Narada's Curse in Daksha's Creation

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.33.1)

नारद उवाच । ब्रह्मन् विधे महाप्राज्ञ वद नो वदतां वर । दक्षे गृहं गते प्रीत्या किमभूत्तदनन्तरम्

nārada uvāca | brahman vidhe mahāprājña vada no vadatāṁ vara | dakṣe gṛhaṁ gate prītyā kimabhūttadanantaram

Narada said: O Brahma, O Creator, O greatly wise one, best among speakers, tell me — when Daksha had gone home rejoicing, what happened after that?

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.33.2)

ब्रह्मोवाच । दक्षः प्रजापतिर्गत्वा स्वाश्रमं हृष्टमानसः । सर्गं चकार बहुधा मानसं मम चाज्ञया

brahmovāca | dakṣaḥ prajāpatirgatvā svāśramaṁ hṛṣṭamānasaḥ | sargaṁ cakāra bahudhā mānasaṁ mama cājñayā

Brahma said: Daksha the Prajapati, having gone to his own hermitage with a joyful mind, created manifold mind-born progeny at my command.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.33.3)

तमबृंहितमालोक्य प्रजासर्गं प्रजापतिः । दक्षो निवेदयामास ब्रह्मणे जनकाय मे

tamabṛṁhitamālokya prajāsargaṁ prajāpatiḥ | dakṣo nivedayāmāsa brahmaṇe janakāya me

Seeing that his created progeny did not increase, Daksha the Prajapati reported this to me, Brahma, his father.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.33.4)

दक्ष उवाच । ब्रह्मंस्तात प्रजानाथ वर्धन्ते न प्रजाः प्रभो मया विरचिताः सर्वास्तावत्यो हि स्थिताः खलु

dakṣa uvāca | brahmaṁstāta prajānātha vardhante na prajāḥ prabho mayā viracitāḥ sarvāstāvatyo hi sthitāḥ khalu

Daksha said: O Brahma, father, lord of creatures! The progeny I have fashioned do not increase, O Lord — they all remain exactly as many as I created them.

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.33.5)

किं करोमि प्रजानाथ वर्धेयुः कथमात्मना । तदुपायं समाचक्ष्व प्रजाः कुर्यां न संशयः

kiṁ karomi prajānātha vardheyuḥ kathamātmanā | tadupāyaṁ samācakṣva prajāḥ kuryāṁ na saṁśayaḥ

What shall I do, O lord of creatures? How might they multiply of themselves? Tell me the means, and I shall surely bring forth progeny.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.33.6)

ब्रह्मोवाच । दक्ष प्रजापते तात शृणु मे परमं वचः । तत्कुरुष्व सुरश्रेष्ठ शिवस्ते शं करिष्यति

brahmovāca | dakṣa prajāpate tāta śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ | tatkuruṣva suraśreṣṭha śivaste śaṁ kariṣyati

Brahma said: O Daksha, Prajapati, dear one, hear my supreme word. Do as I say, best of the gods — Shiva shall grant you well-being.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.33.7)

या च पञ्चजनस्याङ्गसुता रम्या प्रजापतेः । असिक्नी नाम पत्नीत्वे प्रजेश प्रतिगृह्यताम्

yā ca pañcajanasyāṅgasutā ramyā prajāpateḥ | asiknī nāma patnītve prajeśa pratigṛhyatām

The lovely daughter of Prajapati Panchajana, named Asikni — O lord of creatures, take her as your wife.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.33.8)

वामव्यवायधर्मस्त्वं प्रजासर्गमिमं पुनः । तद्विधायां च कामिन्यां भूरिशो भावयिष्यसि

vāmavyavāyadharmastvaṁ prajāsargamimaṁ punaḥ | tadvidhāyāṁ ca kāminyāṁ bhūriśo bhāvayiṣyasi

Following the natural way of union with a wife, you shall, through that same beloved woman, once more bring forth this creation of progeny in abundance.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.33.9)

