128 Sadhwi – She who is eternally devoted to her husband
Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati talks about the secrets of shiva and sakthi thus:
Shiva and Shakti are one and the same.
There is no place that He is not.There is no place that She is not.They are one and the same.
She is in every thing.She is in every word.She is all there is.
See Her in all things.Hear Her in all sounds.Know Her in all thoughts.Feel Her in all feelings.She is all there is.
She is the one in the three worlds
There is no place that He is not.There is no place that She is not.They are one and the same.
She is in every thing.She is in every word.She is all there is.
See Her in all things.Hear Her in all sounds.Know Her in all thoughts.Feel Her in all feelings.She is all there is.
She is the one in the three worlds
Shiva and Shakti are one and the same.
That is the secret.
That is the secret.
The story of Shiva's marriage is symbolic of the perfect fusion of the male and the female principles which, according to a Hindu view of life, are the moving powers behind the universe. Shiva (the male principle), the Supreme Consciousness, will acquire the power to create and destroy the elements only in conjunction with Shakti ( the female principle). That was why Vishnu and others were keen to see Shiva married. Though the word Shiva rarely occurs in the Vedas (it does in the Yahurveda) there are adequate references to show Rudra(another name for Shiva) as the Supreme Consciousness. The Kenopanishad mentions UMA as the maya or the manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness. The story of Sati brings home to us in simple terms, the truth and beauty of a lofty vedic concept.
ati Devi, the wife of Shiva, observed numerous airplanes carrying heavily ornamented beautiful women along with their spouses. Evidently they were all going to attend some festivities. On enquiry it was revealed that her father Daksha had organized a huge Yajna (Vedic sacrifice), and all were invitees going there. Much excited on hearing of the festivities going on at her father's house, she turned to address Shiva:
"My Lord, I have heard that your father in law King Daksha has organized a big round of sacrificial festivities at his house. See, all the gods are going there. If you wish, we too can go there. My other sisters will definitely be going there along with their husbands. I too wish to receive the gifts offered by my parents. I am eager to see my mother and aunts gathered there. In addition, we will also able to witness the great Vedic sacrifice conducted by great sages. My dear Lord, you are beyond the vagaries of Nature and hence have no desire to go or meet anyone. However, I am but a poor woman, unaware of these spiritual niceties. I therefore long to see my birthplace. Look at these other women richly adorned and going with their husbands in droves, with their white swan-like airplanes beautifying the skyline."
"Dear Lord, which daughter can remain unmoved on hearing of a festival in her father's house? Remember, the scriptures say that one can go uninvited to the houses of their friends, husbands, gurus and parents. Therefore, O' Great Compassionate One, you, who have given me space in half portion of your body, do grant me this desire."
Thus earnestly entreated by his beloved wife, Shiva was painfully reminded of the bitter words of his father in law; however, he replied to her with a smile: "O' charming lady, you are right when you say that one can go to one's loved one's even uninvited. However, this is the case only when their viewpoint is not clouded by their powerful ego. Learning, wealth, beauty, high birth etc are exalted qualities in the case of the good, but for the wicked, they are the means of degradation, since they get puffed up with pride and are therefore unable to appreciate the glory of the great. Thinking them to be their 'relatives,' one should never go the houses of those who look upon the visitor with a frown and angry looks."
"O'Devi, the arrows of an enemy do not wound one as much as the harsh words of one's crooked relatives because in the former case at least one can find rest in sleep, but the latter suffers day and night with a tormented heart. I know that you are the favorite of your father, even then dear one, you will not get proper attention at your father's house because he is envious and harbors a grudge against me."
