Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ततः प्राचेतसो दक्षो जज्ञे वै चाक्षुषे ऽन्तरे प्राचीनबर्हिषः पौत्रः पुत्रश्चैव प्रचेतसाम्

Then Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, was indeed born in the Cākṣuṣa period, as the grandson of Prācīnabarhis and the son of the Pracetas.

भृग्वादयो ऽपि जाता वै मनोर्वैवस्वतस्य तु अंतरे ब्रह्मणो यज्ञे वारुणीं बिभ्रतस्तनुम्

Bhṛgu and others were also born during the sacrifice of Brahmā, who was upholding the Vāruṇī form, in the interval of Manu Vaivasvata.

तदा दक्षस्य धर्मार्थं यज्ञे तस्य दुरात्मनः महेशः कृतवान्विघ्नं मना ववस्वते सति

Then, for the sake of Dakṣa’s righteousness, in the sacrifice of that evil-minded one, Maheśa caused an obstacle, while Manu Vaivasvata was present.

कथं दक्षस्य धर्मार्थं प्रवृत्तस्य दुरात्मनः महेशः कृतवान् विघ्नमेतदिच्छाम वेदितुम्

How did Maheśa cause this obstacle in the sacrifice undertaken by the evil-minded Dakṣa for the sake of righteousness? We wish to know this.

विश्वस्य जगतो मातुरपि देव्यास्तपोबलात् पितृभावमुपागम्य मुदिते हिमवद्गिरौ

By the power of her austerity, the goddess, mother of the universe, attained the status of a daughter to Himavat, rejoicing on the snowy mountain.

देवे ऽपि तत्कृतोद्वाहे हिमवच्छिखरालये संकीडति तया सार्धं काले बहुतरे गते

When the gods had arranged her marriage there on the summit of Himavat, after much time had passed, she sported together with him.

वैवस्वते ऽंतरे प्राप्ते दक्षः प्राचेतसः स्वयम् अश्वमेधेन यज्ञेन यक्ष्यमाणो ऽन्वपद्यत

When the period of Vaivasvata arrived, Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, himself undertook an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

ततो हिमवतः पृष्ठे दक्षो वै यज्ञमाहरत् गंगाद्वारे शुभे देशे ऋषिसिद्धनिषेविते

Then Dakṣa performed a sacrifice on the slopes of Himavat, at Gaṅgādvāra, in a blessed place frequented by sages and siddhas.

तस्य तस्मिन्मखेदेवाः सर्वे शक्र पुरोगमाः गमनाय समागम्य बुद्धिमापेदिरे तदा

At that sacrifice, all the gods, with Indra at their head, gathered together and decided to go there.

आदित्या वसवो रुद्रास्साध्यास्सह मरुद्गणैः ऊष्मपाः सोमपाश्चैव आज्यपा धूमपास्तथा

The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, along with the hosts of Maruts, the Ūṣmapās, Somapās, Ājyapās, and Dhūmapās as well,

अश्विनौ पितरश्चैव तथा चान्ये महर्षयः विष्णुना सहिताः सर्वे स्वागता यज्ञभागिनः

The Aśvins, the Pitṛs, and other great sages, all accompanied by Viṣṇu, arrived as honored participants in the sacrifice.

दृष्ट्वा देवकुलं सर्वमीश्वरेण विनागतम् दधीचो मन्युनाविष्टो दक्षमेवमभाषत

Seeing the entire assembly of gods present without Īśvara, Dadhīci, filled with anger, spoke to Dakṣa as follows:

अप्रपूज्ये चैव पूजा पूज्यानां चाप्य पूजने नरः पापमवाप्नोति महद्वै नात्र संशयः

If worship is offered to one who is not worthy, or if the worthy are not worshipped, a man incurs great sin—of this there is no doubt.

असतां संमतिर्यत्र सतामवमतिस्तथा दंडो देवकृतस्तत्र सद्यः पतति दारुणः

Where the approval of the wicked prevails and the good are disrespected, there the punishment inflicted by the gods falls immediately and terribly.

