August 2017 archive

Achyutāya namah

Here Shiva is preaching Supreme Essence to his wife.

Shiva continued, “Only when the senses are totally withdrawn and the mind merges into its own form, this Lord can be known as the inner Self. Hence He is Adhokśaja. Within my mind, I bow and worship such Lord.

Although Daksha is the father who has given you this body, he is now filled with feelings of hatred. As such, neither he nor his attendants are worth meeting at this point of time.

At the time when I had visited the Yagna being conducted by the Prajāpatis, for no fault of mine, Daksha accused and insulted me. If you go there against my wishes, it will not be auspicious for you. When a person who is worthy of being respected is insulted by his own kith and kin, it is equivalent of death”.

With this the third chapter of the fourth canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Four

In this chapter, Satidevi attending the Yagna much against the wishes of her husband, the insults that her father heaps upon her and Sati entering the yogic fire to give up her body are covered.

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “It is wrong to go uninvited to any event, isn’t it? Having warned her that to a self-respecting person disrespect is equivalent of death, Shiva remained silent. He foresaw that irrespective of whether she attended the function or not, destruction to her body was imminent. For this reason he did not give any decisive instruction. He merely warned her that attending the function would result in her being insulted.

Satidevi’s mind was devastated. On one hand, her desire to meet her relatives was extremely strong. On the other, the fear that she would be afflicted by the sin of disregarding her husband’s wishes tormented her. She was vacillating and was unable to decide. Neither did she want to leave her husband nor did she wish to abstain from the function. She kept walking up and down unable to figure out how to solve the problem.

As her desire to meet her near and dear ones was curtailed, her mind was overly agitated. In uncontrollable grief she shed profuse tears. The thought that she would not be able to meet her relatives caused her anguished body to slightly tremble. She looked at Shiva, the incomparable Lord, as if she would burn him down.

Due to the anger that Shiva had not permitted her to go and also due to the sorrow that she was going against his wishes, her heart was deeply afflicted. At last she sighed deeply and leaving Shiva, left for her parent’s home.

Shiva is deeply loved by all noble beings. He had, with utmost love, given half his body to Satidevi. However as she was filled with the feelings of love and affection, that is commonly seen in women, she lost her intelligence and left Shiva’s side.

Shiva’s attendants Manimānta and Mada noticed Sati hurriedly walking alone. Immediately they followed her together with their entire troop. They were accompanied by many Yakshas. Nandi led these troops.

Being Shiva’s attendants they were free from any form of fear or grief. Even then, seeing their mother Satidevi in a sorrowful mood, all of them were overcome with sorrow. They seated her on Nandi bull. To cheer her they gave her a bird, lotus, ball and other objects. They also gave her a garland, mirror for her decoration. They held a white umbrella over her head. Beating drums, conches, bugles and other musical instruments the procession was truly grand. They thus proceeded to Daksha’s place.

The loud Vedic chants from Daksha’s sacrificial hall were touching the skies. In that sacrificial hall, great debates upon the scriptural injunctions were taking place between scholars. Everywhere in the hall, Yagna vessels and pots made of clay, iron, gold and grass were found. Satidevi entered that sacrificial hall which was filled with Vedic scholars, Devatas and distinguished Maharishis.

Daksha insulted her upon arrival by not welcoming her properly. He did not even lift his head and look at her. Barring her mother and sisters, none of the persons who had assembled in that sacrificial hall, welcomed her. They did not give her the due respect. Fearing Daksha, all of them remained silent.

Her mother and her sisters were supremely pleased at her arrival. Their eyes were filled with tears of joy. Due to overflowing love, their voices were choked. All her sisters came forward and welcomed her warmly. They affectionately enquired about her well-being. They gently led her in. They offered her a comfortable seat to sit.

However as her father had not welcomed her, Sati felt insulted. She refused to accept the seat offered by her sisters. To add to it, in that Yagna, there were no Yagna offerings assigned for Rudra, her husband. She actually saw her father insulting her husband Shiva.