"O' lady with a slender waist, you may wonder why I did not honor Daksha in that ill-fated assembly? The answer is that those established in the Absolute Truth pay obeisance only to the Supreme Person Vaasudeva enshrined in the heart of all. A pure heart is called Vasudev (father of Krishna), in it is made manifest Vaasudeva (Krishna). Hence, it is to that Absolute Person, who unveils himself in pure hearts do I perform my Namaste. Therefore my beloved, he who abused me even though I was not at fault, even though he is the one who has given birth to your body, you should not consider seeing him because he breeds enmity towards me. If you go there ignoring my advice, it won't bide good for you because when a reputable individual suffers insult from his or her relatives, that indignity becomes the immediate cause of their death."
Having said this much Lord Shiva became silent. He realized that whether Devi Sati goes or not, in both cases there was a chance of her giving up her life. Meanwhile Sati, intensely eager to meet her relatives, sometimes went outside the door, and sometimes returned fearing Shiva would get upset. Thus oscillating like a pendulum and undecided she burst out into copious tears and with her body trembling looked askance at Shiva as if to burn him down. Then she lost her judgment and becoming captive of her essentially feminine nature, did the unthinkable. She defied him, who out of affection had given half of his body to her, and taking long breaths set out towards her parents house.
Seeing her go alone, several of Shiva's followers set out to accompany her. It was not long before the entourage reached her father's residence, which at that time was reverberating with sacred Vedic Chants. Contrary to her expectations, she was treated with indifference by Daksha. Only her mother and sisters welcomed her openly and embraced her. The rest of the assembly, afraid of upsetting Daksha, made no signs of welcoming her.
Devi Sati, not at all welcomed by her father, did not accept the seat of honor respectfully offered to her by her mother and maternal aunts. Nor did she pay attention to her sister's affectionate enquiries about her health etc. Not only that, she observed that in that sacrifice, even though seats had been reserved for the gods, there was none reserved for her husband, the Great Lord Shiva. This greatly agitated Sati and it seemed that she would destroy the world with the fire of her anger. Shiva's followers forming her entourage too observed the dishonor meted out to their master and were about to kill Daksha when they were restrained by Sati. With all the assembled gathering hearing her words, she censured Daksha, her voice faltering with the intensity of her anger:
"Father, who else but you would behave inimically towards Lord Shiva, who is above enmity? There is nobody superior to Lord Shiva in the world. He is the beloved soul of all beings, he neither favors nor disfavors anyone. Hence, he has no differences with anyone. Jealous people like you discover faults in the virtues of others. Great people not only do not see any defect, they view the minutest merit in others with a large magnifying glass. You are indeed inauspicious because you hate the supremely auspicious Shiva, whose very name, uttered incidentally by the tongue even once, destroys all sins. The bee-like hearts of eminent sages hover around his lotus feet ever eager to taste the bliss of Brahmananda (bliss of being absorbed in divinity)."
"You say that Shiva is Ashiva. Perhaps the other gods do not know this because they feel honored in adorning their heads with flowers fallen from the same Shiva who dwells in the cremation grounds and beautifies himself with ashes and skulls lying there. When unrestrained people criticize the Supreme Lord Shiva, protector of Dharma, one should shut one's ears and leave the place. Or if one has the power he should cut off the tongue of the person, and if the need arise one should even lay down one's life if necessary to prevent such slander."
"Therefore, I will not retain this body which is born of you, because wise people say that the remedy for eating impure food is to vomit it out. Vedic injunctions do not apply to those who revel in the Supreme Self enshrined in all. The Vedas prescribe two paths -
1). Pravritti Dharma: The path of karma,
2). Nivritti Dharma: The path of renunciation.
These two cannot be simultaneously followed by the same person. However, Shiva, being the Supreme God, does not need to follow any of these two paths. Father, our affluence is unmanifest, to be enjoyed only by Avadhutas (those who have renounced everything). People like you, following the path of smoke (generated by the sacrificial fires) can never appreciate this absolute wealth. I feel ashamed of my unworthy father. It is a disgrace to be born from a parent who commits an offence against the great. When in a light mood Lord Shiva will call out to me "O' daughter of Daksha", then, forgetting the light-heartedness behind it, I will become extremely pained. Therefore, I shall give up this corpse-like body begotten from you."
