The Sati Khand Continued — the Nanda Vrat, the Shiva-Sati Vivah, Rudra Shira, and Why Shri Ram Is Bowed To

Earlier in this series, the speaker says, the Shiv Puran's Vidyeshwar Samhita was covered — the portion that carries the complete vidhi-vidhan of the pujan of Shiva. At the Shivratri mahatmya, he says, a great many people performed all those vidhans and, for the first time in their lives, passed the Mahashivratri vrat awake through the whole night in ratri jagran. He attributes this to Shiva kripa alone — it was possible only by Mahadev's grace.

The speaker recalls that the group is presently hearing the full description of the Sati Khand — the Sati Parva — under the Rudra Samhita. The opening subjects already covered were: how Kamdev came into being; what the katha of Mata Arundhati was; the katha of the Chandrabhaga river, which is situated in Maharashtra, and how she arose; how Maa SandhyaThe twice- or thrice-daily prayer rite performed at dawn and dusk — Vedic Sandhya requires eligibility under Varnashrama, while those without it may instead undergo Tantrik initiation and perform Tantrik Sandhya. performed her tapasya there; and how the pratah sandhya and the sayam sandhya came to the devatas and to the Pitr. Through that, he says, they work our welfare. Listeners enjoyed the katha and related many things in their own lives to it — where we make mistakes, and for what reason our gati comes to a halt somewhere.

Moving forward, the speaker says, Bhagavan Brahma produces Kamdev, Vasant, Rati and the rest, and the origin of the pitrs from many devatas has already been described. In Brahma's mind arose the wish that Bhagavan Shiva too should marry, that the panigrahan sanskar should take place. For that he performed the tapasya of Bhagavati and obtained boons from her. Thereafter Daksha Prajapati went near the Kshir Sagar, the milk ocean, turned toward the northern direction, and he too performed tapasya — asking Bhagavati Adishakti for the boon of obtaining Bhagavati Sati in the form of a daughter.

Once Bhagavati Jagdamba takes birth in Daksha Prajapati's house, she performs many kinds of leela there. The birth of Bhagavati Sati is the birth of Jagdamba herself, Adishakti — yet even after taking birth, even while in the form of a girl, she serves her mother and father greatly and accepts everything they say. The speaker adds a point of Mahayuga and Kalpa reckoning: according to kalpa-bheda, in some kalpa Bhagavati Sati has been the eldest of all her sisters, sometimes the middle one, and sometimes the youngest — the kanishtha.

The speaker sets out the description already given of who Bhagavati Sati's sisters are. The twenty-seven wives of Chandrama are all sisters of Bhagavati Sati. The ten wives of Dharmaraj are likewise daughters of Daksharaj. Maharshi Kashyap's marriage took place with thirteen maidens, and they too are Bhagavati Sati's sisters. Rishi Angira and Krishashva — the marriages of all of these took place with the daughters of Prajapati Daksha, and all of them are Mata Sati's sisters.

All of this should be known, the speaker says. Whether it be Bhagavati's swaroop as Mata Kamadhenu, or that of the nagas, of the rakshasas, of the asuras — the marriage of all of them, and the origin of all of them, came about through the many sisters of Bhagavati Sati, who were produced through different rishis. That is to say, the expansion of the srishti was carried out here by Daksha Prajapati.

After her birth, the speaker says, there was from the very beginning a prem bhava for Bhagavan Shiva in Bhagavati Sati's mind. From the start Bhagavati Sati used to remember Bhagavan Shiva through various kinds of bhajans. When she grows older, Brahma goes to the house of Daksha Prajapati — and NaradaA celestial sage and recurring listener/questioner figure across Puranic literature. goes as well.

The speaker says the point of kalpa-bheda was cleared earlier because it will be needed again and again, and in the Sati katha itself. We all hear the question of when and why Bhagavan Shiva abandoned Sati. We learn that when the abandonment happened the Mahayuga and Kalpa reckoning places it in the Treta yuga: Ramchandra was in the forest and Bhagavati Sati went to test him, and at that time he had to abandon her. That whole katha will come in this reading. But again, further on in this same Shiv Mahapuran, we read that many yugas and much time after Shiva abandoned Sati, when Sati reduces herself to ash in the fire, Vishnu is present there — Vishnu himself is protecting that yajna in every way. So, the speaker asks, if Vishnu is there, how then did the purnavatar of Shri Ramchandra come about? These questions should arise in the mind. He says it is precisely such questions that the wicked and ill-conducted seize on, offering kutark after kutark and satisfying themselves with it.

These matters need not be made a display of before others, the speaker says. But they should be understood, so that samshaya does not arise in a bhakta's mind. He recalls having already explained how the reckoning of the kalpa is done and how one should carry it, and says its description will be found in place after place in the Shiv Puran. The description of the Manus will likewise be found — under the rule of which Manu a given event occurred, and that kaal having passed. At the point at issue, Brahma is speaking with Narad and narrating the Sati Khand of the Rudra Samhita, and this point will come up repeatedly: that in a former age events of this kind have already occurred.

Brahma speaks these words, the speaker relates: O Sati, obtain as your husband that Sarvagya Jagdishwar who desires you and whom you yourself desire. He cannot take the hand of anyone other than you, nor will he ever do so — and no other has the capacity for it either. Therefore, for the sake of obtaining him, you should perform tapa. Here, the speaker notes, Brahma is inspiring her toward tapa.

Asking when the Nanda tithis fall, the speaker recalls that we read of five or six different kinds of TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi.. On a Nanda tithi, he says, performing the pujan of Bhagavan Sadashiva brings about the fulfilment of one's wishes — this everyone should know. Which those tithis are, and in what manner Bhagavati Sati performed pujan on them, is described in the Rudra Samhita Sati Khand of the Shiv Puran.

In the month of Ashwin — the time when we observe the Sharad kaal Durga Puja, around October — the Nanda tithis that fall are Pratipada, Shashthi and Ekadashi. On these she performed the pujan of Har, that is Shiva, with bhakti, using gud, bhat and lavan. Thereafter, in the month of Kartik, on the Chaturdashi, with kheer and apoop.

Then came the month of Margashirsha. On the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha, she worshipped Shiva with jau, til and chawal, and went on passing her days in that manner. The speaker interrupts to note a limit of the text: the full vidhan is not given here. The full vidhan, he says, will be found in the matters of karmakand.

Next comes the Phalgun Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi — the Mahashivratri the listeners have just observed. On it she stayed awake through the whole night, and in all the prahars performed a special pujan of Shiva with BilvaThe sacred Bael tree associated with Lord Shiva — sadhana is undertaken beneath it, its wood is used as fuel for Havan offerings of ghee and sesame seeds during a release ritual, and its trifoliate leaf (Bilvapatra) is the offering proper to Him. patra and bilva phal. This, the speaker says, is what has been said about the parva of Mahashivratri.

Then came the month of Vaishakh — the month in which, the speaker notes, we observe the jayanti of Bhagavati Baglamukhi, when that swaroop of Jagdamba manifested. In it, on the Tritiya tithi — the Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya — she again performs the pujan of Shiva with tilahar, with jau and with chawal.

Then, on the Ashadh Shukla Chaturdashi, with black cloth and with the flowers of bhatkaiya. In Shravan come the Krishna Saptami and Krishna Ashtami and the Shukla Saptami and Shukla Ashtami. The speaker notes in passing that this is when the pujan of the kuldevi is done in a great many places, and that Shravan Saptami is held to be special. Then, on the Shravan Shukla Ashtami and on the Chaturdashi, she performed the pujan of Shiva with the yajnopavit and pure cloth.

Then Vishnu, Brahma and everyone else reached Kailash parvat, and there offered many kinds of stuti to Bhagavan Shiva and prayed to him. What for? That he should go and give a boon to Shiva — to Bhagavati — and perform the panigrahan sanskar. When everyone began to speak and pray to him in this way, Shiva says here: what work have I with all these things? Why should I marry?