With this, her anger crossed all barriers and she was unstoppable. It appeared as if she would burn all the worlds with her intense anger.

Seeing her angry, Shiva’s attendants known as Pramatha gaṇās, stood up ready to attack. However with her sharp gaze she stopped them. With sharp angry eyes she now looked at her father, who with extreme self-importance was behaving arrogantly as if he was the most supreme.

Achutāya namah

Achyutāya namah

Satidevi continued, “O embodiment of auspiciousness! O Shiva! From a very long time, I have been longing to meet all my relatives. If I go there I can meet all my sisters. In addition I can also meet my mother, who has great affection towards me. I will also be able to witness the auspicious Yagna being conducted by supreme Maharishis. I will be able to see the Yagna flag that is flying high.

Tvayy etad āścaryam ajātma-māyayā Vinirmitaṁ bhāti guṇa-trayātmakam

Tathāpy ahaṁ yoṣid atattva-vic ca te Dīnā didṛkṣe bhava me bhava-kṣitim

O birthless Lord Shiva! This world which is created due to interactions between the attributes of goodness, passion and ignorance is wondrous! It has been created by You through the medium of Your illusory power. It exists within You and situated there, it shines resplendently.

However I am a poor ignorant woman who is unable to understand Your supreme essence. Therefore I seek to visit my parents’ home.

O Lord, being birthless You do not know the agony of being separated from kith and kin. You are that compassionate Lord who is ready to swallow even poison for ensuring the safety of others. Your bluish-black neck symbolizes this.

O Lord, please look once at the sky. Celestial women, attired beautifully, are thronging to the Yagna hall, accompanied by their spouses. When they thus travel, their white airplanes decorate the sky and add to its beauty.

O supreme amongst Lords! After coming to know of the festivities in my father’s home, how can this body of mine sit here without moving? My mind is eager to go there. Even without invitation people visit the home of a friend, husband, Guru and father.

O Lord, you are an epitome of compassion. Please listen to my request. Please fulfill my desire. You are omniscient. Lovingly you have given me half of your body. Therefore bless me by fulfilling this desire of mine”.

Shiva heard all that his loving wife had to say to him. He recollected all the heart wrenching, vicious insults that his father-in-law Daksha had uttered in the presence of all other Prajāpatis in the past. Shiva, who seeks the well-being of the noble-hearted, smiled lovingly and said,

“O beautiful one! What you have said is true. It is correct that we can visit the relative’s homes uninvited. However there are some who, due to body identification, are conceited, proud and filled with feelings of anger and hatred.  When relatives do not belong to this category, it is right to visit their homes uninvited.

Knowledge, penance, wealth, beauty, youth and birth in a good family are the six qualities of noble persons. These same qualities lead to arrogance in the wicked. They cause depletion in their discriminatory intelligence. Such conceited persons, who bloat in their self-importance, cannot understand the glories of noble persons and Mahatmas.

Daksha does not have a stable mind. He maintains feelings of differentiation. One should not go even near the threshold of such homes, even if they are our relatives. Even eye contact should be avoided with them. This is because they look at their guests with a wicked mind. With raised eyebrows and angry eyes that are filled with hatred, they look into the eyes of the guest and insult him.

When with a wicked mind, close relatives utter harsh malicious words that like arrows pierce the heart, one undergoes unbearable agony. That grief will torment them night and day. Even a warrior who is grievously injured in battle does not suffer as much agony as is experienced by a person who has been insulted by his closest relative. Such is the pain that malicious insulting words cause!

O beautiful lady! It is undoubtedly true that Daksha Prajāpati has extreme love towards his daughters. I am also aware that amongst all his daughters, you are most dear to him. Even then, my dear, at this point of time you will not be welcomed lovingly.

The fact that I am your husband is the sole reason behind this. He is upset with me. The inner consciousness is the witness for the mental activities of every living being. Daksha’s heart is filled with hatred. His senses are tormented by unending grief.

His material prosperity will never help him achieve the ultimate state called liberation, which Mahatmas obtain merely by being established in the Self (atma nishta). This helplessness has fuelled feelings of jealousy and hatred in him. As such, just as demons despise Srihari, Daksha despises me.

