Chapter 33 - The death of Sati

In due time Sati reached her father’s house, and went to her mother who wept to see her daughter after an age, and taxed her for having forgotten her parents.

She added,

“My dear child, your father hates your husband through ignorance, and has not, therefore, invited you both. I had a very bad dream last night in which I saw you in the dark form you have assumed, and I am sure it augurs ill to my husband”.

Sati said that the dream would unfortunately prove to be true, and asked her permission to go to see her father at the sacrificial ground.

The permission was granted, and Sati went to see the sacrifice with her sisters. She saw many Brahmanas engaged in performing the sacrifice, and her father sitting among them, elated with pride.

Addressing Sati, he said,

“Who are you? Although your complexion is dark, yet you look like my daughter Sati. Is it so, and have you come to see the sacrifice?”

Sati said,

“Yes father, I am your daughter, Sati, and I fall down at your feet. Can you not recognize your own child?”

Daksha said,

“My darling, what a sorry condition you have been reduced to by marrying that leader of evil spirits known as Siva! How could I have recognized you through that black complexion which you formerly had not? It is on account of that vicious man that I did not invite you to this sacrifice. However, let us bury the past and forget that wretch who has made such a wreck of you. You shall not go back to him, my love, and your father shall take proper care of you.”

Daksha’s words pierced through Sati’s heart like arrows, and her eyes burnt with rage.

She exclaimed,

“Daksha, be silent if you are mindful of your welfare. If you have any sense of dharma^[1], cut off that tongue of yours which you have been using so vilely. Siva is the lord of all beings and pervades them as their soul. You are committing suicide by speaking ill of him, and all those present here are great sinners for tolerating your blasphemies. They will all be sorry for it very soon.”

Daksha answered,

“Girl, you were foolish enough to marry that man, and now, to conceal your folly you take shelter under this swelling talk. We all take your husband for what he is worth, and your bragging will carry very little weight with us. I am Daksha, the master of creation, and as such, am known to all the gods and goddesses. I will not endure the praises you bestow on your husband who is worshipful in your eyes only.”

Sati said,

“Daksha, take care, and do not persist in this sinful talk. Take warning and listen to your daughter who knows better than you. Bow down to Siva at once. You have been hating Siva since your birth, but do not waste any more time by continuing to do so? It is a wonder that Siva who is loved and respected by all should be so hateful to you.”

Daksha now lost temper and, addressing all present, said,

“Sirs, do you not hear how I, your lord, am being treated by my own daughter? Either bring her to her senses or send her out of this place. She is now as repulsive in my eyes as her husband.”

Then turning to Sati, he continued,

“Get out of my sight, thou ill-behaved wretch. Thou hast been dead, to me since the day thou didst take Siva for thy husband. Hast thou forgotten that thou hast disgraced thy father by marrying a Rudra, eleven of whose colleagues are constantly serving me at my house.”

Sati said,

“I am ashamed to call a sinful man like you, my father. But I should not blame you for all this. It is your fate that is misleading you to cause your ruin. I warn you for the last time, and request you to propitiate Siva by doing Stava (prating) to him.”

Daksha said,

“I shall pronounce the word “Stava” in the wrong way, and call thy husband a “Vasta” (i.e., a goat). Cease thy impertinent talk, and take thyself out of my sight. I shall not be guided by thee.”

Sati’s patience was exhausted by this time, and she could control herself no longer. She cried out,

“Wretch, take the consequences of your blasphemies. You have reversed the syllables of the word “Stava”^[2], and pronounced it as “Vasta”; so your head shall turn into that of a Vasta (goat). You have asked me to clear out of your sight. I shall not only do so but leave the body also which has come into existence through you.”

No sooner were these words pronounced than Daksha’s head was transformed into that of a goat, and he lost his power of speech. All the gods and Munis were struck dumb with astonishment, and, when Sati left the assembly, Indra and his colleagues began to tremble through fear. Even the earth trembled under her weight, and no one could muster courage to request her to stop, or even to look at her. Daksha tried to utter the word, “Sati,” but instead of doing so, he bleated like a goat.

Sati, after leaving the place, entered a dense forest near the Himalayas and leaving her body there went up to the mountain.

The Brahmanas resumed the sacrifice after a short while, but with a sad heart. Daksha, instead of repeating the mantras, bleated like a goat. Some laughed at him, some wept, and some wore sorry for his folly. Sati’s mother was, however, prepared for all this, and was not, therefore, taken by surprise.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See footnote at p [?]

[2]:

i.e., you have pronounced the word “Vasta” and thereby put “Sta” after “Va.”