*SKANDHA IV., CHAP. 2.*
Of old the Prajapaties performed a Yajna, and the Devas and Rishis all
graced the occasion with their presence. Prajapati Daksha entered the
assembly, when all stood up to receive him, except Brahma and Siva.
Daksha saluted his father Brahma and with His permission took a seat.
But he was so mortified by the conduct of Siva that he could not contain
himself, and indignantly broke forth thus: -- "O you, Rishis, Devas and
Agni! Witness this disgraceful conduct of Siva my own son-in-law, rather
my disciple. This senseless being would not do so much as rise up and
receive me. He has no sense of respect and dis-respect, of purity and
impurity. He is mindless of all injunctions and observances. Do you
know, what he does? He roves like a mad man in the crematories, with his
host of Bhutas, Pretas and Pisachas, sometimes laughing, sometimes
weeping, his body covered over with the ashes of dead bodies, their
bones serving for his ornaments. His name is Siva (auspicious). But he
is really A-Siva (inauspicious). He is fond of intoxication, and his
companions are the impure and senseless Bhutas. Oh! that I have given my
daughter Sati in marriage to him. That was simply to obey the orders of
Brahma."
Siva remained unmoved. Daksha went on abusing Him and at last he cursed
Siva saying "This vilest of Devas shall not participate in the
sacrificial offerings to Indra, Upendra and others." He then left the
place in a rage.
Nandisvara, the chief companion of Siva, could not bear the gross and
wanton insult done to his master. He retorted in angry tones the unkind
words of Daksha and the approbation of some of the councillors. "Siva
bears malice to none. It is Daksha who makes differences, where there
are none. Ignorant people follow him and blame Siva. The Vedas deal with
transitory objects. Worldly attachments receive an impetus from the
Karma Kanda of the Vedas and they beget vices and evil deeds. This
Daksha looks upon the body as the soul. He shall be as fond of women as
a beast and his face shall he that of an Aja (goat). Verily he deserves
this, as he looks upon Avidya as Tatvavidya. He publicly insults Siva.
The Brahmanas who follow him shall go through the repeated course of
births and deaths and shall resort to the apparently pleasing Karma
Kanda of the Vedas. These Brahmanas shall have no scruples to eat
anything and they shall make a profession of their learning, their Tapas
and their austerities (Vrata). They shall consider their riches, their
body and their Indriyas to be all in all. They shall beg about from door
to door."
Bhrigu, the leader of the Brahmanas, thus returned the curses of Nandi
on the followers of Siva: -- "Those that will follow Siva, shall be
disregardful of the Sat (real) Sastras and shall be irreligious. With
braids of hair on their head, and ashes and bones round their body, they
shall frequent places where wine is indulged in. The Vedas have at all
times laid down the approved path. The Rishis of old followed their
injunctions and Narayana is at their very root. Those that forget all
this shall only attain the Tamasic Siva, the Lord of Bhutas and
Pishachas."
Siva with his followers then left the place. The Prajapatis performed
the Yajna for 1,000 years.
Sometime after, Brahma made Daksha the head of the Prajapatis, and his
pride knew no bounds. He commenced a sacrifice called Vrihaspati Yajna
and to it he invited all except Siva and his own daughter Sati. Sati
heard of the grand preparations made by her father and became impatient
to witness the Yajna herself. Siva at last yielded to her expostulations
much against His own will. She left for Daksha's house accompanied by
the attendants of Siva. At last she reached her father's house and went
to the place of sacrifice. But her father would not receive her. She did
not find any offering to Siva. She could easily make out that Daksha had
disregarded her husband. No attention was also paid to her. She grew
furious with rage and addressing her father said: -- "With Siva, all are
equal. He has enmity with none. Who else but thee could be envious of
his virtues? Thou hast attributed evil things to Siva. But do not the
Devas know all that and knowingly worship Him? If the devoted wife
cannot kill her husband's calumniators, she must leave the place with
ears closed with her hands. But if she is strong enough, she must in the
first place sever the tongue of the calumniator from his body by force
and then put an end to herself. Thou art the calumniator of Siva. This
my body is from thee, so I shall not keep it any longer. If prohibited
food is taken, the best thing is to throw it out. True, there are the
two Paths of Inclination (Pravritti) and of Renunciation (Nivritti). But
one cannot adopt both the Paths at one and the same time. What action is
there for Siva? He is Brahma Himself. Thou speakest of His ashes and
bones. But hast thou any idea of His Yogic powers, in comparison with
which thy powers as a performer of Vedic sacrifices are nothing? But
there is no use wrangling with thee. I am ashamed of this body which has
connection with thee. The sooner I get rid of it the better."
So saying Sati gave up her body, and there was great uproar. Her
attendants made ready for an attack, when Bhirgu, who acted as Adhvaryu,
invoked the Ribhus. They appeared and beat the attendants of Siva, who
ran away on all sides.
Narada informed Siva of what had happened. Siva bit His lips in anger
and tore up a Jata (matted hairtuft) from his head. The Jata glowed with
electric fire.
He threw it down on the earth and the terrible Virabhadra sprang from
it. His tall body reached the high heavens. He was dark as the clouds.
He had one thousand hands, three eyes burning like the sun, teeth
terrible to look at, and tufts of hair bright as fire. He had a garland
of human skulls round his neck and there were various weapons in his
hands.
