Skandapurana 1.3.1

English (machine translation) 1.3.1

Language: English

1.3.1.1

Lomaśa said: / Once, at that time, a great sacrifice was undertaken by him; / all were then summoned by that initiated ascetic. (2.1)

1.3.1.2

Various seers assembled there, headed by Vasiṣṭha: / Agastya, Kaśyapa, Atri, Vāmadeva, and Bhṛgu; (2.2)

1.3.1.3

Dadhīca, the venerable Vyāsa, Bharadvāja, and Gautama; / these and many other great seers arrived. (2.3)

1.3.1.4

Likewise all the hosts of gods, the guardians of the worlds, and others— / vidyādharas, gandharvas, and troops of kinnaras and apsarases. (2.4)

1.3.1.5

Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, was brought from the seven realms, / and Viṣṇu was brought from Vaikuṇṭha to the assembly. (2.5)

1.3.1.6

The resplendent Devendra was brought along with Indrāṇī, / and likewise the Moon with Rohiṇī, and Varuṇa with his beloved wife; (2.6)

1.3.1.7

Kubera mounted on the Puṣpaka, the Wind mounted on a deer, / Fire mounted on a he-goat, and Nirṛti mounted on a corpse. (2.7)

1.3.1.8

All these arrived at the sacrificial enclosure of the twice-born one; / they were all honored by him, the wicked-minded Dakṣa. (2.8)

1.3.1.9

Splendid, vast, and highly precious celestial dwellings / were fashioned with skill by the great-souled Tvaṣṭṛ. (2.9)

1.3.1.10

They took their seats at ease in all those mansions. (2.10)

1.3.1.11

As the great sacrifice proceeded at the sacred ford Kanakhala, / the ascetic priests, headed by Bhṛgu, were appointed by him as officiants. (2.11)

1.3.1.12

Invested with initiation, performing auspicious rites, / Dakṣa, accompanied by his wife, had benedictory mantras chanted extensively by the brahmins. (2.12)

1.3.1.13

He shone then in greatness, surrounded constantly by friends. / At that moment, Dadhīci spoke these words: (2.13)

Dadhīci said: / All these lords of gods, exalted seers, and guardians of the worlds have arrived at your [sacrifice]; / even so, the sacrifice does not shine brightly without the wielder of Pināka, that great soul. (2.14)

1.3.1.15

He through whom alone all auspicious things arise, as the great sages declare— / that ancient Person, bull-bannered, blue-throated, matted-haired, is not seen here. (2.15)

1.3.1.16

Even inauspicious things become auspicious when governed by him, O Dakṣa; / through the Three-eyed One, highly auspicious things become instantly [conferred], averting misfortune. (2.16)

1.3.1.17

Therefore, an invitation must be sent by you, by the Supreme Lord [Brahmā], / and quickly by Śakra, and by the all-powerful Viṣṇu. (2.17)

1.3.1.18

Indeed, all should go to where the god Maheśvara resides. (2.18)

1.3.1.19

Bring him along with the daughter of Dakṣa with all haste; / by that Śambhu, the yogin, everything will become exceedingly pure. (2.19)

1.3.1.20

By remembering him and uttering his name, all merit becomes complete; / therefore, with every effort, the bull-bannered one should be fetched. (2.20)

1.3.1.21

Hearing that speech of his, the wicked-minded one laughed and said: / 'Viṣṇu indeed is the root of the gods, in whom the eternal dharma abides; (2.21)

1.3.1.22

in whom the Vedas, sacrifices, and various ritual acts / are all established—that very Viṣṇu has come here. (2.22)

1.3.1.23

Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, has arrived from Satyaloka, / along with the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, and the various Āgamas. (2.23)

1.3.1.24

Likewise, the king of gods has come himself, accompanied by the heavenly hosts; / and you, seers freed from stain, have assembled. (2.24)

1.3.1.25

All those who are suitable for sacrifice and tranquil have arrived— / all of you firm in your vows, knowing the truth of the Vedas and the Vedic meaning. (2.25)

1.3.1.26

What need do we have for Rudra in this matter? / My daughter was given to him, O brahmins, only because I was urged by Brahmā. (2.26)

