![[Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library Logo]](../../../grfx/bml_logo.gif){kind=logo}
Chapter Five
Frustration of the Sacrifice of Daksa
TEXT 1
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
bhavo bhavanya nidhanam prajapater
asat-krtaya avagamya naradat
sva-parsada-sainyam ca tad-adhvararbhubhir
vidravitam krodham aparam adadhe
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; bhavah--Lord Siva; bhavanyah--of Sati; nidhanam--the death; prajapateh--because of Prajapati Daksa; asat-krtayah--having been insulted; avagamya--hearing about; naradat--from Narada; sva-parsada-sainyam--the soldiers of his own associates; ca--and; tat-adhvara--(produced from) his (Daksa's) sacrifice; rbhubhih--by the Rbhus; vidravitam--were driven away; krodham--anger; aparam--unbounded; adadhe--showed.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: When Lord Siva heard from Narada that Sati, his wife, was now dead because of Prajapati Daksa's insult to her and that his soldiers had been driven away by the Rbhu demigods, he became greatly angry.
PURPORT
Lord Siva understood that Sati, being the youngest daughter of Daksa, could present the case of Lord Siva's purity of purpose and would thus be able to mitigate the misunderstanding between Daksa and himself. But such a compromise was not attained, and Sati was deliberately insulted by her father by not being received properly when she visited his house without being invited. Sati herself could have killed her father, Daksa, because she is the personified material energy and has immense power to kill and create within this material universe. In the Brahma-samhita her strength is described: she is capable of creating and dissolving many universes. But although she is so powerful, she acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, as His shadow. It would not have been difficult for Sati to punish her father, but she thought that since she was his daughter, it was not proper for her to kill him. Thus she decided to give up her own body, which she had obtained from his, and Daksa did not even check her.
When Sati passed away, giving up her body, the news was conveyed by Narada to Lord Siva. Narada always carries the news of such events because he knows their import. When Lord Siva heard that his chaste wife, Sati, was dead, he naturally became exceedingly angry. He also understood that Bhrgu Muni had created the Rbhudeva demigods by uttering the mantras of the Yajur Veda and that these demigods had driven away all of his soldiers who were present in the arena of sacrifice. Therefore, he wanted to reply to this insult, and thus he decided to kill Daksa because he was the cause of the death of Sati.
TEXT 2
TEXT
kruddhah sudastaustha-putah sa dhur-jatir
jatam tadid-vahni-satogra-rocisam
utkrtya rudrah sahasotthito hasan
gambhira-nado visasarja tam bhuvi
SYNONYMS
kruddhah--very angry; su-dasta-ostha-putah--pressing his lips with his teeth; sah--he (Lord Siva); dhuh-jatih--having a cluster of hair on his head; jatam--one hair; tadit--of electricity; vahni--of fire; sata--a flame; ugra--terrible; rocisam--blazing; utkrtya--snatching; rudrah--Lord Siva; sahasa--at once; utthitah--stood up; hasan--laughing; gambhira--deep; nadah--sound; visasarja--dashed; tam--that (hair); bhuvi--on the ground.
TRANSLATION
Thus Lord Siva, being extremely angry, pressed his lips with his teeth and immediately snatched from his head a strand of hair which blazed like electricity or fire. He stood up at once, laughing like a madman, and dashed the hair to the ground.
TEXT 3
TEXT
tato 'tikayas tanuva sprsan divam
sahasra-bahur ghana-ruk tri-surya-drk
karala-damstro jvalad-agni-murdhajah
kapala-mali vividhodyatayudhah
SYNONYMS
tatah--at this time; atikayah--a great personality (Virabhadra); tanuva--with his body; sprsan--touching; divam--the sky; sahasra--a thousand; bahuh--arms; ghana-ruk--of black color; tri-surya-drk--as bright as three suns combined; karala-damstrah--having very fearful teeth; jvalat-agni--(like) burning fire; murdhajah--having hair on his head; kapala-mali--garlanded with men's heads; vividha--various kinds; udyata--upraised; ayudhah--equipped with weapons.
