||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 43– The legend of Daksha Yagna

Sage Maitreya describes the clan of Daksha Prajapathi and Yagna to Vidhura “ Oh! Vidura, Swayambhuva Manu had three daughters Devahuthi Ahuthi, and Prasuthi and two sons Priyavratha and Uththanapadha.  Devahuthi married to Kardhamaprajapathi and this couple had nine daughters and a son Kapila, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.  Ahuthi was married to Prajapathi Ruchi.  Prasuthi was married to Daksha Prajapathi.  This couple had sixteen daughters, one of the daughters Murthy gave birth to Nara and Narayana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and these children undertook extreme Tapasya in Badri.  Devi Sati/Dhakshayani was married to Lord Shiva.”

Once, Daksha Prajapathi visited the arena of fire sacrifices of Prajapathi’s where all the deities were present.  Daksha who is the Manasaputhra of Bhrama had the brilliance of Sun, entered the arena, all the deities assembled were stood and received him with great honor, except Lord Bhrama and Lord Shiva.  Daksha could absorb the fact that Lord Bhrama is his father, need not raise from his seat to wish his son, but Lord Shiva who is his son-in-law did not show any respect by standing on feet.   Daksha Prajapathi considered Lord Shiva as his son-in-law, so it annoyed him.  In fact, Lord Shiva is the essence of the Universe and its living being, a great Yogi who has abandoned all the luxuries and a renounced soul, Dhaksha's eyes were reddened in fury.  Daksha Prajapathi openly criticized Lord Shiva as lazy who undergoes extreme meditation for several years, he is a mendicant who wanders around naked, accompanied by spirits, lives in the funeral grounds, dances like an insane, applies ashes from funeral pyre, adores in serpent and Rudraksha, he has unkempt reddish-brown matted hair locks, etc.. Lord Shiva who was listening to all these criticism was considered as praising his splendor and kept quiet.  It further added the fury of Daksha Prajapathi, eventually he cursed Lord Shiva that now onwards he will not receive any oblations from fire sacrifices and left the arena, further it created a chaos in the assembly of the deities.

Lord Nandikeshwara cursed Daksha Prajapathi who humiliated the supreme Lord without knowing his humbleness, therefore he never realizes the supremacy of Lord, he will be immersed in the worldly bondage and Karma, he will take immense pleasure in the senses, and the mind will not show interest in scriptures and Veda, he takes pleasures in the association of women, soon his head will be replaced with the goat.  He will not have supreme knowledge or wisdom, he will keep taking several births in the ocean of Samsara, he will eat the meat of animals and beg for sensual pleasures.

Sage Bhrigu who was the sacrificial priest, cursed Lord Shiva’s followers will remain Pagandas who do not follow any Shastra takes pleasure in intoxicating drinks, will not show any interest in righteousness.  After witnessing the chaos, the trinities left.

Lord Shiva returned to his abode Mount Kailash, he did not utter anything about the curse of Daksha Prajapathi to Devi Sati, first of all, it was not taken seriously by the Supreme Lord.  So he did not share the incident with Devi Sati.  Daksha Prajapathi returned to his palace with great plans to insult Lord Shiva, thus he decided to conduct a grand Yagna.  All the deities except Lord Bhrama and Lord Vishnu arrived in the Yagna, Devi Sati noticed the deities leaving to attend the grand Yagna of her father, which was all new to her.   Devi Sati approached Lord Shiva and revealed her desire to attend the Yagna of her father, but Lord Shiva who is the knower of All, refused to participate in the Yagna, moreover, they did not receive any kind of gesture of invitation for the Yagna.  Devi Sati did not take it seriously at all; it happens between the relatives, she compelled Lord Shiva to accompany her.  Devi Sati said " Oh! Bhagavan, my father is your father-in-law, he is conducting the Yagna, therefore it is our responsibility to present on the occasion.  I have obtained this body from him.  All the deities are attending the event, we are his close relatives, so we should take part in the event.  I have a desire to meet my sisters and mother, Oh! Lord, kindly fulfill my desires and grace the occasion with your presence.  If you feel awkward to attend the event without invitation, it is inappropriate for a daughter not to attend an event in the father's house. I am not taking this on a serious note, they are my parents, so it is our duty to attend the occasion."   



Lord Shiva replied " Oh! Shobhane, You are absolutely right.  It is advisable not to attend any occasion invited by the people with swollen pride.  The people who take immense pride in their knowledge, wealth, age, clan, etc.. should be avoided, otherwise, you will get hurt and it will be a curse on the other person too.  Oh! Devi, if you visit the place of people who have wicked intentions, it will put your life in danger.  We have the responsibility to please the Supreme Lord who resides as a soul in every living being, not the body.  Therefore we should pay obeisance to Lord Vasudeva who resides as a soul in living beings.  If you want to proceed further, do not expect any auspiciousness, you will not get proper respect from your relatives, you will extremely feel guilty and shame, it may lead to death as well."  Lord Shiva returned to meditation.