Brahma explains at length, the speaker says: you are Devadhidev, you are Mahadev, and for you all are as sons. Of the asuras and the like that will be born in future, some will be killed by you, some by me, some by other shaktis — but there will be very many whose killing will be done by your sons. For that purpose, to save the world from a calamity of that kind and to keep the world well, you too ought to perform the panigrahan sanskar. This is what he makes him understand.

Brahma says: recall the former age. In the Vishveshwar Samhita it is described that Mahadev says a purush will arise from Brahma's kapal, from his forehead, who will be famous by the name of Rudra. And that same Rudra rupa will become the friend of the Yaksharaj Kubera, king of Alakapuri, and will dwell upon Kailash parvat. His marriage will take place. So this marriage of yours — you yourself told of it, Brahma says; therefore fulfil this pratigya.

Both of us have already had the panigrahan sanskar, Brahma says; you too complete this sanskar of yours, so that we become the trideva possessed of tridevis. Hearing all this, the speaker says, and because Mahadev is one who always remains in the avadhut state and in tapa, he speaks again and again on this point: no, we cannot do it. Marrying in the world should be understood as a very great bondage — in this way he sets out his position here.

The condition Shiva sets, the speaker relates: when I am engaged in yoga, then she too will have to remain a yogini; and when I am under the sway of kamanas, then she too will have to remain in the form of a kamini. That is, when I am in grihastha she should become a householder and be a support in the household; and when I go into yoga and dhyana, then while doing yoga and dhyana she too should help me. But let no woman who places obstruction and hindrance in my contemplation, in my tapasya, become my consort.

Brahma then tells him that Bhagavati herself has taken birth in the form of Sati at the house of Daksha Prajapati. So please go and grant her a boon, he says; she is performing your tapasya. Bhagavan Shiva knows it all, the speaker points out, but it is a leela — so it was gone and spoken there by all the devis and devatas. Then Bhagavan Shiva relents and says tathastu: very well.

When did the darshan of Sadashiva take place, the speaker asks. In the month of Navratri, in the Sharadiya Navratra that we observe, it is the Ashtami tithi — and its mahatmya, he says, will be found in every purana. He adds that many subjects further on are connected with tantra, especially for those in whose homes the pujan of the Satis is done and shakti is established in the form of Sati.

Thereafter, the speaker says, comes the discussion to be held tomorrow. In it the group will come to know about Kalika and Virabhadra, who are rakshatmak shaktis, and about the many other shaktis of that sort whose pujan is done in the home — or how and what is done when the need arises. That whole subject, he says, will be understood then.

Bhagavati Sati, who was keeping the vrat and the rest, in the month of Ashwin on the Shukla Paksha Ashtami kept the pujan and the upvas and worshipped Shiva with bhakti. In Navratri we serve and worship Bhagavati for nine days, the speaker says — and this is especially for those who consider Shiva and Parvati to be separate. Here Jagdamba herself is performing the pujan of Shiva, on the Shukla Paksha Ashtami. Having completely fasted and worshipped Bhagavan Shiva with bhakti, her Nanda vrat was completed on the Navami tithi.

While some portion of the vrat still remained, Shiva manifested. There is a description of the whole swaroop of Shiva — how divine Mahadev's form was. Mahadev said: O Daksha Nandini, we are very pleased with your vrat; ask for what you desire. Seeing her own aradhya before her she became overwhelmed with joy and could say nothing. Then Bhagavan Shiva himself, understanding her feeling — for the leela is running — said: we grant you the boon that you yourself will become my wife.

So that this matter be complete in the worldly sense, Bhagavati Sati says: we pray to you that you accept me before my father by the vaivahik vidhi. When she spoke in this way he said, very well, I shall do this — and then he went away to his Kailash parvat. Sati went to her father and told him she had received a boon of this kind. There Daksha Prajapati began to be tormented by the worry that Mahadev had given the boon and gone, but how would the work be completed? How would he marry, how would he come?

When Mahadev had gone to Kailash parvat, since he had already given the boon, he invoked Brahma, Saraswati and the others in order to fulfil it. Having invoked them he told them the whole matter: since Bhagavati Sati has performed tapasya, I have given her this boon; in what manner then will the vaivahik vidhi be observed? Go, all of you, and go there and speak with Daksha Prajapati — for Prajapati is Brahma's own son. So he says here to Saraswati and Brahma.

When Shiva spoke for the marriage, the speaker says, the intent Brahma had once expressed was fulfilled — what he had said to Rudra, that just as I have today become filled with kamanas, in that same way one day you too will have to become so. Shiva keeps the maan of Brahma's words. All such description of any devi or devata, the speaker says, is leela. Nobody has that capacity. When an ordinary man begins to perform tapasya — one who does tapasya for eleven days, twenty-one days, a whole year — no ordinary shakti, no kamini, can enchant his chitta or shake it. And here it is Brahma himself.

These subjects, the speaker says, have been placed here in the form of leela for you and for us — and these people are unable to understand it. Those who can create several brahmandas moment by moment, who have been called the Vidhata: about them people utter idle prattle. This is the tyag of our devatas, which wicked people do not understand, because over their intellect a veil of durbuddhi has fallen. Such people carry on this kind of contemplation. Understanding the puranas is not so easy a thing, he says, and to offer kutark to one who makes the attempt to explain them becomes the greatest foolishness of all.

Understand and know this much and it is enough, the speaker says: until the feeling of bhakti remains in the mind, mantra, shastra and purana will not be understood. And if you will not understand the purana, then whatever mantra japa and the rest you are doing, and to whichever devi or devata you have attachment and attraction, your samarpan will not be able to become complete. If you will not perform shravan of the leela katha, then how will the contemplation running in your mind become fully fruitful? How will it be fully brought into leaf, how will it be laden, how will weight come into it? As for the questions and doubts that arise about Brahma, the Vidhata, understand only this much from the matter: that Brahma is capable in himself.

It is said further in the Shiv Puran that Maheshwar, Mahamaheshwar Sadashiva, manifested Vishnu from his vamang, his left side; Brahma from the dakshin bhaag, the right portion; and Rudra from his heart. And of that same Rudra it is said that, by a mere fraction, he was told to appear from Brahma's forehead — and so he appeared from Brahma's mastak as well. This, the speaker says, is why the descriptions come of who Mahamaheshwar is, why Shankar is, who Shiva is — the names being one, yet a distinction being told in the puranas: what sort of beings Mahamaheshwar and Mahakala are. That is Shiva's own amsha. Among the trideva there is never any bheda.

They are performing a leela in that form, the speaker says, for the sake of us human beings: that even if the Vidhata commits a mistake, in sanatan he too is not pardoned. And if forgiveness was received, how it was received is also described. But in both places people do not understand the matter and begin to make objections and interpolations, saying no, this is wrong. To them the speaker answers bluntly: look at your own charitra, look at your own langot. They do not understand it, and they never understand the one who makes the attempt to explain. Then Brahma went to Daksha Prajapati and said, the matter is thus and thus; I have come now on Shiva's behalf, and what is proper, and when the marriage and the rest should be done — and discussion took place there.

Brahma and Daksha Prajapati discussed the matter between themselves. After the discussion Brahma, having settled everything, went again to Shiva and removed the doubt: Daksha Prajapati is entirely ready for the marriage and the rest. Then Shiva said: when is the marriage and the rest to be done — fix the tithi, how and when and what is to be done. For this purpose, since Brahma is the Vidhata, Shiva said, you yourself fix the tithi. Daksha Prajapati had already spoken about fixing the tithi, and Brahma had gone and spoken with Shiva. Shiva and Brahma, settling it between themselves, discussed the shubh lagna and the shubh muhurta.