TRANSLATION
A fearful black demon as high as the sky and as bright as three suns combined was thereby created, his teeth very fearful and the hairs on his head like burning fire. He had thousands of arms, equipped with various weapons, and he was garlanded with the heads of men.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tam kim karomiti grnantam aha
baddhanjalim bhagavan bhuta-nathah
daksam sa-yajnam jahi mad-bhatanam
tvam agrani rudra bhatamsako me
SYNONYMS
tam--to him (Virabhadra); kim--what; karomi--shall I do; iti--thus; grnantam--asking; aha--ordered; baddha-anjalim--with folded hands; bhagavan--the possessor of all opulences (Lord Siva); bhuta-nathah--the lord of the ghosts; daksam--Daksa; sa-yajnam--along with his sacrifice; jahi--kill; mat-bhatanam--of all my associates; tvam--you; agranih--the chief; rudra--O Rudra; bhata--O expert in battle; amsakah--born of my body; me--my.
TRANSLATION
When that gigantic demon asked with folded hands, "What shall I do, my lord?" Lord Siva, who is known as Bhutanatha, directly ordered, "Because you are born from my body, you are the chief of all my associates. Therefore, kill Daksa and his soldiers at the sacrifice."
PURPORT
Here is the beginning of competition between brahma-tejas and siva-tejas. By brahma-tejas, brahminical strength, Bhrgu Muni had created the Rbhu demigods, who had driven away the soldiers of Lord Siva stationed in the arena. When Lord Siva heard that his soldiers had been driven away, he created the tall black demon Virabhadra to retaliate. There is sometimes a competition between the mode of goodness and the mode of ignorance. That is the way of material existence. Even when one is situated in the mode of goodness, there is every possibility that his position will be mixed with or attacked by the mode of passion or ignorance. That is the law of material nature. Although pure goodness, or suddha-sattva, is the basic principle in the spiritual world, pure manifestation of goodness is not possible in this material world. Thus, the struggle for existence between different material qualities is always present. This quarrel between Lord Siva and Bhrgu Muni, centering around Prajapati Daksa, is the practical example of such competition between the different qualitative modes of material nature.
TEXT 5
TEXT
ajnapta evam kupitena manyuna
sa deva-devam paricakrame vibhum
mene-tadatmanam asanga-ramhasa
mahiyasam tata sahah sahisnum
SYNONYMS
ajnaptah--being ordered; evam--in this manner; kupitena--angry; manyuna--by Lord Siva (who is anger personified); sah--he (Virabhadra); deva-devam--he who is worshiped by the demigods; paricakrame--circumambulated; vibhum--Lord Siva; mene--considered; tada--at that time; atmanam--himself; asanga-ramhasa--with the power of Lord Siva that cannot be opposed; mahiyasam--of the most powerful; tata--my dear Vidura; sahah--strength; sahisnum--capable of coping with.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, that black person was the personified anger of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he was prepared to execute the orders of Lord Siva. Thus, considering himself capable of coping with any power offered against him, he circumambulated Lord Siva.
TEXT 6
TEXT
anviyamanah sa tu rudra-parsadair
bhrsam nadadbhir vyanadat subhairavam
udyamya sulam jagad-antakantakam
sampradravad ghosana-bhusananghrih
SYNONYMS
anviyamanah--being followed; sah--he (Virabhadra); tu--but; rudra-parsadaih--by the soldiers of Lord Siva; bhrsam--tumultuously; nadadbhih--roaring; vyanadat--sounded; su-bhairavam--very fearful; udyamya--carrying; sulam--a trident; jagat-antaka--death; antakam--killing; sampradravat--hurried towards (the sacrifice of Daksa); ghosana--roaring; bhusana-anghrih--with bangles on his legs.
TRANSLATION
Many other soldiers of Lord Siva followed the fierce personality in a tumultuous uproar. He carried a great trident, fearful enough to kill even death, and on his legs he wore bangles which seemed to roar.
