Daksha Curses Lord Shiva

Verse 1 (bhagavata.4.2.1)

विदुर उवाच भवे शीलवतां श्रेष्ठे दक्षो दुहितृवत्सलः । विद्वेषमकरोत्कस्मादनादृत्यात्मजां सतीम् ॥ १ ॥

vidura uvāca bhave śīlavatāṁ śreṣṭhe dakṣo duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ vidveṣam akarot kasmād anādṛtyātmajāṁ satīm

Vidura said: Why did Daksha, so affectionate toward his daughter, harbor enmity against Bhagavan Shiv, foremost among the gentle, and show disregard for his own daughter Sati?

Verse 2 (bhagavata.4.2.2)

कस्तं चराचरगुरुं निर्वैरं शान्तविग्रहम् । आत्मारामं कथं द्वेष्टि जगतो दैवतं महत् ॥ २ ॥

kas taṁ carācara-guruṁ nirvairaṁ śānta-vigraham ātmārāmaṁ kathaṁ dveṣṭi jagato daivataṁ mahat

Who could bear enmity toward Him who is the guru of all moving and unmoving beings, free from any rivalry, ever peaceful in form, self-satisfied, and the great deity of the whole world — how could Daksha hate such a one?

Verse 3 (bhagavata.4.2.3)

एतदाख्याहि मे ब्रह्मन्जामातुः श्वशुरस्य च । विद्वेषस्तु यतः प्राणांस्तत्यजे दुस्त्यजान्सती ॥ ३ ॥

etad ākhyāhi me brahman jāmātuḥ śvaśurasya ca vidveṣas tu yataḥ prāṇāṁs tatyaje dustyajān satī

O brahmana, please tell me this — from what enmity between son-in-law and father-in-law did Sati come to give up her life, so hard a thing to relinquish?

Verse 4 (bhagavata.4.2.4)

मैत्रेय उवाच पुरा विश्वसृजां सत्रे समेताः परमर्षयः । तथामरगणाः सर्वे सानुगा मुनयोऽग्नयः ॥ ४ ॥

maitreya uvāca purā viśva-sṛjāṁ satre sametāḥ paramarṣayaḥ tathāmara-gaṇāḥ sarve sānugā munayo ’gnayaḥ

Sri Maitreya said: Once, at a great sacrifice held by the progenitors of the universe, all the supreme sages, together with the hosts of gods, along with their attendants, sages, and fire-gods, had assembled.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.4.2.5)

तत्र प्रविष्टमृषयो दृष्ट्वार्कमिव रोचिषा । भ्राजमानं वितिमिरं कुर्वन्तं तन्महत्सदः ॥ ५ ॥

tatra praviṣṭam ṛṣayo dṛṣṭvārkam iva rociṣā bhrājamānaṁ vitimiraṁ kurvantaṁ tan mahat sadaḥ

When Daksha entered there, the sages saw him shining like the sun, his splendor dispelling all darkness and illuminating that great assembly.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.4.2.6)

उदतिष्ठन्सदस्यास्ते स्वधिष्ण्येभ्यः सहाग्नयः । ऋते विरिञ्चां शर्वं च तद्भासाक्षिप्तचेतसः ॥ ६ ॥

udatiṣṭhan sadasyās te sva-dhiṣṇyebhyaḥ sahāgnayaḥ ṛte viriñcāṁ śarvaṁ ca tad-bhāsākṣipta-cetasaḥ

Their minds captivated by his radiance, all the members of the assembly, together with the fire-gods, rose from their seats — except for Bhagavan Brahma and Bhagavan Shiv.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.4.2.7)

सदसस्पतिभिर्दक्षो भगवान्साधु सत्कृतः । अजं लोकगुरुं नत्वा निषसाद तदाज्ञया ॥ ७ ॥

sadasas-patibhir dakṣo bhagavān sādhu sat-kṛtaḥ ajaṁ loka-guruṁ natvā niṣasāda tad-ājñayā

The reverend Daksha, duly honored by the presiding members of the assembly, bowed to the unborn Brahma, guru of all the worlds, and by his leave took his seat.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.4.2.8)

