Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24
उत्पातवर्णनम् / Description of Portents at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
ब्रह्मोवाच तच्छ्रुत्वाकाशवचनं दृष्ट्वारिष्टानि तानि च । दक्षः प्रापद्भयं चाति परे देवादयोपि ह
brahmovāca tacchrutvākāśavacanaṃ dṛṣṭvāriṣṭāni tāni ca | dakṣaḥ prāpadbhayaṃ cāti pare devādayopi ha
梵天说道：听闻那来自虚空的宣告，又见诸般凶兆，达叉陷入极大的恐惧；其余诸天与天界众生也同样惊惧。
Brahma
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Cosmic Event: Arishta-darśana (seeing ill portents) accompanying the sky-proclamation—ritual space becomes cosmically ‘out of tune’
FAQs
The verse highlights that when divine order is violated—especially through pride and disrespect toward Śiva and His devotees—conscience and nature itself signal danger. Fear arises not from fate alone, but from adharma and the inner recognition of impending karmic consequence.
Dakṣa’s fear foreshadows the failure of ritual performed without surrender to Saguna Śiva (the accessible Lord worshipped as Liṅga). In Shaiva understanding, outward sacrifice cannot replace devotion and reverence to Śiva, the Lord of yajña and the indwelling Pati.
The practical takeaway is to purify intention before worship: recite the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, and adopt Śaiva marks like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence and surrender—rather than relying on ritual pride.