[Advaita-l] Stories from the Shiva Purana - 8 (Destruction of Daksha’s Sacrifice)

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from the previous post. Shiva's absence in presiding at Daksha's Sacrifice ultimately results in its ruin:
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226048.html
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226057.html
Section 2.2, Chapters 28-37)
 
 
Sati saw the moon in the company of Rohini going to the sacrifice of Daksha. Sati asked Vijaya, her maiden-in-chief, her beloved friend, who went near
the moon and asked him, “Where are you going?”
 
On hearing what Vijaya said, the moon mentioned everything about the sacrificial festival of Daksha, with great respect. On hearing what the moon
told her, Vijaya was greatly agitated and mentioned it immediately to goddess Sati. On hearing it, Sati, the goddess Kalika, was surprised. She thought
over the possible reason, but not knowing it she mused like this: “Daksha is my father. Virini is my mother. I am their beloved daughter Sati. Why did
they not invite me? Have they forgotten their own beloved daughter? I shall ask Shiva respectfully the reason for the same.” Thinking thus, she decided
to go to Him.
 
After seeing her husband, the Lord Shiva, the daughter of Daksha came near Him quickly in order to ask Him the reason. Lovingly Shiva took his beloved
on His lap and delighted her with pleasing words. Lord Shiva said, “Daksha is very well your father, dear. O gentle lady, those who go to another man’s
house without being invited attain disrespect which is more serious than even death. Hence you and I particularly shall not go to Daksha’s sacrifice.
O beloved, I have told you the truth.”
 
Sati said, “O Shiva, Lord of all, You by whom sacrifice becomes fruitful have not been invited by my father, thus he has committed a foul deed. Hence,
O Shiva, I wish to know the trend of thought of that evil-minded person as well as that of the celestial sages and all other wicked persons assembled
there. Hence O Lord, I wish to go to the sacrifice of my father. O Lord Shiva, please grant me permission to go there.”
 
Shiva said, “O Goddess, if this is what you wish, if you think it needful to go, O righteous one, you can immediately start for your father’s sacrifice
with My willing permission.”
 
Sati reached the place where the colourful sacrifice accompanied by the enthusiasm of devas, asuras, great sages etc. was in progress. Even after
seeing her, Daksha did not show any sign or gesture of love or respect. The others too deluded by Shiva’s Maya did not receive her out of fear of Daksha.
 
Sati said, “How is it that Shiva who is highly auspicious and by whom the entire universe of the mobile and the immobile is sanctified, has not been invited
by you? What is that sacrifice without Shiva who is sacrifice Himself, the performer of sacrifice, the fee of sacrifice, the adjunct of sacrifice and the
foremost of those who know sacrifice itself.”
 
Daksha said, “Gentle lady, nothing shall be gained by your speaking so much here. You can go or stay. Why at all did you come? Your husband Shiva is known
to the wise as inauspicious. He is not of a noble lineage. He is the king of goblins, ghosts and spirits. He is excluded from Vedic rites. Hence leave off
your anger. Calm yourself. (Let us see) you smile sweetly. Having come (all the way) to this sacrifice you can take your own share.”
 
The daughter Sati honoured in the three worlds, on being addressed thus, became very angry to see her father full of contempt. She mused to herself,
“How can I return to Shiva? Of course I am desirous of seeing Shiva but what reply shall I give when He were to ask me?”
 
Observing silence and remembering her Lord with great respect, Sati the Goddess calmed down and sat on the ground in the northern wing. Having sipped water
duly, covering up her body entirely with her cloth she closed her eyes and remembered her Lord. She then entered the Yogic trance. Keeping her face steady
she balanced the winds Prana and Apana. She then lifted up the wind Udana from the umbilical region, stabilised it in the cardiac region took it through
the throat and finally fixed it in the middle of the eyebrows. Her body divested of its sins fell in the yogic fire and was reduced to ashes, in accordance
with her own wish.
 
The loud shouts and cries of those who witnessed it spread everywhere on the earth and rose up in the sky. “Alas, Shiva’s beloved Goddess, nay His Deity,
Sati has cast-off her life. Who is that wicked person who angered her? See the unholy unspiritual misdeed of Daksha the patriarch, the son of Brahma whose
subjects are the mobile and immobile creatures of the world.”
 
When people were saying thus on seeing the self-immolation of Sati, her attendants rose up in anger with their weapons. On seeing the force of their onslaught,
the holy sage Bhrigu poured offering in the Dakshina fire with the Yajur mantra to quell the obstructors of sacrifice. The attendants were killed by the ribhus
of powerful valour and favoured with Brahminical splendour. They were forced to run without difficulty. The remaining attendants of Shiva who were defeated and
routed by the power of Bhrigu’s mantras fled and sought refuge in Shiva.
 
Ganas said, “O Lord, not seeing your share in the sacrifice, Sati became angry. After censuring her father many times she burnt her body (in the Yogic fire).
O Bestower of honour, we have told you all that happened to us and to Sati. Please deal with those deluded fools in the manner you deem fit.”
 
Then Rudra, the Destroyer of the world, plucked out a cluster of His matted hair and struck the top of the mountain with it. From the first half of that
cluster of matted hair, rose up the powerful Virabhadra, the terrific leader of the Ganas. From the other half of the cluster of matted hair, Mahakali was born.
She was very terrible and was surrounded by crores of goblins.
 
Lord Shiva said, “Daksha, the wicked son of Brahma, has made arrangement to perform a sacrifice. He is particularly inimical to Me. He is unwise and conceited now.
O best of Ganas, destroy the sacrifice with all the ancillary adjuncts and then return to My abode quickly.”
 
The guardians of the quarters including Indra roared like lions and fought forcefully with the Ganas of Virabhadra. Then the heroic Mahagana Virabhadra caught
hold of Prajapati, Dharma, Kashyapa Arishtanemin the sage with many sons, the sages Angiras and Krishashva and the great sage Datta and kicked all of them on
their heads. Similarly the infuriated Virabhadra with eyes blazing, cut off the other devas too and threw them on the ground. He struck and smashed Bhrigu while
the valorous Manibhadra kicked him on his chest and plucked off his moustaches. After coming to know that Daksha had hidden himself behind the altar due to
his fright, Virabhadra dragged him out with force. He was caught hold of by his cheeks, his head and was struck with the sword. Virabhadra the leader of the
Ganas threw the head of the wicked Daksha, the enemy of Shiva, into the fire-pit.
 
The hero who had accomplished his duties went to Kailasa quickly like the sun who quells darkness. On seeing Virabhadra who had fulfilled his task, Lord Shiva was
pleased and he made him the presiding officer of His Ganas.
 
 
(To be Continued)