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Chapter Three
Talks Between Lord Siva and Sati
TEXT 1
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
sada vidvisator evam
kalo vai dhriyamanayoh
jamatuh svasurasyapi
sumahan aticakrame
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; sada--constantly; vidvisatoh--the tension; evam--in this manner; kalah--time; vai--certainly; dhriyamanayoh--continued to bear; jamatuh--of the son-in-law; svasurasya--of the father-in-law; api--even; su-mahan--a very great; aticakrame--passed.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya continued: In this manner the tension between the father-in-law and son-in-law, Daksa and Lord Siva, continued for a considerably long period.
PURPORT
The previous chapter has already explained that Vidura questioned the sage Maitreya as to the cause of the misunderstanding between Lord Siva and Daksa. Another question is why the strife between Daksa and his son-in-law caused Sati to destroy her body. The chief reason for Sati's giving up her body was that her father, Daksa, began another sacrificial performance, to which Lord Siva was not invited at all. Generally, when any sacrifice is performed, although each and every sacrifice is intended to pacify the Supreme personality of Godhead, Visnu, all the demigods, especially Lord Brahma and Lord Siva and the other principal demigods, such as Indra and Candra, are invited, and they take part. lt is said that unless all the demigods are present, no sacrifice is complete. But in the tension between the father-in-law and son-in-law, Daksa began another yajna performance, to which Lord Siva was not invited. Daksa was the chief progenitor employed by Lord Brahma, and he was a son of Brahma, so he had a high position and was also very proud.
TEXT 2
TEXT
yadabhisikto daksas tu
brahmana paramesthina
prajapatinam sarvesam
adhipatye smayo 'bhavat
SYNONYMS
yada--when; abhisiktah--appointed; daksah--Daksa; tu--but; brahmana--by Brahma; paramesthina--the supreme teacher; prajapatinam--of the Prajapatis; sarvesam--of all; adhipatye--as the chief; smayah--puffed up; abhavat--he became.
TRANSLATION
When Lord Brahma appointed Daksa the chief of all the Prajapatis, the progenitors of population, Daksa became very much puffed up.
PURPORT
Although he was envious and was inimical towards Lord Siva, Daksa was appointed the chief of all Prajapatis. That was the cause of his excessive pride. When a man becomes too proud of his material possessions, he can perform any disastrous act, and therefore Daksa acted out of false prestige. That is described in this chapter.
TEXT 3
TEXT
istva sa vajapeyena
brahmisthan abhibhuya ca
brhaspati-savam nama
samarebhe kratuttamam
SYNONYMS
istva--after performing; sah--he (Daksa); vajapeyena--with a vajapeya sacrifice; brahmisthan--Siva and his followers; abhibhuya--neglecting; ca--and; brhaspati-savam--the brhaspati-sava; nama--called; samarebhe--began; kratu-uttamam--the best of sacrifices.
TRANSLATION
Daksa began a sacrifice named vajapeya, and he became excessively confident of his support by Lord Brahma, He then performed another great sacrifice, named brhaspati-sava.
PURPORT
In the Vedas it is prescribed that before performing a brhaspati-sava sacrifice, one should perform the sacrifice named vajapeya. While performing these sacrifices, however, Daksa neglected great devotees like Lord Siva. According to Vedic scriptures, the demigods are eligible to participate in yajnas and share the oblations, but Daksa wanted to avoid them. All sacrifices are intended to pacify Lord Visnu, but Lord Visnu includes all His devotees. Brahma, Lord Siva and the other demigods are all obedient servants of Lord Visnu; therefore Lord Visnu is never satisfied without them. But Daksa, being puffed up with his power, wanted to deprive Lord Brahma and Lord Siva of participation in the sacrifice, understanding that if one satisfies Visnu, it is not necessary to satisfy His followers. But that is not the process. Visnu wants His followers to be satisfied first. Lord Krsna says, mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika: "The worship of My devotees is better than worship of Me." Similarly, in the Siva Purana, it is stated that the best mode of worship is to offer oblations to Visnu, but better than that is to worship the devotees of Krsna. Thus Daksa's determination to neglect Lord Siva in the sacrifices was not fitting.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tasmin brahmarsayah sarve
devarsi-pitr-devatah
asan krta-svastyayanas
tat-patnyas ca sa-bhartrkah
SYNONYMS
tasmin--in that (sacrifice); brahma-rsayah--the brahmarsis; sarve--all; devarsi--the devarsis; pitr--ancestors; devatah--demigods; asan--were; krta-svasti-ayanah--were very nicely decorated with ornaments; tat-patnyah--their wives; ca--and; sa-bhartrkah--along with their husbands.
TRANSLATION
While the sacrifice was being performed, many brahmarsis, great sages, ancestral demigods and other demigods, their wives all very nicely decorated with ornaments, attended from different parts of the universe.
PURPORT
In any auspicious ceremony, such as a marriage ceremony, sacrificial ceremony or puja ceremony, it is auspicious for married women to decorate themselves very nicely with ornaments, fine clothing and cosmetics. These are auspicious signs. Many heavenly women assembled with their husbands, the devarsis, demigods and rajarsis, in that great sacrifice named brhaspati-sava. It is specifically mentioned in this verse that they approached with their husbands, for when a woman is decorated nicely, her husband becomes more cheerful. The nice decorations, ornaments and dress of the wives of the demigods and sages and the cheerfulness of the demigods and sages themselves were all auspicious signs for the ceremony.
