Shloka 25
वृत्ति-सत्सङ्ग-दान-धर्म
Livelihood, Virtuous Association, and Ethics of Giving
महेश्वरने कहा--महाभागे! श्रेष्ठ प्रजापति दक्ष अश्वमेध यज्ञ करते हैं; उसीमें ये सब देवता जा रहे हैं ।।
Maheśvara uvāca—Mahābhāge! Śreṣṭhaḥ Prajāpatiḥ Dakṣa aśvamedha-yajñaṁ karoti; tasminn eva ete sarve devatā gacchanti. Umā uvāca—Yajñam etam, Mahādeva, kimarthaṁ nādhigacchasi? Kena vā pratiṣedhena gamanaṁ te na vidyate?
大自在天说：“贤淑的夫人啊！卓越的般若波提达叉正在举行马祭（阿湿婆梅陀）；诸天皆正前往那一祭仪。” 乌玛说道：“摩诃提婆，为何你不赴此祭？因何禁制或阻碍，使你不能前往那里？”
महेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds a dharmic tension between ritual authority and rightful inclusion: even a grand sacrifice attended by the gods can become ethically fraught if participation is constrained by prohibition, disrespect, or social-religious exclusion.
Maheśvara informs Umā that Dakṣa is conducting an Aśvamedha and that the gods are going there. Umā then questions why Maheśvara himself is not attending and asks what restriction or prohibition prevents his going.