Daksha Yajña and Satī’s Self-Immolation

The Kedāra Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells this account of Daksha’s great yajña (fire ritual) at Kanakhala, held without Śiva. It covers Satī’s self-immolation after her father insulted her husband, the birth of Vīrabhadra from Śiva’s anger, the destruction of the yajña, and Daksha’s restoration through Śiva’s grace.

The beginning: the śāpa at Naimishāraṇya

The trouble began at Naimishāraṇya, where all the suras, asuras and brāhmaṇas had gathered for a great ceremony. Daksha arrived and everyone honored him. But Śiva, who was there with his gaṇas, did not rise to greet his father-in-law and did not bow to him.

Daksha was stung by this. He declared that Śiva was not fit to share in a yajña. He called Śiva one who lives with bhūtas and pretas, who has no family line, who is proud and unclean. He laid a śāpa (a curse) on Śiva, making him yajña-bāhya, one left out of ritual fires.

Nandī heard this and blazed with anger. He laid a śāpa on Daksha’s followers: they would be taken by love of worldly things, they would recite only veda-vāda (Vedic words) without understanding them, and some brāhmaṇas would become brahma-rākshasas. Śiva calmed Nandī. He gently reminded him that brāhmaṇas are teachers for all time, that the Ātman fills all things, and that anger serves no one. Daksha left in rage and vowed never to honor Śiva. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1)

Daksha’s great yajña at Kanakhala

Some time later Daksha began a great yajña at Kanakhala on the Gaṅgā. He invited Vasishṭha, Agastya, Kaśyapa, Atri, Vāmadeva, Bhṛgu, Dādhīci, Vyāsa, Bharadvāja, Gautama and many other ṛshis. He also invited all the devas, the lokapālas, the vidyādharas, the gandharvas, the kinnaras and the apsarasas. Brahmā came from Satyaloka and Vishṇu came from Vaikuṇṭha. Indra came with Indrāṇī and Candra with Rohiṇī, and all the lokapālas came in their divine vehicles. Śiva was not invited.

Dādhīci Muni, the only ṛshi of independent mind, saw at once that Śiva was missing. He said that the yajña was not complete without the one whose mere remembrance makes every yajña holy. He challenged Daksha: “Without Śiva, the lord of yajñas himself, what you call a yajña is nothing.”

Daksha answered with scorn. He said that Vishṇu was the base of yajña, not Śiva, who was a wandering ascetic with no family line, a companion of ghosts and spirits. Dādhīci left in disgust and warned that great destruction would follow. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 2)

Satī’s departure

At this time Satī, also called Dākshāyaṇī, the daughter of Daksha, was playing with her friends on the Gandhamādana mountain. She saw Candra passing with Rohiṇī on the way to her father’s yajña. When she learned of the event she longed to go, and she went back to Śiva to ask his leave.

Śiva told her firmly that a person who goes uninvited to another’s house is insulted worse than death. Even Indra lowers himself by coming where he is not wanted. But Satī answered that a father’s house needs no invitation, and that Śiva was himself the yajña. His absence, she said, was Daksha’s mistake, not hers.

Śiva knew what would come, yet could not refuse her. He gave her leave, but sent sixty thousand gaṇas with her as escort, with divine ornaments. When Satī left, Śiva went back to Kailāsa, seeing with grief that she would not return. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 2)

Satī’s challenge and self-immolation

Satī reached the yajña. The devas came down from their vehicles to honor her. She sought out her father, her mother and the gathered ṛshis, and greeted them with respect. Then she faced Daksha: “Why has Śiva not been invited? He is the yajña. He is all the parts of the yajña. All havis and kavya (offerings to the devas and the ancestors) are made holy by him. Without him the yajña is not valid, whether Brahmā, Indra or all the ṛshis together carry it out.”

Daksha’s answer was scornful and cruel. He said that Śiva was unlucky, had no family line, was the master of ghosts and corpses, and was a fool to whom he was sorry he had given his daughter. He told Satī she was free to stay or to go, but that he had nothing more to offer her.