ब्रह्मोवाच ततःसमुत्पादयितुं प्रजा मैथुनधर्मतः । उपयेमे वीरणस्य निदेशान्मे सुतां ततः

brahmovāca tataḥsamutpādayituṁ prajā maithunadharmataḥ | upayeme vīraṇasya nideśānme sutāṁ tataḥ

Brahma said: Then, to produce progeny through the way of union, he, at my direction, married the daughter of Virana.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.33.10)

अथ तस्यां स्वपत्न्यां च वीरिण्यां स प्रजापतिः । हर्यश्वसंज्ञानयुतं दक्षः पुत्रानजीजनत्

atha tasyāṁ svapatnyāṁ ca vīriṇyāṁ sa prajāpatiḥ | haryaśvasaṁjñānayutaṁ dakṣaḥ putrānajījanat

Then, through that wife of his, Virini, Daksha the Prajapati begot sons known by the name Haryashvas.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.33.11)

अपृथग्धर्मशीलास्ते सर्व आसन् सुता मुने । पितृभक्तिरता नित्यं वेदमार्गपरायणाः

apṛthagdharmaśīlāste sarva āsan sutā mune | pitṛbhaktiratā nityaṁ vedamārgaparāyaṇāḥ

O sage, all those sons were alike in nature and conduct — ever devoted to their father, wholly intent upon the Vedic path.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.33.12)

पितृप्रोक्ताः प्रजासर्गकरणार्थं ययुर्दिशम् । प्रतीचीं तपसे तात सर्वे दाक्षायणाः सुताः

pitṛproktāḥ prajāsargakaraṇārthaṁ yayurdiśam | pratīcīṁ tapase tāta sarve dākṣāyaṇāḥ sutāḥ

Instructed by their father to bring forth progeny, all those sons of Daksha, dear one, set out toward the western direction to perform austerities.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.33.13)

तत्र नारायणसरस्तीर्थं परमपावनम् । सङ्गमो यत्र सञ्जातो दिव्यसिन्धुसमुद्रयोः

tatra nārāyaṇasarastīrthaṁ paramapāvanam | saṅgamo yatra sañjāto divyasindhusamudrayoḥ

There is the utterly sacred tirtha called Narayana-sara, where the confluence of the celestial river and the ocean has come about.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.33.14)

तदुपस्पर्शनादेव प्रोत्पन्नमतयोऽभवन् । धर्मे पारमहंसे च विनिर्धूतमलाशयाः

tadupasparśanādeva protpannamatayo'bhavan | dharme pāramahaṁse ca vinirdhūtamalāśayāḥ

By merely touching those waters, their minds awakened, and, established in the supreme dharma of the paramahamsas, their hearts became purified of all impurity.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.33.15)

प्रजाविवृद्धये ते वै तेपिरे तत्र सत्तमाः । दाक्षायणा दृढात्मानः पित्रादेशेसुयन्त्रिता

prajāvivṛddhaye te vai tepire tatra sattamāḥ | dākṣāyaṇā dṛḍhātmānaḥ pitrādeśesuyantritā

Well-guided by their father's command, those firm-minded, foremost sons of Daksha practiced austerity there for the sake of increasing progeny.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.33.16)

त्वं च तान् नारद ज्ञात्वा तपतः सृष्टिहेतवे । अगमस्तत्र भूरीणि हार्दमाज्ञाय मापतेः

tvaṁ ca tān nārada jñātvā tapataḥ sṛṣṭihetave | agamastatra bhūrīṇi hārdamājñāya māpateḥ

You, O Narada, learning that they were performing austerity for the sake of creation, and having discerned Shiva's inmost intent, went there again and again.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.33.17)

