DAKSHA YAGYA AND HARI

 

DAKSHA YAGYA AND HARI

(Periya Tirumozhi 5.2.6)

 

Ages back, the creators of the universe held a grand sacrifice. Daksha PrajApati, one of the mind born sons of BrahmA attended the yagya. When he arrived at the yagya, all the Gods, demi-gods, sages, and philosophers stood up in reverence to welcome him. But Shiva did not get up. An angry Daksha abused Shiva with harsh words and decided to take revenge. Though his daughter Sati was Shiva’s wife, He did not like their marriage right from the beginning. 

Daksha later arranged a similar grand sacrifice but did not invite Shiva and Sati. Sati was upset and despite Lord Shiva’s warning, she went to attend her father’s yagya. But Daksha ignored Sati and left no ‘havis’ offering for Shiva.  Sati was so furious that she immolated herself in the fire that emerged from her yogic powers. 

Hearing his dear wife’s death, Shiva was enraged and decided to destroy Daksha's yagya with Nandi, his bull and Veerabhadra, a giant form created by him. They tortured bhRugu muni, bhAga, pUshan, and many other Gods. Veerabhadra finally knocked off Daksha's head and threw it in the sacrificial fire.  There was total chaos and colossal devastation.  All the Gods spoke ill of Shiva for this act. On one hand, His beloved wife Sati was still burning in the fire. On the other hand, He was defamed by the Gods. Shiva was feeling bad, shattered, and sad.

BrahmA pitied Shiva’s distress and made him understand that yagyas have been ordained by the universal Lord Hari for maintaining the balance of the universe. He further added that the Gods should not be destroying each other's yagyas causing distress to the world.

Shiva realised his mistake. He then attached a goat’s face to Daksha and allowed him to complete the yagya.  Daksha completed the yagya with the required offerings (havis) accompanied by mantras from yajur vEda. Shiva also got His desired share of the havis offering along with the other dEvas.  

Accepting the offerings, an effulgent Hari emerged, sitting on the shoulders of GaruDa. Hari shone in His original form, blackish in colour, adorned with golden earrings, crown, bracelets, necklace, wearing the peetAmbara, vanamAlA and Srivatsa on His chest.  All the Gods and sages venerated the transcendental, lustrous form of Hari, and asked for forgiveness, extolling Him in many words.

Daksha praised Hari as shuddha (pure), swadhAmni (having a transcendental abode of His own), chit-mAtra (completely spiritual), Eka (one without a second), abhaya (fearless), pratisidhya (controlling), mAya (material energy), bhavAn (lord), and Atma tantra (self-sufficient and free from material contamination) 

Lord Shiva admitted thus, “Oh, Varada, I shall fix my mind on your benign, most venerable lotus feet, so that no person, words, or actions can affect my mind.   I shall follow your footsteps of unconditional compassion and forgive all those who defamed me.”

Lord Hari asserted, “I control all activities through the material energy mAyA created by me.  There is no difference between any of the material creations here. Their form and purpose look different but I am the sole enjoyer in every sacrifice”

Sati was later born as daughter pArvati to himavAn and mEnavati, and married her beloved Lord Shiva again.

With Lord Hari’s divine intervention, all the Gods and sages were relieved of hate, the cosmic balance and peace were restored. 

(Srimad BhAgavatam, Canto 4, (2-7))