Story of Daksha’s Yajna

~~OM~~

Daksha decided he would have a Yajna. Remember he was going to have the Yajna by which he would initiate the new creation. And he invited Brahma, he invited Vishnu, and he invited all the Gods and all the Munis, but he didn’t invite Shiva. He said, “I’ll show that Shiva is nobody. He’s not even worthy of being invited to my Yajna.”

Well, Shiva was in deep meditation on Kailash, and Sati was looking out the window and she saw the Ashwin twins going by and she said, “Where are you going?” And they said, “Don’t you know Sati? There’s a great Yajna at your father’s house. Daksha is performing the Yajna of Yajnas, the affair of the century, the affair of the Yuga, by which he is going to initiate the next creation.” And Sati said, “Oh, I didn’t know.”

And the Ashwin’s went on their way, and they joined the Yajna. And Sati went to Shiva, where Shiva was meditating and she said, “Uh hum Shiva.” Shiva didn’t wake up. She said a little louder, “Uh hum Shiva!” And Shiva didn’t pay any attention. And ultimately she got very angry, she said, “Shiva, I’m not going to stand around here watching you meditate while my father is having the Yajna of the Yuga. And I’m going to go to my father’s Yajna.”

Shiva opened his eyes and said, “Sati, we weren’t invited.” And Sati said, “Why do I need an invitation to go to my own father’s house? I’m going to be such a prima donna that I need a written engraved invitation to go to my father’s Yajna? Nonsense. I will go there, even without an invitation.” And Shiva said, “Sati, that’s not appropriate to crash the party, you weren’t invited, I wasn’t invited. He actually planned this Yajna to make an insult to me, you won’t be respected there, you will only find insult.”

And Sati said, “In every regard I must go and ask my father what is the meaning of this insult? And why does he want to put us down, I thought a father would want to raise his children up?” Shiva said, “I can tell your mind is made up, you can go to the Yajna if you choose. But it’s your father, and I won’t come in the middle between you and your father and your relationship, but I’m not going.”

So He called Nandi, and He called Sringi and Bringi, and He called all the Shiva Ganas and He said, “Hey, Shiva Ganas, take Sati to the party.”

Sati went to the Yajna, and they were just about to start the Yajna. And Sati walked in, and Daksha stood up and said, “Hey, what are you doing here, you weren’t invited?” And Sati said, “Father, does a daughter need an invitation to come to her father’s house? You would dare to have a Yajna without Devadhi Deva, Maha Deva, without Shiva? How could your Yajna be complete? Shiva is Yagneshwar. You purposely show disrespect to Shiva?”

And Daksha got mad and said, “That no good hippie, he’s naked, he takes bhang, he drinks liquor, he sits under a tree with ghosts and goblins. I don’t know why you wanted to marry the guy in the first place, but if you did, I mean that’s your business; don’t bring your marital affairs to my Yajna.” And Daksha was abusive.

And Sati said, “Father, this body was engendered by you, and I respect my Lord, Shiva, with the highest regard and so I don’t want to wear this body engendered by you anymore. Because I consider that an insult to Shiva.”

And so Sati sat down and began to meditate. And from the light of her mind, enveloped a great fire. And the fire consumed her body completely.