अदृष्ट्वा तं भुवः सृष्टिं कथं कर्तुं समुद्यताः । हर्यश्वा दक्षतनया इत्यवोचंस्तमादरत्

adṛṣṭvā taṁ bhuvaḥ sṛṣṭiṁ kathaṁ kartuṁ samudyatāḥ | haryaśvā dakṣatanayā ityavocaṁstamādarat

'Without having beheld the very act of creation, how have you set about undertaking it?' — thus the Haryashvas, Daksha's sons, said to you respectfully.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.33.18)

ब्रह्मोवाच तं निशम्याथ हर्यश्वास्ते त्वदुक्तमतन्द्रिताः । औत्पत्तिकधियः सर्वे स्वयं विममृशुर्भृशम्

brahmovāca taṁ niśamyātha haryaśvāste tvaduktamatandritāḥ | autpattikadhiyaḥ sarve svayaṁ vimamṛśurbhṛśam

Brahma said: Having heard that word of yours, the tireless Haryashvas, all of naturally keen intellect, themselves fell to deep reflection.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.33.19)

सुशास्त्रजनकादेशं यो न वेद निवर्तकम् । स कथं गुणविश्रम्भी कर्तुं सर्गमुपक्रमेत्

suśāstrajanakādeśaṁ yo na veda nivartakam | sa kathaṁ guṇaviśrambhī kartuṁ sargamupakramet

One who does not know the true, liberation-pointing intent of the good scriptures and the father's command — how could he, trusting merely in worldly attributes, undertake to begin creation?

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.33.20)

इति निश्चित्य ते पुत्राः सुधियश्चैकचेतसः । प्रणम्य तं परिक्रम्यायुर्मार्गमनिवर्तकम्

iti niścitya te putrāḥ sudhiyaścaikacetasaḥ | praṇamya taṁ parikramyāyurmārgamanivartakam

Having thus resolved, those wise sons, now of one mind, bowed to you and circled you in reverence, and took to that path from which there is no return.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.33.21)

नारद त्वं मनः शम्भोर्लोकानन्यचरो मुने । निर्विकारो महेशानमनोवृत्तिकरस्तदा

nārada tvaṁ manaḥ śambhorlokānanyacaro mune | nirvikāro maheśānamanovṛttikarastadā

O sage Narada, you are the very mind of Shambhu, wandering the worlds at will, unchanging, ever acting according to the will of Mahesha.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.33.22)

काले गते बहुतरे मम पुत्रः प्रजापतिः । नाशं निशम्य पुत्राणां नारदादन्वतप्यत

kāle gate bahutare mama putraḥ prajāpatiḥ | nāśaṁ niśamya putrāṇāṁ nāradādanvatapyata

After a very long time had passed, my son the Prajapati Daksha, hearing of the loss of his sons, grieved deeply on Narada's account.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.33.23)

मुहुर्मुहुरुवाचेति सुप्रजत्वं शुचां पदम् । शुशोच बहुशो दक्षः शिवमायाविमोहितः

muhurmuhuruvāceti suprajatvaṁ śucāṁ padam | śuśoca bahuśo dakṣaḥ śivamāyāvimohitaḥ

Again and again he lamented that good progeny had itself become the very seat of sorrow; deluded by Shiva's Maya, Daksha grieved again and again.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.33.24)

अहमागत्य सुप्रीत्या सान्त्वयं दक्षमात्मजम् । शान्तिभावं प्रदर्श्यैव दैवं प्रबलमित्युत

ahamāgatya suprītyā sāntvayaṁ dakṣamātmajam | śāntibhāvaṁ pradarśyaiva daivaṁ prabalamityuta

Coming there myself with great affection, I consoled my son Daksha, and, showing a spirit of peace, said that fate alone is supreme.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.33.25)

अथ दक्षः पञ्चजन्यां मया स परिसान्त्वितः । सबलाश्वाभिधान् पुत्रान् सहस्रं चाप्यजीजनत्

atha dakṣaḥ pañcajanyāṁ mayā sa parisāntvitaḥ | sabalāśvābhidhān putrān sahasraṁ cāpyajījanat