The description is, the speaker says, that in the Chaitra Shukla Paksha Trayodashi, on a Sunday, in the Purva Phalguni NakshatraOne of the 27 lunar constellations used to time rituals — certain occult procedures, such as acquiring a cremation Handi, must be performed within a specific Nakshatra's window., Maheshwar began the yatra for the marriage — and it is described that on this very day the marriage took place. Chaitra Shukla Paksha Trayodashi, Sunday, Purva Phalguni nakshatra: he repeats the combination, because on this same nakshatra, this same tithi and this same day of the week a boon is obtained further on in the katha. On that day Bhagavan Rudra, with all his ganas and with Brahma, Vishnu and all the soldiers, made a very great yatra for the marriage.

Here occurs an incident on account of which Bhagavan Brahma is called Rudra Shira. A charitra was manifested here through Brahma, the speaker says, for anyone of wicked nature who hears of it and who keeps feelings filled with desire toward another woman, or who does wrong deeds. People do not understand the tyag of the Vidhata; they only raise a finger and say Brahma was like this — but understand the subject. It was manifested for the sake of the downfall that ordinary human beings are liable to. Merely by hearing it and merely by understanding the matter, freedom from that paap is obtained. And what is the paap? The paap arising from looking with kudrishti at any pativrata woman or at the wedded wife of another — for which, he says, very great and very fitting punishments are given.

The description is that when all the preparations for the marriage and the rest were made and the vedi was decorated, Brahma took the place where the brahman who conducts a marriage stands, and had the marriage begun there. Sati and Bhagavan Shiva were seated upon the vedi. When the marriage began, Vishnu makes a prayer here to Bhagavan Shiva.

Since the panigrahan sanskar is taking place here, Vishnu speaks, after performing his stuti in full. What is he saying? That you, remaining together with this Sati, protect the devatas and the good men, the sajjan human beings, so that the people of the world always have welfare. And, O Sarvabhutesh, O Prabhu — pay attention to what is written, the speaker says — whoever, having seen this Sati or having heard about her, becomes filled with kamana, him you should slay; this is my prayer. And Bhagavan Vishnu, the speaker adds, is Mahadev's greatest bhakta. It is he who is making this prayer to Bhagavan Rudra.

The whole subject of why he is doing this, the speaker says, has this meaning here. Whoever any pativrata woman may be, devoted to her husband, if anyone looks at her with a wrong eye, if he attempts to stain her charitra, then his slaying is done by Shiva himself. This charitra arises from here, and its direct example is given here too. Bhagavan Vishnu asked this boon, and Bhagavan Shiva, being pleased, said that it would be exactly so. There was great festivity and everyone came there.

The charitra of Brahma at that place was this. While the pradakshina was being made — the pradakshina of the yajna, of the ekagni — at that time Bhagavati Sati's feet were coming out from beyond the garment. When a bride walks her foot shows a little from outside; the rest was under the ghunghat. Understand why this charitra is shown here, the speaker says. Right here, directly, she is about to become the left-side consort of someone else. And Brahma himself carried, in a manner, a pratishodh in his mind against Rudra — that desires should arise in Bhagavan Rudra's mind too, that he too should perform the panigrahan sanskar and become subject to a household, because Rudra had rebuked him, saying that you performed such an act on seeing a woman. This leela, the speaker says, is what is running here.

When he saw Sati's feet, it is said that a vikshobh arose again in Brahma's mind. She is Mahamaya. You will take pride, the speaker addresses the listener, that I have performed a great deal of tapasya, that there is now no course for desires within me, that no kamini can shake me, that my mind cannot waver. It happens to people — whether it be the pride of wealth or the pride of one's own tapa. As to the coming of pride of tapa, look at the state of one who has attained the pada of Brahma, who is the Vidhata: this feeling too is arising in his mind, and he also wished to take pratishodh. In such a state Bhagavati — Mahadev Shiva — enchanted him again, and he was enchanted merely by seeing her feet, so much so that he says: by some means let me see Sati's face.

For this, the speaker says, what did he do: he put wet wood into the yajna kund, from which smoke arose. And as soon as there was smoke, he removed Sati's ghunghat and looked at her face. Because of the smoke, Shiva knew at once that such an act had been done, and immediately took up the trishul to kill him.

This description is made here, the speaker says, so that if you, being a man, as soon as your panigrahan sanskar has taken place and you have chosen your ardhangini — if any other man then attempts a wrong deed of this kind, you should not be slow in taking up arms and weapons. Here you will see only Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who are the root of sanatan and from whom sanatan arose. Through them this picture has been placed. If anyone casts a kudrishti toward your wedded wife, you are not to delay even half an instant in raising a weapon. And this boon, the speaker notes, had already been obtained by Vishnu just before; Shiva had given his word that he would fulfil this pratigya, and he showed it by doing it — he immediately took up the trishul to kill Brahma.

When he raised the trishul to kill Brahma, saying that he would slay him now, there was such a state. How could he have done such a thing? Immediately all the saptarishi ganas fell at his feet and an outcry broke out there — a very great offence has occurred, please forgive it. Then Vishnu too caught hold of his feet. Maheshwar said: only a little while ago my great bhakta Vishnu made this pratigya and had it made, and I accepted that pratigya — that whoever looks in this manner filled with kamana, him I should slay. Why then should I not slay him now?

And I have such capacity, Shiva said — when everyone said that if Brahma is destroyed, he is the creator of the srishti, he is the Vidhata, how then will the srishti run? Shiva said: we shall manifest a lakh of such Brahmas this very moment. Having slain him we shall make a new Brahma pada; a new Brahma will come into being. But it was a marriage, an auspicious work at that place. This leela ran there. Vishnu offered many, many stutis — do not do it in this way; the offence has come about through Brahma, please forgive it. In a former age too he had shown a great deal of abhiman, and now it was done again. With many such stutis Shiva became calm and then did not slay him.

Since this leela was running, at that very time Shiva said to Brahma: touch your own head. Out of fear Brahma was not touching his head; he stood with folded hands, fallen at Shiva's feet. But when he was told to touch his head, the instant he touched it, in that very form and together with his vrisha vahan, Bhagavan Shiva became established there. That is, above the four heads of Brahma, Shiva became present and manifested.

Brahma then said: for such a wrong deed in future, in what manner should punishment be given, and what should be done — for this, give me a fitting danda, so that this paap of mine too may be removed. Then Bhagavan Shiva said: O brahman, being established with me in this very form and praised in it, remaining engaged in aradhana, perform tapa. By this you will be famous everywhere on the earth by the name of Rudra Shira. As Rudra Shira, you will be the one who accomplishes all the works of the tejasvi brahmins. This is the boon Shiva gave there.

And those who see this form of yours, Shiva says, and wander upon the earth saying, how did Shiva come to be upon Brahma's head — and whoever hears your complete deed — he will swiftly be freed from the abandonment made on account of another man's wife. If anyone abandons his own dharma for the sake of another's wife, the speaker says, he should hear this charitra — the point at which Brahma's death was about to occur, at which a Brahmahatya was about to occur.

Whoever will hear and understand this whole picture — and hearing, the speaker stresses, does not mean an Amar Chitra Katha; this is a matter for understanding — learns that we are not to perform deeds of this kind, and are never to depart from our own achran. The achran of dharma is not to be left; otherwise Shiva himself will slay. The meaning of Rudra Shira, he says, was told here.

Thereafter Brahma completed with Shiva all the remaining vidhi-vidhan. On its completion Shiva said: since you have completed my vaivahik work by an excellent method, we are pleased with you. You are the acharya — what dakshina shall we give you? Then Brahma asks this boon: as dakshina we ask of you only this, that for the purification of the sins of human beings you remain always seated in this very form upon this vedi — at Daksha Prajapati's, where the marriage was taking place. And here, he says, we shall build an ashram and perform your tapasya.

And thereafter a special boon, the speaker says — remember this tithi and this time, all of you. On the Trayodashi tithi of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Chaitra, in the Purva Phalguni NakshatraOne of the 27 lunar constellations used to time rituals — certain occult procedures, such as acquiring a cremation Handi, must be performed within a specific Nakshatra's window., on a day on which a Sunday falls: whichever human being on this earth has darshan of you with bhakti — O Har, by your grace all his sins will be destroyed, and all his diseases will be utterly destroyed. And if some woman is vandhya, if she is kani, if she is without beauty — she too, by your darshan, whatever dosha was attached to her on account of which she obtained such a form, from that too will be freed, from that too will she obtain release.