TEXTS 5-7
TEXT
tad upasrutya nabhasi
khe-caranam prajalpatam
sati daksayani devi
pitr-yajna-mahotsavam
vrajantih sarvato digbhya
upadeva-vara-striyah
vimana-yanah sa-prestha
niska-kanthih suvasasah
drstva sva-nilayabhyase
lolaksir mrsta-kundalah
patim bhuta-patim devam
autsukyad abhyabhasata
SYNONYMS
tat--then; upasrutya--hearing; nabhasi--in the sky; khe-caranam--of those who were flying in the air (the Gandharvas); prajalpatam--the conversation; sati--Sati; daksayani--the daughter of Daksa; devi--the wife of Siva; pitr-yajna-maha-utsavam--the great festival of sacrifice performed by her father; vrajantih--were going; sarvatah--from all; digbhyah--directions; upadeva-vara-striyah--the beautiful wives of the demigods; vimana-yanah--flying in their airplanes; sa-presthah--along with their husbands; niska-kanthih--having nice necklaces with lockets; su-vasasah--dressed in fine clothing; drstva--seeing; sva-nilaya-abhyase--near her residence; lola-aksih--having beautiful glittering eyes; mrsta-kundalah--nice earrings; patim--her husband; bhuta-patim--the master of the bhutas; devam--the demigod; autsukyat--from great anxiety; abhyabhasata--she spoke.
TRANSLATION
The chaste lady Sati, the daughter of Daksa, heard the heavenly denizens flying in the sky conversing about the great sacrifice being performed by her father. When she saw that from all directions the beautiful wives of the heavenly denizens, their eyes very beautifully glittering, were near her residence and were going to the sacrifice dressed in fine clothing and ornamented with earrings and necklaces with lockets, she approached her husband, the master of the bhutas, in great anxiety, and spoke as follows.
PURPORT
It appears that the residence of Lord Siva was not on this planet but somewhere in outer space, otherwise how could Sati have seen the airplanes coming from different directions towards this planet and heard the passengers talking about the great sacrifice being performed by Daksa? Sati is described here as Daksayani because she was the daughter of Daksa. The mention of upadeva-vara refers to inferior demigods like the Gandharvas, Kinnaras and Uragas, who are not exactly demigods but between the demigods and human beings. They were also coming in planes. The word sva-nilayabhyase indicates that they were passing right near her residential quarters. The dresses and bodily features of the wives of the heavenly denizens are very nicely described here. Their eyes moved, their earrings and other ornaments glittered and glared, their dresses were the nicest possible, and all of them had special lockets on their necklaces. Each woman was accompanied by her husband. Thus they looked so beautiful that Sati, Daksayani, was impelled to dress similarly and go to the sacrifice with her husband. That is the natural inclination of a woman.
TEXT 8
TEXT
saty uvaca
prajapates te svasurasya sampratam
niryapito yajna-mahotsavah kila
vayam ca tatrabhisarama vama te
yady arthitami vibudha vrajanti hi
SYNONYMS
sati uvaca--Sati said; prajapateh--of Daksa; te--your; svasurasya--of your father-in-law; sampratam--nowadays; niryapitah--has been started; yajna-maha-utsavah--a great sacrifice; kila--certainly; vayam--we; ca--and; tatra--there; abhisarama--may go; vama--O my dear Lord Siva; te--your; yadi--if; arthita--desire; ami--these; vibudhah--demigods; vrajanti--are going; hi--because.
TRANSLATION
Sati said: My dear Lord Siva, your father-in-law is now executing great sacrifices, and all the demigods, having been invited by him, are going there. If you desire, we may also go.
PURPORT
Sati knew of the tension between her father and her husband, but still she expressed to her husband, Lord Siva, that since such sacrifices were going on at her father's house and so many demigods were going, she also desired to go. But she could not express her willingness directly, and so she told her husband that if he desired to go, then she could also accompany him. In other words, she submitted her desire very politely to her husband.
TEXT 9
TEXT
tasmin bhaginyo mama bhartrbhih svakair
dhruvam gamisyanti suhrd-didrksavah
aham ca tasmin bhavatabhikamaye
sahopanitam paribarham arhitum
SYNONYMS
tasmin--in that sacrifice; bhaginyah--sisters; mama--my; bhartrbhih--with their husbands; svakaih--their own; dhruvam--surely; gamisyanti--will go; suhrt-didrksavah--desiring to meet the relatives; aham--I; ca--and; tasmin--in that assembly; bhavata--with you (Lord Siva); abhikamaye--I desire; saha--with; upanitam--given; paribarham--ornaments of decoration; arhitum--to accept.
TRANSLATION
I think that all my sisters must have gone to this great sacrificial ceremony with their husbands just to see their relatives. I also desire to decorate myself with the ornaments given to me by my father and go there with you to participate in that assemble.
