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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
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Canto 4 · Chapter 5: Frustration of the Sacrifice of Dakṣa
4.5.254.6.1-2

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.5.26

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Conjecturing on the origin of the storm, theysince 4.5.8inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

जुहावैतच्छिरस्तस्मिन्दक्षिणाग्नावमर्षित: ।

तद्देवयजनं दग्ध्वा प्रातिष्ठद् गुह्यकालयम् ॥ २६ ॥

juhāvaitac chiras tasmin

dakṣiṇāgnāv amarṣitaḥ

tad-deva-yajanaṁ dagdhvā

prātiṣṭhad guhyakālayam

Translation

Vīrabhadra 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 Śiva devastated all the arrangements for sacrifice. After setting fire to the whole arena, they departed for their master’s abode, Kailāsa.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Sacrificial Arrangements Are Devastated

  1. 1

    In great anger, Vīrabhadra threw Dakṣa’s head into the southern side of the sacrificial fire, offering it as an oblation.

  2. 2

    The followers of Lord Śiva devastated all the arrangements for the sacrifice and set fire to the whole arena.

  3. 3

    After this destruction, they departed for Kailāsa, the abode of their master.

Key points from the purport
  • Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Frustration of the Sacrifice of Dakṣa.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Humiliation and anger → Reconciliation. Relational offense leads to grief and destruction before restoration.

Chapters 1–7 of Canto 4: Dakṣa, Satī and Śiva. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 5: Frustration of the Sacrifice of Dakṣa

Lord Śiva’s soldiers destroy Dakṣa’s sacrificial arena, and Vīrabhadra beheads Dakṣa.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.5
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. juhāvasacrificed as an oblation
  2. etatthat
  3. śiraḥhead
  4. tasminin that
  5. dakṣiṇa-agnauin the sacrificial fire on the southern side
  6. amarṣitaḥVīrabhadra, being greatly angry
  7. tatof Dakṣa
  8. deva-yajanamthe arrangements for the sacrifice to the demigods
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does the destruction of all the sacrificial arrangements make me reflect on?

Practice

Summarize the verse in three steps: the offering, the destruction and the departure.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe Sacrificial Arrangements Are DevastatedThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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