In the month of Chaitra, when we now observe Chaitra Ram Navami, the Shukla Paksha Trayodashi tithi falls on the fourth day after Ram Navami. If on that day the Purva Phalguni nakshatra ever falls and the day is a Sunday, then if Shiva pujan is done on that day and, if it is possible, Rudrabhishek and the rest is performed — then many, many of our masses of paap are destroyed, and by Shiva's grace punya increases. All these matters, the speaker says, we should keep in mind. Having given that blessing and boon, Shiva became present there, established there in one of his forms; and thereafter, when all the vidhi-vidhan were complete, everyone with all the devis and devatas went to Kailash.

Here Brahma says that he has described how, in a former age, in the Svayambhuva Manvantara, the marriage of Bhagavan Shiva took place. At the time of a marriage, he says — if someone's marriage is about to take place, if a yajna is about to take place, if any auspicious work is about to take place — then whoever performs the pujan of Bhagavan Shankar there and, with a calm mind, hears this katha, his whole vaivahik karma is completed without any obstruction or hindrance, and other auspicious deeds too are always completed without obstacle.

That is, whoever hears this katha in peace, this entire charitra of the marriage of Bhagavati Sati and Shiva, when some vaivahik work is about to occur in the house. There are a great many people who cause obstruction in a marriage, the speaker says. They can be neighbours; they can be relatives and kinsmen. So that no obstruction of any kind can be produced through them, or any other such calamity or misfortune come. Many difficulties arise at the time of a marriage. For protection from all of these, this katha should be heard.

Now, established with Bhagavati Sati on Kailash parvat, Bhagavan Shiva performed many, many activities over a long time. There is a full and detailed description, the speaker says, of a newly wedded wife and a young man in the grihastha life, and of the ways in which they please one another. There Vasant himself was called and Kailash parvat was fully decorated, and there is a description of the amrit paan and the rest of both Bhagavan Shiva and Bhagavati Sati — that this was, reckoned by the years of the devatas, twenty-five years, since 360 years make one year of the devatas. So for 360 times 5, for that much time, Bhagavan Shiva carried on his grihastha life with Bhagavati Sati upon Kailash parvat.

After this a thought came into Bhagavati Sati's mind, and from here, the speaker says, a second picture begins. She says that where they are situated is such a place that a great deal of trouble occurs. The rainy season has come and the clouds thunder greatly. The wind blows here very hard. In the rainy season the lightning flashes here so fiercely, and such torrents of water form, that on account of all this the mind becomes greatly agitated. This rainy season is very painful, very terrible in the place where they are. Here, she says, there is not even any knowing of day and night: by day the sun is not to be seen, by night the moon is not visible. And such a strong wind blows that even this sky cannot become still. The speaker adds his own reading of it: when a wedded wife wants something, she explains her matter in many ways like this rather than saying directly that she wants such a thing.

Then Bhagavati Sati says: O Vrishabhadhwaj, make for yourself a fit place of residence on Kailash parvat, on the Himalaya, or on Mahakoshi, or on the earth. That is, the speaker says, Bhagavati Sati wanted there to be some beautiful house, a palace, for them — and Bhagavan Shiva used to live up on the mountain, so she set the whole thing out at length. Read the description along with this subject and you will enjoy it, he says: how our Jagdamba troubled Shiva so much and spoke for so long. Such a charitra is shown, he adds: new wives want something, and if speaking directly does not seem proper to them, they explain it in many ways.

Now Shiva too is not less, the speaker says: he too explains at great length here. Very well — on Kailash parvat, on the Himalaya, or on Mahakoshi or on the earth — and he has described each separately. On this Kailash parvat, he says, clouds can never come. What do you want — shall we build here? Or if you say so, we shall go to the Himalaya parvat. There the women of the siddhas, of the akashchari siddhas, are seated in that place and remain present there.

After that he says that apsaras, yakshinis, kinnaris, parvat kanyas and naga kanyas are present there in many kinds, and all of them will become pleased with you on seeing you. If you say so, we shall build a house there. Coming there, all of them will help in giving you comfort and will perform your seva. Parvatraj Himalaya and his wife Menaka, who is famed in the three lokas for her form and her qualities — they too will wish to please you with aishwarya after your own mind, with blessing and with prayer. In this manner, the speaker says, he described in full detail the Himalaya, Mandarachal and the rest — who resides where.

There is a very detailed description of Himalaya parvat, the speaker says. All its divinity — where what pervades, which cannot be seen directly by an ordinary human being — is fully described: what kinds of divine things are present there. Where Indra, Kubera, Yama and Varuna live; at how great a distance the puris of the ten dikpalas are situated; and on which peak the apsaras dwell — all of it has been described. Hearing all this, Bhagavati says: yes, Himalaya parvat will be the right place. Let us go there.

When Sati spoke in this manner, Shankar became very pleased. Being pleased he then went to the high peak of Himalaya parvat, where the most beautiful place is, where all the many ganas, kinnars, siddhas, apsaras and the divine vidyadharas and the wives of the vidyadharas, those devis, are all present, and where they perform many kinds of leela with Bhagavati. Then, by the reckoning of the years of the devatas, they sport there for 10,000 years — 10,000 times 360. After sporting for that long, what then occurs is that Bhagavati Sati says: we have become satisfied of our desires. Now VairagyaThe path of complete renunciation and severe austerity — challenging for most, and one of two equally valid paths to liberation alongside devotional ecstasy (Rasa Bhakti). has begun to arise in my mind.

Understand also why all this is being told, the speaker says. What is being told here is that the time of everyone is fixed. After sporting and the rest for a certain time, after fulfilling the kamanas, VairagyaThe path of complete renunciation and severe austerity — challenging for most, and one of two equally valid paths to liberation alongside devotional ecstasy (Rasa Bhakti). ought to arise in the mind. This is what has always happened in the grihastha ashram in sanatan. This passage is the indicator of that very thing.

This is what is being told here, the speaker says: that Bhagavati Sati first performed dharma-yukta karma. Behaving in accordance with dharma, performing tapasya, she did tapa in order to marry Bhagavan Sadashiva for the fulfilment of her desires. Then her marriage took place. Walking on the path of dharma, she performed tapasya. After dharma comes the earning of artha and the fulfilment of kamanas — both these things happened there. After the marriage with Bhagavan Shiva, sporting for many years, she fulfilled her desires: I want a house, I want to roam here, I want to roam there. There are many charitras in this, he says, and their description will also be found in various tantra kathas, with a little of it in the Shiv Mahapuran.

And with an ordinary grihastha human being too, the speaker says, this same thing ought to happen. This is what sanatan is teaching here: that after marriage and the rest, one first performs dharma-yukta karma. Performing tapa and so on well, let Bhagavati grant her grace. Whatever life companion, whatever life partner is obtained by PrarabdhaThe portion of destiny already set in motion by past actions — spiritual practice and good deeds can lessen its severity, but not eliminate it., remain content with them. One should not in any manner attempt to abandon them in order to cut one's own prarabdha.

Such are the deeds and karmas of our previous births, the speaker says, and according to them we obtain our life partner and life companion. Their behaviour, which gives us pain or gives us comfort — those are our karmas of a former birth. If one has obtained a wedded wife who beats one morning and evening with a stick, then such must have been our karma. It may be that in the past birth she was a Gau and we were her master and used to beat her with a stick — so in this birth such a stick-wielding wife will be obtained. And if men are unfeeling in this way, it may be that in a former age you were the mistress of a house whose household animals — of cows and bullocks it is said that the last birth in the animal state is that, and whichever masters serve them properly, in that very house they take birth as children. So if you did not rear them properly, if they were only milked, if they were not treated well, then in the next birth they will take birth as your husband or as your child, and will give you fitting pain. This is what happens, he says.