TEXT 7
TEXT
athartvijo yajamanah sadasyah
kakubhy udicyam prasamiksya renum
tamah kim etat kuta etad rajo 'bhud
iti dvija dvija-patnyas ca dadhyuh
SYNONYMS
atha--at that time; rtvijah--the priests; yajamanah--the chief person performing the sacrifice (Daksa); sadasyah--all the persons assembled in the sacrificial arena; kakubhi udicyam--in the northern direction; prasamiksya--seeing; renum--the dust storm; tamah--darkness; kim--what; etat--this; kutah--from where; etat--this; rajah--dust; abhut--has come; iti--thus; dvijah--the brahmanas; dvija-patnyah--the wives of the brahmanas; ca--and; dadhyuh--began to speculate.
TRANSLATION
At that time, all the persons assembled in the sacrificial arena--the priests, the chief of the sacrificial performance, and the brahmanas and their wives--wondered where the darkness was coming from. Later they could understand that it was a dust storm, and all of them were full of anxiety.
TEXT 8
TEXT
vata na vanti na hi santi dasyavah
pracina-barhir jivati hogra-dandah
gavo na kalyanta idam kuto rajo
loko 'dhuna kim pralayaya kalpate
SYNONYMS
vatah--the winds; na vanti--are not blowing; na--not; hi--because; santi--are possible; dasyavah--plunderers; pracina-barhih--old King Barhi; jivati--is living; ha--still; ugra-dandah--who would sternly punish; gavah--the cows; na kalyante--are not being driven; idam--this; kutah--from where; rajah--dust; lokah--the planet; adhuna--now; kim--is it; pralayaya--for dissolution; kalpate--to be considered ready.
TRANSLATION
Conjecturing on the origin of the storm, they said: There is no wind blowing, and no cows are passing, nor is it possible that this dust storm could be raised by plunderers, for there is still the strong King Barhi, who would punish them. Where is this dust storm blowing from? Is the dissolution of the planet now to occur?
PURPORT
Specifically significant in this verse is pracina-barhir jivati. The king of that part of the land was known as Barhi, and although he was old, he was still living, and he was a very strong ruler. Thus there was no possibility of an invasion by thieves and plunderers. Indirectly it is stated here that thieves, plunderers, rogues and unwanted population can exist only in a state or kingdom where there is no strong ruler. When, in the name of justice, thieves are allowed liberty, the state and kingdom are disturbed by such plunderers and unwanted population. The dust storm created by the soldiers and assistants of Lord Siva resembled the situation at the time of the dissolution of this world. When there is a need for the dissolution of the material creation, this function is conducted by Lord Siva. Therefore the situation now created by him resembled the dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.
TEXT 9
TEXT
prasuti-misrah striya udvigna-citta
ucur vipako vrjinasyaiva tasya
yat pasyantinam duhitrnam prajesah
sutam satim avadadhyav anagam
SYNONYMS
prasuti-misrah--headed by Prasuti; striyah--the women; udvigna-cittah--being very anxious; ucuh--said; vipakah--the resultant danger; vrjinasya--of the sinful activity; eva--indeed; tasya--his (Daksa's); yat--because; pasyantinam--who were looking on; duhitrnam--of her sisters; prajesah--the lord of the created beings (Daksa); sutam--his daughter; satim--Sati; avadadhyau--insulted; anagam--completely innocent.
TRANSLATION
Prasuti, the wife of Daksa, along with the other women assembled, became very anxious and said: This danger has been created by Daksa because of the death of Sati, who, even though completely innocent, quit her body as her sisters looked on.
PURPORT
Prasuti, being a softhearted woman, could immediately understand that the imminent danger approaching was due to the impious activity of hardhearted Prajapati Daksa. He was so cruel that he would not save her youngest daughter, Sati, from the act of committing suicide in the presence of her sisters. Sati's mother could understand how much Sati had been pained by the insult of her father. Sati had been present along with the other daughters, and Daksa had purposely received all of them but her because she happened to be the wife of Lord Siva. This consideration convinced the wife of Daksa of the danger which was now ahead, and thus she knew that Daksa must be prepared to die for his heinous act.