Having vented her feelings thus, Devi Sati, wearing a yellow garment, sat down on the ground with her face to the north. She closed her eyes and entered the yogic path for casting off her material body. Concentrating on the lotus feet of her beloved Lord Shiva, she became completely absorbed and lost track of everything else. The intense heat of her yogic powers then set ablaze her body, the same body, which at many times, Shiva had lovingly placed in his lap.
Immediately there arose in the gathering an enormous uproar of grief: "Alas, provoked by her father, Sati the beloved wife of Shiva has given away her life. Look at the enormous wickedness of Daksha, his pure-hearted daughter who ever deserved honor, had to give up her life due to the insults inflicted by him. This intolerant Daksha will reap great infamy in this world. He did not even care to prevent his daughter while she was preparing to end her life."
While the people were thus lamenting, Shiva's attendants who had accompanied Sati, on seeing her miraculous self-immolation, rose with weapons in their hands to kill Daksha. Seeing their aggressive vehemence, Bhrigu, from Daksha's side, created out of the sacrificial fire numerous divine beings who rushed out and drove back the followers of Shiva.
Soon Shiva learnt of his wife's humiliation and subsequent death. Enraged, he plucked a hair from his matted locks and with a loud laughter dashed it on the ground. Immediately there arose a being of colossal size, touching the skies by his stature. He had sharp fangs and his locks of hair were red like dazzling flames. He was holding aloft various weapons. Shiva then ordered this manifestation of his wrath named Virbhadra, to go and destroy both Daksha and his sacrifice.
When the thundering approach of Virbahdra was heard in Daksha's sacrificial ground, the women there murmured amongst themselves: "Surely this is the consequence of the sin committed by Daksha, when he slighted his innocent daughter Sati and also offended Lord Shiva. What good can ensue for someone who enrages Lord Shiva?"
Much perturbed and fearful, the assembly in Daksha's sacrifice sat speculating and looking at each other. In the meanwhile Virbhadra, along with other followers of Shiva, reached the venue and immediately set about destroying the Yajna. Some broke the pillars supporting the whole structure, some the sacrificial utensils, and some destroyed the kitchen and storeroom. Many sacrificial fires were put out and supporters of Daksha were threatened. Virabhadra himself caught hold of Daksha and seating himself on his chest tried to cut off his head with a sharp sword. However, even after a lot of effort he was unable to behead him. Much surprised, Virbhadra then proceeded to cut the head of Daksha in the same manner that the latter used to sacrifice animals in his yajnas. As soon as he succeeded, there arose a cry of "well done" "bravo" from amongst the followers of Shiva. Virabhadra then threw Daksha's head into fire and proceeded to burn down the whole structure. Having accomplished what he had been ordered to do, he then returned to Lord Shiva's abode, Mount Kailash.
The assembled gods, sages and priests were overwhelmed with fear on thus being defeated by the accomplices of Shiva. They collected together and hurried over to Lord Brahma, requesting his help. Brahma and Lord Vishnu both knew that the Yajna was doomed from the beginning because it had not reserved a place of honor for Lord Shiva. Hence, they had prudently taken the precaution of not attending it. Now hearing all what had happened, Brahma replied to them:
"All of you have committed an offence against Lord Shiva by excluding him from the sacrificial offerings. Now with pure hearts go and take refuge in his lotus feet, because he is one who gets propitiated very easily. You should immediately beg his pardon, much bereaved as he is with the loss of his wife's life. Otherwise, his rage is bound to destroy the world."
However the gods and sages were still fearful of facing Shiva by themselves. Therefore, Brahma took the initiative and went along with them to Shiva's abode. There they saw Shiva seated with his left foot on his right lap, and his left hand on the left knee. A rosary of Rudraksh was on wrapped around wrist. He was discoursing on the Supreme Absolute Truth, and many saints were listening to him in rapt attention.