Where a husband has given pain, the speaker says, nowadays the story is simply different — leave at once. People twist their own minds in many ways: that such and such devi shakti is telling me that I should go with them. It is a very difficult situation, and these things too he has to hear. When people tell him, he says: it is only and only durbuddhi. There is no support from him in this. This is a very wrong deed. A husband too should try, until the last state, to remain together with the wedded wife he has married, and to bear whatever pain comes. One should not abandon. Even if the situation becomes very difficult, whatever they do wrong is their deed — one should not oneself abandon.

A right man and a right woman — sanatan gives them this teaching, that in whatever circumstance, the PrarabdhaThe portion of destiny already set in motion by past actions — spiritual practice and good deeds can lessen its severity, but not eliminate it. is being cut by exactly this. If you run, then tomorrow you will certainly have to undergo it again. In this birth it may be that by breaking the relation and marrying again you become happy; if it is written, you will become happy. But the balance that has been left here, in the next birth the same episode will occur again. Until the balance sheet is balanced, one has to keep undergoing it. Those who flee, those who break the bond — both man and woman have to undergo it. It is not that men will not undergo it and only women will, or that a woman will escape by making a deceitful relation. It will not happen.

It is here, the speaker says, at the point where vairagya arose, that all the tantra granths we read come from — Rudrayamala, Vishnuyamala, Brahmayamala, Bhairavyamala, all the yamala granths, and all the sixty-four granths connected with tantra, the mahagranths — the whole detailed description of their origin. In some of them you will see Shakti uvach. In some comes Parvati uvach; in some comes Bhairavi uvach. All of these are Bhagavan Shiva in different swaroops, giving the knowledge relating to tantra to Bhagavati Sati, or Bhagavati Parvati, or Bhagavati Bhairavi.

Here too, when Bhagavati asks that vairagya has arisen in her mind, and in what manner then the further life should be lived — she puts the question to her swami, to her own Shiva, who assumes a body at will and whose chitta is detached from bhoga by means of yoga: which is that gyan by which a jiva bound by vasana becomes freed at once?

Bhagavan Shiva explains it very well, the speaker says: the mother of vigyan is only my bhakti, which grants both fruits, in the form of bhoga and of moksha. He declares bhakti to be the highest here, and tells nine kinds of bhakti — what we call navdha bhakti — that the Param Pita Parameshwar can be worshipped in nine ways. Of that bhakti too there are many kinds besides those nine, described at great length. As it is put in the navdha bhakti: O Daksha Nandini, hear with love the description of the nine angas. In this same manner, the speaker says, we should perform our bhajan and the pujan of our own ishta and aradhya.

What is called sangopang upasana, the speaker says, is pujan done in due order, and people go astray in these matters, wondering whether to do this or that. If you listen in order there will be no difficulty. It is only if you leave something out and accept half the matter that difficulty arises, and confusion appears. So it is said: shravan, that is listening; kirtan; smaran; sevan; dasya; archan; constant vandan of me; sakhya; and atmasamarpan — these have been called the navdha bhakti. These are stated in simple words: nine angas have been accepted.

What is the meaning of shravan? One who, seated on an asana, with body and mind daily honouring my katha, kirtan and the rest, hears them with his own ears with gladness — that is called shravan. Those among you who are sitting comfortably and listening at this moment, the speaker says, are performing bhakti of Bhagavan. We are not doing entertainment here. What we are doing is shravan, and from this katha at least something will have been learned today. At the least it will have been understood how great the tyag of the Vidhata was, of Brahma, and what he wishes to teach us. Of the nine angas of bhakti, the first is listening, and remembering the katha. And how many people listen? Very few people listen to satsang and katha.

The trouble, the speaker says, is with what people take bhakti to be: pick up the mala, rattle off the japa here. He recounts one man who, in a group, thundered at him: you do not know, we have accomplished Shamshan Kali. He replied: Maharaj ji, for our part not even ordinary Kali has been accomplished, and you speak of Shamshan Kali. The man said, watch my video. Another man had earlier sent him the link to that video. After hearing the mantra that was recited there, he says, laughter could not be stopped — what is to be said. The mantra of Kali was torn to shreds. So, he says, listening with our own ears is the first thing.

How is kirtan to be done? Of kirtan it has been said: one who, contemplating my divine persons and my deeds and the rest, utters them with his own voice in a loud tone — that itself is called kirtan, and he performs bhajan. The speaker illustrates it with the bhajans we sing. If we are singing of Ram ji, then we first hear the katha of his birth; there are many beautiful kirtans of the birth, and we listen to them. Thereafter the katha of his acts, of the slayings he performed and the end he made of the rakshasas; and the katha of his marriage to Bhagavati Sita. All of these we sing in bhajan. That is bhajan and kirtan.

After that comes smaran. For smaran it has been said that you have no need to look at the time; keep remembering him always. In this there is no need to look at the clock. From the time the sun has risen until you do not sleep, keep doing his dhyan and smaran according to your capacity. And what is the meaning of seva? Seva means that, keeping in view the time that is favourable and keeping restraint over one's senses, seva should be done through the karma indriyas. Let seva of Bhagavan be done, let seva of the divine swaroop be done — that is seva.

Whatever has been obtained, understanding that this Bhagavan is our swami and we are his dasa, and that this is only and only what he has given, and that we, being dasas, are merely enjoying it — those who, understanding it so, enjoy any material thing of theirs, are said to have dasya bhava. This same dasya bhava, the speaker says, we call shudra bhava; many saints call it shudra bhava. It is said that a bhakta who is a shudra is a shudra — but understand what shudra means: one who serves. So whoever is serving Bhagavan should consider himself a shudra and never take pride. By this, abhiman will not arise. Where pride comes within — by saying brahmin, one takes great pride in oneself: that we are endowed with brahma tej, that we are performers of gayatri, that we perform purashcharan of mantras, that we resort to many, many tirthas, that we are brahmins.

Where that feeling has come, the speaker says, your gati has stopped there. But by saying shudra, shudra, shudra, a feeling of shudrata will not come within oneself — one knows: we are shudra, we are servants. Whose servants? Servants of Jagdamba. So as long as this dasya bhava remains, so long he is the swami. I am the sevak, you are the swami — and who then is the sevak? A shudra, arisen from the feet, one who serves the feet, who desires the dust of the feet. So we are dasya. If the word shudra is destroying pride within you, he says, that is a very good thing.

Thereafter, one who makes himself a servant and performs the pujan of Bhagavan with the sixteen upacharas — that has been called archan. Sashtang pranam: the man who makes sashtang pranam touching the ground with eight limbs — that and the like has been called vandan. Women should not touch their chest to the ground; in the shastras this has been forbidden for them, the speaker says. Men should make full sashtang pranam.

In bhakti, what has been called sakhya bhava? That whatever mangal and amangal is happening, be it good or bad, no matter — we are taking it all as good. Everything is fine; whatever you are doing you are doing, it is happening by your will. That is the sakhya bhava, the bhava of a sakha. And whatever I am obtaining: if Bhagavan is giving us a crore, then out of that crore we give back to him 99 lakh 99 thousand 999 rupees, and one rupee upon ourselves. The sense is that all of it is dedicated to you; what you give, we spend upon you. But its meaning is not, the speaker says, that we build a temple and decorate Bhagavan day and night. No — it is jeev seva: wherever there is need, for the uplift of our sanatan and for the welfare of the jeevs, of the sanatani jeevs, there we apply what Bhagavan has given. This is atmasamarpan. This was told as the ninth anga of bhakti.

All these things, bhoga and moksha, should be done together, and so Shiva says: O dear one, in this manner my sangopang bhakti is the highest of all. What then is the meaning of sangopang? These nine kinds of bhakti, in every way, with the contemplation of one's own aradhya in it. Now if it is Shiva, then in these nine ways everything will be done about him alone: we shall think of him, do his kirtan, do the japa of his mantra, do his pujan with the sixteen upacharas, hold everything as given by him and dedicate everything to him, make sashtang pranam to him. Its meaning is nowhere that if we do it for him we shall not do it for Ganpati ji or for Bhagavati. This matter too should be understood.