"What are thy behests, O Lord?" exclaimed Virabhadra. "Thou art clever
in fight, child, thou hast nothing to fear from the Brahmanas, for
verily thou art part of myself. Go forth at the head of my army. Put an
end to Daksha and his Yajna." Such was the command of Siva. Virabhadra
rushed forth with trident in hand, and the attendants of Siva followed
him with enthusiasm and noise. The priests, the Brahmanas and their
wives present at Daksha's sacrifice saw a huge dust storm, as it were,
coming from the north. "Can it be the hurricane?" thought they, "but the
wind is not strong. Can this be the march of robbers? But King
Prachinabarhi is still alive. In his reign there is no fear from
robbers. No one is driving cattle. What can be the cause of this
approaching volume of dust?" The attendants of Siva arrived in no time.
Some of them were brown coloured, some yellow. Some had their belly,
some their face, like Makara. They broke the implements of sacrifice and
scattered them around. They pulled down the buildings and put out the
fires. They made all sorts of sacrilege, ran after the Rishis and Devas
and frightened the women. Maniman caught hold of Bhrigu and tied him up.
Virabhadra captured Daksha; Chandesa captured Suryya and Nandisvara
captured Bhaga. Seeing this, the other Brahmanas and Devas took to
flight, but they were grievously hurt by the stones cast at them by the
followers of Siva. Virabhadra began to uproot the beard of Bhrigu, for
while scoffing Siva he made his beard prominent. Nandishvara pulled out
the two eye-balls of Bhaga, for he had encouraged Daksha by side
glances. Virabhadra did not also spare Pushan, and pulled out all his
teeth. Pushan had showed his teeth while smiling in approval of Daksha's
abuse. But the crowning act of Virabhadra was still to come. He sprang
upon Daksha and made several attempts to cut off his head. But the head
resisted all his strokes. Wonder-struck, he took at last the weapons of
sacrifice and easily severed the head of Daksha even as it were the head
of a beast of sacrifice. Loud were the lamentations at the place of
sacrifice when Virbhadra with his followers left it for Kailasa.
The Devas after this signal defeat went to Brahma. Brahma and Vishnu
knew what was to happen at Daksha's sacrifice, so they had kept
themselves aloof. When the Devas had related their mishap, Brahma
explained to them that they had done wrong in not allowing Siva to
participate in the Yajna offering. There was no help now but to appease
the Astral Lord, Who could destroy the Universe at His will. So saying
Brahma himself went with the Devas to Kailasa the abode of Siva. He
found there higher beings than men perfected by birth, herbs, Tapas,
Mantra or Yoga and Yakshas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas and Apsarasas. The
river Nanda (Ganga) traced its course round Kailasa. High up on the
mount was the abode called Alaka and the garden called Saugandhika
(sweet-scented). On two sides of Alaka were the two rivers Nanda and
Alakananda, sanctified by the dust of Vishnu's feet. Alaka is the abode
of Kubera, the Yaksha king. The Kinnaras occupied the Saugandhika
garden. Near it was a large fig tree (Vata) 800 miles (100 Yojanas)
high, the branches spreading over 600 miles. Below that tree, the Devas
found Siva in deep meditation for the good of the Universe. Brahma asked
Him to pardon Daksha and his followers who had slighted Him by
withholding Yajna offerings. "Through thy favour let the Yajna be
completed now. Let Daksha get back his life. Let the eyes of Bhagadeva,
the head of Bhrigu, the teeth of Pushan, be restored. Let the Devas and
the sacrificial Rishis be relieved of all pain in their broken limbs.
Since now, the remnants of Yajna offerings are all Thine. Take Thy
offerings, and let the sacrifice be completed this day."
Siva replied with a smile thus: -- "Daksha is a mere child. I do not
even think of him as an offender. But I have to set right those that are
led astray by Maya. Daksha's head is burnt up. So let him have the head
of a goat. Bhagadeva shall find his Yajna offerings through the eyes of
Mitra. Pushan shall have _pishta_ (crushed or ground up things) for his
offerings. In company with other Devas, however, he shall have the use
of the sacrificer's teeth. Let the broken limbs of the Devas be
rehabilitated. But those that have lost their limbs shall use the arms
of Asvinikumara and the hands of Pushan. So let it be with the Rishis
too. Bhrigu shall have the beard of a goat."
The Devas thanked Siva for His great kindness and invited Him to the
sacrifice. Brahma accompanied Siva. Daksha regained life and looked on
Siva with reverence. He acquired wisdom and became purified in mind. The
sacrifice was duly performed. Daksha sat in meditation and, lo! Vishnu
appeared on the back of Garuda.
All rose up and saluted Him. Spontaneous prayers broke forth from one
and all. Vishnu participated in the Yajna offerings. Addressing Daksha
He said: -- "Only ignorant people see the difference between Me and
Siva. I, Siva and Brahma are Three in One. For the creation,
preservation and dissolution of the Universe, We assume three different
Names. We, as the triune Atma, pervade all beings. Wise men therefore
look upon all others as their own selves."
Such is the story of Sati's death. She took birth again as the daughter
of Himalaya and became wedded once more -- the union with Siva this time
was permanent.