प्राङ्निषण्णं मृडं दृष्ट्वा नामृष्यत्तदनादृतः । उवाच वामं चक्षुर्भ्यामभिवीक्ष्य दहन्निव ॥ ८ ॥

prāṅ-niṣaṇṇaṁ mṛḍaṁ dṛṣṭvā nāmṛṣyat tad-anādṛtaḥ uvāca vāmaṁ cakṣurbhyām abhivīkṣya dahann iva

But seeing Mrida (Bhagavan Shiv) already seated and paying him no regard, Daksha could not tolerate this slight; glaring at him with eyes that seemed to burn, he began to speak harsh words.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.4.2.9)

श्रूयतां ब्रह्मर्षयो मे सहदेवाः सहाग्नयः । साधूनां ब्रुवतो वृत्तं नाज्ञानान्न च मत्सरात् ॥ ९ ॥

śrūyatāṁ brahmarṣayo me saha-devāḥ sahāgnayaḥ sādhūnāṁ bruvato vṛttaṁ nājñānān na ca matsarāt

[Daksha said:] Hear me, O brahmarshis, gods and fire-gods present here — I speak of the conduct proper to gentle persons, not out of ignorance nor out of envy.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.4.2.10)

अयं तु लोकपालानां यशोघ्नो निरपत्रपः । सद्भिराचरितः पन्था येन स्तब्धेन दूषितः ॥ १० ॥

ayaṁ tu loka-pālānāṁ yaśo-ghno nirapatrapaḥ sadbhir ācaritaḥ panthā yena stabdhena dūṣitaḥ

This shameless one has destroyed the good name of the guardians of the worlds; in his arrogance he has corrupted the very path that the virtuous have always followed.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.4.2.11)

एष मे शिष्यतां प्राप्तो यन्मे दुहितुरग्रहीत् । पाणिं विप्राग्निमुखतः सावित्र्या इव साधुवत् ॥ ११ ॥

eṣa me śiṣyatāṁ prāpto yan me duhitur agrahīt pāṇiṁ viprāgni-mukhataḥ sāvitryā iva sādhuvat

He has, in effect, become my subordinate by taking my daughter's hand before brahmanas and sacred fire, as though he were a virtuous man wedding one equal to the Gayatri herself.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.4.2.12)

गृहीत्वा मृगशावाक्ष्याः पाणिं मर्कटलोचनः । प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादार्हे वाचाप्यकृत नोचितम् ॥ १२ ॥

gṛhītvā mṛga-śāvākṣyāḥ pāṇiṁ markaṭa-locanaḥ pratyutthānābhivādārhe vācāpy akṛta nocitam

This one, with eyes like a monkey's, took the hand of a girl whose eyes are like a fawn's, yet toward me — who deserved to be risen for and greeted — he showed not even the courtesy of a proper word.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.4.2.13)

लुप्तक्रियायाशुचये मानिने भिन्नसेतवे । अनिच्छन्नप्यदां बालां शूद्रायेवोशतीं गिरम् ॥ १३ ॥

lupta-kriyāyāśucaye mānine bhinna-setave anicchann apy adāṁ bālāṁ śūdrāyevośatīṁ giram

Unwillingly did I give my child to one who has abandoned all sacred rites, who is unclean, arrogant, and a breaker of the bounds of propriety — as unfitting as reciting the sacred Vedic word to a shudra.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.4.2.14)

प्रेतावासेषु घोरेषु प्रेतैर्भूतगणैर्वृतः । अटत्युन्मत्तवन्नग्नो व्युप्तकेशो हसन् रुदन् ॥ १४ ॥

pretāvāseṣu ghoreṣu pretair bhūta-gaṇair vṛtaḥ aṭaty unmattavan nagno vyupta-keśo hasan rudan

Surrounded by ghosts and spirits, he wanders naked through dreadful cremation grounds like a madman, his hair disheveled, now laughing, now weeping.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.4.2.15)