PURPORT
It is a woman's nature to want to decorate herself with ornaments and nice dresses and accompany her husband to social functions, meet friends and relatives, and enjoy life in that way. This propensity is not unusual, for woman is the basic principle of material enjoyment. Therefore in Sanskrit the word for woman is stri, which means "one who expands the field of material enjoyment." In the material world there is an attraction between woman and man. This is the arrangement of conditional life. A woman attracts a man, and in that way the scope of material activities, involving house, wealth, children and friendship, increases, and thus instead of decreasing one's material demands, one becomes entangled in material enjoyment. Lord Siva, however, is different; therefore his name is Siva. He is not at all attracted by material enjoyment, although his wife, Sati, was the daughter of a very great leader and was given to him by the request of Brahma. Lord Siva was reluctant, but Sati, as a woman, the daughter of a king, wanted enjoyment. She wanted to go to her father's house, just as her other sisters might have done, and meet them and enjoy social life. Here, she specifically indicated that she would decorate herself with the ornaments given by her father. She did not say that she would decorate herself with the ornaments given by her husband because her husband was callous about all such matters. He did not know how to decorate his wife and take part in social life because he was always in ecstasy with thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to the Vedic system, a daughter is given a sufficient dowry at the time of her marriage, and therefore Sati was also given a dowry by her father, and ornaments were included. It is also the custom that the husband gives some ornaments, but here it is particularly mentioned that her husband, being materially almost nothing, could not do so; therefore she wanted to decorate herself with the ornaments given by her father. It was fortunate for Sati that Lord Siva did not take the ornaments from his wife and spend them for ganja, because those who imitate Lord Siva in smoking ganja exploit everything from household affairs; they take all of their wives' property and spend on smoking, intoxication and similar other activities.
TEXT 10
TEXT
tatra svasrr me nanu bhartr-sammita
matr-svasrh klinna-dhiyam ca mataram
draksye cirotkantha-mana maharsibhir
unniyamanam ca mrdadhvara-dhvajam
SYNONYMS
tatra--there; svasrh--own sisters; me--my; nanu--surely; bhartr-sammitah--along with their husbands; matr-svasrh--the sisters of my mother; klinna-dhiyam--affectionate; ca--and; mataram--mother; draksye--I shall see; cira-utkantha-manah--being very anxious for a long time; maha-rsibhih--by great sages; unniyamanam--being raised; ca--and; mrda--O Siva; adhvara--sacrifice; dhvajam--flags.
TRANSLATION
My sisters, my mother's sisters and their husbands, and other affectionate relatives must be assembled there, so if I go I shall be able to see them, and I shall be able to see the flapping flags and the performance of the sacrifice by the great sages. For these reasons, my dear husband, I am very much anxious to go.
PURPORT
As stated before, the tension between the father-in-law and son-in-law persisted for a considerable time. Sati, therefore, had not gone to her father's house for a long while. Thus she was very anxious to go to her father's house, particularly because on that occasion her sisters and their husbands and her mother's sisters would be there. As is natural for a woman, she wanted to dress equally to her other sisters and also be accompanied by her husband. She did not, of course, want to go alone.
TEXT 11
TEXT
tvayy etad ascaryam ajatma-mayaya
vinirmitam bhati guna-trayatmakam
tathapy aham yosid atattva-vic ca te
dina didrkse bhava me bhava-ksitim
SYNONYMS
tvayi--in you; etat--this; ascaryam--wonderful; aja--O Lord Siva; atma-mayaya--by the external energy of the Supreme Lord; vinirmitam--created; bhati--appears; guna-traya-atmakam--being an interaction of the three modes of material nature; tatha api--even so; aham--I; yosit--woman; atattva-vit--not conversant with the truth; ca--and; te--your; dina--poor; didrkse--I wish to see; bhava--O Lord Siva; me--my; bhava-ksitim--place of birth.
TRANSLATION
This manifested cosmos is a wonderful creation of the interaction of the three material modes, or the external energy of the Supreme Lord. This truth is fully known to you. Yet I am but a poor woman, and, as you know, I am not conversant with the truth. Therefore I wish to see my birthplace once more.
PURPORT
Daksayani, Sati, knew very well that her husband, Lord Siva, was not very much interested in the glaring manifestation of the material world, which is caused by the interaction of the three modes of nature. Therefore she addressed her husband as aja, which refers to one who has transcended the bondage of birth and death, or one who has realized his eternal position. She stated, "The illusion of accepting the perverted reflection, the material or cosmic manifestation, to be real is not present in you, because you are self-realized. For you the attraction of social life and the consideration that someone is father, someone is mother and someone is sister, which are illusory relationships, is already over; but because I am a poor woman, I am not so advanced in transcendental realization. Therefore naturally these appear to me as real." Only less intelligent persons accept this perverted reflection of the spiritual world to be real. Those who are under the spell of the external energy accept this manifestation to be fact, whereas those who are advanced in spiritual realization know that it is illusion. Actual reality is elsewhere, in the spiritual world. "But as far as I am concerned," Sati said, "I do not have much knowledge about self-realization. I am poor because I do not know the actual facts. I am attracted by my birthplace, and I want to see it." One who has attraction for his birthplace, for his body, and for other such items mentioned in the Bhagavatam is considered to be like an ass or a cow. Sati might have heard all this many times from her husband, Lord Siva, but because she was a woman, yosit, she still hankered after the same material objects of affection. The word yosit means "one who is enjoyed." Therefore woman is called yosit. In spiritual advancement, association with yosit is always restricted because if one is like a play doll in the hands of yosit, then all his spiritual advancement is at once stopped. It is said, "Those who are just like playthings in the hands of a woman (yosit-krida-mrgesu) cannot make any advancement in spiritual realization."
TEXT 12
TEXT
pasya prayantir abhavanya-yosito
'py alankrtah kanta-sakha varuthasah
yasam vrajadbhih siti-kantha manditam
nabho vimanaih kala-hamsa-pandubhih
SYNONYMS
pasya--just see; prayantih--going; abhava--O never-born; anya-yositah--other women; api--certainly; alankrtah--ornamented; kanta-sakhah--with their husbands and friends; varuthasah--in large numbers; yasam--of them; vrajadbhih--flying; siti-kantha--O blue-throated one; manditam--decorated; nabhah--the sky; vimanaih--with airplanes; kala-hamsa--swans; pandubhih--white.