Seeing Brahma , Lord Shiva immediately sprung to his feet and bowed to him with respect. The host of saints around Shiva also did the same. Brahma then smilingly addressed Lord Shiva:
"I know you are the Lord of the Universe (even then you pay homage to me). You yourself have created the institution of Yajna for the protection of Vedic Dharma. Anger cannot overwhelm those who surrender to your lotus feet (then how can it affect you?). Exalted ones like you do not kill even those wicked one who constantly burn with jealousy at the prosperity of others and are naturally disposed to hurt others feelings, knowing very well that they doomed by providence itself. If someone, deluded by Lord Vishnu's powerful Maya, offends the great, righteous ones like you consider the offence an act of providence and do not try to stop whatever is trying to happen."
"You are untouched by Maya, you should therefore show grace on those who, affected by maya, are attached to karma. O' Lord, please revive the sacrifice of Daksha, which remained incomplete due to the petty mindedness of those performing it. May Daksha come to live again and may also all those dismembered by your followers be restored to health. O' Shiva, whatever shall remain after the completion of a Yajna from now on will be your share. O' destroyer of sacrifice, let this Yajna now be completed."
Lord Shiva heard out Brahma patiently and then replied smiling: "I do not pay attention nor think about the offences committed by people like Daksha, who are under the spell of Lord's Maya. I only chastise them slightly (much less than what their conduct deserves) as a punishment. The head of Daksha has been burnt; he may now live with the face of a goat. All the rest of the priests, sages etc, too may be restored to health."
Hearing Shiva's soothing words, all present there were satisfied and shouted out in unison: "Glory to Lord Shiva." Then they cordially invited Shiva to accompany them to the venue of the sacrifice, to which he complied. They followed Shiva's instruction to the letter and joined the head of the sacrificial goat to Daksha's trunk. While the head was being joined, Shiva cast a gracious look at it, and lo! Daksha got up though from sleep and saw Shiva in front of him. He was however not the same Daksha of before. Shiva's compassionate glance on him had purified him, and the same heart which once harbored intense hatred against Shiva, was now restored to its pristine purity like a pool in autumn. He tried to address Shiva but, remembering his deceased daughter, he was overwhelmed with emotion and affection. However, he controlled himself and with a choked throat said:
"O' Venerable Lord, Even though I disrespected you, you showed a great favor by meting out a corrective punishment to me. I did not know your essence and hence pierced you with my sharp words in the assembly. However, you compassionate one did not pay heed to my mistake. Due to my offence, I was destined to fall down into dark hells, but you saved me with your compassionate glance."
Having thus apologized to Lord Shiva, Daksha then set out to restore the sacrifice, with the help of the priests and sages.
ati Devi, the wife of Shiva, observed numerous airplanes carrying heavily ornamented beautiful women along with their spouses. Evidently they were all going to attend some festivities. On enquiry it was revealed that her father Daksha had organized a huge Yajna (Vedic sacrifice), and all were invitees going there. Much excited on hearing of the festivities going on at her father's house, she turned to address Shiva:
"My Lord, I have heard that your father in law King Daksha has organized a big round of sacrificial festivities at his house. See, all the gods are going there. If you wish, we too can go there. My other sisters will definitely be going there along with their husbands. I too wish to receive the gifts offered by my parents. I am eager to see my mother and aunts gathered there. In addition, we will also able to witness the great Vedic sacrifice conducted by great sages. My dear Lord, you are beyond the vagaries of Nature and hence have no desire to go or meet anyone. However, I am but a poor woman, unaware of these spiritual niceties. I therefore long to see my birthplace. Look at these other women richly adorned and going with their husbands in droves, with their white swan-like airplanes beautifying the skyline."
"Dear Lord, which daughter can remain unmoved on hearing of a festival in her father's house? Remember, the scriptures say that one can go uninvited to the houses of their friends, husbands, gurus and parents. Therefore, O' Great Compassionate One, you, who have given me space in half portion of your body, do grant me this desire."