TEXT 10
TEXT
yas tv anta-kale vyupta-jata-kalapah
sva-sula-sucy-arpita-dig-gajendrah
vitatya nrtyaty uditastra-dor-dhvajan
uccatta-hasa-stanayitnu-bhinna-dik
SYNONYMS
yah--who (Lord Siva); tu--but; anta-kale--at the time of dissolution; vyupta--having scattered; jata-kalapah--his bunch of hair; sva-sula--his own trident; suci--on the points; arpita--pierced; dik-gajendrah--the rulers of the different directions; vitatya--scattering; nrtyati--dances; udita--upraised; astra--weapons; doh--hands; dhvajan--flags; ucca--loud; atta-hasa--laughing; stanayitnu--by the thundering sound; bhinna--divided; dik--the directions.
TRANSLATION
At the time of dissolution, Lord Siva's hair is scattered, and he pierces the rulers of the different directions with his trident. He laughs and dances proudly, scattering their hands like flags, as thunder scatters the clouds all over the world.
PURPORT
Prasuti, who appreciated the power and strength of her son-in-law, Lord Siva, is describing what he does at the time of dissolution. This description indicates that the strength of Lord Siva is so great that Daksa's power could not be set in comparison to it. At the time of dissolution, Lord Siva, with his trident in hand, dances over the rulers of the different planets, and his hair is scattered, just as the clouds are scattered over all directions in order to plunge the different planets into incessant torrents of rain. In the last phase of dissolution, all the planets become inundated with water, and that inundation is caused by the dancing of Lord Siva. This dance is called the pralaya dance, or dance of dissolution. Prasuti could understand that the dangers ahead resulted not only from Daksa's having neglected her daughter, but also because of his neglecting the prestige and honor of Lord Siva.
TEXT 11
TEXT
amarsayitva tam asahya-tejasam
manyu-plutam durniriksyam bhru-kutya
karala-damstrabhir udasta-bhaganam
syat svasti kim kopayato vidhatuh
SYNONYMS
amarsayitva--after causing to become angry; tam--him (Lord Siva); asahya-tejasam--with an unbearable effulgence; manyu-plutam--filled with anger; durniriksyam--not able to be looked at; bhru-kutya--by the movement of his brows; karala-damstrabhih--by his fearful teeth; udasta-bhaganam--having scattered the luminaries; syat--there should be; svasti--good fortune; kim--how; kopayatah--causing (Lord Siva) to be angry; vidhatuh--of Brahma.
TRANSLATION
The gigantic black man bared his fearful teeth. By the movements of his brows he scattered the luminaries all over the sky, and he covered them with his strong, piercing effulgence. Because of the misbehavior of Daksa, even Lord Brahma, Daksa's father, could not have been saved from the great exhibition of anger.
TEXT 12
TEXT
bahv evam udvigna-drsocyamane
janena daksasya muhur mahatmanah
utpetur utpatatamah sahasraso
bhayavaha divi bhumau ca paryak
SYNONYMS
bahu--much; evam--in this manner; udvigna-drsa--with nervous glances; ucyamane--while this was being said; janena--by the persons (assembled at the sacrifice); daksasya--of Daksa; muhuh--again and again; maha-atmanah--stronghearted; utpetuh--appeared; utpata-tamah--very powerful symptoms; sahasrasah--by the thousands; bhaya-avahah--producing fear; divi--in the sky; bhumau--on the earth; ca--and; paryak--from all sides.
TRANSLATION
While all the people talked amongst themselves, Daksa saw dangerous omens from all sides, from the earth and from the sky.
PURPORT
In this verse Daksa has been described as mahatma. The word mahatma has been commented upon by different commentators in various manners. Viraraghava Acarya has indicated that this word mahatma means "steady in heart." That is to say that Daksa was so stronghearted that even when his beloved daughter was prepared to lay down her life, he was steady and unshaken. But in spite of his being so stronghearted, he was perturbed when he saw the various disturbances created by the gigantic black demon. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that even if one is called mahatma, a great soul, unless he exhibits the symptoms of a mahatma, he should be considered a duratma, or a degraded soul. In Bhagavad-gita (9.13) the word mahatma describes the pure devotee of the Lord: mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah. A mahatma is always under the guidance of the internal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus how could such a misbehaved person as Daksa be a mahatma? A mahatma is supposed to have all the good qualities of the demigods, and thus Daksa, lacking those qualities, could not be called a mahatma; he should instead be called duratma, a degraded soul. The word mahatma to describe the qualifications of Daksa is used sarcastically.