O beautiful one! In this world, when relatives meet they stand up and welcome each other lovingly. They greet and offer obeisance to each other. Mahatmas mentally perform these same actions, towards the Supreme Lord who is situated in every heart. They do not however acknowledge ignorant persons, who have totally identified themselves with their body.

When mind is full of goodness (sattva guna), without even a trace of passion and ignorance (rajas, tamo gunas), then such mind is totally pure. In such pure mind, the veil of ignorance would have been totally shred. The Supreme Lord shines in the form of the Self (atma) in such mind. Such pure inner mind is called Vasudeva. The Lord who shines within such pure mind is known as Vāsudeva.

He cannot be known through the senses. Only when the senses are totally withdrawn and the mind merges into its own form, this Lord can be known as the inner Self. Hence He is Adhokśaja”.

Adhokśajāya namah.

Achyutāya Namah

Nandi continued, “Due to love for his body, Daksha considers his body to be the Self (atma). He thinks this body is everything. As he is filled with feelings of duality, he has forgotten the inherent form of the Self. May this ignorant fool become a womanizer! May he, at the earliest, become goat-headed!

This foolish person believes fruitive actions, which constitute spiritual ignorance (avidya), to be the ultimate goal of life. He considers ignorance to be ultimate knowledge. May all those who are in agreement with Daksha, who has insulted and cursed Shiva, be trapped in samsāra i.e. the cycle of repeated births and deaths!

The creeper called karma kānda of Vedas (the portion of Vedas that explains fruitive actions or actions done with expectation of result) bears flowers known as ‘hymns that extol the greatness of the results’. In other words the Vedic chants known as karma kānda, with their flowery scented language, extol the greatness of heavenly and other comforts that are obtained due to adherence to fruitive actions when in reality these comforts only bring grief to the mind.

May all impure people who despise Shiva and who are deeply inclined towards these comforts, fall into the trap called infatuation towards fruitive actions! May they lose the discrimination between objects permanent and impermanent (nitya anitya vastu viveka) in this creation!

May the Brahmins, who despise Shiva, lose the discrimination between what should be eaten and what should not be eaten! May they use their penance, education and dedication purely towards rituals that help in filling their bellies!

Trapped in excessive infatuation towards wealth, sensual comforts and towards their body, may they rotate continuously in this cycle of births and deaths!” In this way, Nandi cursed not only Daksha but also all the Brahmins who despise Shiva.

Hearing Nandi’s curse, Maharishi Bhrigu instantly uttered a curse. Being a curse uttered by an exponent in Vedas, it is impossible to escape from this curse. Bhrigu Maharishi cursed,

“May the persons who adhere to Pāśupata vrata (Shiva vrata) and their disciples, become atheists who condemn the dictates of the Vedas. May they be impure, deluded, foolish and decorate themselves with bones, long hair and ash on their body! May their Pāśupata vrata involve eating meat, drinking wine and other intoxicating substances! May it become their lifestyle!

Vedas uphold the individual lifestyle as well as that of the society. You are condemning in varied ways such Veda and the learned Brahmins who adhere to this Veda. It implies that this Nandi has taken shelter in atheism which is a doctrine that is against the tenets of the Vedas.

Eṣa eva hi lokānāṁ śivaḥ panthāḥ sanātanaḥ

Yaṁ pūrve cānusantasthur yat-pramāṇaṁ janārdanaḥ

This path of Vedas, which is eternal, brings the well-being of all the worlds! It causes auspiciousness to mankind! All our elders have sought refuge in it in the past. Srihari, who punishes the wicked, is the root support for this Veda dharma.

Veda is of ultimate purity! It is eternal. Noble beings have always adhered to this Vedic path. All of you, who condemn such pure Veda, should turn into atheists and worship Rudra, the lord of the ignorant”.

Shiva’s mind was agitated due to these curses and counter-curses. He got up from his seat and left the assembly. All his troops (Shiva gaṇās) followed him.