TRANSLATION
O never-born, O blue-throated one, not only my relatives but also other women, dressed in nice clothes and decorated with ornaments, are going there with their husbands and friends. Just see how their flocks of white airplanes have made the entire sky very beautiful.
PURPORT
Here Lord Siva is addressed as abhava, which means "one who is never born," although generally he is known as bhava, "one who is born." Rudra, Lord Siva, is actually born from between the eyes of Brahma, who is called Svayambhu because he is not born of any human being or material creature but is born directly from the lotus flower which grows from the abdomen of Visnu. When Lord Siva is addressed here as abhava, this may be taken to mean "one who has never felt material miseries." Sati wanted to impress upon her husband that even those who were not related to her father were also going, to say nothing of herself, who was intimately related with him. Lord Siva is addressed here as blue throated. Lord Siva drank an ocean of poison and kept it in his throat, not swallowing it or allowing it to go down to his stomach, and thus his throat became blue. Since then he has been known as nilakantha, or blue throated. The reason that Lord Siva drank an ocean of poison was for others' benefit. When the ocean was churned by the demigods and the demons, the churning at first produced poison, so because the poisonous ocean might have affected others who were not so advanced, Lord Siva drank all the ocean water. In other words, he could drink such a great amount of poison for others' benefit, and now, since his wife was personally requesting him to go to her father's house, even if he did not wish to give that permission, he should do so out of his great kindness.
TEXT 13
TEXT
katham sutayah pitr-geha-kautukam
nisamya dehah sura-varya nengate
anahuta apy abhiyanti sauhrdam
bhartur guror deha-krtas ca ketanam
SYNONYMS
katham--how; sutayah--of a daughter; pitr-geha-kautukam--the festival in the house of her father; nisamya--hearing; dehah--the body; sura-varya--O best of the demigods; na--not; ingate--disturbed; anahutah--without being called; api--even; abhiyanti--goes; sauhrdam--a friend; bhartuh--of the husband; guroh--of the spiritual master; deha-krtah--of the father; ca--and; ketanam--the house.
TRANSLATION
O best of the demigods, how can the body of a daughter remain undisturbed when she hears that some festive event is taking place in her father's house? Even though you may be considering that I have not been invited, there is no harm if one goes to the house of one's friend, husband, spiritual master or father without invitation.
TEXT 14
TEXT
tan me prasidedam amartya vanchitam
kartum bhavan karuniko batarhati
tvayatmano 'rdhe 'ham adabhra-caksusa
nirupita manugrhana yacitah
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; me--unto me; prasida--please be kind; idam--this; amartya--O immortal lord; vanchitam--desire; kartum--to do; bhavan--Your Honor; karunikah--kind; bata--O lord; arhati--is able; tvaya--by you; atmanah--of your own body; ardhe--in the half; aham--I; adabhra-caksusa--having all knowledge; nirupita--am situated; ma--to me; anugrhana--please show kindness; yacitah--requested.
TRANSLATION
O immortal Siva, please be kind towards me and fulfill my desire. You have accepted me as half of your body; therefore please show kindness towards me and accept my request.
TEXT 15
TEXT
rsir uvaca
evam giritrah priyayabhibhasitah
pratyabhyadhatta prahasan suhrt-priyah
samsmarito marma-bhidah kuvag-isun
yan aha ko visva-srjam samaksatah
SYNONYMS
rsih uvaca--the great sage Maitreya said; evam--thus; giritrah--Lord Siva; priyaya--by his dear wife; abhibhasitah--being spoken to; pratyabhyadhatta--replied; prahasan--while smiling; suhrt-priyah--dear to the relatives; samsmaritah--remembering; marma-bhidah--heart piercing; kuvak-isun--malicious words; yan--which (words); aha--said; kah--who (Daksa); visva-srjam--of the creators of the universal manifestation; samaksatah--in the presence.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Maitreya said: Lord Siva, the deliverer of the hill Kailasa, having thus been addressed by his dear wife, replied smilingly, although at the same time he remembered the malicious, heart-piercing speeches delivered by Daksa before the guardians of the universal affairs.
PURPORT
When Lord Siva heard from his wife about Daksa, the psychological effect was that he immediately remembered the strong words spoken against him in the assembly of the guardians of the universe, and, remembering those words, he was sorry at heart, although to please his wife he smiled. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that a liberated person is always in mental equilibrium in both the distress and the happiness of this material world. Therefore the question may now be raised why a liberated personality like Lord Siva was so unhappy because of the words of Daksa. The answer is given by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Lord Siva is atmarama, or situated in complete self-realization, but because he is the incarnation in charge of the material mode of ignorance, tamo-guna, he is sometimes affected by the pleasure and pain of the material world. The difference between the pleasure and pain of this material world and that of the spiritual world is that in the spiritual world the effect is qualitatively absolute. Therefore one may feel sorry in the absolute world, but the manifestation of so-called pain is always full of bliss. For instance, once Lord Krsna, in His childhood, was chastised by His mother, Yasoda, and Lord Krsna cried. But although He shed tears from His eyes, this is not to be considered a reaction of the mode of ignorance, for the incident was full of transcendental pleasure. When Krsna was playing in so many ways, sometimes it appeared that He caused distress to the gopis, but actually such dealings were full of transcendental bliss. That is the difference between the material and spiritual worlds. The spiritual world, where everything is pure, is pervertedly reflected in this material world. Since everything in the spiritual world is absolute, in the spiritual varieties of apparent pleasure and pain there is no perception other than eternal bliss, whereas in the material world, because everything is contaminated by the modes of material nature, there are feelings of pleasure and pain. Therefore because Lord Siva, although a fully self-realized person, was in charge of the material mode of ignorance, he felt sorrow.
