Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 13

Vīrabhadra Destroys Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Dakṣa-yajña-vināśa

Devanagari script

तावत्स रुद्रानुचरैर्महामखो नानायुधैर्वामनकैरुदायुधै: । पिङ्गै: पिशङ्गैर्मकरोदराननै: पर्याद्रवद्‌भिर्विदुरान्वरुध्यत ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

tāvat sa rudrānucarair mahā-makho nānāyudhair vāmanakair udāyudhaiḥ piṅgaiḥ piśaṅgair makarodarānanaiḥ paryādravadbhir vidurānvarudhyata

Translation

亲爱的毗度罗，那时湿婆的随从们包围了祭场，四处奔走。他们身材矮小，手持各类兵器；形貌如鲨，色泽黑黄相杂，在祭坛周围掀起扰乱。

Synonyms

• tāvat: then; meanwhile
• tāvat: Kāla-viśeṣaṇa (कालविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (temporal adverb)

• saḥ: he (Dakṣa’s sacrifice/assembly contextually; or Dakṣa)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of anvarudhyata
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• rudra-anucaraiḥ: by Rudra’s attendants
• rudra-anucaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / agent group causing obstruction
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + anucara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; 'rudrasya anucarāḥ' (followers of Rudra)

• mahā-makhaḥ: the great sacrifice
• mahā-makhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of anvarudhyata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; 'mahān makhaḥ' (great sacrifice)

• nānā-āyudhaiḥ: with various weapons
• nānā-āyudhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; avyayībhāva: 'nānā' (various) qualifying āyudhaiḥ

• vāmanakaiḥ: dwarf-like; short
• vāmanakaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rudra-anucaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāmanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; adjective of rudrānucaraiḥ

• udāyudhaiḥ: with weapons uplifted
• udāyudhaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rudra-anucaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; 'udāyudha' = with weapons raised/brandished

• piṅgaiḥ: tawny; yellowish-brown
• piṅgaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rudra-anucaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; color adjective

• piśaṅgaiḥ: reddish-brown; variegated
• piśaṅgaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rudra-anucaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piśaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; color adjective

• makara-udara-ānanaiḥ: with faces like makara-bellies (monstrous-faced)
• makara-udara-ānanaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rudra-anucaraiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: makara (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; bahuvrīhi: 'makarodaraṁ ānanaṁ yeṣām' (whose faces are like a makara’s belly/mouth—grotesque)

• paryādravadbhiḥ: by those rushing about
• paryādravadbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / accompanying action of agents
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-ā-√drav (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-kṛdanta (present active participle), Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; 'while running around/charging'

• vidurān: the wise (persons)
• vidurān: Karma (कर्म) of anvarudhyata
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā Bahuvacana; used substantively = 'the wise/prudent ones'

• anvarudhyata: was obstructed; was blocked
• anvarudhyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√rudh (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, ātmanepada; passive-like sense 'was obstructed/blocked'

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Lord Śiva)
• Rudrānucaras (Śiva’s attendants)
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice?

This verse describes how Rudra’s attendants stormed in with weapons and surrounded the sacrificial arena, signaling the collapse of Daksha’s proud ritual when devotion and respect were absent.

Why did Lord Shiva’s followers surround Daksha’s yajna?

In the narrative of Canto 4, Daksha insulted Śiva and rejected him from the sacrificial assembly; after Sati’s departure from her body, Śiva’s followers entered and overwhelmed the sacrifice, demonstrating the consequence of offending devotees.

Practical application of this episode in modern life?

The shloka warns that spiritual practice without humility and respect for saintly persons becomes hollow; cultivate reverence, avoid ego-driven “religiosity,” and protect relationships with devotees.