O Vidura! Thereafter the Prajāpatis, continued this Satra yāga for a thousand years to appease the Srihari, the Lord of all Lords. Having completed the Yagna, they bathed in the confluence of Rivers Ganga and Yamuna and with pure minds returned to their respective homes.

With this the second chapter of the Fourth Canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Three

In this chapter, Satidevi seeking permission from her husband to attend the Yagna being conducted by her father Daksha and Shiva, in various ways, trying to dissuade her are covered.

Maitreya Maharishi said, “O Vidura, many years passed but the enmity between father-in-law Daksha and son-in-law Shiva continued. One day Brahma appointed Daksha as the leader of all the Prajāpatis and honoured him. With this Daksha became conceited.

Daksha who had become arrogant with this power rebuked all the Brahma nishtas (those established in Brahman) and began performing the Vājapeya Yāga. Thereafter he began another Yagna named Brihaspati sava.

All supreme saints, Brahmarishis, Devarishis as well as forefathers attended this Yagna together with their spouses. They participated in this auspicious ceremony and happily accepted the gifts given to them by Daksha.

Satidevi, wife of Shiva and daughter of Daksha, heard the Gandharvas and demi-gods, who were travelling in the sky extolling the greatness and grandeur of her father’s Yagna. They were discussing the finer details of the Yagna.

She observed people from all directions going in their aircrafts to attend the Yagna. The wives of the demi-gods had worn costly saris, exquisite ornaments and glittering earrings and were beautifully dressed. Chatting joyfully with their husbands and observing their surroundings with their delicate pretty eyes, they were enthusiastically traveling to attend the Yagna.

Satidevi noticed all this commotion in the skies near her residence. In great excitement she approached Shiva and said,
“O Lord! Your father-in-law Daksha is conducting a grand yagna. If you are agreeable, we both could go and attend the Yagna. Groups of Devatas are eagerly traveling to attend the Yagna. Just see the commotion in the skies as they travel in their airplanes. I am sure all my sisters, together with their husbands, will arrive to see the Yagna and to meet all the relatives. I too am desirous of attending the Yagna along with you. I too want to accept the gifts that my parents give”.

Achyutāya namah

Achutāya namah

Vidura enquired, “Shiva is the father for all animate and inanimate objects in this creation. There is none whom he dislikes. He is of a peaceful nature and is totally established in his own Self. He is the Lord of the universe. How could it be possible for anyone to dislike Him? What could be the reason for this enmity between Daksha and his son-in-law Shiva? Due to this enmity, Satidevi gave up her body, which should not been done. Please explain to me these details.”

Maitreya Maharishi replied, “Once upon a time Marichi and other Prajāpatis began a ritual known as Satra Yāga. To witness this Yāga, Gods, the different types of Fires (Agni) and all supreme saints together with their disciples assembled in the sacrificial hall.

Thereafter Daksha, who shone radiantly like the Sun which dispels darkness in entirety, entered into the grand assembly wherein everyone was seated. Due to the effect of his radiance, everyone assembled there, including Devatas, the Fires and the Maharishis were stunned and they stood up reverentially to welcome him.

Lords Brahma and Shiva were the only members who remained seated within that assembly. Barring Shiva and Brahma, all others profusely praised and honored Daksha Prajāpati.

Thereafter Daksha Prajāpati offered obeisance to the creator, the Self-born Lord Brahma, and with his permission took his seat. He now looked at Shiva, who had occupied a seat prior to his arrival and who did not even get up in reverence upon his arrival. He concluded that Shiva had done this deliberately to insult him.

With this he was deeply angered. He looked contemptuously at Shiva. With eyes that were spitting fire he said,

“Brahma-rishis, Devatas, the different Fires and other assembled guests in this assembly, please listen. I am going to explain the behavior of noble beings. Neither am I speaking out of ignorance nor out of jealousy. Therefore please listen attentively.

This Shiva is shameless. He is spoiling the good reputation of guardian-deities (loka pālaka). Due to arrogance he is disrupting the path treaded by noble persons. He is destroying good traditions.

