Chapter 34 - Siva punishes Daksha

Narada was deputed by Brahma to carry the news of Sati’s death to Siva. He, accordingly, went to the latter, and, after making profound obeisance, narrated the whole event to him.

Siva wept for a long time, and his grief knew no bounds.

When, at last, he was able to speak, he said,

“Narada, Sati has not only left her body, but me also. What do you advise me to do now?”

Narada said,

“Do not be uneasy my lord, you will get Sati back again. She was yours and shall always be yours I would, at present, request you to go to Daksha’s place and bud out all for yourself. If you find that Daksha persists in dishonouring you, he should be killed and his sacrifice spoilt. Go there in the form of one of the Rudras who live at his house”.

Siva, thereupon, assumed an awful form and proceeded to Daksha’s house. All who saw him in the way fled through fear.

When he reached the house, he stood outside, and said in a thundering voice, “Daksha, I am a beggar and have come to you for alms”.

All those who were inside were struck with fear at the voice, and Daksha requested a god by sign to go and see who the beggar was.

The god went out, and was terrified at the sight of the beggar.

He said,

“Who are you and what do you want? Your look is too haughty to suit the profession of a beggar who should be more respectful”.

Siva answered:

“Really I am a beggar, and my name is Rudra. I am as Nature has made me. I have come to beg for Sati. Can you give her back to me? If not, tell me who can do so.”

The god said, “Go and apply to Daksha at the sacrificial ground.”

Siva thereupon entered fearlessly, and stood before Daksha who, by gestures and indistinct articulations, made the assembly understand that this was the Rudra who had robbed him of his Sati, and asked them to send him out of his sight.

Siva vociferated,

“What art thou babbling, thou goat-headed monster? Give me back my Sati or thou shalt be destroyed along with thy sacrifice.”

Saying so, he began to roll his three eyes with anger, whereupon all the Rishis, Kinnaras and men fled hither and thither through fear. He, however, pulled them all by the hair and cast a fearful glance on Daksha. The latter called his eleven Rudras with an indistinct voice, and they all came at once to the scene, but no sooner did they see Siva, than they joined him.

Then Siva said again,

“Daksha, what dost thou say? Wilt thou give me back my Sati? Dost thou wish to live or die.”

At this moment Daksha’s speech was restored to him, and he answered,

“Wretch, I never gave my daughter willingly to thee, so how can I restore her to thee now? She was practically dead to me by having married thee, and now she has left her body and become a ghost. Thou art a frequenter of ghost-land, so go and find her out from wherever she may be. This is not a ghost-land, and I am not a chief of ghosts. Why hast thou come, here to die? Go away and do not interfere with my business.”

Hearing this the eleven Rudras began to pant with rage and their breath gave birth to many other Rudras as mighty and fearful as they. All these Rudras looked at Siva for his commands, and he ordered them to spoil the sacrifice. They at once filled the sacrificial pit with urine, and, catching Daksha by the hair, subjected him to various sorts of torments The gods became pale with fear and looked aghast. Other people in the assembly were filled with consternation, and many among them received various injuries on their bodies.

When the Brahmanas saw the Rudras coming towards them, they cried out, “Spare us, we are Brahmanas,” and fled away

Siva caught Daksha and plucked off his head and inflicted injuries on two other gods.

The Rudras, then, headed by Siva, entered the female compartments of the house, and began to commit havoc there. Daksha’s wife cast a pitiable glance on Siva who was slightly mollified thereby. She took advantage of this opportunity, and, falling down at his feet, begged for mercy, and praised him for a long time.

Siva was quite pacified by her treatment, and appeared to her in his real form, mounted on his bull.

At this time Brahma and Vishnu also appeared on the scene, and, addressing him, said

“Lord, you have rightly punished Daksha for his, sins. Be pacified now and bring him back to life, at the same time, making the broken limbs of the gods whole again.”

Siva said,

“Very well, I grant your request, but let the gods take care that they do not tolerate such blasphemies in future. Bring the head of a goat for Daksha, and let it be joined to his trunk.”

This was done, and Daksha came back to life. He saw Brahma, Vishnu and Siva standing together before him, and his antagonistic feelings towards Siva disappeared entirely. Brahma and Vishnu told him that he had been rightly punished for his sins, and that he should now fall down at the feet of Siva, and pray for his forgiveness.

Daksha fell down at Siva’s feet and offered a long prayer to him.

He said,

“Lord, you have done right in destroying the sacrifice. It was a quite useless one because it had been commenced

Siva who is the lord of mercy, forgave Daksha in spite of the life-long hatred shown by him, and lifted him up with his own hands.

Brahma and Vishnu, then, ordered Daksha to resume the sacrifice, and give a share of the offerings to Sati and Siva.

They said,

“Although they will be the last in getting their dues, yet it is meet and proper that this should be so, because they are the gods of all the other gods, and, after worshipping them, no other god can be worshipped. Sati is not present, but Mahadeva^[1] will take her share, because they are one.”

Daksha followed the advice of the gods and completed the sacrifice.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A name of Siva.