Text 14]
The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa
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brāhmaṇas, you always protect the regulative principles followed by them, just as a cowherd boy keeps a stick in his hand to give protection to the cows.
PURPORT
The specific function of a human being in society, irrespective of his social status, is to practice control of the mind and senses by observing the regulative principles enjoined in the Vedic  śāstras . Lord Śiva is called  paśupati  because he protects the living entities in their developed consciousness so that they may follow the Vedic system of  varṇa  and  āśrama . The word  paśu  refers to the animal as well as to the human entity. It is stated here that Lord Śiva is always interested in protecting the animals and the animal-like living entities who are not very advanced in the spiritual sense. It is also stated that the  brāhmaṇas  are produced from the mouth of the Supreme Lord. We should always remember that Lord Śiva is being addressed as the representative of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. In the Vedic literature it is described that the  brāhmaṇas  are born from the mouth of the universal form of Viṣṇu, the  kṣatriyas  are born from His arms, the  vaiśyas  are born from His abdomen or waist, and the  śūdras  are born from His legs. In the formation of a body, the head is the principal factor. The  brāhmaṇas  are born from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to accept charity for worship of Viṣṇu and to spread Vedic knowledge. Lord Śiva is known as  paśupati , the protector of the  brāhmaṇas  and other living entities. He protects them from the attacks of non- brāhmaṇas , or uncultured persons who are against the self-realization process.
Another feature of this word is that persons who are simply attached to the ritualistic portion of the  Vedas  and do not understand the situation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not any more advanced than animals. In the beginning of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  it is confirmed that even though one performs the rituals of the  Vedas , if he does not develop a sense of  Kṛṣṇa  consciousness, then all his labor in performing Vedic rituals is considered to be simply a waste of time. Lord Śiva's aim in destroying the Dakṣa  yajña  was to punish Dakṣa because by neglecting him (Lord Śiva), Dakṣa was committing a great offense. Lord Śiva's punishment was just like that of a cowherd boy who keeps a stick to frighten his animals. It is commonly said that to give protection to animals, a stick is needed because animals cannot reason and argue. Their reasoning and argument is  argumentum ad baculum ; unless there is a rod, they do not obey. Force is required for the animalistic class of men, whereas those who are advanced are convinced by reasons, arguments and scriptural authority.