चिताभस्मकृतस्नानः प्रेतस्रङ्न्रस्थिभूषणः । शिवापदेशो ह्यशिवो मत्तो मत्तजनप्रियः । पतिः प्रमथनाथानां तमोमात्रात्मकात्मनाम् ॥ १५ ॥

citā-bhasma-kṛta-snānaḥ preta-sraṅ-nrasthi-bhūṣaṇaḥ śivāpadeśo hy aśivo matto matta-jana-priyaḥ patiḥ pramatha-nāthānāṁ tamo-mātrātmakātmanām

He bathes in the ashes of the funeral pyre, and decorates himself with garlands of skulls and human bones. Called "Shiva," the auspicious one, in name alone, he is in truth intoxicated, dear only to those who are themselves intoxicated, and lord over the Pramathas — beings wholly given over to the mode of ignorance.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.4.2.16)

तस्मा उन्मादनाथाय नष्टशौचाय दुर्हृदे । दत्ता बत मया साध्वी चोदिते परमेष्ठिना ॥ १६ ॥

tasmā unmāda-nāthāya naṣṭa-śaucāya durhṛde dattā bata mayā sādhvī codite parameṣṭhinā

Alas, at Brahma's own urging, I gave my chaste daughter to this lord of madmen, this one bereft of purity and evil of heart!

Verse 17 (bhagavata.4.2.17)

मैत्रेय उवाच विनिन्द्यैवं स गिरिशमप्रतीपमवस्थितम् । दक्षोऽथाप उपस्पृश्य क्रुद्धः शप्तुं प्रचक्रमे ॥ १७ ॥

maitreya uvāca vinindyaivaṁ sa giriśam apratīpam avasthitam dakṣo ’thāpa upaspṛśya kruddhaḥ śaptuṁ pracakrame

Sri Maitreya said: Having thus reviled Girisha, who sat there without retaliation, the angry Daksha touched water and began to pronounce a curse.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.4.2.18)

अयं तु देवयजन इन्द्रोपेन्द्रादिभिर्भवः । सह भागं न लभतां देवैर्देवगणाधमः ॥ १८ ॥

ayaṁ tu deva-yajana indropendrādibhir bhavaḥ saha bhāgaṁ na labhatāṁ devair deva-gaṇādhamaḥ

[Daksha said:] Let this Bhava, the lowest of the gods, receive no share of the sacrificial offerings together with Indra, Upendra and the other gods at this sacrifice.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.4.2.19)

निषिध्यमानः स सदस्यमुख्यै- र्दक्षो गिरित्राय विसृज्य शापम् । तस्माद्विनिष्क्रम्य विवृद्धमन्यु- र्जगाम कौरव्य निजं निकेतनम् ॥ १९ ॥

niṣidhyamānaḥ sa sadasya-mukhyair dakṣo giritrāya visṛjya śāpam tasmād viniṣkramya vivṛddha-manyur jagāma kauravya nijaṁ niketanam

O descendant of Kuru, although the chief members of the assembly tried to stop him, Daksha, having cast his curse upon Giritra, walked out of that gathering, his wrath still mounting, and went to his own home.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.4.2.20)

विज्ञाय शापं गिरिशानुगाग्रणी- र्नन्दीश्वरो रोषकषायदूषितः । दक्षाय शापं विससर्ज दारुणं ये चान्वमोदंस्तदवाच्यतां द्विजाः ॥ २० ॥

vijñāya śāpaṁ giriśānugāgraṇīr nandīśvaro roṣa-kaṣāya-dūṣitaḥ dakṣāya śāpaṁ visasarja dāruṇaṁ ye cānvamodaṁs tad-avācyatāṁ dvijāḥ

When Nandishvara, foremost among Girisha's attendants, learned of the curse, his eyes red with fury, he pronounced a terrible counter-curse upon Daksha and upon those brahmanas who had approved of his unspeakable words.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.4.2.21)

य एतन्मर्त्यमुद्दिश्य भगवत्यप्रतिद्रुहि । द्रुह्यत्यज्ञः पृथग्दृष्टिस्तत्त्वतो विमुखो भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥

ya etan martyam uddiśya bhagavaty apratidruhi druhyaty ajñaḥ pṛthag-dṛṣṭis tattvato vimukho bhavet

