the Daksha episode

the Daksha episode

the Daksha episode appears as a prelude and sequel to the Dakshayagnam and the history is described with variations in almost all the puranams.

 The essential common features  are that Sati was the daughter of Dakshprajapathi one of the sons of brahmadeva,

 she was devoted to Shiva, 

Daksha was not pleased with the supreme power of Shiva and maybe out of ego he would not give Sathi to Shiva.

. But it was inevitable that Shiva and Shakthi should join and no one can stop it.  So Shiva married Sati the Daakshaayani

Daksha in his capacity as a rulemaker, arranged a sacrifice, and in every sacrifice all the Gods deserved their yajnabhagam..

 they were ceremonially invited..

 but Shiva was ignored and the renegade son in law. 

Many gods hesitated to attend but no one was free not to accept the invitation. 

The insult reached the ears of Shiva but he was ignoring it,

 but Sathi, either out of affection for the father or because she felt slighted, wanted to attend the sacrifice in her capacity as Daughter of Daksha  .

. Shiva dissuaded her, but she insisted.

 In some puranas  the altercation between shiva and shakthi are discussed, and attempts to underline the inter-se superiority of the two complimentary forces shiva and Shakthi  is attempted 

 Ultimately Sathi attends the sacrifice and is insulted by the father and she immolates herself and enters fire.

. 

The enraged Shiva, sends his bhootaganam(army of fierce demi gods) with Veerabhadra in the lead and completely destroys the sacrifice, and beheads Daksha. 

They say the head of Daksha was replace by the head of a goat and Daksha was given lease of life later. 

And Dasksha praised Shiva with Chamakam.

 It is said that it was when Shiva in his anger on the occasion hit his matted hair on earth that Durvasa was born.

 The Siva bereft Shakthi could not be complete 

and therefore,  roaring and crying in desolation (Rudra) carried the charred body of Sati from Himalyas to the south. 

Mahavishnu, the diplomat he is, knew that unless Shiva is relieved of the body of Sati his anger will never abate

 and in the fire of that anger the entire universe would be renedered as ash. 

So with his discus he cut the body of Sati unobtrusively in parts, following Shiva from behind. 

The pieces of the  body fell on 108 places in India and they are the Shakthi peeatams.. 

Even now, the presence of Vishnu and Shiva also can be found in these Shakti peetama.

 Finally Shiva fell into a penance of depression to get back the Sakthi. 

Simultaneously Dakshayani (Sathi) took birth herself as the adopted daughter of Mena and Himavan, called Uma the  Parvathi, and when she set out for penance to woo Shiva,

 Her mother first dissuade  her saying 

 "u" my daughter, "maa" do not go for penance..

 so she became Uma. 

Shiva's penance was disrupted byKamadeva (Cupid) who lost his life in the bargain. 

Shiva started yearning for Shakthi in the form of Uma and they married. 

Meanwhile Skanda and Ganesh were born, 

and the foursome protects the world for ever.

 Lessons for posterity from this episode are ,

 arrogance will kill you however big you are...

 the balanced elements in nature should never be disturbed, 

and when energies which balance each other are separated out greed or cruelty the entire environment suffers. 

More lessons are there and the floor is open..

 More variations of the stroy are there and Vaishnavas, Shaivas and Shakthas will tell different versions. 

The floor is open for that also. 

This is the elementary discussion material.