Those who go into the tantra kshetra, who have to do mantra japa and the rest and have bhautik kamana, there you have to proceed in an ordered manner, the speaker says — and one ought to proceed so. There is the devi Panchayatana or the panchayatan of other devatas; pujan is done in a panchayat. He says he has clarified this matter before too: that the one who is our aradhya is like our husband. Whether you are a woman or a man — just as a pativrata woman gives her husband comfort in every way. And in what ways has she been called one who gives comfort? That when skill is to be given in some work, she should have the intellect and the wisdom of it; when she works in the house, she should be like a maidservant; and when she goes to the bed, she should be like Rambha. In this way the qualities of a wife have been described.

In the same way, when you serve your aradhya, where you are to keep dasya bhava and where sakhya bhava — all these bhavas should be kept toward the chief aradhya, the one who is your aradhya and in whom your mind is set. And with what feeling shall we deal with all the rest? With all the rest we keep a feeling of ordinary samarpan and do their ordinary pujan. Just as, with the husband as the chief, one keeps such thought and conduct with everyone else — with the parents-in-law, with the brother-in-law, with the sister-in-law, whoever it may be, in that manner. Therefore one should never think that we shall worship one deva only.

How will it come about? When you, performing all this karmakand and the rest in an ordinary way, find that the kamanas begin to be freed from your mind, that it makes no difference to you what good or bad is happening, that you rise above all of it — then everywhere you will see the very ones whom you worship. Then you will have no need to worry about Krishna or Kali, that we shall worship only Krishna. Bind them in any one form: if she is mother, keep her in the form of mother; if father, keep him in the form of father; if sakha, keep him as sakha; if guru, keep him in the form of guru.

For us, the speaker says, as when you perform the seva of Shri ji, or the seva of Bhagavati, or the seva of Krishna ji — someone does it in dasya bhava, someone in sakha bhava. Some hold Bhagavati in the bhava of a sakhi. There are many, many kinds of bhava. Some hold him in the form of a son and give the affection due to a son. In the same manner we serve them in the form of guru, and hold them to be Mahakaul — that Radha Rani is the swaroop of Shiva himself, and that Bhagavan Krishna is the swaroop of Bhagavati Parvati, the swaroop of Bhagavati. In that swaroop we hold them as Mahakaul. So for us they became our Gurudev and Guru Maa. In this same manner one should join every single bhava of one's own.

In this manner Bhagavan Shiva explained bhakti very well here to Bhagavati Sati, with all five angas, and tantra shastra and yantra shastra. After that, all the other vaidya shastra, jyotish shastra and samudrik shastra — he described all of these. And it is on account of these very things that, wherever we read them, there appears Shiv vach, Sati vach, or Durga vach, Parvati vach, or Bhairav vach, Bhairavi vach. In this manner Bhagavan Shiva, taking Bhagavati Jagdamba into the yoga marga and the bhakti marga and the rest, described all these things.

From here, the speaker says, begins the katha about which listeners keep asking: when Ram ji was manifest there and Sati ji acted as she did toward him, how then did Vishnu come to be there? This whole question stays in the mind, so hear how it came about. When NaradaA celestial sage and recurring listener/questioner figure across Puranic literature. asked in what manner the separation came about between Bhagavati Sati and Shiva — Bhagavan Brahma says such a thing can never happen, that the two of them should be separated; the two are one and the same. But the leela has been placed there, following the ways of loka vyavahar.

Then Brahma said that, wandering in many places, Bhagavati Sati and Bhagavan Shiva reached a place called Dandakaranya. There at that time the Treta yuga was running on the earth, and Bhagavan Shri Hari Vishnu was present there in Dandakaranya in the avatar of Ram. Sita ji had already been abducted, and being distressed he wandered from place to place saying, O Sita, O Sita. So he was doing this, and Bhagavan Shiva, with Sati ji, was roaming the earth mounted upon the vrishabh.

When Bhagavan Shri Ram was seen, on seeing him Bhagavan Shiva made pranam, bowing his head. When he made pranam, Sati ji became greatly troubled here. It is a leela, the speaker notes. She said: O Dev Dev, O Parabrahma, O Sarvesh, O Parameshwar — Brahma and Vishnu perform your service. You are worthy of pranam from all; everyone makes pranam to you; everyone meditates on you. You alone are the nirvikar and supreme Prabhu, to be known with effort through the Vedanta shastra. Then who are these two? Their appearance looks greatly distressed. These two are brave, yet they seem to be in great sorrow. But why, seeing this eldest purush who is like a blue lotus, did you rise up so overwhelmed with joy, and so full of praise make him pranam? This is the katha that comes here.

Then Bhagavan Shiva said: O Sati, I am speaking the truth. In them there is no chhal of any kind. It is by the effect of a boon that I made pranam to them with respect. Now what is this boon, how is it? If all of you who are listening understand this subject well today, the speaker says, then the whole upside-down talk about Shiva and Vishnu — who is greater, Shiva or Vishnu, how they ask about them — the whole concept will become clear. You will never be able to make a distinction between the two, he says, if you understand this whole subject in the Shiv Puran.

Where the subject must be placed, the speaker says, your mind should be clear on this matter and your intellect unstained. Those who are half-read raise these questions. But if some wicked person puts such questions, and it seems to you that yes, an attempt should be made to explain it to him properly, that he too is a bhakta and should be told the truth — then place the subject before him. Otherwise let it be. Then there is no need to speak: brother, go your way. Bhagavan Shiva then tells her that this Bhagavan Shri Narayana has at this time been born in the Suryavansh: the elder by the name of Shri Ram, the younger Lakshman. And this state has come about because Ravana has taken her away. For the protection of the sadhu purushas and the destruction of the wicked he has taken avatar.

Bhagavati Sati is not fully able to believe, the speaker says, that Bhagavan Shiva himself should be saying a thing of this kind — and that one who wanders about calling out, Sita, Sita, could ever be Narayana himself. Then Shiva said: if you do not have belief in my words, in my statement, then go with your own intellect and take the test of Shri Ram ji. By this your delusion will be removed. Do as you think proper; until then we are sitting beneath this vat tree. So he speaks. Then Bhagavati Sati begins to think in what manner she should test him. Then she takes the very form of Sita ji and goes.

When Bhagavati Sati went to test Ram ji and appeared before him, Bhagavan Shri Ram, best of the Raghukul, smiled, made pranam to her, and said: O Sati Mata, salutations to you. Tell me lovingly where Shiva has gone, and why have you come alone into the forest without him? And why have you abandoned your own form? Being gracious to me, tell me this reason. When he spoke thus to Bhagavati Sati, she became astonished. She began to remember Shiva's words and became greatly ashamed, saying that Shri Ram ji is the very form of Vishnu — and she was glad of it too.

She told him that Shiva, with his attendants, came into the forest while roaming the earth. Seeing him together with Lakshman, engaged in the search for Sita, afflicted with separation and sorrowful in mind, he made pranam to him and went. Praising his Vaishnavi mahima he sits under the vat tree with the greatest joy. Without even seeing his four-armed Vishnu form he became overwhelmed with joy, and seeing this pure form he obtained great joy. And hearing his words, a delusion arose in her mind, so taking his permission she has come to test him. In the Ramcharitmanas and the rest the subject there is different, the speaker says, because there matters connected with Bhagavan Vishnu have been placed, so the katha there is different. This is the Shiv Mahapuran, so here it has been set down according to this. People cannot understand this very point, and then they are troubled — how can it be so, there it was said thus.