[Nandishvara said:] Whoever, out of ignorance and seeing duality where there is none, offends this mortal frame regarding Bhagavan Shiv, who harbors enmity toward none, shall in truth turn away from the knowledge of the Absolute.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.4.2.22)

गृहेषु कूटधर्मेषु सक्तो ग्राम्यसुखेच्छया । कर्मतन्त्रं वितनुते वेदवादविपन्नधीः ॥ २२ ॥

gṛheṣu kūṭa-dharmeṣu sakto grāmya-sukhecchayā karma-tantraṁ vitanute veda-vāda-vipanna-dhīḥ

Attached to household life full of pretended religiosity, desiring only worldly pleasure, his intelligence ruined by superficial readings of the Veda, he shall busy himself wholly with fruitive ritual.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.4.2.23)

बुद्ध्या पराभिध्यायिन्या विस्मृतात्मगतिः पशुः । स्त्रीकामः सोऽस्त्वतितरां दक्षो बस्तमुखोऽचिरात् ॥ २३ ॥

buddhyā parābhidhyāyinyā vismṛtātma-gatiḥ paśuḥ strī-kāmaḥ so ’stv atitarāṁ dakṣo basta-mukho ’cirāt

With a mind fixed only on external things, forgetting the true goal of the self, behaving like an animal and given over to lust — let Daksha, before long, bear the face of a goat.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.4.2.24)

विद्याबुद्धिरविद्यायां कर्ममय्यामसौ जडः । संसरन्त्विह ये चामुमनु शर्वावमानिनम् ॥ २४ ॥

vidyā-buddhir avidyāyāṁ karmamayyām asau jaḍaḥ saṁsarantv iha ye cāmum anu śarvāvamāninam

Let him and all who follow this one who has insulted Bhagavan Shiv, having become dull-witted, taking mere ritual learning for true knowledge, continue wandering in this cycle of birth and death.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.4.2.25)

गिरः श्रुतायाः पुष्पिण्या मधुगन्धेन भूरिणा । मथ्ना चोन्मथितात्मानः सम्मुह्यन्तु हरद्विषः ॥ २५ ॥

giraḥ śrutāyāḥ puṣpiṇyā madhu-gandhena bhūriṇā mathnā conmathitātmānaḥ sammuhyantu hara-dviṣaḥ

Let those who bear hatred toward Bhagavan Hara, their minds churned and bewildered by the abundant honeyed fragrance of the Veda's flowery language, remain forever deluded.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.4.2.26)

सर्वभक्षा द्विजा वृत्त्यै धृतविद्यातपोव्रताः । वित्तदेहेन्द्रियारामा याचका विचरन्त्विह ॥ २६ ॥

sarva-bhakṣā dvijā vṛttyai dhṛta-vidyā-tapo-vratāḥ vitta-dehendriyārāmā yācakā vicarantv iha

Let such brahmanas, taking up learning, austerity and vows merely as a means of livelihood, given over only to wealth, body and the senses, wander this earth as indiscriminate eaters and beggars.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.4.2.27)

तस्यैवं वदतः शापं श्रुत्वा द्विजकुलाय वै । भृगुः प्रत्यसृजच्छापं ब्रह्मदण्डं दुरत्ययम् ॥ २७ ॥

tasyaivaṁ vadataḥ śāpaṁ śrutvā dvija-kulāya vai bhṛguḥ pratyasṛjac chāpaṁ brahma-daṇḍaṁ duratyayam

Hearing this curse pronounced by him upon the whole community of brahmanas, Bhrigu, in turn, pronounced upon Shiva's followers a brahminical curse, terrible and inescapable.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.4.2.28)

भवव्रतधरा ये च ये च तान्समनुव्रताः । पाषण्डिनस्ते भवन्तु सच्छास्त्रपरिपन्थिनः ॥ २८ ॥

bhava-vrata-dharā ye ca ye ca tān samanuvratāḥ pāṣaṇḍinas te bhavantu sac-chāstra-paripanthinaḥ