TEXT 13
TEXT
tavat sa rudranucarair maha-makho
nanayudhair vamanakair udayudhaih
pingaih pisangair makarodarananaih
paryadravadbhir viduranvarudhyata
SYNONYMS
tavat--very quickly; sah--that; rudra-anucaraih--by the followers of Lord Siva; maha-makhah--the arena of the great sacrifice; nana--various kinds; ayudhaih--with weapons; vamanakaih--of short stature; udayudhaih--upraised; pingaih--blackish; pisangaih--yellowish; makara-udara-ananaih--with bellies and faces like sharks'; paryadravadbhih--running all around; vidura--O Vidura; anvarudhyata--was surrounded.
TRANSLATION
My dear Vidura, all the followers of Lord Siva surrounded the arena of sacrifice. They were of short stature and were equipped with various kinds of weapons; their bodies appeared to be like those of sharks, blackish and yellowish. They ran all around the sacrificial arena and thus began to create disturbances.
TEXT 14
TEXT
kecid babhanjuh prag-vamsam
patni-salam tathapare
sada agnidhra-salam ca
tad-viharam mahanasam
SYNONYMS
kecit--some; babhanjuh--pulled down; prak-vamsam--the pillars of the sacrificial pandal; patni-salam--the female quarters; tatha--also; apare--others; sadah--the sacrificial arena; agnidhra-salam--the house of the priests; ca--and; tat-viharam--the house of the chief of the sacrifice; maha-anasam--the house of the kitchen department.
TRANSLATION
Some of the soldiers pulled down the pillars which were supporting the pandal of sacrifice, some of them entered the female quarters, some began destroying the sacrificial arena, and some entered the kitchen and the residential quarters.
TEXT 15
TEXT
rurujur yajna-patrani
tathaike 'gnin anasayan
kundesv amutrayan kecid
bibhidur vedi-mekhalah
SYNONYMS
rurujuh--broke; yajna-patrani--the pots used in the sacrifice; tatha--so; eke--some; agnin--the sacrificial fires; anasayan--extinguished; kundesu--on the sacrificial arenas; amutrayan--passed urine; kecit--some; bibhiduh--tore down; vedi-mekhalah--the boundary lines of the sacrificial arena.
TRANSLATION
They broke all the pots made for use in the sacrifice, and some of them began to extinguish the sacrificial fire. Some tore down the boundary line of the sacrificial arena, and some passed urine on the arena.
TEXT 16
TEXT
abadhanta munin anye
eke patnir atarjayan
apare jagrhur devan
pratyasannan palayitan
SYNONYMS
abadhanta--blocked the way; munin--the sages; anye--others; eke--some; patnih--the women; atarjayan--threatened; apare--others; jagrhuh--arrested; devan--the demigods; pratyasannan--near at hand; palayitan--who were fleeing.
TRANSLATION
Some blocked the way of the fleeing sages, some threatened the women assembled there, and some arrested the demigods who were fleeing the pandal.
TEXT 17
TEXT
bhrgum babandha maniman
virabhadrah prajapatim
candesah pusanam devam
bhagam nandisvaro 'grahit
SYNONYMS
bhrgum--Bhrgu Muni; babandha--arrested; maniman--Maniman; virabhadrah--Virabhadra; prajapatim--Prajapati Daksa; candesah--Candesa; pusanam--Pusa; devam--the demigod; bhagam--Bhaga; nandisvarah--Nandisvara; agrahit--arrested.
TRANSLATION
Maniman, one of the followers of Lord Siva, arrested Bhrgu Muni, and Virabhadra, the black demon, arrested Prajapati Daksa. Another follower, who was named Candesa, arrested Pusa. Nandisvara arrested the demigod Bhaga.
TEXT 18
TEXT
sarva evartvijo drstva
sadasyah sa-divaukasah
tair ardyamanah subhrsam
gravabhir naikadhadravan
SYNONYMS
sarve--all; eva--certainly; rtvijah--the priests; drstva--after seeing; sadasyah--all the members assembled in the sacrifice; sa-divaukasah--along with the demigods; taih--by those (stones); ardyamanah--being disturbed; su-bhrsam--very greatly; gravabhih--by stones; na ekadha--in different directions; adravan--began to disperse.