Thus earnestly entreated by his beloved wife, Shiva was painfully reminded of the bitter words of his father in law; however, he replied to her with a smile: "O' charming lady, you are right when you say that one can go to one's loved one's even uninvited. However, this is the case only when their viewpoint is not clouded by their powerful ego. Learning, wealth, beauty, high birth etc are exalted qualities in the case of the good, but for the wicked, they are the means of degradation, since they get puffed up with pride and are therefore unable to appreciate the glory of the great. Thinking them to be their 'relatives,' one should never go the houses of those who look upon the visitor with a frown and angry looks."
"O'Devi, the arrows of an enemy do not wound one as much as the harsh words of one's crooked relatives because in the former case at least one can find rest in sleep, but the latter suffers day and night with a tormented heart. I know that you are the favorite of your father, even then dear one, you will not get proper attention at your father's house because he is envious and harbors a grudge against me."
"O' lady with a slender waist, you may wonder why I did not honor Daksha in that ill-fated assembly? The answer is that those established in the Absolute Truth pay obeisance only to the Supreme Person Vaasudeva enshrined in the heart of all. A pure heart is called Vasudev (father of Krishna), in it is made manifest Vaasudeva (Krishna). Hence, it is to that Absolute Person, who unveils himself in pure hearts do I perform my Namaste. Therefore my beloved, he who abused me even though I was not at fault, even though he is the one who has given birth to your body, you should not consider seeing him because he breeds enmity towards me. If you go there ignoring my advice, it won't bide good for you because when a reputable individual suffers insult from his or her relatives, that indignity becomes the immediate cause of their death."
Having said this much Lord Shiva became silent. He realized that whether Devi Sati goes or not, in both cases there was a chance of her giving up her life. Meanwhile Sati, intensely eager to meet her relatives, sometimes went outside the door, and sometimes returned fearing Shiva would get upset. Thus oscillating like a pendulum and undecided she burst out into copious tears and with her body trembling looked askance at Shiva as if to burn him down. Then she lost her judgment and becoming captive of her essentially feminine nature, did the unthinkable. She defied him, who out of affection had given half of his body to her, and taking long breaths set out towards her parents house.
Seeing her go alone, several of Shiva's followers set out to accompany her. It was not long before the entourage reached her father's residence, which at that time was reverberating with sacred Vedic Chants. Contrary to her expectations, she was treated with indifference by Daksha. Only her mother and sisters welcomed her openly and embraced her. The rest of the assembly, afraid of upsetting Daksha, made no signs of welcoming her.
Devi Sati, not at all welcomed by her father, did not accept the seat of honor respectfully offered to her by her mother and maternal aunts. Nor did she pay attention to her sister's affectionate enquiries about her health etc. Not only that, she observed that in that sacrifice, even though seats had been reserved for the gods, there was none reserved for her husband, the Great Lord Shiva. This greatly agitated Sati and it seemed that she would destroy the world with the fire of her anger. Shiva's followers forming her entourage too observed the dishonor meted out to their master and were about to kill Daksha when they were restrained by Sati. With all the assembled gathering hearing her words, she censured Daksha, her voice faltering with the intensity of her anger:
"Father, who else but you would behave inimically towards Lord Shiva, who is above enmity? There is nobody superior to Lord Shiva in the world. He is the beloved soul of all beings, he neither favors nor disfavors anyone. Hence, he has no differences with anyone. Jealous people like you discover faults in the virtues of others. Great people not only do not see any defect, they view the minutest merit in others with a large magnifying glass. You are indeed inauspicious because you hate the supremely auspicious Shiva, whose very name, uttered incidentally by the tongue even once, destroys all sins. The bee-like hearts of eminent sages hover around his lotus feet ever eager to taste the bliss of Brahmananda (bliss of being absorbed in divinity)."
