As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 48

Continued from Previous Page

Sati’s lamentation and fury cause terrible anger and frustration…he is beyond any karma whether privriti or nivriti and in fact, the figure of Shiva is a symbol of purity and piety and …finally, she resolves to relinquish mortal frame

Goddess Sati was unrestrained and deeply anguished. She exhorted deafeningly that the name of Shiva even if spoken during normal conversation is capable of destroying impurities and sins of people, who utter simply Shiva. Shiva is a word that grants peace and prosperity she told. She spoke eloquently about the grandeur, power and divinity of Shiva, the origin and source of every animate and inanimate being.

“O dear father, why do you harbour jealousy against the divine lord Shiva? It surprises. In fact, you are ashiva (devoid of the virtues of Shiva), an image of the ill-fated, the inauspicious and the ominous. Because of inanity, you nurse hostility and revulsion against the lord. O father, you call lord Shiva ugly and tell he is ashiva (impure, unclean and portentous). Do you think wise men also believe it?”

Sati continued to speak about Shiva’s ash-smeared body, garland of skulls and happy living with ghosts, pisachas and eerie spirits. Everything was pious and pure, and the devotees of Shiva worship the divine figure she said.

“Shiva is the Supreme lord. Pravriti (yajnas, prayers and worship), Nivriti (shama – control, discipline or restraint) and dama (courage or valiance) are types of karmas. Wise men and monks deliberate on the above karmas. After proper thought and analysis, wise men find two kinds of people, ragis (men of love, passion and infatuation or attachment toward material world) and viragis (men of detachment toward worldly pleasures and joys). They are opposite to each other in karmas and individuals’ attributes of attachment and detachment. Therefore, one cannot act upon the attributes at the same time. Lord Sankara is beyond Brahma and therefore, two kinds of karmas and individuals cannot enter. No karma and its variations affect the lord. He does not need to perform any karma. O father, lord’s divine splendour and magnificence are beyond portrayal. No attribute is expressible. Only knower of soul and ‘the self’ or Brahma can enjoy. Whatever share of grain you get near wells of yajnas will not give you joy and pleasure that a man of knowledge of soul or ‘the self’ attains.”

At last, she said, “O father, I was born of you and now, I feel the body is a corpse and therefore, I discard an abhorrent mortal frame and afterward, I shall be happy. O gods and monks, please listen. Evil thoughts and feelings entered you. Karma of not inviting the lord is incorrect. You are foolish because you condemn lord Shiva and speak against the lord. Therefore, lord Shiva will definitely punish you for ku-karmas (bad and evil acts).”

She was silent now and remembered Sambhu. Left with no alternative she felt desperate. She did not have the courage to face Shiva, for she had heard humiliating and offensive language of Daksa against the lord. Therefore, she decided to punish ‘the self’ and body for the crime she thought she was answerable. Goddess Sati underwent intense mental agony and suffering as she had listened to the accusing words against lord Shiva, and so after a great restrain, she became calm and quiet. She was deeply tranquil and then, suddenly she sat on the ground facing the north direction. Sati decided to punish ‘the self’ in deep remorse – and with the power of yoga, she concentrated on the lords of air and fire and desired to relinquish body. Intensity of deliberation on Shiva was tremendous.

She took water in the palm, remembered her deity with closed eyes, and after chanting of mantras, she covered herself with a cloth. Thereafter, with a holy mind and purity of soul, she concentrated on Shiva and situated ‘the self’ on the path of yoga. Through prayanama (controlling of breath), she ensconced on the seat with a steady mind and established it in the nabhi (naval-disc). Later on, she situated air at the place and took concentrated air established in the heart up through the path of throat to the middle of bhrikuti (eyebrows).

Sati was terribly angry with father and so abruptly, with the power of yoga thought deeply and meditated on the lords of air and fire, and filled elements (air and fire) in organs and limbs through yogic powers with a desire to give up body.

She thought long, meditated at the feet of Shiva and forgot everything. Now, fully established on the path of yoga, she did not see anything but the holy feet of Shiva. Sacred body of Sati collapsed and thereafter, the fire of yoga reduced it to ashes and so was the result of the fire of yoga. All souls and gods present in the ground of yajna witnessed burning of goddess Sati and thus, tremendous noise and screams at the place of yajna created nervousness and fear. Noise and clamour seemed amazing, surprising and dreadful and it spread over the entire sky and earth.

People began to say, “O god, beloved Sati of Shiva sacrificed life because of the bad behaviour of wicked persons. Alas, just see the crime and sin of son Daksa. The animate and inanimate universe is lord’s offspring. Daksa’s daughter Sati, a venerable goddess, stands dishonored and shamed, and so she thought and decided to end life. The beloved of lord Brishabhdwaja deserved reverence and glorification from revered holy men and sages. Prajapati Daksa is unsympathetic, cruel, and is against brahmins. Therefore, he would encounter embarrassment and discredit in the entire world. He did not show courtesy to stop Sati when she was ready to sacrifice life for the sin he committed,”

In fact, painful and reasonable utterances, and wrath of Sati affected wise men and sages. When they thought of Sati, who sacrificed life, they were greatly perturbed and thus, condemned conduct of Daksa. At the same time, they did not forget to rave about the virtues of Shiva. When everyone expressed regret and genuine apologies at an ill-fated incident, the counselors of Shiva got angry on seeing an amazing feat of sacrifice of goddess Sati. Frighteningly infuriated, all ganas picked up astra-sastras in hand and stood to kill prajapati Daksa. Sixty thousand very brave and mighty ganas (counselors of Shiva) stood at the entry gate of the great platform of yajna.

Filled with extreme anger, they said loudly and frequently, “It is reprehensible. It is appalling.” Shrill words and cries created tremendous noise and clamour.

Continued to Next Page