॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Thursday, 27 October 2022 IV.02 - Lord Shiva is insulted during Daksha’s Yajna.
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This short chapter shows how when tempers fly high, words of insult and indiscretion fly thick and fast and do much damage to people. This was no different even at the beginning of creation!
Vidura enquires from Sage Maitreya how anyone could have harboured bad feelings towards Shiva.
कस्तं चराचरगुरुं निर्वैरं शान्तविग्रहम् । आत्मारामं कथं द्वेष्टि जगतो दैवतं महत् ॥
एतदाख्याहि मे ब्रह्मन्जामातु: श्वशुरस्य च । विद्वेषस्तु यत: प्राणांस्तत्यजे दुस्त्यजान्सती ॥
T: “How could Daksha have become inimical towards Lord Shiva, the spiritual master of the entire world, who is free from enmity, is peace incarnate and is always satisfied in himself, the best among the gods? Sir, to give up one’s life is very difficult. Would you kindly explain to me how such a son-in-law and father-in-law could quarrel so bitterly that the great goddess Sati gave up her life?”
Sage Maitreya began.
“Long ago, there was a great Yajna performed by all the gods and rishis and their followers. In that huge assembly, Daksha Prajapati, son of Brahma, made his entry as a magnificent and radiant personality. His entry was so dazzling that everyone in the assembly, all the gods and rishis, got up in respect, except Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. Daksha, being Brahma’s son, did not mind that his father did not rise in respect. He bowed to him in reverence. But he took umbrage at Lord Shiva badly. He spoke:
"Listen, oh Sages, Brahmins and gods of the sacred fire. I want to say what is good manners. I do not speak out of ignorance or envy. This Shiva has brought a bad name to the gods as he is shameless in his manners. He should revere me as I have given my daughter to him, and hence in a way am like a father to him. His appearance is ugly. He did not stand up to receive me, nor did he think it fit to welcome me with sweet words. My marrying off my daughter to him was a bad thing like teaching Vedas to a Shudra. He lives on cremation grounds, surrounded by ghosts and gargoyles. Naked, ash-smeared, he wears a garland of skulls. His name is Shiva the auspicious, but he is worshipped by crazy people. It was only on the advice of Lord Brahma that I gave Sati in marriage to him."
Then Daksha pronounced a curse on Shiva!
“Although all the gods receive a share of the offerings in a Yajna, Shiva shall not receive any share!”
On hearing this, Nandishwara, the carrier of Lord Shiva, rose in extreme anger. He pronounced a counter-curse on Daksha.
“Anyone who has shown respect to Daksha and placed him above Lord Shiva out of jealousy will be plunged into the world of duality and be denied transcendental knowledge. Pretentious householders busy with reward-seeking Vedic rituals will lose all wisdom. This Daksha considers the body as the most important and is addicted to sex, bringing shame to Vishnu’s path that he pretends to follow. He will soon have the head of a goat. Such men purposely insulting Lord Shiva shall continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death.”
“Coming to these Brahmins, who utilise their education, austerity and vows only for the purpose of maintaining the body; they shall be devoid of discrimination between what to eat and what not to eat. They will acquire money, begging from door to door, simply for the satisfaction of the body.”
Sage Bhrigu was quite upset at this blanket curse on all Brahmins. He got up and pronounced his own curse.
“Those who blindly follow Shiva will become atheists and go astray from scriptural injunctions. They will imitate Shiva by sporting matted locks and so on. They will live on meat and wine."
“The Vedas give the eternal regulative principles for auspicious advancement in human civilisation which have been rigidly followed in the past. The strong evidence of this principle is the Supreme Being, Janardana (Sri Maha Vishnu), the well-wisher of all living entities."
When such cursing and counter-cursing were going on between Lord Shiva’s followers and the parties of Daksha and Bhrigu, Lord Shiva became very morose. Not saying anything, he left the arena of the sacrifice with his followers.
The sacrificial Yajna was continued and completed after a thousand years, all those present offering their prayers to the great Lord Sri Hari, and later, after having the ceremonial bath in the Ganga, departing to their abodes.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