TRANSLATION
There was a continuous shower of stones, and all the priests and other members assembled at the sacrifice were put into immense misery. For fear of their lives, they dispersed in different directions.
TEXT 19
TEXT
juhvatah sruva-hastasya
smasruni bhagavan bhavah
bhrgor lulunce sadasi
yo 'hasac chmasru darsayan
SYNONYMS
juhvatah--offering sacrificial oblations; sruva-hastasya--with the sacrificial ladle in his hand; smasruni--the mustache; bhagavan--the possessor of all opulences; bhavah--Virabhadra; bhrgoh--of Bhrgu Muni; lulunce--tore out; sadasi--in the midst of the assembly; yah--who (Bhrgu Muni); ahasat--had smiled; smasru--his mustache; darsayan--showing.
TRANSLATION
Virabhadra tore off the mustache of Bhrgu, who was offering the sacrificial oblations with his hands in the fire.
TEXT 20
TEXT
bhagasya netre bhagavan
patitasya rusa bhuvi
ujjahara sada-stho 'ksna
yah sapantam asusucat
SYNONYMS
bhagasya--of Bhaga; netre--both eyes; bhagavan--Virabhadra; patitasya--having been thrust; rusa--with great anger; bhuvi--on the ground; ujjahara--plucked out; sada-sthah--while situated in the assembly of the Visvasrks; aksna--by the movement of his eyebrows; yah--who (Bhaga); sapantam--(Daksa) who was cursing (Lord Siva); asusucat--encouraged.
TRANSLATION
Virabhadra immediately caught Bhaga, who had been moving his eyebrows during Bhrgu's cursing of Lord Siva, and out of great anger thrust him to the ground and forcibly put out his eyes.
TEXT 21
TEXT
pusno hy apatayad dantan
kalingasya yatha balah
sapyamane garimani
yo 'hasad darsayan datah
SYNONYMS
pusnah--of Pusa; hi--since; apatayat--extracted; dantan--the teeth; kalingasya--of the King of Kalinga; yatha--as; balah--Baladeva; sapyamane--while being cursed; garimani--Lord Siva; yah--who (Pusa); ahasat--smiled; darsayan--showing; datah--his teeth.
TRANSLATION
Just as Baladeva knocked out the teeth of Dantavakra, the King of Kalinga, during the gambling match at the marriage ceremony of Aniruddha, Virabhadra knocked out the teeth of both Daksa, who had shown them while cursing Lord Siva, and Pusa, who by smiling sympathetically had also shown his teeth.
PURPORT
Mere a reference is made to the marriage of Aniruddha, a grandson of Lord Krsna's. He kidnapped the daughter of Dantavakra, and thereafter he was arrested. Just as he was to be punished for the kidnapping, the soldiers from Dvaraka arrived, headed by Balarama, and a fight ensued amongst the ksatriyas. This sort of fight was very common, especially during marriage ceremonies, when everyone was in a challenging spirit. In that challenging spirit, a fight was sure to occur, and in such fights there was commonly killing and misfortune. After finishing such fighting, the parties would come to a compromise, and everything would be settled. This Daksa yajna was similar to such events. Now all of them--Daksa and the demigods Bhaga and Pusa and Bhrgu Muni--were punished by the soldiers of Lord Siva, but later everything would come to a peaceful end. So this spirit of fighting between one another was not exactly inimical. Because everyone was so powerful and wanted to show his strength by Vedic mantra or mystic power, all these fighting skills were very elaborately exhibited by the different parties at the Daksa yajna.
TEXT 22
TEXT
akramyorasi daksasya
sita-dharena hetina
chindann api tad uddhartum
nasaknot tryambakas tada
SYNONYMS
akramya--having sat; urasi--on the chest; daksasya--of Daksa; sita-dharena--having a sharp blade; hetina--with a weapon; chindan--cutting; api--even though; tat--that (head); uddhartum--to separate; na asaknot--was not able; tri-ambakah--Virabhadra (who had three eyes); tada--after this.
