Vīrabhadra tried unsuccessfully to separate Dakṣa's head from his body with weapons. He was bewildered by his inability to cut through Dakṣa's skin. Vīrabhadra then saw the wooden device used to kill sacrificial animals and decided to use it to behead Dakṣa. Śiva's followers were pleased, while the priests performing the sacrifice cried out in grief over Dakṣa's death. Vīrabhadra then threw Dakṣa's head into the sacrificial fire and set fire to the sacrificial arena before departing for Kailāsa with Śiva's followers.

1. Canto 4: The Creation of the Fourth Order
CHAPTER FIVE
Frustration of the Sacrifice of Dakṣa

2. ŚB 4.5.22
आक्रम्योरसि दक्षस्य सितधारेण हेसतना ।
सिन्दन्नसि तदुद्धतुुं नािक्नोत् त्र्यम्बकस्तदा ॥ २२ ॥
ākramyorasi dakṣasya
śita-dhāreṇa hetinā
chindann api tad uddhartuṁ
nāśaknot tryambakas tadā
Translation
Then Vīrabhadra, the giantlike personality, sat on the chest of
Dakṣa and tried to separate his head from his body with sharp
weapons, but was unsuccessful.
ஆக்ரம்ய ோரஸி தக்ஷஸ
்
ஸித - தோயரண யேதினோ
சிந்தன
்ன அபி தத் உத்தர்தும்
நோஸக்யனோத் த்ர ம்பகஸ
் ததோ

3. ŚB 4.5.23
िस्त्रैरस्त्रान्वितैरेवमसनसभिन्नत्वचं हर: ।
सवस्मयं िरमािन्नो दध्यौ ििुिसतसिरम् ॥ २३ ॥
śastrair astrānvitair evam
anirbhinna-tvacaṁ haraḥ
vismayaṁ param āpanno
dadhyau paśupatiś ciram
Translation
He tried to cut the head of Dakṣa with hymns as well as
weapons, but still it was hard to cut even the surface of the
skin of Dakṣa’s head. Thus Vīrabhadra was exceedingly
bewildered.
த்ரரர் அஸ
் த்ரோன
்விரதர் ஏவம்
அநிர்பின்ன - த்வசம் ேர:
விஸ
் ம ம் பரம் ஆபன
் யனோ
தத்ய ௌ பஸுபதிஸ
் சிரம்

4. ŚB 4.5.24
दृष्ट्वा िंज्ञिनं योगं ििूनां ि िसतमिखे ।
यजमानििो: कस्य कायात्तेनाहरन्विर: ॥ २४ ॥
dṛṣṭvā saṁjñapanaṁ yogaṁ
paśūnāṁ sa patir makhe
yajamāna-paśoḥ kasya
kāyāt tenāharac chiraḥ
Translation
Then Vīrabhadra 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 Dakṣa.
த்ருஷ
் ட்வோ ஸம்ஜ்ஞோப்பனம் ய ோகம்
பஸுனோம் ஸ பதிர் மயக
ஜமோன - பயஸோ: கஸ
்
கோ த் யதனோேரச் சிர:

5. 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; yajñas 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 brāhmaṇas 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.
• Vīrabhadra, instead of sacrificing animals with the wooden device, immediately
beheaded Dakṣa, to the astonishment of everyone.

6. ŚB 4.5.25
िाधुवादस्तदा तेषां कमि तत्तस्य िश्यताम् ।
भूतप्रेतसििाचानां अन्येषां तसिियिय: ॥ २५ ॥
sādhu-vādas tadā teṣāṁ
karma tat tasya paśyatām
bhūta-preta-piśācānāṁ
anyeṣāṁ tad-viparyayaḥ
Translation
Upon seeing the action of Vīrabhadra, the party of Lord Śiva was
pleased and cried out joyfully, and all the bhūtas, ghosts and
demons that had come made a tumultuous sound. On the other
hand, the brāhmaṇas in charge of the sacrifice cried out in grief at
the death of Dakṣa.
ஸோது - வோதஸ
் ததோ யதஷோம்
கர்ம தத் தஸ
் பஸ
் தோம்
பூத - ப்யரத - பிஸோசோனோம்
அன
் ய ஷோம் தத் - விபர் :

7. ŚB 4.5.26
जुहावैतन्विरस्तन्वस्मन्दसक्षणाग्नावमसषित: ।
तद्देवयजनं दग्ध्वा प्रासतष्ठद् 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.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam, entitled “Frustration of the Sacrifice of Dakṣa.”
ஜுேோரவதச் சிரஸ
் தஸ
் மின
்
தக்ஷினோக்யனௌ அமர்ஷித:
தத் - யதவ - ஜனம் தக்த்வோ
ப்ரோதிஷ
் டத் குே
் கோல ம்

8. • Shiva - Ashutosh means one who is easily pleased
• Daksha – Manasa putra od Brahma
• Krishna – Who never fall- Achutha
• Sathi-Dhakshayani
• Brahmanas – Head – who guide all varnas
• Three modes of material nature – Natures law
• Anger and sadness of Shiva
• Virabhadra – Incarnation of Mars/Mangala- Demon
• Weapons – Successful/ unsuccessful – Kaliyuga (Harinam is greatest weapon)
கயலர் யதோஷ-நியத ரோஜன
்
அஸ
் தி ஹி ஏயகோ மேோன
் குண:
கீர்த்தனோத் ஏவ க்ருே
் ணஸ
்
முக்த-ஸங்க: பரம் வ்ரயஜத்
• wooden device in the sacrificial arena used to cut the head of Daksa
• 51 Shakthi Pita – Bimala Temple; Kamakshi Temple; Varanasi etc.,
• Material body is temperory; soul is eternal
• Himavan (Himalaya) – Malayatvajan – Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar