Viṣṇu said:—

1. O Dakṣa, protection shall be offered to your sacrifice. My promise of protecting Dharma is truly well known.

2. You have stated the truth, but you have transgressed the same. O Dakṣa listen, I shall tell you. Cast off your cruelty.

3. What transpired at Naimiṣa, the holy place in a surprisingly mysterious manner is evidently not remembered by you, O Dakṣa. Did you forget it in your evil way?

4. Who can save you from Rudra’s anger? O Dakṣa, a person who protects you, the wicked one, finds no approval anywhere.

5. An evil-minded man does not see what is good and what is not. A sacred action or rite cannot be efficacious always.

6. You must know that to be your duty which is naturally efficacious. Except Śiva none can be the bestower of action.

7. Śiva bestows the fruit of the actions upon the person who is tranquil on account of devotion to the lord and whose mind is fixed in him alone.

8. Depending upon Knowledge alone if they eschew devotion to God they will fall into hell and remain there for hundreds of crores of Kalpas.

9. Those who solely depend on actions are bound by its nooses, are born in lives after lives and are finally scorched and tortured in hells.

10. Here, Vīrabhadra, the chief of Rudra’s attendants, who suppresses all his enemies and who is born of the fire of Rudra’s anger has now come to the sacrificial yard.

11. There is no doubt in this that he has come for destroying us. There is nothing impossible for him to do, whatever it may be really.

12. It is certain that this great lord will become tranquil only after burning us all.

13. Since by my mistake I have transgressed the affirmation of lord Śiva, I too shall bear the miseries along with you.

14. O Dakṣa, I have no power to prevent this since I have become an enemy of Śiva by transgressing his affirmation.

15. There can be no happiness to the enemies of Śiva in the three periods of time; misery has of necessity been invited by me along with you.

16. My discus Sudarśana will not hit him. My discus is Śaiva (belonging to Śiva) and it can cause the death of only non-Śaivas.

17. Even if Vīrabhadra had not been here, this discus would have killed us and returned to Siva.

18. This discus has remained without killing me, although I had transgressed the avowal of Śiva. It indicates that it is compassionate.

19. Hereafter this discus will not stay with me. With its fiery effusions it will depart quickly.

20. Even if he is worshipped and honoured by us with respect, Vīrabhadra will not protect us since he is extremely angry.

21. A sudden dissolution of every one of us is imminent. Alas, it has already set upon us.

22. There is none to offer us refuge in the three worlds. Who can be the refuge of an enemy of Śiva in this world?

23. Even if the body undergoes destruction, the torture at the hands of Yama is in store for us. It is impossible to bear as it generates much misery.

24. On seeing an enemy of Śiva, Yama gnashes his teeth. He puts him in cauldrons of oil and not otherwise.

25. Actually I was preparing to leave after an open declaration. Still I did not leave immediately by the contagious sin of this wicked person.

26. Even if we flee from this place, Vīrabhadra the devotee of Śiva, will drag and pull us by means of his weapons.

27. Whether it is heaven or earth, Pātāla or any where else, it is not difficult for the weapons of Vīrabhadra to gain access there.

28. Such is the power of everyone of the attendants of the trident-bearing Rudra.

29. Formerly at Kāśī, Kālabhairava had plucked off the fifth head of Brahmā playfully with the tip of his nail.

30. After saying this, Viṣṇu resumed his seat, his lotus-face showing signs of great fear. At the same time Vīrabhadra too reached the sacrificial platform.

31. While Viṣṇu was saying this, the gods and others saw the vast ocean of the army led by Vīrabhadra already come there.

Shiva Purana 2.2.35.: Viṣṇu’s statement.:

विष्णुरुवाच |

मया रक्षा विधातव्य तव यज्ञस्य दक्ष वै |
ख्यातो मम पणः सत्यो धर्मस्य परिपालनम् 24

तत्सत्यं तु त्वयोक्तं हि किं तत्तस्य व्यतिक्रमः |
शृणु त्वं वचम्यहं दक्ष क्रूरबुद्धिं त्यजधुना 25

नैमिषे निमिषक्षेत्रे यज्जतं वृत्तमद्भुतम् |
तत्किं न स्मर्यते दक्ष विस्मृतं किं कुबुद्धिना 26

रुद्रकोपच्च को ह्यत्र समर्थो रक्षणे तव |
न यस्याभिमतं दक्ष यस्त्वां रक्षति दुर्मतिः 27

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति तत्र पश्यसि दुर्मते |
समर्थं केवलं कर्म न भविष्यति सर्वदा 28

स्वकर्मविद्धि तद्येन समर्थत्वेन जायते |
न त्वन्याः कर्मणो दाता शं भवेदीश्वरं विना 29

ईश्वरस्य च यो भक्त्या शतस्तद्गतमानसः |
कर्मणो हि फलं तस्य प्रयच्छति तदा शिवः 30

केवलं ज्ञानमाश्रित्य निरीश्वरपरा नाराः |
निरयं ते च गच्छन्ति कल्पकोटिषानि च 31

पुन: कर्ममयैः पशैरवधा जन्मनि जन्मनि |
निरयेषु प्रपच्यन्ते केवलं कर्मरूपिणः 32

अयं रुद्रगणाधीशो वीरभद्रोऽरि मर्दनः |
रुद्रकोपाग्निसंभूतः समयातोध्वरंगने 33

अयामास्माद्विनाशार्थमगतोस्तोस्ति न संशयः |
अश्क्यमस्य नास्त्येव किमप्यस्तु तु वस्तुतः 34

प्रज्वल्यस्मानयनं सर्वान् ध्रुवमेव महाप्रभुः |I
ततः प्रशस्तहृदयो भविष्यति न संशयः 35

श्रीमहादेवशपथम् समुल्लघ्य भ्रमन्मय |
यतः स्थितं ततः प्राप्यं मया दुःखं त्वया सह 36

शक्तिर्मम तु नास्त्येव दक्षद्यैतनिवारणे |
शापथोल्लंघनादेव शिवद्रोही यतोस्म्यहम् 37

कालत्रयेपि न यतो महेषद्रोहिणां सुखम् |
ततोऽवश्यं मया प्राप्तं दुःखमाद्य त्वया सह 38

सुदर्शनाभिधं चक्रमेतस्मिन्न लगिष्यति |
शैवचक्रमिदं यस्मादशैवल्यकारणम् 39

विनापि वीरभद्रेण नमैतच्चक्रमैश्वरम् |
हत्वा गमिष्यत्यधुना सत्वरं हरसन्निधौ 40

शैवं शपथमुल्लंघ्य स्थितं माम् चक्रमिद्शम् |
असंहत्यैव सहसा कृपायैव स्थिरं परम् 41

अत: परमिदं चक्रमपि न स्थास्यति ध्रुवम् |
गमिष्यत्यधुना शिघ्रं ज्वलामालासमाकुलम् 42

वीरभद्रः पूजितोपि सिघ्रमस्माभिरदरात |
महाक्रोधसमाक्रान्तो नस्मान्सरक्षयिष्यति 43

अकाण्डप्रलयोऽस्माकमागतोद्य हि हा हा हा |
हा हा बता तवेदनि नाशोस्माकमुपस्थितः 44

शरण्योऽस्माकमधुना नास्तयेव हि जगत्त्रये |
शंकरद्रोहिनो लोके कषाराण्यो भविष्यति 45

तनुनाशेपि संप्राप्यस्तैश्चपि यमयतानाः |
तनैव शाक्यते सोधुं बहुदुःखप्रदायिनीः 46

शिवद्रोहीनामलोक्य दष्टदान्तो यमः स्वयम् |
तप्ततैलकत्थेषु पातयत्येव नान्यथा 47

गन्तुमेवाहमुद्ययुक्तं सर्वथा शपथोत्तरम् |
तथापि न गतशिघ्रं दुष्टसत्सर्गपापतः 48

यदाद्य क्रियतेस्माभिः पलायनमितस्तदा |
सर्वो न कर्षकशस्त्रैरस्मानकर्षयिष्यति 49

स्वर्गे वा भुवि पाताले यत्र कुत्रापि वा यतः |
श्रीवीरभद्रशास्त्राणां गमनं न हि दुर्लभ भम 50

यावतश्च गणसंति श्रीरुद्रस्य त्रिशूलिनः |
तवतामपि सर्वेषां शक्तिरेतादृशि धुवम् 51

श्रीकलाभैरवः काश्यं नखग्रेणैव लीलया |
पुरा शिरश्च चिच्चेदा पंचमं ब्राह्मणो ध्रुवम् 52

एतदुक्त्वा स्थितो विष्णुरतित्रस्तमुखाम्बुजः |
वीरभद्रोपि संप्राप तदैवध्वरमण्डपम् 53

एवं ब्रुवति गोविंदा अगतं सैनिकसागरम् |
वीरभद्रेण सहितं ददृशुष्च सुरदय 54

स्वातिरिक्ततया ज्ञातं मायया परमं पदम् । अन्यथा चान्यथा भ्रान्त्या प्रवदन्ति च केचन ॥ ६० ॥ पञ्चविंशकमित्याहुस्तदेव परमं पदम् । अन्ये षड्विंशकं प्राहुस्तथान्ये सप्तविंशकम् ॥ ६१ ॥ तथान्ये शतसाहस्रसङ्ख्यासङ्ख्येयमास्तिक ! । प्राहुः सङ्ख्याविनिर्मुक्तं परं तत्त्वं शिवाभिधम् ॥ ६२ ॥ सङ्ख्यासङ्ख्येयनिर्मुक्तं सङ्ख्यासङ्ख्येयसाक्षिणम् । सङ्ख्यासङ्ख्येयचित्रस्य भित्तिभूतं सदोदितम् ॥ ६३ ॥

Translation
The supreme state, when perceived as separate from the self, is due to the delusion of Māyā. Some, under the influence of confusion, describe it in different ways. (60) Some declare this supreme state to consist of twenty-five principles (Tattvas), while others claim it consists of twenty-six, and yet others say it comprises twenty-seven. (61) O noble one! Some even speak of it in terms of hundreds or thousands of categories, yet some describe the supreme reality—called Śiva—as beyond all enumeration. (62) It is free from both finite and infinite numerical classifications, the witness of all numbers and categories, the ever-present foundation upon which all distinctions appear. (63)

सत्यं विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्मानन्दमकल्मषम् । अहमर्थतया श्रुत्या गुरूक्त्या स्वानुभूतितः ॥ ६४ ॥ पश्यन् योगी परिज्ञानानिर्वाणं याति सत्तम ! । ब्रह्मैव सन्नयं साक्षाद्ब्रह्माप्नोति सनातनम् ॥ ६५ ॥ विमुक्तो मुच्यतेऽज्ञानाद्विज्ञानादेव केवलम् । अज्ञानस्य विनाशेन संसारश्च विनश्यति ॥ ६६ ॥ यदात्मानात्मविज्ञानाद्दग्धाविद्यो भवेत् पुमान् । जीवन्मुक्तस्तदा तस्य कर्मलेपो न विद्यते ॥ ६७ ॥
Translation
The supreme reality is truth, pure consciousness, and bliss— it is Brahman, the stainless, infinite bliss. This is affirmed by Śruti, the words of the Guru, and one's direct experience, wherein it is realized as the very essence of the "I." (64) Seeing this truth through perfect knowledge, the yogi attains liberation, O noble one! Being Brahman itself, he directly realizes the eternal Brahman. (65) One who is liberated is freed from ignorance solely through true knowledge. With the destruction of ignorance, the cycle of worldly existence also comes to an end. (66) When a person realizes the distinction between the self and the non-self, ignorance is burned away completely. Such a being, now liberated while still alive (jīvanmukta), is untouched by the consequences of past actions. (67)

अनारब्धानि कर्माणि पुण्यपापात्मकानि तु । ज्ञानाग्निनैव दग्धानि भवेयुर्न हि संशयः ॥ ६८ ॥ देहेनारब्धकर्माणि फलभोगेन केवलम् । विनश्यन्ति न तु ज्ञानात् तथा चाह परा श्रुतिः ॥ ६९ ॥ श्रुत्युक्तार्थो न चोद्यार्हः खलु सर्वजनैरपि । यथोपदेशं सङ्ग्राह्यः केवलं वेदवित्तम! ॥ ७० ॥ अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन? श्रुत्यर्थो निखिलो मया । करामलकवद्ब्रह्मन् ! यथावत् कथितस्तव ॥ ७१ ॥
Translation
The accumulated (anārabdha) karmas, whether virtuous or sinful, are completely burned away by the fire of knowledge—there is no doubt about this. (68) The karmas that have already begun to bear fruit (ārabdha karma) are exhausted only through experiencing their results in the body, but not merely by knowledge alone—so declares the supreme Śruti. (69) The meaning of Śruti is not to be debated by everyone, O knower of the Vedas! It should be grasped only as taught by proper instruction. (70) What more needs to be said? O Brāhmin! I have explained the entire meaning of Śruti to you exactly as it is—clear as an āmalaka fruit in one's palm. (71)

~ Skanda Purāṇa Saura Saṃhitā Ch-16