Eṣa me śiṣyatāṁ prāpto yan me duhitur agrahīt

Pāṇiṁ viprāgni-mukhataḥ sāvitryā iva sādhuvat 

Like a virtuous person he has, with fire as a witness and in the presence of great Brahmins, accepted my daughter’s hand in marriage. He has married my chaste daughter who is equal to Savitri. As my son-in-law he is also my disciple.

He who is monkey-eyed has married my daughter Sati, who has gentle deer like eyes. As I am his father-in-law, it is customary that he comes forward and welcomes me with full honour when I arrive. He did not follow the custom. Moreover he did not even have the courtesy to greet and welcome me through his speech. He did not honour me in any way.

This Shiva has totally discarded all Vedic rituals. He is impure. He is arrogant. He is ignorant of the customs and traditions. Giving my daughter to him in marriage is akin to preaching auspicious Vedic mantras to the undeserving. Much against my desire I have given my daughter Satidevi to him in marriage.

Letting his hair loose such that it flies in all directions, he roams in crematoriums. Evil spirits such as bhootas and pretas serve him at all times. It is not limited to this. Laughing and crying without apparent reason, he wanders everywhere like a mad man. He picks ash from the crematorium and applies it all over his body. The skulls of the dead form the chain that adorns his neck. Their bones are his ornaments.

The name Shiva actually symbolizes auspiciousness. But it is only for namesake that he has such a name. The truth is that he is inauspicious and impure. Like him, his friends too are conceited and haughty.

He is the leader of troops known as Pramatha gaṇās and Bhoota gaṇās who are predominantly filled with ignorance and inertia (tamo guṇa).

Oho! What a blunder I have committed by heeding Brahma’s advice. To this Shiva who is inauspicious, who is the leader of these ignorant bhoota gaṇās, who is of wicked mind and who is impure, I have given my chaste daughter in marriage”. In this and in many other ways, Daksha insulted Shiva, the resident of Kailasa.

Even after all this, Shiva was unperturbed. He did not develop any anger or aversion towards Daksha. Shiva, the supreme Yogi, considered these insults as worshipful prayers being offered to him by Daksha.

When the deeper meanings within Daksha’s insults are clearly understood, it will be clear that they truly are reverential worshipful prayers.

Seeing Shiva sitting pleasantly and calmly without any reaction, Daksha was even more infuriated. He now cursed Shiva. Holding water in his hand he said,

“This Shiva is the worst amongst the Devatas. In this Yagna ritual where Devatas such as Indra, Vishnu and others get their share of offerings, may he not receive any share of offerings!”

Many of those present in the assembly tried their best to prevent Daksha from cursing Shiva but it was of no avail. Daksha, who had succumbed to anger, did not heed their advice. Having cursed Shiva, he got up from his seat and left for his home.

Even then Shiva continued to sit calmly. He was unperturbed. However Shiva’s attendant Nandi, who was the leader of all Shiva’s troops, was extremely infuriated. Nandi’s mind now was trapped in the vice known as anger.

He retaliated by pronouncing a counter curse upon those amongst the audience who were in agreement with Daksha’s behaviour. He cursed, “This Daksha has feelings of duality in him. He is an ignorant fool. He considers this body, which is subject to destruction, as supreme. He insulted Shiva, the Lord who has never harmed anyone. Therefore may the Supreme Knowledge that exists within him, be lost totally.

Daksha considered his household to be everything. He is a fraudster who is inclined towards false dharmas. Influenced by the Vedic hymns that extol performance of Yagnas and other rituals with expectation of results, this Daksha has stepped on the wrong path. He is now focused upon performing those actions which will resultantly bless him with trivial material comforts. He is now driven by desire”.

Achyutāya Namah

Nārasimhaya namah

Brahma and other Devatas extolled Nara and Nārayana,

“Yo māyayā viracitaṁ nijayātmanīdaṁ khe rūpa-bhedam iva tat-praticakṣaṇāya

Etena dharma-sadane ṛṣi-mūrtinādya prāduścakāra puruṣāya namaḥ parasmai

Although there is only one space, it appears as if different spaces exist in different units eg., space in different pot appears to be different. Likewise in the non-dual Parabrahma, there are no differences. Even then, through the medium of His illusory energy, He creates this vast universe within Himself that consists of name and form.