TEXT 16
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
tvayoditam sobhanam eva sobhane
anahuta apy abhiyanti bandhusu
te yady anutpadita-dosa-drstayo
baliyasanatmya-madena manyuna
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the great lord replied; tvaya--by you; uditam--said; sobhanam--is true; eva--certainly; sobhane--my dear beautiful wife; anahutah--without being invited; api--even; abhiyanti--go; bandhusu--among friends; te--those (friends); yadi--if; anutpadita-dosa-drstayah--not finding fault; baliyasa--more important; anatmya-madena--by pride caused by identification with the body; manyuna--by anger.
TRANSLATION
The great lord replied: My dear beautiful wife, you have said that one may go to a friend's house without being invited, and this is true, provided such a friend does not find fault with the guest because of bodily identification and thereby become angry towards him.
PURPORT
Lord Siva could foresee that as soon as Sati reached her father's house, her father, Daksa, being too puffed up because of bodily identification, would be angry at her presence, and although she was innocent and faultless, he would be mercilessly angry towards her. Lord Siva warned that since her father was too puffed up by his material possessions, he would be angry, and this would be intolerable for her. Therefore it was better that she not go. This fact was already experienced by Lord Siva because although Lord Siva was faultless, Daksa had cursed him in so many harsh words.
TEXT 17
TEXT
vidya-tapo-vitta-vapur-vayah-kulaih
satam gunaih sadbhir asattametaraih
smrtau hatayam bhrta-mana-durdrsah
stabdha na pasyanti hi dhama bhuyasam
SYNONYMS
vidya--education; tapah--austerity; vitta--wealth; vapuh--beauty of body, etc.; vayah--youth; kulaih--with heritage; satam--of the pious; gunaih--by such qualities; sadbhih--six; asattama-itaraih--having the opposite result to those who are not great souls; smrtau--good sense; hatayam--being lost; bhrta-mana-durdrsah--blind due to pride; stabdhah--being proud; na--not; pasyanti--see; hi--for; dhama--the glories; bhuyasam--of the great souls.
TRANSLATION
Although the six qualities education, austerity, wealth, beauty, youth and heritage are for the highly elevated, one who is proud of possessing them becomes blind, and thus he loses his good sense and cannot appreciate the glories of great personalities.
PURPORT
It may be argued that since Daksa was very learned, wealthy and austere and had descended from a very exalted heritage, how could he be unnecessarily angry towards another? The answer is that when the qualities of good education, good parentage, beauty and sufficient wealth are misplaced in a person who is puffed up by all these possessions, they produce a very bad result. Milk is a very nice food, but when milk is touched by an envious serpent it becomes poisonous. Similarly, material assets such as education, wealth, beauty and good parentage are undoubtedly nice, but when they decorate persons of a malicious nature, then they act adversely. Another example, given by Canakya Pandita, is that a serpent that has a jewel on its head is still fearful because it is a serpent. A serpent, by nature, is envious of other living entities, even though they be faultless. When a serpent bites another creature, it is not necessarily because the other creature is at fault; it is the habit of the serpent to bite innocent creatures. Similarly, although Daksa was qualified by many material assets, because he was proud of his possessions and because he was envious, all those qualities were polluted. It is sometimes, therefore, detrimental for a person advancing in spiritual consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, to possess such material assets. Kuntidevi, while offering prayers to Krsna, addressed Him as akincana-gocara, one who is easily approached by those who are bereft of all material acquisitions. Material exhaustion is an advantage for advancement in Krsna consciousness, although if one is conscious of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can utilize one's material assets, such as great learning and beauty and exalted ancestry, for the service of the Lord; then such assets become glorious. In other words, unless one is Krsna conscious, all his material possessions are zero, but when this zero is by the side of the Supreme One, it at once increases in value to ten. Unless situated by the side of the Supreme One, zero is always zero; one may add one hundred zeros, but the value will still remain zero. Unless one's material assets are used in Krsna consciousness, they may play havoc and degrade the possessor.
TEXT 18
TEXT
naitadrsanam sva-jana-vyapeksaya
grhan pratiyad anavasthitatmanam
ye 'bhyagatan vakra-dhiyabhicaksate
aropita-bhrubhir amarsanaksibhih
SYNONYMS
na--not; etadrsanam--like this; sva-jana--kinsmen; vyapeksaya--depending on that; grhan--in the house of; pratiyat--one should go; anavasthita--disturbed; atmanam--mind; ye--those; abhyagatan--guests; vakra-dhiya--with a cold reception; abhicaksate--looking at; aropita-bhrubhih--with raised eyebrows; amarsana--angry; aksibhih--with the eyes.
TRANSLATION
One should not go to anyone's house, even on the consideration of his being a relative or a friend, when the man is disturbed in his mind and looks upon the guest with raised eyebrows and angry eyes.