[Bhrigu said:] Let those who take up Bhava's vows, and those who follow them, become heretics, opposed to the true scriptures.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.4.2.29)

नष्टशौचा मूढधियो जटाभस्मास्थिधारिणः । विशन्तु शिवदीक्षायां यत्र दैवं सुरासवम् ॥ २९ ॥

naṣṭa-śaucā mūḍha-dhiyo jaṭā-bhasmāsthi-dhāriṇaḥ viśantu śiva-dīkṣāyāṁ yatra daivaṁ surāsavam

Bereft of purity, deluded in mind, wearing matted hair, ashes and bones, let them enter into initiation into Shiva's worship, wherein wine is treated as sacred.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.4.2.30)

ब्रह्म च ब्राह्मणांश्चैव यद्यूयं परिनिन्दथ । सेतुं विधारणं पुंसामतः पाषण्डमाश्रिताः ॥ ३० ॥

brahma ca brāhmaṇāṁś caiva yad yūyaṁ parinindatha setuṁ vidhāraṇaṁ puṁsām ataḥ pāṣaṇḍam āśritāḥ

[Bhrigu continued:] Since you revile the Veda and the brahmanas who uphold the very bounds that sustain mankind, you have thereby already taken refuge in heresy.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.4.2.31)

एष एव हि लोकानां शिवः पन्थाः सनातनः । यं पूर्वे चानुसन्तस्थुर्यत्प्रमाणं जनार्दनः ॥ ३१ ॥

eṣa eva hi lokānāṁ śivaḥ panthāḥ sanātanaḥ yaṁ pūrve cānusantasthur yat-pramāṇaṁ janārdanaḥ

This alone is the eternal and auspicious path for all the worlds, followed by the ancients, and whose authority is Bhagavan Janardana Himself.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.4.2.32)

तद्ब्रह्म परमं शुद्धं सतां वर्त्म सनातनम् । विगर्ह्य यात पाषण्डं दैवं वो यत्र भूतराट् ॥ ३२ ॥

tad brahma paramaṁ śuddhaṁ satāṁ vartma sanātanam vigarhya yāta pāṣaṇḍaṁ daivaṁ vo yatra bhūta-rāṭ

By reviling that supreme, pure Veda, the eternal path of the virtuous, go now into heresy, where your deity is the lord of ghostly beings.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.4.2.33)

मैत्रेय उवाच तस्यैवं वदतः शापं भृगोः स भगवान् भवः । निश्चक्राम ततः किञ्चिद्विमना इव सानुगः ॥ ३३ ॥

maitreya uvāca tasyaivaṁ vadataḥ śāpaṁ bhṛgoḥ sa bhagavān bhavaḥ niścakrāma tataḥ kiñcid vimanā iva sānugaḥ

Sri Maitreya said: While Bhrigu was thus pronouncing this curse, Bhagavan Bhava (Shiva), somewhat downcast, left that place together with his followers.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.4.2.34)

तेऽपि विश्वसृजः सत्रं सहस्रपरिवत्सरान् । संविधाय महेष्वास यत्रेज्य ऋषभो हरिः ॥ ३४ ॥

te ’pi viśva-sṛjaḥ satraṁ sahasra-parivatsarān saṁvidhāya maheṣvāsa yatrejya ṛṣabho hariḥ

O great archer, those creators of the universe then continued that sacrifice, in which the foremost of all, Bhagavan Hari, was worshiped, for a thousand years.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.4.2.35)

आप्लुत्यावभृथं यत्र गङ्गा यमुनयान्विता । विरजेनात्मना सर्वे स्वं स्वं धाम ययुस्ततः ॥ ३५ ॥

āplutyāvabhṛthaṁ yatra gaṅgā yamunayānvitā virajenātmanā sarve svaṁ svaṁ dhāma yayus tataḥ

There, where the Ganga meets the Yamuna, they all took the concluding purificatory bath, and, their hearts freed of impurity, each departed for his own abode.