Then Daksha, thus consoled by me, begot through Panchajani a thousand sons known as the Sabalashvas.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.33.26)

तेऽपि जग्मुस्तत्र सुताः पित्रादिष्टा दृढव्रताः । प्रजासर्गे यत्र सिद्धाः स्वपूर्वभ्रातरो ययुः

te'pi jagmustatra sutāḥ pitrādiṣṭā dṛḍhavratāḥ | prajāsarge yatra siddhāḥ svapūrvabhrātaro yayuḥ

Instructed by their father, those sons too, firm in their vows, went to that very place where their elder brothers had gone to attain success in the creation of progeny.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.33.27)

तदुपस्पर्शनादेव नष्टाघा विमलाशयाः । तेपुर्महत्तपस्तत्र जपन्तो ब्रह्म सुव्रताः

tadupasparśanādeva naṣṭāghā vimalāśayāḥ | tepurmahattapastatra japanto brahma suvratāḥ

By merely touching those waters their sins were destroyed, and, their minds purified, those sons of good vows practiced great austerity there, chanting the sacred syllable.

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.33.28)

प्रजासर्गोद्यतांस्तान् वै ज्ञात्वा गत्वेति नारद । पूर्ववच्चागदो वाक्यं संस्मरन्नैश्वरीं गतिम्

prajāsargodyatāṁstān vai jñātvā gatveti nārada | pūrvavaccāgado vākyaṁ saṁsmarannaiśvarīṁ gatim

Knowing, O Narada, that they too were intent on the creation of progeny, you went there and, remembering the Lord's transcendent path, spoke to them the same words as before.

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.33.29)

भ्रातृपन्थानमादिश्य त्वं मुनेऽमोघदर्शन । अयाश्चोर्ध्वगतिं तेऽपि भ्रातृमार्गं ययुः सुताः

bhrātṛpanthānamādiśya tvaṁ mune'moghadarśana | ayāścordhvagatiṁ te'pi bhrātṛmārgaṁ yayuḥ sutāḥ

O sage of unfailing vision, having pointed out to them their brothers' path, you led them too to that same upward course, and those sons went the very way their brothers had gone.

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.33.30)

उत्पातान् बहुशोऽपश्यत्तदैव स प्रजापतिः । विस्मितोऽभूत्स मे पुत्रो दक्षो मनसि दुःखितः

utpātān bahuśo'paśyattadaiva sa prajāpatiḥ | vismito'bhūtsa me putro dakṣo manasi duḥkhitaḥ

At that very time the Prajapati beheld many ill omens; my son Daksha, astonished at this, became grieved at heart.

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.33.31)

पूर्ववत् त्वत्कृतं दक्षः शुश्राव चकितो भृशम् । पुत्रनाशं शुशोचाति पुत्रशोकविमूर्च्छितः

pūrvavat tvatkṛtaṁ dakṣaḥ śuśrāva cakito bhṛśam | putranāśaṁ śuśocāti putraśokavimūrcchitaḥ

Daksha, greatly startled, heard of your deed just as before; overcome and swooning with grief for the loss of his sons, he lamented again and again.

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.33.32)

चुक्रोध तुभ्यं दक्षोऽसौ दुष्टोऽयमिति चाब्रवीत् । आगतस्तत्र दैवात् त्वमनुग्रहकरस्तदा

cukrodha tubhyaṁ dakṣo'sau duṣṭo'yamiti cābravīt | āgatastatra daivāt tvamanugrahakarastadā

Daksha grew furious at you and said: 'This one is wicked — he has come here by chance, and only pretends to be a bestower of grace.'

