanding and dharma.
The takeaway is to counter “vismṛta-ātma-gati” through steady Shiva-smaraṇa: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, and regular Shiva-pūjā (often with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa where traditional).