"You say that Shiva is Ashiva. Perhaps the other gods do not know this because they feel honored in adorning their heads with flowers fallen from the same Shiva who dwells in the cremation grounds and beautifies himself with ashes and skulls lying there. When unrestrained people criticize the Supreme Lord Shiva, protector of Dharma, one should shut one's ears and leave the place. Or if one has the power he should cut off the tongue of the person, and if the need arise one should even lay down one's life if necessary to prevent such slander."
"Therefore, I will not retain this body which is born of you, because wise people say that the remedy for eating impure food is to vomit it out. Vedic injunctions do not apply to those who revel in the Supreme Self enshrined in all. The Vedas prescribe two paths -
1). Pravritti Dharma: The path of karma,
2). Nivritti Dharma: The path of renunciation.
These two cannot be simultaneously followed by the same person. However, Shiva, being the Supreme God, does not need to follow any of these two paths. Father, our affluence is unmanifest, to be enjoyed only by Avadhutas (those who have renounced everything). People like you, following the path of smoke (generated by the sacrificial fires) can never appreciate this absolute wealth. I feel ashamed of my unworthy father. It is a disgrace to be born from a parent who commits an offence against the great. When in a light mood Lord Shiva will call out to me "O' daughter of Daksha", then, forgetting the light-heartedness behind it, I will become extremely pained. Therefore, I shall give up this corpse-like body begotten from you."
Having vented her feelings thus, Devi Sati, wearing a yellow garment, sat down on the ground with her face to the north. She closed her eyes and entered the yogic path for casting off her material body. Concentrating on the lotus feet of her beloved Lord Shiva, she became completely absorbed and lost track of everything else. The intense heat of her yogic powers then set ablaze her body, the same body, which at many times, Shiva had lovingly placed in his lap.
Immediately there arose in the gathering an enormous uproar of grief: "Alas, provoked by her father, Sati the beloved wife of Shiva has given away her life. Look at the enormous wickedness of Daksha, his pure-hearted daughter who ever deserved honor, had to give up her life due to the insults inflicted by him. This intolerant Daksha will reap great infamy in this world. He did not even care to prevent his daughter while she was preparing to end her life."
While the people were thus lamenting, Shiva's attendants who had accompanied Sati, on seeing her miraculous self-immolation, rose with weapons in their hands to kill Daksha. Seeing their aggressive vehemence, Bhrigu, from Daksha's side, created out of the sacrificial fire numerous divine beings who rushed out and drove back the followers of Shiva.
Soon Shiva learnt of his wife's humiliation and subsequent death. Enraged, he plucked a hair from his matted locks and with a loud laughter dashed it on the ground. Immediately there arose a being of colossal size, touching the skies by his stature. He had sharp fangs and his locks of hair were red like dazzling flames. He was holding aloft various weapons. Shiva then ordered this manifestation of his wrath named Virbhadra, to go and destroy both Daksha and his sacrifice.
When the thundering approach of Virbahdra was heard in Daksha's sacrificial ground, the women there murmured amongst themselves: "Surely this is the consequence of the sin committed by Daksha, when he slighted his innocent daughter Sati and also offended Lord Shiva. What good can ensue for someone who enrages Lord Shiva?"
Much perturbed and fearful, the assembly in Daksha's sacrifice sat speculating and looking at each other. In the meanwhile Virbhadra, along with other followers of Shiva, reached the venue and immediately set about destroying the Yajna. Some broke the pillars supporting the whole structure, some the sacrificial utensils, and some destroyed the kitchen and storeroom. Many sacrificial fires were put out and supporters of Daksha were threatened. Virabhadra himself caught hold of Daksha and seating himself on his chest tried to cut off his head with a sharp sword. However, even after a lot of effort he was unable to behead him. Much surprised, Virbhadra then proceeded to cut the head of Daksha in the same manner that the latter used to sacrifice animals in his yajnas. As soon as he succeeded, there arose a cry of "well done" "bravo" from amongst the followers of Shiva. Virabhadra then threw Daksha's head into fire and proceeded to burn down the whole structure. Having accomplished what he had been ordered to do, he then returned to Lord Shiva's abode, Mount Kailash.