Bhagavati Sati asks: please tell me how you became worthy of Shiva's vandana. Free me from this doubt. Hearing this, Ram ji was greatly pleased. He remembered Shiva, and having remembered him, Bhagavan Raghav did not go near Shiva but described his mahima inwardly in his own mind, and then spoke. Read this, the speaker says, in the twenty-fifth adhyaya of the Rudra Samhita of the Shiv Mahapuran. And when you come to know this subject, all the calumny that has been spread — that Krishna is supreme, that the avatar of Vishnu came from Krishna, and what these people who make so much of dharma, the Vaishnava people, say, that the Vaishnava position is such and such — all this will become clear to you.

Bhagavan Shri Ram says that in ancient times, at one time, Bhagavan Shambhu in his param dham called Vishwakarma ji — Tvashta Rishi Vishwakarma. Where did he call him? Listen very attentively, the speaker says: Shiva called him in his own dham, in his own gaushala. A gaushala is present in the loka of Shiva. Calling him there in the gaushala, he told Vishwakarma to build a very beautiful bhavan. He had a bhavan built in great detail by Vishwakarma, very beautiful, and had a most excellent sinhasan constructed in it. And upon that sinhasan, for the removal of obstruction, Bhagavan Shankar had a chhatra made by Vishwakarma, which was most divine, excellent for all time, and supremely wonderful.

After that Bhagavan Shiva quickly called there Indra, all the siddhas, the gandharvas, the nagas and all the updevas. UpadevaA category of subordinate or lesser divine beings ranked below the principal deities — ancestors (Pitrus) are classified under this category. means the Pitr and the Pishach — all of them were present there. All the Vedas, agamas and shastras, all the sons of Brahma, the munis, the apsaras and all the devis, together with all things, were invited. Besides these, the auspicious sixteen maidens each of the devatas, the rishis, the siddhas and the nagas were also summoned.

These are the Shodash Matrikas, the speaker says — those whom we ordinarily worship as one set. Apart from them, when we take up this subject, he says he does not know whether other people describe it or not; he has no information on that, but will tell the little he knows, because he has knowledge of two or three. One is Bhagavati Mahabhagavati Vindhyavasini: her pujan is done in three forms, according to three kulas. He knows the kula he himself belongs to, and has a little knowledge of the other kulas as well. The Shodash Matrikas are ordinarily all worshipped in one form — Gauri, Sacha, Padma, Savitri, Medha, Jaya: the pujan of all these is done. But the sixteen maidens under the Mahavidyas and under the kula are also established separately in the form of Shodash Matrikas. All of them, however many there were, were separately summoned there — such is the description.

Then many kinds of utsav were held by them. Together with all the aushadhis, the substances fit for a raj abhishek — whatever the dravya of a raj abhishek is — and from all the tirthas that there are, five kalashas each filled with water, and divine materials: all these Bhagavan Shankar had brought by his attendants. There the Veda mantras were recited in a very loud voice. And after this, because of the bhakti Bhagavan Shri Hari Vishnu had performed, with which Mahadev is pleased, he called Shri Hari from Vaikuntha dham — called him into his own gaushala, where he had had the divine loka constructed.

At a shubh muhurta, seating Vishnu upon the most excellent sinhasan, Mahadev himself lovingly adorned him with all kinds of ornaments. Binding a lovely mukut upon his head and performing the utsav and the mangalachar, Maheshwar himself performed the abhishek of Shri Hari in the Brahmanda Mandap. And he gave him all that aishwarya which he does not give to others. Bhagavan Mahamaheshwar Shiva gave his entire aishwarya to Narayana. And after that Bhagavan Shiva, Bhagavan Shambhu, who is himself independent, performed the stavan of Shri Hari, and made his own paradhinata known everywhere.

Understand what this matter is, everyone, the speaker says. Bhagavan Shiva first performed the abhishek of Bhagavan Narayana, and thereafter himself accepted his own paradhinata. Bhakta-paravashata: that is, Bhagavan Narayana performed so much bhakti of him. It is said that Bhagavan is in the control of his bhakta — so see, this is the fruit of bhakti, that Bhagavan Narayana performed wonderful bhakti toward Bhagavan Shiva, and for such bhakti Narayana is called the greatest bhakta of Bhagavan Shiva. So here Bhagavan Shiva is performing bhakti of him. He gave him so great an honour, performed his raj abhishek, and thereafter accepted his bhakti and made it manifest before everyone.

What did Bhagavan Mahamaheshwar Shiva say here? He is speaking to Brahma — and another name of Brahma is Lokesh. He said: O Lokesh, from today, according to my order, this Vishnu, Hari, has himself become worthy of my vandana. Let all people hear this thing. Shiva is saying it, the speaker stresses, not we. Shiva is saying: let all people hear this thing. O Tat, along with all the devatas and the rest, make pranam to this Shri Hari, and let these Vedas, by my order, describe this Shri Hari just as they describe me. Bhagavan Shiva here gives this command: that those who are to accept Bhagavan Shiva must all perform the pujan of Bhagavan Vishnu. And he is doing it himself as well.

Then Shri Ram ji said to Mata Sati that Rudra Dev — the boon-giver, affectionate to his bhaktas, whose mind was pleased by Vishnu's bhakti — having said this, himself made pranam to Garuda-dhwaj Shri Hari. Thereafter Brahma and all the devatas, rishis, munis and siddhas performed the vandana of Hari. And greatly pleased, the bhakta-vatsal Maheshwar granted Shri Hari a great boon before the devatas.

Maheshwar is saying: by my order you shall be the karta, the palak and the sanharak of all the lokas, the giver of dharma, artha and kama, and the one who punishes those who do injustice. From these three lines that have been spoken, the speaker says, understand what has been said in the Vishnu Purana or in whatever other Vaishnava puranas there are — that Bhagavan Vishnu alone is everything. Why is it so? Because here Mahamaheshwar has already given a boon. According to this boon, whenever another kalpa comes — one kalpa passes, a second kalpa passes, as many kalpas as there are, as Brahma's srishti changes — understand that in whatever brahmandas may then be made, in all of them Bhagavan Vishnu will be supreme.

Now by his own order Brahma too will be produced, Vishnu too will be produced, and Rudra too will be produced. He has now become Mahavishnu. This is the pada we contemplate and speak about, the speaker says, when we ask which pada the Mahavishnu pada is. He says he is stopping in the middle to explain this so that the distinction listeners hold in their minds is removed — how in the Vishnu Purana Vishnu became supreme, how Vishnu produced Rudra, when here Rudra is Mahamaheshwar himself; because Mahamaheshwar is giving the command for this leela, giving the authority, and has already given the blessing.

Now when that kalpa of theirs runs, where Bhagavan Narayana has been given the command, the blessing and the boon in order to display his supremacy there, then there Maheshwar Shiva will contemplate him. The Rudra who is produced will contemplate him. Bhagavati too, who is the param Vaishnavi Mahamaya, will hold Narayana to be everything — because in a way the order has been given here by Bhagavan Shiva, and everything has been given to him, his whole aishwarya has been bestowed on him. Then Shiva says: you will be endowed with great strength and valour, jagat-pujya, Jagadishwar, and in some places unconquerable even by me — that is, even we shall not be able to defeat you. As for the Mahasudarshan, the speaker breaks off, leave that subject; we shall tell it later, we keep some things in reserve for now.

Then Bhagavan Shiva says: receive from me the three kinds of shakti that I give. Which three shaktis is Bhagavan Shiva giving here? The siddhi of ichha and the rest; the shakti of manifesting many kinds of leela; and the shakti of remaining eternally independent in the three lokas. Bhagavan Shiva gave these here to Bhagavan Shri Narayana.

Hear what he says further. O Hare, those who bear enmity toward you will certainly be punished by me with effort. O Vishnu, I shall grant the highest moksha to your bhaktas. Receive this maya as well. He is placing even his own maya under him, the speaker notes. Receive this maya, whose warding off is difficult even for the devatas and the rest, and being deluded by which this world will become inert. Bhagavan Shiva is making Bhagavan Narayana everything of everything here.