At these words Satī’s mind was made up. She thought that a person who hears her husband insulted and does not protest is thrown into naraka (hell) for as long as the sun and moon last. She could not return to Śiva having failed to guard his honor. With the words “Śiva! Rudra!” on her lips she entered the fire of the yajña. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 3)

A great cry of grief filled every direction. Twenty thousand of Śiva’s gaṇas who had come with Satī threw themselves into the fire or struck themselves with weapons, and died with her. All the others, devas, ṛshis and Maruts, stood silent or turned to Vishṇu.

The birth of Vīrabhadra

Nārada quickly told Śiva. When he heard, Śiva rose in a fury that shook the cosmos. He struck his jaṭā (matted hair) on the top of a mountain, and from it came Vīrabhadra, of boundless strength, with a thousand arms and three eyes, carrying every weapon. With him came Kālikā and all the hosts of bhūtas. Vīrabhadra bowed to Śiva and received his order: “Go and destroy Daksha’s yajña.” From Śiva’s anger also came a hundred jvaras (fevers) and thirteen sannipāta diseases, to go with the army. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 3)

Vīrabhadra set out with countless gaṇas, yoginīs, nava-durgās, bhūtas, pramathas and fierce spirits. Terrible omens went with them: blood rained from the clouds, winds blew sand, meteors fell and darkness covered the directions. Daksha turned to Vishṇu, who told him plainly: “A person who dishonors Śiva receives exactly this. I cannot protect you from the anger of Parameśvara.”

The battle

Vīrabhadra’s hosts met the gathered devas in the yajña ground. Bhṛgu Maharshi used the power of his mantras to push the gaṇas back for a short while, and the devas gained a brief advantage. But Vīrabhadra rallied his forces. He broke the devas with arrows, seized Indra with his gaṇas, and drove the lokapālas to flight in every direction.

The diseases born of Śiva’s anger struck the remaining devas, and Vishṇu called the Aśvins to heal them. The devas rallied again, and Vīrabhadra challenged Vishṇu himself. Vishṇu hurled the Sudarśana Cakra. Vīrabhadra swallowed it whole and gave it back through his mouth. Vishṇu understood and withdrew to svarga.

The yajña was destroyed. All the ritual tools were smashed, the ritual fires were fouled, Bhṛgu’s beard was torn off, and the holy offerings were spoiled. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 4)

Daksha beheaded and restored

Daksha was dragged out from where he had hidden inside the yajña enclosure (antarvedi). Vīrabhadra cut off his head and threw it into the yajña fire. Brahmā, grieving for his son, went to Kailāsa and bowed before Śiva, offering a moving stotra (hymn of praise). Śiva, always full of compassion, said that Daksha had only received the fruit of his own karma, and that it was not Śiva’s punishment. He went with Brahmā to Kanakhala.

Looking over the ruin, Śiva called for Daksha. Daksha’s head had been burned in the fire, so Śiva placed a goat’s head (ajaśiras) on his shoulders. Daksha came back to life and fell before Śiva in complete surrender. He offered a heartfelt stotra that spoke of Śiva as the highest Parabrahman, from whom all creation comes.

Śiva answered with a teaching. Four kinds of seekers come to him: the one in distress (ārta), the curious one (jijñāsu), the one who wants a result (arthārthī), and the jñānī (one who knows). Of these, the jñānīs are dearest to him. He urged Daksha to follow jñāna (knowledge) together with karma (action), to keep a balanced mind, and to give up the pride that had brought such destruction. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5)

Aftermath

Brahmā and the gathered ṛshis were humbled and enlightened by Śiva’s words. Their wisdom was restored and they went back to their homes. Daksha was changed for good. He took up deep tapas (austerity), with meditation on Śiva as his only aim. The yajña fire at Kanakhala was made holy for ever by these events and became a sacred tīrtha (pilgrimage place).

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa, Chapters 1 to 5