||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 46– The legend of Daksha Prajapathi – Devi Sati’s immolation - 3

 Veerabadhra approached Daksha Prajapathi and severed his head; it multiplied the fear of the deities assembled and they ran out of the sacrificial arena.  All the deities appealed to Lord Bhrama who said “Oh! Deities, you all have committed a grave sin, shame on you.  We trinities were not present in the Yagna, how could you attend such a Yagna which does not give any respect or offerings to Lord of Lords? Therefore, you all are responsible for this chaos, and you have no choice other than asking for forgiveness from the supreme Lord Shiva and please him.”  Thus all the deities with Lord Bhrama approached Lord Shiva in Mount Kailash.  The abode of Lord Shiva filled with lush green land of plants of banana, Palasha, Shalmali, Kadamba trees and creepers, filled with numerous birds and animals, streams and ponds, varieties of flowers of rich fragrances, rich herbs and trees of coconut and jackfruit, it is a place of recreation for peacocks and Chakora birds, a place of rich natural beauty.  The deities were astounded to watch the supreme Lord Shiva in deep meditation; he was seated on the Kusha grass, imparting the supreme knowledge to Maharishi Narada. 

All the deities prostrated before Lord Shiva and eulogized his glories.  Lord Bhrama eulogizes “ Oh! Bhagavan, you are the creator of Universe and its living beings, we are a part of it, we did not realize your splendor, we have committed a grave sin, kindly forgive us.  Kindly shower your mercy upon us.  Your Ganas killed numerous deities and Rishis, kindly protect us and bless to complete the Yagna which should be guarded and completed in your presence.  Therefore, kindly join  us, in the future, there will not be any Yagna without giving oblations to Lord Rudra who symbolizes Yagna and proceedings of Yagna. ” 

All the deities with Lord Shiva marched to Yagna Arena of Daksha Prajapathi.  The Yagna began, the Rishis and deities were rewarded with the lost part of their bodies, Sage Bhrigu regained his beard from the goat, the person who lost the teeth was suggested to have appropriate soups as a meal, the people who lost their eyes have regained the sight. Finally, the head of the goat was restored to Daksha Prajapathi.  All the deities and Sages eulogized the mercy of Supreme Lord Shiva. 

Daksha Prajapathi eulogizes supreme Lord Shiva “  I shall reverentially prostrate before supreme Lord Shiva, Oh! Bhagavan I have committed the unforgivable sin, kindly forgive my sin and bless me.”  Lord Shiva said “ Oh! Prajapathe, what you sow shall you reap. All that happened not because of you or me, it was pre-destined.”  There appeared Lord Vishnu, all the deities assembled with Dhaksha Prajapathi eulogizes Lord Vishnu and Lord Vishnu gets highly pleased.  The deities eulogized “ Oh! Srikantha, we shall reverentially prostrate before you.”

Lord Vishnu speaks “ we trinities are the cause of the creation of Universe and its living beings, we are beyond comparison, we reside as a soul in living beings, we have no definite forms or appearances, invisible as well.  We are beyond time or description, therefore who finds differentiation in Bhrama, Vishnu and Rudra /trinities are irrational, like each part of the body parts have different appearances, it works under the sole command of Prana.  Whoever worships Lord Bhrama, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva as the Jeevathma/soul and the Supreme Lord resides as a soul in all living beings, would attain serenity of mind.”

Whoever listens to the glorious myths of Daksha Prajapathi would get relieved from all the impurities of the mind and worshiper would get relieved from the sins and attains intense devotion.

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 45– The legend of Daksha Prajapathi – Devi Sati’s immolation - 2

The deities, Rishis, Sages and people assembled were extremely distressed and expressed their grief “Oh! Devi Sati who is the consort of Lord Shiva had the ill fortune; she lost her body due to the ill manner of her father.  It is really bad luck for Devi Sati,  it’s the  wickedness of  Daksha Prajapathi who is responsible for all the humiliation of Devi Sati who was deeply hurt by the deeds of her father.”  Seeing this, the Ganas of Lord Shiva became in a fury destroyed the entire Yagna arena.  Sage Bhrigu who was the priest performing the fire sacrifice, invoked the deities and chased the furious Ganas of Lord Shiva, were returned in utter failure.