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.33.33)

शोकाविष्टः स दक्षो हि रोषविस्फुरिताधरः । उपलभ्य तमाहत्य धिग्धिक् प्रोच्य विगर्हयन्

śokāviṣṭaḥ sa dakṣo hi roṣavisphuritādharaḥ | upalabhya tamāhatya dhigdhik procya vigarhayan

Overcome with grief, his lips quivering with rage, Daksha, upon finding you, began to revile you, crying 'Shame, shame!'

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.33.34)

दक्ष उवाच । किं कृतं तेऽधमश्रेष्ठ साधूनां साधुलिङ्गतः । भिक्षोमार्गोऽर्भकानां वै दर्शितोऽसाधुकारि नः

dakṣa uvāca | kiṁ kṛtaṁ te'dhamaśreṣṭha sādhūnāṁ sādhuliṅgataḥ | bhikṣomārgo'rbhakānāṁ vai darśito'sādhukāri naḥ

Daksha said: O worst among the base, wearing the very guise of the virtuous, what have you done to good men? You have shown our innocent children the unrighteous path of a mendicant.

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.33.35)

ऋणैस्त्रिभिरमुक्तानां लोकयोरुभयोः कृतः । विघातः श्रेयसोऽमीषां निर्दयेन शठेन ते

ṛṇaistribhiramuktānāṁ lokayorubhayoḥ kṛtaḥ | vighātaḥ śreyaso'mīṣāṁ nirdayena śaṭhena te

For those not yet freed from the three debts, O merciless, deceitful one, you have brought about the ruin of their welfare in both worlds.

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.33.36)

ऋणानि त्रीण्यपाकृत्य यो गृहात्प्रव्रजेत्पुमान् । मातरं पितरं त्यक्त्वा मोक्षमिच्छन् व्रजत्यधः

ṛṇāni trīṇyapākṛtya yo gṛhātpravrajetpumān | mātaraṁ pitaraṁ tyaktvā mokṣamicchan vrajatyadhaḥ

The man who, having discharged the three debts, leaves his home for renunciation, does well; but one who abandons mother and father in desire for liberation falls into a lower state.

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.33.37)

निर्दयस्त्वं सुनिर्लज्जः शिशुधीभिद्यशोऽपहा । हरेः पार्षदमध्ये हि वृथा चरसि मूढधीः

nirdayastvaṁ sunirlajjaḥ śiśudhībhidyaśo'pahā | hareḥ pārṣadamadhye hi vṛthā carasi mūḍhadhīḥ

You are merciless and utterly shameless, a corrupter of children's innocent minds and a thief of good name; O foolish one, in vain do you wander among the attendants of Hari.

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.33.38)

मुहुर्मुहुरभद्रं त्वमचरो मेऽधमाधम । विभवेद् भ्रमतस्तेऽतः पदं लोकेषु न स्थिरम्

muhurmuhurabhadraṁ tvamacaro me'dhamādhama | vibhaved bhramataste'taḥ padaṁ lokeṣu na sthiram

O worst of the base, again and again you wander about committing this ill deed — therefore, ever roaming, you shall never have a fixed place among the worlds.

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.33.39)

शशापेति शुचा दक्षस्त्वां तदा साधुसम्मतम् । बुबोध नेश्वरेच्छां स शिवमायाविमोहितः

śaśāpeti śucā dakṣastvāṁ tadā sādhusammatam | bubodha neśvarecchāṁ sa śivamāyāvimohitaḥ

Thus, in his grief, Daksha cursed you, though you were honored by the virtuous; deluded by Shiva's Maya, he could not understand the Lord's true will.

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.33.40)

शापं प्रत्यग्रहीच्च त्वं स मुने निर्विकारधीः । एष एव ब्रह्मसाधो सहते सोऽपि च स्वयम्

śāpaṁ pratyagrahīcca tvaṁ sa mune nirvikāradhīḥ | eṣa eva brahmasādho sahate so'pi ca svayam

And you, O sage of unwavering mind, willingly accepted that curse. This same consequence, O best of the virtuous, he too must bear of his own accord.