PURPORT
However low a person may be, he is never unkind to his children, wife and nearest kin; even a tiger is kind to its cubs, for within the animal kingdom the cubs are treated very nicely. Since Sati was the daughter of Daksa, however cruel and contaminated he might be, naturally it was expected that he would receive her very nicely. But here it is indicated by the word anavasthita that such a person cannot be trusted. Tigers are very kind to their cubs, but it is also known that sometimes they eat them. Malicious persons should not be trusted, because they are always unsteady. Thus Sati was advised not to go to her father's house because to accept such a father as a relative and to go to his house without being properly invited was not suitable.
TEXT 19
TEXT
tatharibhir na vyathate silimukhaih
sete 'rditango hrdayena duyata
svanam yatha vakra-dhiyam duruktibhir
diva-nisam tapyati marma-taditah
SYNONYMS
tatha--so; aribhih--enemy; na--not; vyathate--is hurt; silimukhaih--by the arrows; sete--rests; ardita--aggrieved; angah--a part; hrdayena--by the heart; duyata--grieving; svanam--of relatives; yatha--as; vakra-dhiyam--deceitful; duruktibhih--by harsh words; diva-nisam--day and night; tapyati--suffers; marma-taditah--one whose feelings are hurt.
TRANSLATION
Lord Siva continued: If one is hurt by the arrows of an enemy, one is not as aggrieved as when cut by the unkind words of a relative, for such grief continues to rend one's heart day and night.
PURPORT
Sati might have concluded that she would take the risk of going to her father's house, and even if her father spoke unkindly against her she would be tolerant, as a son sometimes tolerates the reproaches of his parents. But Lord Siva reminded her that she would not be able to tolerate such unkind words because natural psychology dictates that although one can suffer harm from an enemy and not mind so much because pain inflicted by an enemy is natural, when one is hurt by the strong words of a relative, one suffers the effects continually, day and night, and sometimes the injury becomes so intolerable that one commits suicide.
TEXT 20
TEXT
vyaktam tvam utkrsta-gateh prajapateh
priyatmajanam asi subhru me mata
tathapi manam na pituh prapatsyase
mad-asrayat kah paritapyate yatah
SYNONYMS
vyaktam--it is clear; tvam--you; utkrsta-gateh--having the best behavior; prajapateh--of Prajapati Daksa; priya--the pet; atmajanam--of the daughters; asi--you are; subhru--O you with the beautiful eyebrows; me--my; mata--considered; tatha api--yet; manam--honor; na--not; pituh--from your father; prapatsyase--you will meet with; mat-asrayat--from connection with me; kah--Daksa; paritapyate--is feeling pain; yatah--from whom.
TRANSLATION
My dear white-complexioned wife, it is clear that of the many daughters of Daksa you are the pet, yet you will not be honored at his house because of your being my wife. Rather, you will be sorry that you are connected with me.
PURPORT
Lord Siva put forward the argument that even if Sati proposed to go alone, without her husband, still she would not be received well because she was his wife. There was every chance of a catastrophe, even if she wanted to go alone. Therefore Lord Siva indirectly requested her not to go to her father's house.
TEXT 21
TEXT
papacyamanena hrdaturendriyah
samrddhibhih purusa-buddhi-saksinam
akalpa esam adhirodhum anjasa
param padam dvesti yathasura harim
SYNONYMS
papacyamanena--burning; hrda--with a heart; atura-indriyah--who is distressed; samrddhibhih--by the pious reputation, etc.; purusa-buddhi-saksinam--of those who are always absorbed in thought of the Supreme Lord; akalpah--being unable; esam--of those persons; adhirodhum--to rise; anjasa--quickly; param--merely; padam--to the standard; dvesti--envy; yatha--as much as; asurah--the demons; harim--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
One who is conducted by false ego and thus always distressed, both mentally and sensually, cannot tolerate the opulence of self-realized persons. Being unable to rise to the standard of self-realization, he envies such persons as much as demons envy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
The real reason for the enmity between Lord Siva and Daksa is explained here. Daksa was envious of Lord Siva because of Siva's high position as an incarnation of a quality of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and because Siva was directly in contact with the Supersoul and was therefore honored and given a better sitting place than he. There were many other reasons also. Daksa, being materially puffed up, could not tolerate the high position of Lord Siva, so his anger at Lord Siva's not standing up in his presence was only the final manifestation of his envy. Lord Siva is always in meditation and always perceives the Supersoul, as expressed here by the words purusa-buddhi-saksinam. The position of one whose intelligence is always absorbed in meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very great and cannot be imitated by anyone, especially an ordinary person. When Daksa entered the arena of yajna, Lord Siva was in meditation and might not have seen Daksa enter, but Daksa took the opportunity to curse him because Daksa had maintained an envious attitude towards Lord Siva for a long time. Those who are actually self-realized see every individual body as a temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramatma feature, is residing in everyone's body.
When one offers respect to the body, it is not to the material body but to the presence of the Supreme Lord. Thus one who is always in meditation upon the Supreme Lord is always offering Him obeisances. But since Daksa was not very elevated, he thought that obeisances were offered to the material body, and because Lord Siva did not offer respect to his material body, Daksa became envious. Such persons, being unable to rise to the standard of self-realized souls like Lord Siva, are always envious. The example given here is very suitable. Asuras, demons or atheists, are always envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they simply want to kill Him. Even in this age we find some so-called scholars commenting on Bhagavad-gita who are envious of Krsna. When Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah (Bg. 18.65)--"Always think of Me, become My devotee, and surrender unto Me"--the so-called scholars comment that it is not to Krsna that we have to surrender. That is envy. The asuras or atheists, the demons, without reason or cause, are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, instead of offering respect to self-realized persons, foolish men who cannot approach the highest standard of self-realization are always envious, although there is no reason.