In order to make known His true form to his devotees, such Supreme Lord has now descended in the form of the Maharishis Nara and Narayana. He has incarnated in the house of Dharma. To that Supreme Lord, who is beyond illusion and who is a form of completeness, we offer our obeisance.

The human being understands the true form of the Lord exactly as stipulated in the scriptures. The Lord is the protector of the universe. He has created the Devatas solely to drive away the evil forces that cause obstacles to people. We are the Devatas who predominantly possess traits of goodness (sattva guna).

The Lord’s beautiful gaze puts to shame even the lotus which is considered to be an epitome of beauty. Such gaze overflows with compassion. May He look at us with such compassionate eyes!”

In this way, Devatas worshipped and praised the Maharishis Nara and Narayana. The Lord with His compassionate eyes blessed them with His darshan.

Nara and Narayana, who were the partial incarnations of the Supreme Lord Srihari, then left for the Gandhamādhana Mountain to continue their penance. In a later period of time they incarnated as Arjuna and Srikrishna and uplifted the Kuru and Yadu lineages. In order to protect this earth i.e. in order to drive away unrighteousness that had enveloped earth, they incarnated here.

We discussed that Daksha Prajāpati gave 13 out of his 16 daughters in marriage to Dharma and we have also understood their lineage.

Thereafter Daksha Prajāpati gave his daughter Swāha in marriage to Agni, the presiding deity for Fire. This couple had three sons viz., Pāvaka, Pavamāna and Suci. These three also are the presiding deities of Fire and they consume the homa offerings.

These three sons of Agni begot 45 types of Fire as children. Agni, his 3 sons and his 45 grandsons total 49 types of fire. In accordance to the dictates of the Vedas, Vedic scholars remember all these types of fire during the Yagna and conduct the Iśṭi rituals.

Thereafter Daksha gave his daughter Swadha to the forefathers (pitr-devatas) in marriage. Forefathers are Agniśvāttas, Bariśādas, Soumyas and Ajyapās”.

There is a deep hidden inner significance within these names.  Only when we delve into the inner meaning contained in the name, the entire significance contained in the story will be understood.

“Those who relish food items cooked in fire are Agniśvāttas. Those who sit on seats made of Kuśa grass as Bariśādas. Those who drink soma rasa are Soumyās. Those who drink ājya are Ajyapās. Amongst them only some have the eligibility to make fire offerings. To all these forefathers Swādha is the wife.

She had two daughters Dhāriṇi and Vayunā, both of whom were Self-realized. In addition, having actually experienced the real knowledge, they imparted it to those who were desirous of learning.

Bhavasya patnī tu satī bhavaṁ devam anuvratā

Ātmanaḥ sadṛśaṁ putraṁ na lebhe guṇa-śīlataḥ

Satidevi, the daughter of Daksha Prajāpati, became the wife of Lord Shiva. With utmost love and dedication she served Shiva. Even then Sati could not beget a son, who could match her beauty and character.

Although Shiva was faultless, Daksha Prajāpati developed aversion towards him. Due to this anger he behaved contemptuously towards Shiva. At that time Sati was still a young girl and had not matured into an adult. Angered by her father’s actions, she, out of her own will, gave up her body by creating a Yogic fire”.

With this the first chapter of the fourth canto comes to an end.

Fourth Canto Chapter Two

In this chapter, Daksha aversion towards Shiva and his curse are elaborated.

Vidura asked, “O Maitreya Maharishi, Shiva is the ultimate amongst those who bestow auspiciousness. Daksha also had great affection for his daughters. Why then did Daksha insult Satidevi? What was the reason for his hatred towards Shiva?

Kas taṁ carācara-guruṁ nirvairaṁ śānta-vigraham

Ātmārāmaṁ kathaṁ dveṣṭi jagato daivataṁ mahat”