Sati Gives up Her Body

The rishis asked

Daksha's daughter Dakshayani gave up her body earlier. How in those ancient times did she become the daughter of Himalaya and Mena? How did Daksha come to criticize the great-souled Rudra? What was the reason for abusing Bhava? How was Daksha, cursed by Bhava, born in the Chakshusha manvantara? Wind god, tell us.

Vayu answered

Listen, I will tell you. Because of his poor understanding, Daksha was overcome by delusion and sin, and his conduct defiled all the immortals in the universe. Long ago, on a certain occasion, all the gods, asuras, siddhas and supreme rishis went to Mount Himalaya to see Ishana. Deva and Devi were sitting on a divine seat, and, best of brahmanas, they showed themselves to the devas and the rest. Along with the immortals Daksha also went there, to see his son-in-law Hara and his daughter Sati. Out of the great respect due to them, Deva and Devi paid Daksha no more attention when he arrived than they did to the other devas. He knew nothing of their supreme nature. Foolishly he thought of her only as a daughter, and he came to hate her. Vidhatri also fanned this enmity. Daksha consecrated himself for a sacrifice, and because of his hatred he did not invite Bhava. All his other sons-in-law were invited in order and were splendidly honoured, each separately.

Rudrani heard from Narada that they had gathered there. With Rudra's permission she went to her father's house. A divine car was brought, facing every direction, extremely charming, with all the best signs and easy to climb. It was like molten gold, studded with wonderful gems, with canopies hung with the finest pearls and decorated with garlands. It was made of molten gold and had bejewelled pillars, diamond stairs, and pillars and gates inlaid with coral. There was a wonderful bejewelled throne covered with cloth and strewn with flowers. Rays from nets of diamonds seeped in through its gem-decorated windows. In front stood a beautiful staff set with jewels and marked with the sign of a great bull, and before it a white, sparkling, decorated flag fluttered. Unassailable lords of the ganas stood guard at the large gates, holding colourful canes, their bodies protected by jackets studded with jewels. Many women of fine dress and speech surrounded it, skilled in the rhythm of singing and in playing drums, flutes and veenas. With her dear friends Mahadevi climbed onto it. Beautiful whisks with diamond-studded handles fanned her. Two of Rudra's maidens held these auspicious whisks and fanned her like two swans quarrelling, and between them Devi's radiant face was like a lotus. Sumalini held an umbrella like the moon over her head, and her face looked like a vessel into which pearls had been thrown, like the lunar disc reflected in a vessel of amrita. Shubhavati sat in front, smiling, amusing Sati by playing dice. Suyasha held Devi's two auspicious jewelled sandals against her own breasts and served her. Another lady, golden in her limbs, showed her a shining mirror. Another held a flag of palm leaves, another a box of betel leaves, another a beautiful playful parrot, another charming fragrant flowers. A lotus-eyed lady held her ornaments, someone applied unguents and collyrium, and others did the fitting tasks. They served Mahadevi on every side, and in their midst Parameshvari shone like the autumn moon among the stars.

A conch was raised and sounded and a giant drum announced the departure, with sweet and melodious music and hundreds of other instruments. The ganeshas, equal to Mahesha in energy, went in front, eight thousand of them with weapons in hand. Among them went the illustrious Nandi, leader of the ganas, worshipped by the moon, seated on a bull like Brihaspati on an elephant. Drums of the devas sounded in the sky and the clouds were divine and pleasant. All the sages danced and the siddhas and yogis rejoiced. Numbers of other devas gathered everywhere along the route and showered flowers on the canopy like clouds pouring rain.

In a short while Maheshvari entered her father's house. Seeing her, Daksha, who was bringing about his own destruction, was enraged. He worshipped only her younger sisters. Standing in the middle of the assembly, her face like the moon, Devi Ambika spoke to her father in harsh and strong words. Devi said: "From Brahma down to the pishachas, everyone obeys his commands. Father, you have not worshipped that divinity properly. And besides, what kind of honour is this you show me, your eldest daughter? You have shown me disrespect and done a shameful thing." Addressed so, Daksha answered in rage and impatience: "My younger daughters are better and more distinguished than you, and deserve to be honoured. Their husbands please me and I revere them. All of them are superior in qualities to your husband Tryambaka. Sharva's mind is numb, and you have taken refuge with him. That is why I disrespected you. Bhava is against me."

When her father spoke to her this way, Devi grew angry, and while everyone in the sacrificial assembly listened, she answered him. "Daksha, my husband, the great lord of all worlds, has suddenly been made to seem defiled in every way, and you have abused him in your words. A person who steals knowledge, who hates his guru, and who reviles the Vedas and Ishvara: the shrutis call these great sinners who must be punished. You have committed a terrible and grave sin. So, accordingly, destiny will bring a terrible and violent punishment upon you. You have not worshipped Tryambaka, lord of the gods. Understand that your line has been defiled and will be destroyed." Having angrily said this to her father, Sati gave up her body.

After giving up her body she went to Mount Himalaya. The illustrious, supreme mountain received the fruit of his good deeds, for it was for this that he had long tormented himself with extremely hard austerities. So Ishvari showed favour to the lord of mountains, and by her own yoga and maya she willingly accepted him as her father. When Sati criticized Daksha and left, the mantras were filled with fear and vanished, and the sacrifice suffered. Hearing of Devi's departure, the destroyer of Tripura angrily cursed Daksha and the rishis: "Daksha, because of me you dishonoured the innocent Sati. You honoured all your other daughters and their husbands. In the Vaivasvata manvantara these sons-in-law will be born, but not from wombs. All of them will be born through Brahma's sacrifice. In the Chakshusha manvantara you will be born as a human king, the grandson of Prachinabarhi and the son of the Prachetas. Evil-minded one, even then I will repeatedly create obstacles for you in every act of dharma, artha and kama." So the infinitely energetic Rudra rebuked Daksha. Wretched, he gave up his own body and fell to the ground. In the Chakshusha manvantara Daksha was born as the son of the Prachetas, the grandson of Prachinabarhi. In the Vaivasvata manvantara Bhrigu and the others were born through Brahma's sacrifice, and Bhrigu as Varuni gained a radiant body. In the Vaivasvata manvantara the evil-souled Daksha performed a sacrifice for dharma, but Mahesha created obstacles to it.