TEXT 22
TEXT
pratyudgama-prasrayanabhivadanam
vidhiyate sadhu mithah sumadhyame
prajnaih parasmai purusaya cetasa
guha-sayayaiva na deha-manine
SYNONYMS
pratyudgama--standing up from one's seat; prasrayana--welcoming; abhivadanam--obeisances; vidhiyate--are intended; sadhu--proper; mithah--mutually; su-madhyame--my dear young wife; prajnaih--by the wise; parasmai--unto the Supreme; purusaya--unto the Supersoul; cetasa--with the intelligence; guha-sayaya--sitting within the body; eva--certainly; na--not; deha-manine--to the person identifying with the body.
TRANSLATION
My dear young wife, certainly friends and relatives offer mutual greetings by standing up, welcoming one another and offering obeisances. But those who are elevated to the transcendental platform, being intelligent, offer such respects to the Supersoul, who is sitting within the body, not to the person who identifies with the body.
PURPORT
It may be argued that since Daksa was the father-in-law of Lord Siva, it was certainly the duty of Lord Siva to offer him respect. In answer to that argument it is explained here that when a learned person stands up or offers obeisances in welcome, he offers respect to the Supersoul, who is sitting within everyone's heart. It is seen, therefore, among Vaisnavas, that even when a disciple offers obeisances to his spiritual master, the spiritual master immediately returns the obeisances because they are mutually offered not to the body but to the Supersoul. Therefore the spiritual master also offers respect to the Supersoul situated in the body of the disciple. The Lord says in Srimad-Bhagavatam that offering respect to His devotee is more valuable than offering respect to Him. Devotees do not identify with the body, so offering respect to a Vaisnava means offering respect to Visnu. It is stated also that as a matter of etiquette as soon as one sees a Vaisnava one must immediately offer him respect, indicating the Supersoul sitting within. A Vaisnava sees the body as a temple of Visnu. Since Lord Siva had already offered respect to the Supersoul in Krsna consciousness, offering respect to Daksa, who identified with his body, was already performed. There was no need to offer respect to his body, for that is not directed by any Vedic injunction.
TEXT 23
TEXT
sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam
yad iyate tatra puman apavrtah
sattve ca tasmin bhagavan vasudevo
hy adhoksajo me namasa vidhiyate
SYNONYMS
sattvam--consciousness; visuddham--pure; vasudeva--Vasudeva; sabditam--known as; yat--because; iyate--is revealed; tatra--there; puman--the Supreme Person; apavrtah--without any covering; sattve--in consciousness; ca--and; tasmin--in that; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vasudevah--Vasudeva; hi--because; adhoksajah--transcendental; me--by me; namasa--with obeisances; vidhiyate--worshiped.
TRANSLATION
I am always engaged in offering obeisances to Lord Vasudeva in pure Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is always pure consciousness, in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Vasudeva, is revealed without any covering.
PURPORT
The living entity is constitutionally pure. Asango hy ayam purusah. In the Vedic literature it is said that the soul is always pure and uncontaminated by material attachment. The identification of the body with the soul is due to misunderstanding. As soon as one is fully Krsna conscious it is to be understood that one is in his pure, original constitutional position. This state of existence is called suddha-sattva, which means that it is transcendental to the material qualities. Since this suddha-sattva existence is under the direct action of the internal potency, in this state the activities of material consciousness stop. For example, when iron is put into a fire, it becomes warm, and when red-hot, although it is iron, it acts like fire. Similarly, when copper is surcharged with electricity, its action as copper stops; it acts as electricity. Bhagavad-gita (14.26) also confirms that anyone who engages in unadulterated devotional service to the Lord is at once elevated to the position of pure Brahman:
mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
Therefore suddha-sattva, as described in this verse, is the transcendental position, which is technically called vasudeva. Vasudeva is also the name of the person from whom Krsna appears. This verse explains that the pure state is called vasudeva because in that state Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is revealed without any covering. To execute unadulterated devotional service, therefore, one must follow the rules and regulations of devotional service without desire to gain material profit by fruitive activities or mental speculation.
In pure devotional service one simply serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a matter of duty, without reason and without being impeded by material conditions. That is called suddha-sattva, or vasudeva, because in that stage the Supreme Person, Krsna, is revealed in the heart of the devotee. Srila Jiva Gosvami has very nicely described this vasudeva, or suddha-sattva, in his Bhagavat-sandarbha. He explains that astottara-sata (108) is added to the name of the spiritual master to indicate one who is situated in suddha-sattva, or in the transcendental state of vasudeva. The word vasudeva is also used for other purposes. For example, vasudeva also means one who is everywhere, or all-pervading. The sun is also called vasudeva-sabditam. The word vasudeva may be utilized for different purposes, but whatever purpose we adopt, Vasudeva means the all-pervading or localized Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (7.19) it is also stated, vasudevah sarvam iti. Factual realization is to understand Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and surrender unto Him. Vasudeva is the ground wherein Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is revealed. When one is free from the contamination of material nature and is situated in pure Krsna consciousness, or in the vasudeva state, Vasudeva, the Supreme Person, is revealed. This state is also called kaivalya, which means "pure consciousness." Jnanam sattvikam kaivalyam. When one is situated in pure, transcendental knowledge, one is situated in kaivalya. Therefore vasudeva also means kaivalya, a word which is generally used by impersonalists. Impersonal kaivalya is not the last stage of realization, but in Krsna consciousness kaivalya, when one understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then one is successful. In that pure state, by hearing, chanting, remembering, etc., because of the development of knowledge of the science of Krsna, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All these activities are under the guidance of the internal energy of the Supreme Lord.
