Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation

Brahmā held a great yajña at Pushkara, with sixteen well-known priests presiding over it. Sāvitrī came late and found Gāyatrī seated beside Brahmā in her own place. In her anger she pronounced śāpas (curses) on Brahmā, on the devas and on others. Vishṇu, Pārvatī and Śaṅkara spoke to her, and her anger was calmed. Brahmā then gave the lordship of various domains to the devas who were gathered there.

The sixteen ṛtvijs of Brahmā’s yajña

For his great yajña at the tīrtha of Pushkara, Brahmā gathered sixteen celebrated ṛtvijs (priests) to preside over the rite. They were the foremost brāhmaṇas, ṛshis and divine beings, fit to conduct the yajña of all creation. It was Brahmā’s own yajña at the tīrtha he had made sacred, and all the devas, ṛshis and divine powers were present. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Gāyatrī is seated in Sāvitrī’s place

Sāvitrī, Brahmā’s chief wife, was late in coming to the yajña. At the critical moment of the rite, the yajamāna (the one for whom the yajña is done) needed his wife seated beside him. She had not come in time. So, on the advice of Indra and the assembled devas, Brahmā had Gāyatrī brought. She was a brāhmaṇī of pure lineage, and she was made his wife for the purposes of the yajña. She was purified, prepared with the proper rites and seated in the place of honour beside Brahmā. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Sāvitrī arrives in anger

When Sāvitrī at last reached Pushkara, she saw Gāyatrī sitting in her own seat beside Brahmā. Fierce anger seized her. She was Brahmā’s first wife and his supreme śakti (power), and she had been put aside, even if only for a time and out of need. She faced Brahmā and spoke her anger in a series of śāpas against those who had let this happen. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Sāvitrī’s śāpas

In her fury, Sāvitrī pronounced these śāpas.

• On Brahmā: he would never again be worshipped properly and regularly in the world. Temples to him would be few and his pūjā neglected, unlike Vishṇu and Śiva, who are honoured everywhere.
• On Agni: he would devour all things without distinction.
• On Indra: he would be defeated and shamed by his enemies.
• On Vishṇu: he would be born as a human among mortals.
• On the assembled devas: a śāpa for their part in bringing this about.

(Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Vishṇu, Pārvatī and Śaṅkara speak

The devas were alarmed. Vishṇu stepped forward as the one who brings peace. He spoke to Sāvitrī with deep respect. He named her high rank and told her that her anger was just. He explained why Gāyatrī had to be seated in her place: the yajña could not be delayed, and the fault lay in need and not in ill will.

Pārvatī also spoke to Sāvitrī, as one mahāśakti (great power) to another, and appealed to her kindness and to her understanding of the greater needs of dharma. Śaṅkara added his voice to the appeal.

Through the joint pleas of Vishṇu, Pārvatī and Śiva, Sāvitrī’s anger slowly cooled. She withdrew some of the śāpas or softened their effects, and the two sides were reconciled. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Brahmā gives out lordship

After the reconciliation, Brahmā carried out the rest of the yajña to its end. He then gave the ādhipatya (lordship and rule) of various domains to the devas who had gathered. Each deva received his own sphere of rule as Brahmā ordained at this yajña at Pushkara. This set the order that would govern the present cycle of yugas. (Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Ch. 34)

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 34