एवमुक्त्वा तु विप्रर्षिः पुनर्दक्षमभाषत पूज्यं तु पशुभर्तारं कस्मान्नार्चयसे प्रभुम्

Having spoken thus, the sage again addressed Dakṣa: 'Why do you not worship the Lord, the master of beings, who is to be honored?'

संति मे बहवो रुद्राः शूलहस्ताः कपर्दिनः एकादशावस्थिता ये नान्यं वेद्मि महेश्वरम्

There are many Rudras of mine, bearing tridents and matted hair, eleven in number, who stand ready; I know no other Great Lord.

किमेभिरमरैरन्यैः पूजितैरध्वरे फलम् राजा चेदध्वरस्यास्य न रुद्रः पूज्यते त्वया

What use are these other gods, honored in the sacrifice, if you, O king, do not worship Rudra in this ritual?

ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां स्रष्टा यः प्रभुरव्ययः ब्रह्मादयः पिशाचांता यस्य कैंकर्यवादिनः

He is the imperishable Lord, the creator of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara; from Brahma down to the spirits, all are his servants.

प्रकृतीनां परश्चैव पुरुषस्य च यः परः चिंत्यते योगविद्वद्भि ऋषिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

He is beyond the elements and beyond the person; he is contemplated by yogis and sages who see the truth.

अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म ह्यसच्च सदसच्च यत् अनादिमध्यनिधनमप्रतर्क्यं सनातनम्

He is the supreme, imperishable Brahman, which is neither existent nor non-existent, without beginning, middle, or end, inconceivable, and eternal.

यः स्रष्टा चैव संहर्ता भर्ता चैव महेश्वरः तस्मादन्यं न पश्यामि शंकरात्मानमध्वरे

He is the creator, the destroyer, the sustainer—Maheshvara; therefore, I see no other self of Shankara in the sacrifice.

एतन्मखेशस्य सुवर्णपात्रे हविः समस्तं विधिमंत्रपूतम् विष्णोर्नयाम्यप्रतिमस्य भागं प्रभोर्विभज्यावहनीयमद्य

This entire oblation, purified by rite and mantra, should be brought today in a golden vessel as the share of the matchless Lord Vishnu, the master of the sacrifice.

यस्मान्नाराधितो रुद्रस्सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरः तस्माद्दक्ष तवाशेषो यज्ञो ऽयं न भविष्यति

Because Rudra, the Lord of all gods and lords, has not been worshipped, therefore, Daksha, your entire sacrifice will not succeed.

इत्युक्त्वा वचनं क्रुद्धो दधीचो मुनिसत्तमः निर्गम्य च ततो देशाज्जगाम स्वकमाश्रमम्

Having spoken thus, the great sage Dadhichi, enraged, departed from that place and went to his own hermitage.

निर्गते ऽपि मुनौ तस्मिन्देवा दक्षं न तत्यजुः अवश्यमनुभावित्वादनर्थस्य तु भाविनः

Even after the sage had left, the gods did not abandon Daksha, for they were compelled to experience the misfortune that was destined.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु ज्ञात्वैतत्सर्वमीश्वरात् दग्धुं दक्षाध्वरं विप्रा देवी देवमचोदयत्

At that very moment, knowing all this from the Lord, the goddess urged the god to burn up Daksha's sacrifice, O brahmins.

देव्या संचोदितो देवो दक्षाध्वरजिघांसया ससर्ज सहसा वीरं वीरभद्रं गणेश्वरम्

Prompted by the goddess, the god, wishing to destroy Daksha's sacrifice, suddenly created the mighty Virabhadra, lord of the hosts.

सहस्रवदनं देवं सहस्रकमलेक्षणम् सहस्रमुद्गरधरं सहस्रशरपाणिकम्

That god had a thousand faces, a thousand lotus-like eyes, a thousand clubs in hand, and a thousand quivers of arrows.

शूलटंकगदाहस्तं दीप्तकार्मुकधारिणम् चक्रवज्रधरं घोरं चंद्रार्धकृतशेखरम्

He held a trident, axe, and mace in his hands, bore a blazing bow, wielded a discus and thunderbolt, was terrifying, and wore the crescent moon as his crest.