The action of the internal potency is also described in this verse as apavrtah, free from any covering. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His name, His form, His quality, His paraphernalia, etc., being transcendental, are beyond material nature, it is not possible to understand any one of them with the materialistic senses. When the senses are purified by the discharge of pure devotional service (hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate), the pure senses can see Krsna without covering. Now one may inquire that since factually the devotee has the same material existential body, how is it possible that the same materialistic eyes become purified by devotional service? The example, as stated by Lord Caitanya, is that devotional service cleanses the mirror of the mind. In a clean mirror one can see one's face very distinctly. Similarly, simply by cleansing the mirror of the mind one can have a clear conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita (8. 8), abhyasa-yoga-yuktena. By executing one's prescribed duties in devotional service, cetasa nanya-gamina, or simply by hearing about God and chanting about Him, if one's mind is always engaged in chanting and hearing and is not allowed to go elsewhere, one can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed by Lord Caitanya, by the bhakti-yoga process, beginning from hearing and chanting, one can cleanse the heart and mind, and thus one can clearly see the face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lord Siva said that since his heart was always filled with the conception of Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of the Supreme Lord's presence within his mind and heart, he was always offering obeisances unto that Supreme Godhead. In other words, Lord Siva is always in trance, samadhi. This samadhi is not under the control of the devotee; it is under the control of Vasudeva, for the entire internal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead acts under His order. Of course, the material energy also acts by His order, but His direct will is specifically executed through the spiritual energy. Thus by His spiritual energy He reveals Himself. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.6), sambhavamy atma-mayaya. Atma-mayaya means "internal potency." By His sweet will He reveals Himself by His internal potency, being satisfied by the transcendental loving service of the devotee. The devotee never commands, "My dear Lord, please come here so that I can see You." It is not the position of the devotee to command the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come before him or to dance before him. There are many so-called devotees who command the Lord to come before them dancing. The Lord, however, is not subject to anyone's command, but if He is satisfied by one's pure devotional activities, He reveals Himself. Therefore a meaningful word in this verse is adhoksaja, for it indicates that the activities of our material senses will fail to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One cannot realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by the attempt of one's speculative mind, but if one desires he can subdue all the material activities of his senses, and the Lord, by manifesting His spiritual energy, can reveal Himself to the pure devotee. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to the pure devotee, the devotee has no other duty than to offer Him respectful obeisances. The Absolute Truth reveals Himself to the devotee in His form. He is not formless. Vasudeva is not formless, for it is stated in this verse that as soon as the Lord reveals Himself, the devotee offers his obeisances. Obeisances are offered to a person, not to anything impersonal. One should not accept the Mayavada interpretation that Vasudeva is impersonal. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, prapadyate, one surrenders. One surrenders to a person, not to impersonal nonduality. Whenever there is a question of surrendering or offering obeisances, there must be an object of surrender or obeisances.
TEXT 24
TEXT
tat te niriksyo na pitapi deha-krd
dakso mama dvit tad-anuvratas ca ye
yo visvasrg-yajna-gatam varoru mam
anagasam durvacasakarot tirah
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; te--your; niriksyah--to be seen; na--not; pita--your father; api--although; deha-krt--the giver of your body; daksah--Daksa; mama--my; dvit--envious; tat-anuvratah--his (Daksa's) followers; ca--also; ye--who; yah--who (Daksa); visva-srk--of the Visvasrks; yajna-gatam--being present at the sacrifice; vara-uru--O Sati; mam--me; anagasam--being innocent; durvacasa--with cruel words; akarot tirah--has insulted.
TRANSLATION
Therefore you should not see your father, although he is the giver of your body, because he and his followers are envious of me. Because of his envy, O most worshipful one, he has insulted me with cruel words although I am innocent.
PURPORT
For a woman, both the husband and the father are equally worshipable. The husband is the protector of a woman during her youthful life, whereas the father is her protector during her childhood. Thus both are worshipable, but especially the father because he is the giver of the body. Lord Siva reminded Sati, "Your father is undoubtedly worshipable, even more than I am, but take care, for although he is the giver of your body, he may also be the taker of your body because when you see your father, because of your association with me, he may insult you. An insult from a relative is worse than death, especially when one is well situated."
TEXT 25
TEXT
yadi vrajisyasy atihaya mad-vaco
bhadram bhavatya na tato bhavisyati
sambhavitasya sva-janat parabhavo
yada sa sadyo maranaya kalpate
SYNONYMS
yadi--if; vrajisyasi--you will go; atihaya--neglecting; mat-vacah--my words; bhadram--good; bhavatyah--your; na--not; tatah--then; bhavisyati--will become; sambhavitasya--most respectable; svajanat--by your own relative; parabhavah--are insulted; yada--when; sah--that insult; sadyah--immediately; maranaya--to death; kalpate--is equal.
TRANSLATION
If in spite of this instruction you decide to go, neglecting my words, the future will not be good for you. You are most respectable, and when you are insulted by your relative, this insult will immediately be equal to death.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Third Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Talks Between Lord Siva and Sati."