Now what does he say here: O Hare, you are my left arm, and the Vidhata is the right arm. You will be the producer and the sustainer of these Vidhata as well. The Rudra who is the form of my heart is myself; in this there is no doubt. And that Rudra is certainly worthy of worship for you and for Brahma and the other devatas. Remaining here, perform many kinds of leela and, through various avatars, especially sustain the entire jagat. This supremely majestic and utterly resplendent place of yours in my loka —

Now listen attentively, the speaker says: those who perform the upasana of the Krishna swaroop of Bhagavan Shri Hari Narayana — which dham do they go to? Golok dham. They go there. There is the charitra of the bhakta Narsingh Mehta, the famous saint of Gujarat, in which he performed upasana of Bhagavan Shiva and remained fasting for seven days. After seven days Shiva appeared and asked what boon he wanted. Narsingh Mehta said: give us what is dear to you. He was a bhakta of Shiva. At this point Bhagavan Shiva took Narsingh Mehta in his lap and went to the param dham. And going into the param dham, on the night of Sharad Purnima the maharas was taking place, and he placed Narsingh Mehta into the pitambari of Bhagavan Narayana.

And that same loka, that same dham which we call Golok dham — that very Golok dham is the gaushala of Bhagavan Mahamaheshwar Shiva, which he had constructed by Vishwakarma ji in the form of Golok dham. And there he established Bhagavan Narayana in many different forms and gave him all authority there. This is what is being said: that this supremely majestic and utterly resplendent place will be famous by the name of Golok. And he says: O Hare, the avatars of yours that take place on the earth will be the protectors of all and will be my bhaktas. However many avatars there are on the earth, they will all be protectors of everyone and all will be my bhaktas. I shall have their darshan, and they will always remain pleased by my boon.

Then Ram ji tells Sati ji, narrating this katha and the whole former account, that in this manner, having bestowed his unbroken aishwarya upon Shri Hari, Umapati Bhagavan Har himself remained on Kailash parvat and began to sport freely with his attendants. And from that very time Bhagavan Lakshmipati assumed the gop vesh. And becoming the lord of the gops, the gopis and the cows, he began to dwell there with great joy. Now, the speaker says, he thinks the doubt in the listeners' minds will have become clear.

Now, the speaker says, whoever among you has been listening to this whole katha from the beginning — even if only ten of you are listening while the rest come and go — never again will a feeling arise in your mind that Shri Krishna and Radha Rani are superior, or that Bhagavan Shiva is superior. And those who hear the katha that Shiva sends whomever he is pleased with to the feet of Radha Rani or to the feet of Krishna, and that when Krishna and Radha are pleased they send people back this way — why do these people send them here and there? Why do they send them? Because Krishna is dearest of all to Shiva, and Shiva is dearest of all to Krishna. In the swaroop of Radha Rani it is said that half of the heart is Radha Rani, and half of the heart is Krishna, who is Bhagavan Shiva. This whole matter, he says, should be understood in this way — and then this doubt will not arise in your minds.

Then Bhagavan Shri Ram says to Bhagavati Sati that after that Bhagavan Vishnu began to protect the whole jagat, and by the order of Shiva took many kinds of avatar for the sustaining of the world. And at this time Shri Hari, by the order of Bhagavan Shankar, has descended in four forms. Of those, one is I, Ram, and the others are Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughna. I have taken avatar here in four forms.

Now here do not think, the speaker says, about the Kaumodaki gada which had taken avatar, and the Sudarshan chakra which had taken avatar, and Sheshnag who had taken avatar — when here Bhagavan Shri Ram is saying this, then how did we obtain the Kaumodaki gada, how was the Sudarshan chakra obtained? When all these subjects are understood, this doubt too will be removed. Stay with us, he says. He has also had a discussion about Maa Sudarshan before, he adds, and will one day tell at length what the capacity of Maa Sudarshan is, and whether that thing really exists.

Ram ji then gave the whole account there: that by his father's order he has come into the forest and at this time is in sorrow. In this manner he described his leela in brief. Now he says: O Sati, O Mata. He called her Mata here, as he had before and does again. Now I have obtained your darshan; by your grace all will be well with me, in this there is no doubt. By your darshan I have now surely received this boon of obtaining Sita. Slaying that sinful rakshasa I shall certainly obtain Sita, in this there is no doubt. Great is my good fortune that you both showed grace to me. That purush upon whom you both become compassionate is blessed and best. Saying this, Shri Ram, crest-jewel of the Raghukul, went forward into the forest with their permission.

She began to think and to say to herself that she had not obeyed Shiva's word, that on account of a mean intellect she had thought and considered so about Shri Ram ji. Now if Shiva asks, what answer shall she give? Seeing Sati sad, with sorrow upon her mind, Bhagavan Shiva asked: what happened? You took the test — so how did you take it? What happened, tell me. Then Bhagavati Sati stood with her head bowed, stricken with grief; there was sorrow upon sorrow. And Bhagavan Shiva, understanding the whole matter, knew everything.

Now here again remember, the speaker says: when Shiva's marriage with Sati was taking place, you must recall what Vishnu prayed for and which pratigya Shiva took. Shiva remembered that very pratigya, which the maryada-protecting Rudra had taken earlier at Hari's special insistence, when the request was made by the devatas for the marriage. What had he taken? That if anyone keeps a wicked feeling toward the wife of another, I shall slay him myself.

And here, since Bhagavati Sati had herself assumed the form of Sita, and by assuming the form of Sita ji she came into the form of the wife of Bhagavan Shri Ram, she became equal to a mother for him — and being another's wife, he could no longer look upon her with the feeling of a wife. For this reason he had taken the pratigya. Shiva said: if we love Sati as before, then the great pratigya of me, Shiva, who follows the leela of the world, will itself be destroyed. Thinking in his mind in many ways, Shankar ji, the protector of the Veda and of dharma, abandoned Sati from his heart. This is how satitva runs, the speaker says — but he did not let his own pratigya be destroyed.

Then, abandoning Sati from his mind, he set out toward Kailash parvat. He did not disclose his resolve. On the way an akashvani occurred: O Parameshwar, you are blessed. In these three lokas there is no one like you who has to this day made such a pratigya. You are Mahayogi, you are Mahaprabhu. Hearing this, Bhagavati Sati began to ask: which pratigya did you take? Please be gracious and tell me. Then Bhagavan Shiva told her that it was the very pratigya they had taken at the time of the marriage. Hearing this she became very sad. Thereafter much leela occurred, and going on, they became seated.

And now understand the subject here, the speaker says, of the Mahayuga and Kalpa, whose description has already been given, and of how kalpa-bheda works, as told in an earlier live. Here that kalpa has already passed. In every kalpa, and however many times the Treta yuga comes, each time he takes avatar. So in that mahayuga that yuga has passed. And in that yuga Bhagavati Sati was not burnt in the yogagni — this is what happened to her. Every time this is different; as it may have happened that time too, but that would be the previous one. Here you will become confused, he says — which is exactly why the kalpa vidhan should be understood.

That will have run in another kalpa, the speaker says — the time frame that runs. Suppose that today, whatever event is going to occur today, is either coming down from before, or is going to reach its end and will be over. Today's one has been carried forward. It will then happen the next time this day comes. So the subject of the purana can be understood only in this manner with a time frame; otherwise you will not understand it.

After this, the speaker says, the whole description of Daksha's yajna and the conflict will be discussed tomorrow, because tomorrow's subject will be very wonderful. In it we are to know about the shaktis: in what manner some shakti manifests, and by which mantras which shakti manifested that helped in the destruction of Daksha's yajna — how Virabhadra, Mahakali and which other shaktis came. And the subject of the Andhak daitya. We know of the Andhak daitya, he says, that he hung upon Shiva's trishul for many kalpas. Even now one form of his remains hanging there. And in another form, as which gana of Shiva was he established? All these subjects will be covered tomorrow.

Answering a listener, the speaker says that at the time of hospitalization one should take off the Kavach and the rest. There is no need to wear it. It should be removed. Because if you are being hospitalized, then perhaps your operation is going to take place — and there, in any case, those people will remove it.