The assembled gods, sages and priests were overwhelmed with fear on thus being defeated by the accomplices of Shiva. They collected together and hurried over to Lord Brahma, requesting his help. Brahma and Lord Vishnu both knew that the Yajna was doomed from the beginning because it had not reserved a place of honor for Lord Shiva. Hence, they had prudently taken the precaution of not attending it. Now hearing all what had happened, Brahma replied to them:
"All of you have committed an offence against Lord Shiva by excluding him from the sacrificial offerings. Now with pure hearts go and take refuge in his lotus feet, because he is one who gets propitiated very easily. You should immediately beg his pardon, much bereaved as he is with the loss of his wife's life. Otherwise, his rage is bound to destroy the world."
However the gods and sages were still fearful of facing Shiva by themselves. Therefore, Brahma took the initiative and went along with them to Shiva's abode. There they saw Shiva seated with his left foot on his right lap, and his left hand on the left knee. A rosary of Rudraksh was on wrapped around wrist. He was discoursing on the Supreme Absolute Truth, and many saints were listening to him in rapt attention.
Seeing Brahma , Lord Shiva immediately sprung to his feet and bowed to him with respect. The host of saints around Shiva also did the same. Brahma then smilingly addressed Lord Shiva:
"I know you are the Lord of the Universe (even then you pay homage to me). You yourself have created the institution of Yajna for the protection of Vedic Dharma. Anger cannot overwhelm those who surrender to your lotus feet (then how can it affect you?). Exalted ones like you do not kill even those wicked one who constantly burn with jealousy at the prosperity of others and are naturally disposed to hurt others feelings, knowing very well that they doomed by providence itself. If someone, deluded by Lord Vishnu's powerful Maya, offends the great, righteous ones like you consider the offence an act of providence and do not try to stop whatever is trying to happen."
"You are untouched by Maya, you should therefore show grace on those who, affected by maya, are attached to karma. O' Lord, please revive the sacrifice of Daksha, which remained incomplete due to the petty mindedness of those performing it. May Daksha come to live again and may also all those dismembered by your followers be restored to health. O' Shiva, whatever shall remain after the completion of a Yajna from now on will be your share. O' destroyer of sacrifice, let this Yajna now be completed."
Lord Shiva heard out Brahma patiently and then replied smiling: "I do not pay attention nor think about the offences committed by people like Daksha, who are under the spell of Lord's Maya. I only chastise them slightly (much less than what their conduct deserves) as a punishment. The head of Daksha has been burnt; he may now live with the face of a goat. All the rest of the priests, sages etc, too may be restored to health."
Hearing Shiva's soothing words, all present there were satisfied and shouted out in unison: "Glory to Lord Shiva." Then they cordially invited Shiva to accompany them to the venue of the sacrifice, to which he complied. They followed Shiva's instruction to the letter and joined the head of the sacrificial goat to Daksha's trunk. While the head was being joined, Shiva cast a gracious look at it, and lo! Daksha got up though from sleep and saw Shiva in front of him. He was however not the same Daksha of before. Shiva's compassionate glance on him had purified him, and the same heart which once harbored intense hatred against Shiva, was now restored to its pristine purity like a pool in autumn. He tried to address Shiva but, remembering his deceased daughter, he was overwhelmed with emotion and affection. However, he controlled himself and with a choked throat said:
"O' Venerable Lord, Even though I disrespected you, you showed a great favor by meting out a corrective punishment to me. I did not know your essence and hence pierced you with my sharp words in the assembly. However, you compassionate one did not pay heed to my mistake. Due to my offence, I was destined to fall down into dark hells, but you saved me with your compassionate glance."
Having thus apologized to Lord Shiva, Daksha then set out to restore the sacrifice, with the help of the priests and sages.
Such was the love for shiva that sati gave up her life to makethings right shiva in his own right punished daksha and mourned the death of his wife.Here shiva and sati sets an example of how couples should be devoted to one another.