Lord Shiva who is the knower of All could witness all that happened in the Yagna of Daksha Prajapathi.  Maharishi Narada arrived in Mount Kailash and prostrated before Lord Shiva was enquired for the welfare as usual.  Maharishi Narada informed all that happened in the palace of Dhakshaprajapathi to Lord Shiva.  He could not tolerate the separation from his dearest wife Devi Sati, and the troubles to his Ganas.  Lord Shiva in a rage produced boisterous shriek of pain and agony, he opened the reddish-brown matted hair lock and forcefully thrashed it on the ground.   A dreadful form Lord Veerabhadhra who has a massive appearance, black complexion, adorned in a garland of the skull, disheveled matted hair locks, sparkling eyes that releases the fire like Lord Surya, and holding trident, emerged out of one of the layers of the matted hair lock.    Lord Veerabadhra with folded hands asked “Oh! Lord Bhoothanatha, kindly orders me! How could I serve you?”   Lord Shiva commanded him “Kill Dhaksha Prajapathi and his people who caused the death of my dearest wife and humiliation of my Ganas.”

Lord Veerabhadhra accompanied by Ganas arrived in the Yagna arena like a whirlwind, producing boisterous shrieks and the sounds of the drum.   The entire Palace wrecked with the sounds and created devastation by the Nandhi and Ganas.  They ruined the entire Yagna arena,  and caused impurities in the fire,  all the deities, and Rishis and Sage was started running out of the palace in fear were got wounded.   They fastened Sage Bhrigu, Daksha Prajapathi, and all his men, and punished them for disgracing Lord Shiva in the assembly of Prajapathis which was held some time ago.    They plucked the beard of culprits and set into the fire, they plucked their eyes and broken their teeth, in this way they took revenge on people who disgraced Lord Shiva.  They mercilessly severed the head of Daksha Prajapati,  they twisted the head of him and removed.  

||Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran||

||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 44– The legend of Daksha Prajapathi – Devi Sati’s immolation -1

The Supreme Lord Shiva who is the knower of All understood the upcoming inauspiciousness to Devi Sati.  He immersed in meditation, Devi Sati looked at Lord Shiva in a fury like Daksha Prajapathi and proceeded.  Lord Shiva ordered Nadikeshwara and Ganas to accompany Devi Sati.   Thus Devi Sati was accompanied by Lord Shiva’s Ganas with the sounds of various auspicious drums; she arrived in the Palace of Daksha Prajapathi.   Her heart was full of puzzlement, hurt, and anger.  Lord Bhrama and Lord Vishnu were not present for the Yagna.  Soon, Daksha Prajapathi could hear the sounds of auspicious instruments; he watched it was Devi Sati with her Ganas.    She was not received in honor, no one stood in respect or no one was willing to offer a seat for her.  Daksha Prajapathi looked at her in disdain; she had to face sheer humiliation from his father.   Her sisters and mother were kind to her; they rushed to her and received her with great love.    No one in the audience was dared to receive her with respect due to the strict orders from Daksha Prajapathi.  Devi Sati felt utter shame and regretted not following the advice of Lord Shiva.  She did not take the seat offered by her sisters or mother, Devi Sati realized the extreme dislike of his father against Lord Shiva, she checked the Yagna arena there was no seat for Lord Shiva or oblations for him, it severely wounded her heart.   She understood her father’s intention to humiliate her husband.   All the deities were silent, and Daksha Prajapathi was in great fury.     Devi Sati’s face has become reddened in a rage, her lips trembled, she shrieked out “ Oh! Prajapathi, how could you keep enmity towards the supreme Lord who resides as a soul in the living beings?  How could you hurt my Lord Shiva who does not hurt anyone? How could you hurt him with your wrong intentions? He finds wellness in wrong-doers and wishes welfare for all; you have not seen the goodness in him.  People who utter his glorious name ‘Shiva’ would get rid of all the sins instantly; you have not understood his splendor that is why you are disrespecting him.  I will not stand with people who disrespect Lord Shiva.  Whoever utters harsh words against Lord Shiva should not be heard, and they should be punished and get their tongue should be severed. Therefore, I am not willing to stand here anymore, I have born from your contaminated body, so I am going to abandon them as well.  I am deeply hurt by your deeds, if I return to my Lord, I would not live in peace, he may address me ‘Dhakshayani’  which I can’t bear the guilt or shame, hence I am abandoning the body you have given me.”

Maitreya speaks “ Oh! Vidura, listen to me carefully, Devi Sati covered her body with the marvelous yellow silk garment, she sprinkled the water on the place and took a seat, she seated on the straight posture, took a deep breath and hold the air on the throat, and concentrated on the middle of the eyebrows, she completely rejected the conscious of the body enlarged the fire in the body, thus she embraced the fire.  She contemplated upon the lotus feet of supreme Lord Shiva who is Jagathguru/Universal preceptor, and her dearest Lord who is all-pervading as soul; in this way she offered her body in the Agni.”

||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.