Sandhya's Story

Narada said

Having got a wife, Madana went home; Daksha, you and your sons went home. Where did Sandhya, Brahma's daughter and mother of the ancestors, go, and what did she do? Whom did she marry? Tell me in detail.

Brahma answered

Hearing this, virtuous women obtain what they wish. In ancient times Sandhya, my mind-born daughter, did austerity, gave up her body and was born as Arundhati, the daughter of the best of sages, Medhatithi. By the words of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha she kept vows and got the great Vasishtha, praised for his vows, as husband. She is the foremost of devoted wives and is much worshipped even now.

Narada asked how she did austerity, where and why, how she gave up her body and became Medhatithi's daughter, what the three gods ordained, and how she won Vasishtha. Brahma said: when I saw Sandhya my mind was quickly enticed; afraid of Shiva I gave her up. Struck by Kama's arrows, her mind too had wavered, as happens even to great-souled rishis who have controlled their minds. She heard Bharga's words and how he laughed at me, realised that she had wavered and offended the sages, saw how Kama used such feelings to confound sages again and again, and was miserable at the prospect of marriage. Shiva went home, I vanished, and she, intolerant of it all, reflected and meditated, thinking:

"As soon as I was born my father saw my youth and, goaded by Madana, desired me. Look at the mind-born sages, whose selves were cleansed: on seeing me they broke the norms, filled with desire. The evil Madana agitated my mind too; seeing all the sages my mind was greatly agitated. That is why the grandfather cursed him before Shambhu. I am wicked too; I have committed a crime and must reap it. I wish to find quickly a way to purify myself. On seeing me my father and brothers were filled with desire, and seeing them I desired them. Since I caused it, I am the greater sinner; I behaved towards relatives as I would towards a husband. Having sinned I must do the penance myself. I will follow the Vedic path and offer myself as an oblation into the fire. I alone will establish an ordinance on earth that no embodied being should feel desire immediately at birth. For this I will do terrible austerity, establish the ordinance and then give up my body, which my own father desired, and my brothers too. I have no need of it; it naturally aroused desire and cannot be a means to good deeds." She went to the best of mountains, the place called Chandrabhaga, where the river of that name flows.

I learned she had gone there and told my son Vasishtha, self-controlled in austerity, knowing everything, a yogi of knowledge, expert in the Vedas and Vedangas, seated near me: "Vasishtha, go to my spirited daughter Sandhya. She has resolved on austerity. Go and initiate her properly. Pardon the wicked desire she once felt on seeing you; she felt it toward all of you and me; it was as if done in an earlier life and forgotten after death. She wished to give up life and no longer has such feelings for any of you. She follows ordinances and is doing austerity to establish one. She does not know the techniques, so instruct her. Give up your form and take a different one, for she has seen yours and may be ashamed." Out of pity I instructed him; he agreed and went to Sandhya. He saw the divine lake, full of qualities like Lake Manasa, and Sandhya on its bank, bright with lotuses like an evening sky with stars; the lake is called Brihallohita, from which the Chandrabhaga flows toward the southern ocean, breaking through the western ridge as the Ganga flows from the Himalaya.

He asked gently: "Fortunate one, why have you come to this secluded mountain? Whose daughter are you? What do you wish? If it is not secret, tell me. Your face is moon-complexioned but expressionless." She looked at the great-souled one, blazing like fire, with matted hair, as if the radiance of celibacy personified, bowed and said: "The purpose I came for is already achieved; from seeing you success is ensured. I came here to do austerity. I was born as Brahma's daughter, named Sandhya. If you are willing and can tolerate me, instruct me. I know nothing of the techniques; I came to this forest and was drying up with worry." Vasishtha, who knew the brahman, asked nothing more; she had controlled her self and was ready. Remembering Shankara, kind to his devotees, he said: "He is the supreme energy, the supreme austerity, the most worthy of worship. Meditate in your mind on Shambhu, the single original cause for seekers of dharma, wealth, desire and liberation, cause of the universe. Worship Purushottama. Worship Shambhu with this mantra: 'Aum namah Shankaraya Aum.' With this and silence austerity begins. Bathe in silence and do Hara's puja in silence. In the first and second of the six periods of the day food is water only; fast in the third; continue until the austerity ends, doing the rites at the end of each period. This is austerity in silence, giving the fruits of celibacy and all desires. Accept this instruction and think of Shankara; if he is pleased he will soon give what you wish." He sat and told Sandhya the rites for austerity, and vanished.