The Quarrel Between Śiva and Daksha
Skandha IV., Chap. 2
Of old the Prajâpaties performed a Yajna, and the Devas and Rishis all graced the occasion with their presence. Prajâpati Daksha entered the assembly, when all stood up to receive him, except Brahmâ and Śiva. Daksha saluted his father Brahmâ and with His permission took a seat. But he was so mortified by the conduct of Śiva that he could not contain himself, and indignantly broke forth thus: — “O you, Rishis, Devas and Agni! Witness this disgraceful conduct of Śiva 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 Bhûtas, Pretas and Pisâchas, sometimes laughing, sometimes weeping, his body covered over with the ashes of dead bodies, their bones serving for his ornaments. His name is Śiva (auspicious). But he is really A-Śiva (inauspicious). He is fond of intoxication, and his companions are the impure and senseless Bhûtas. Oh! that I have given my daughter Sâti in marriage to him. That was simply to obey the orders of Brahmâ.”
Śiva remained unmoved. Daksha went on abusing Him and at last he cursed Śiva 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 Śiva, 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. “Śiva bears malice to none. It is Daksha who makes differences, where there are none. Ignorant people follow him and blame Śiva. The Vedas deal with transitory objects. Worldly attachments receive an impetus from the Karma Kânda 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 Ajâ (goat). Verily he deserves this, as he looks upon Avidyâ as Tatvavidyâ. He publicly insults Śiva. The Brâhmanas who follow him shall go through the repeated course of births and deaths and shall resort to the apparently pleasing Karma Kânda of the Vedas. These Brâhmanas 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 Brâhmanas, thus returned the curses of Nandi on the followers of Śiva: — “Those that will follow Śiva, shall be disregardful of the Sat (real) Śastras 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 Nârâyana is at their very root. Those that forget all this shall only attain the Tâmasic Śiva, the Lord of Bhûtas and Pishachas.”
Śiva with his followers then left the place. The Prajâpatis performed the Yajna for 1,000 years.
Sometime after, Brahmâ made Daksha the head of the Prajâpatis, and his pride knew no bounds. He commenced a sacrifice called Vrihaspati Yajna and to it he invited all except Śiva and his own daughter Sâti. Sâti heard of the grand preparations made by her father and became impatient to witness the Yajna herself. Śiva at last yielded to her expostulations much against His own will. She left for Daksha’s house accompanied by the attendants of Śiva. 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 Śiva. 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 Śiva, all are equal. He has enmity with none. Who else but thee could be envious of his virtues? Thou hast attributed evil things to Śiva. 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 Śiva. 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 Śiva? He is Brahmâ 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 Sâti 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 Śiva, who ran away on all sides.
Nârada informed Śiva of what had happened. Śiva bit His lips in anger and tore up a Jatâ (matted hairtuft) from his head. The Jatâ 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 Brâhmanas, 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 Śiva. Virabhadra rushed forth with trident in hand, and the attendants of Śiva followed him with enthusiasm and noise. The priests, the Brâhmanas 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 Prâchinabarhi 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 Śiva 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. Manimân caught hold of Bhrigu and tied him up. Virabhadra captured Daksha; Chandesa captured Sûryya and Nandisvara captured Bhaga. Seeing this, the other Brâhmanas and Devas took to flight, but they were grievously hurt by the stones cast at them by the followers of Śiva. Virabhadra began to uproot the beard of Bhrigu, for while scoffing Śiva 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 Pûshan, and pulled out all his teeth. Pûshan 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 Kailâsa.
The Devas after this signal defeat went to Brahmâ. Brahmâ and Vishnu knew what was to happen at Daksha’s sacrifice, so they had kept themselves aloof. When the Devas had related their mishap, Brahmâ explained to them that they had done wrong in not allowing Śiva 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 Brahmâ himself went with the Devas to Kailâsa the abode of Śiva. He found there higher beings than men perfected by birth, herbs, Tapas, Mantra or Yoga and Yakshas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas and Apsarasas. The river Nandâ (Gangâ) traced its course round Kailâsa. High up on the mount was the abode called Alakâ and the garden called Saugandhika (sweet-scented). On two sides of Alaka were the two rivers Nandâ and Alakanandâ, sanctified by the dust of Vishnu’s feet. Alakâ 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 Śiva in deep meditation for the good of the Universe. Brahmâ 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 Pûshan, 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.”
Śiva 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 Mâyâ. 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. Pûshan 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 Asvinikumâra and the hands of Pûshan. So let it be with the Rishis too. Bhrigu shall have the beard of a goat.”
The Devas thanked Śiva for His great kindness and invited Him to the sacrifice. Brahmâ accompanied Śiva. Daksha regained life and looked on Śiva 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 Śiva. I, Śiva and Brahmâ are Three in One. For the creation, preservation and dissolution of the Universe, We assume three different Names. We, as the triune Âtmâ, pervade all beings. Wise men therefore look upon all others as their own selves.”
Such is the story of Sâti’s death. She took birth again as the daughter of Himâlaya and became wedded once more — the union with Śiva this time was permanent.