TRANSLATION
Then Virabhadra, the giantlike personality, sat on the chest of Daksa and tried to separate his head from his body with sharp weapons, but was unsuccessful.
TEXT 23
TEXT
sastrair astranvitair evam
anirbhinna-tvacam harah
vismayam param apanno
dadhyau pasupatis ciram
SYNONYMS
sastraih--with weapons; astra-anvitaih--with hymns (mantras); evam--thus; anirbhinna--not being cut; tvacam--the skin; harah--Virabhadra; vismayam--bewilderment; param--greatest; apannah--was struck with; dadhyau--thought; pasupatih--Virabhadra; ciram--for a long time.
TRANSLATION
He tried to cut the head of Daksa with hymns as well as weapons, but still it was hard to cut even the surface of the skin of Daksa's head. Thus Virabhadra was exceedingly bewildered.
TEXT 24
TEXT
drstva samjnapanam yogam
pasunam sa patir makhe
yajamana-pasoh kasya
kayat tenaharac chirah
SYNONYMS
drstva--having seen; samjnapanam--for the killing of the animals in the sacrifice; yogam--the device; pasunam--of the animals; sah--he (Virabhadra); patih--the lord; makhe--in the sacrifice; yajamana-pasoh--who was an animal in the form of the chief of the sacrifice; kasya--of Daksa; kayat--from the body; tena--by that (device); aharat--severed; sirah--his head.
TRANSLATION
Then Virabhadra saw the wooden device in the sacrificial arena by which the animals were to have been killed. He took the opportunity of this facility to behead Daksa.
PURPORT
In this connection it is to be noted that the device used for killing animals in the sacrifice was not designed to facilitate eating their flesh. The killing was specifically intended to give a new life to the sacrificed animal by the power of Vedic mantra. The animals were sacrificed to test the strength of Vedic mantras; yajnas were performed as a test of the mantra. Even in the modern age, tests are executed on animal bodies in the physiology laboratory. Similarly, whether or not the brahmanas were uttering the Vedic hymns correctly was tested by sacrifice in the arena. On the whole, the animals thus sacrificed were not at all the losers. Some old animals would be sacrificed, but in exchange for their old bodies they received other, new bodies. That was the test of Vedic mantras. Virabhadra, instead of sacrificing animals with the wooden device, immediately beheaded Daksa, to the astonishment of everyone.
TEXT 25
TEXT
sadhu-vadas tada tesam
karma tat tasya pasyatam
bhuta-preta-pisacanam
anyesam tad-viparyayah
SYNONYMS
sadhu-vadah--joyful exclamation; tada--at that time; tesam--of those (followers of Lord Siva); karma--action; tat--that; tasya--of him (Virabhadra); pasyatam--seeing; bhuta-preta-pisacanam--of the bhutas (ghosts), pretas and pisacas; anyesam--of the others (in the party of Daksa); tat-viparyayah--the opposite of that (an exclamation of grief).
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the action of Virabhadra, the party of Lord Siva was pleased and cried out joyfully, and all the bhutas, ghosts and demons that had come made a tumultuous sound. On the other hand, the brahmanas in charge of the sacrifice cried out in grief at the death of Daksa.
TEXT 26
TEXT
juhavaitac chiras tasmin
daksinagnav amarsitah
tad-deva-yajanam dagdhva
pratisthad guhyakalayam
SYNONYMS
juhava--sacrificed as an oblation; etat--that; sirah--head; tasmin--in that; daksina-agnau--in the sacrificial fire on the southern side; amarsitah--Virabhadra, being greatly angry; tat--of Daksa; deva-yajanam--the arrangements for the sacrifice to the demigods; dagdhva--having set fire; pratisthat--departed; guhyaka-alayam--to the abode of the Guhyakas (Kailasa).
TRANSLATION
Virabhadra then took the head and with great anger threw it into the southern side of the sacrificial fire, offering it as an oblation. In this way the followers of Lord Siva devastated all the arrangements for sacrifice. After setting fire to the whole arena, they departed for their master's abode, Kailasa.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Frustration of the Sacrifice of Daksa."