As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 57

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Argument between Dhruva and Dadhichi …and later, Dhruva kills him and cuts the body into two parts but the sage gets life because of Sukracharya…curse of Dadhichi against Vishnu

Another interesting episode of ancient times speaks of immense significance it exercised on created beings. Vishnu went to participate in the yajna Daksa organised but Shiva did not go. It surprised why Daksa did it. All happened because of a curse sage Dadhichi had issued against Vishnu. Dadhichi cursed Vishnu and it carried an exciting background. Dhruva, a friend of Dadhichi, was a powerful wise king. Dadhichi believed that brahmin was the highest among the varnas – brahmins, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. It led to intense argument between the king and the sage. Dhruva’s pride and ego refused to agree and so he modestly told Dadhichi, “Indra transforms into images of eight lokapalas. He is the guardian and lord of varnas and ashramas…srutis call him the lord of gods…it proves that king is the highest and not a brahmin.”

Conflict between King Dhruva and Sage Dadhichi was unpleasant and Vishnu had expressed inability to help Dhruva despite assurances. After all, lord Shiva lived under control of devotees. The lord forgave everyone who acted unwisely during the great yajna and so, Shiva restored everyone to original life of joy and bliss and consequently, Daksa got back life.

Therefore, Dhruva requested Dadhichi to revise his opinion, for he was the most revered man for him. However, Dadhichi rejected views of the king, which were against srutis and smritis. They did not retreat from the stand they had taken and so anger governed their wisdom. He hit the king. King was enraged, he fatally wounded the sage and cut him into two parts, and so he fell on the ground. He remembered Sukracharya, the master of maha mrityunjaya mantra, who joined the parts and not only advised but also taught him the eternal mantra that helps mortals prolong life if they do it with purity of mind and heart. Shiva is the father of three worlds, Surya, Soma and Agni, the lord of three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas...and then he continued to speak of the glory of the great mantra and Shiva.

“Blessings of Shiva help a living being attain perfection if he continues with invocation and chant.” Sukracharya told. Later, he thought of Sankara and returned.

Dadhichi underwent rigorous tapasya and when Shiva was delighted, he gave three boons – his bones will become vajra – strong like iron, nobody would be able to kill him and he would remain adeen – rich, generous, fearless. The divine boons strengthened the great sage.

He wanted to teach a lesson to Dhruva. Again, a fierce struggle began which humiliated Dhruva, who decided to undergo tapa. However, Vishnu was unable to help him for he understood the unparallel influence of Shiva’s blessings. He assured Dhruva that he would try to defeat the sage without his knowledge. However, Dadhichi knew it and so wanted to curse Vishnu and the gods of heavens.

After he issued the curse, he looked at the gods and the kings and said, “O king, brahmins are powerful and influential.” Afterward, he entered his ashrama while all gods folded hands, bowed down as a mark of respect and went back.

Celestial Narada heard about Shiva-tattva and amazing exploits even as he protected devotees and granted happiness. A devotee is always victorious one learns. He recalled the destruction of yajna of Daksa where Virbhadra caused extensive destruction, and wounded and killed many where even sages, brahmins and gods who stood firm and rallied round prajapati Daksa faced violent anger of ganas of Shiva. Brahma was disturbed. He thought of Vishnu, it enlightened him and he saw truth, and thereafter, he went to Vaikuntha with the gods of heavens and sages. Vishnu led the gods of heavens to the right path. He told Brahma and gods of heavens and other monks that Daksa humiliated Shiva because he refused to offer share of yajna’s blessings-prasada. It was a serious crime and if anyone sinned, disastrous consequences would definitely visit.

He advised gods to seek forgiveness and absolution from the Lord of the Mountains. Therefore, all the gods as Vishnu guided, appeared before Shiva, praised the lord eloquently and gratified, and fortunately, for the gods, Shiva forgave. Later, he was engaged in divine dialogue with Vishnu and so, all gods, siddhas, lords of ganas and the great sages paid respect and looked reverentially at Vishnu and Brahma.

The great Lord of the Mountains after he heard eulogies and hymns of praise from gods, sages, celestial beings and others, restored limbs of gods and holy souls, who suffered in the war with the ganas of Shiva at the grounds of Daksa’s yajna. Thereafter, along with Sri Hari he went to yajna’s mandap, blessed Daksa and gave life back to him. This act of pardon, munificence, compassion and love provided adequate cheers and divine joy to the celestial souls. Holy and divine souls – gods, siddhas, sages, prajapatis praised Shiva. Semi celestial beings and gods, saintly souls, learned brahmins, nagas and various other revered beings paid tributes to Shiva separately and praised him with purity of hearts.

After the lord was happy, he said to Daksa, “O prajapati Daksa, whatever I say, listen. I am happy. I am god of all and considered free and independent, yet I am always under the control of devotees. Holy souls who worship me are – the suffering, the inquisitive, the men who evaluate and think in terms of material wellbeing – artharthi for they consider financial soundness good for life, and the greatest are men of wisdom and knowledge.” He told, “A devotee of wisdom and knowledge is very dear to me, for wise devotee can understand me.”

Daksa attentively heard Mahadeva and learnt that it was wise to know lord through knowledge and then, act, for he was Brahma and Vishnu and the lord with the three-dimensional delusory powers, who creates, preserves and destroys the three worlds, and further comes to know that karmas depend upon the nature of images of Vishnu, Brahma and Rudra.

Only the fools speak of division but the wise devotee discards thought of duality. Daksa continued to listen to the divine lexis of Shiva and felt blessed. Later, Daksa mediated on Shiva and cleansed of impurities, he began praising Shiva. Shiva was delighted and blessed Daksa. He completed yajna and gave sacrificial share of yajna to all gods. Gods and the holy gathering eulogised Shiva and returned.

At last, Vishnu and Brahma went back to Vaikuntha and Brahmloka. Thus, after she abandoned body in yajna, Sati took birth through the womb of Maina in the kingdom of Himavana as Uma. She undertook austere tapa and became holy spouse of Shiva.

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