1.3.1.27

For he is of no noble lineage, O brahmins, ruined and ever fond of the ruined; / he is the solitary master of ghosts, spirits, and flesh-eaters, uncontrollable. (2.27)

1.3.1.28

Conceited, foolish, obstinate, taciturn, and full of malice, / he is unfit for this rite, and therefore has not been brought by me now. (2.28)

1.3.1.29

Therefore, such words must not be spoken again by you, O twice-born one; / you all should make my great sacrifice fruitful.' (2.29)

1.3.1.30

Hearing these words of his, Dadhīci spoke: (2.30)

1.3.1.31

Dadhīci said: / 'A great injustice has been committed against all the foremost seers and the purified deities / without that great soul. (2.31)

1.3.1.32

A great destruction will instantly befall those present here!' / Having spoken thus, that Dadhīca departed alone. (2.32)

1.3.1.33

And from Dakṣa’s sacrifice-enclosure, he went swiftly to his own hermitage. / When the sage had departed, Dakṣa laughed and said this:

1.3.1.34

"He who is dear to Śiva, that hero named Dadhīci by name, has gone. / Possessed in mind, dull-witted, devoted to falsehood, wicked,

1.3.1.35

outside the Vedas, of evil conduct—they are to be abandoned in this rite. / You who are devoted to Vedic doctrine, all headed by Viṣṇu,

1.3.1.36

make my sacrifice fruitful, O brahmins, without delay!" / Then all those [gods] along with the ṛṣis performed the worship of the gods.

1.3.1.37

In the meantime, there on Mount Gandhamādana, / in a water-pavilion, in an aerial chariot, surrounded by her companions,

1.3.1.38

Dakṣa’s daughter, the great goddess, then engaged in diverse / sports by the thousands, such as ball-games, seated inside the aerial chariot.

1.3.1.39

Engaged in sports, the goddess, the great Satī, then saw / the lord Soma going to the sacrifice along with Rohiṇī.

1.3.1.40

"Where is this moon going? Ask quickly, Vijayā!" / Commanded by her, the goddess Vijayā asked him as was fitting.

1.3.1.41

He related all that, namely Dakṣa’s sacrifice and the rest. / Hearing that, the swift goddess Vijayā, filled with excitement, / related fully all that had been spoken by the moon.

1.3.1.42

Considering the cause, the goddess [thought]: "Why does he not invite [me]? / My father Dakṣa and my mother—why have they forgotten me now?

1.3.1.43

Having made up my mind, I will ask Śaṃkara today about the reason." / Leaving her companions there, she went to Śaṃkara.

1.3.1.44

She saw him, the three-eyed, seated in the midst of the assembly, / surrounded then by all the gaṇas, Caṇḍa, Muṇḍa, and the others:

1.3.1.45

Bāṇa, Bhṛṅgin, and Nandī the son of Śalāda of great austerity, / Mahākāla, Mahācaṇḍa, Mahāmuṇḍa, Mahāśiras,

1.3.1.46

Dhūmrākṣa, Dhūmraketu, and likewise Dhūmrapāda. / These and many other gaṇas following Rudra,

1.3.1.47

some terrifying, dreadful, and others headless trunks, / some with strange eyes, and others without chests,

1.3.1.48

hundreds of such beings, all clad in skins, / adorned with braids of matted hair, all decorated with rudrākṣa seeds,

1.3.1.49

their senses conquered, free from passion, all enemies of sense-objects— / surrounded by all these, Śaṃkara, who brings peace to the world, / was seen by her seated on a most wondrous seat.

1.3.1.50

Agitated in mind, she swiftly approached Śiva’s presence. / She, his beloved, was placed on his lap by Śiva, full of love.

1.3.1.51

She was addressed with loving words accompanied by high respect: / "Tell me quickly, O slender-waisted lady, what is the purpose of your coming?"

1.3.1.52

Addressed thus then by him, the dark-eyed lady spoke.

1.3.1.53

Satī said: / "Why does going to my father’s great sacrifice not please you, / O god of gods? Tell all that, O Lord!

1.3.1.54

This is indeed the duty of friends: that they associate with friends, / which increases the affection of friends, O Mahādeva.

1.3.1.55

Therefore, by every effort, even though uninvited, go / today to my father’s sacrifice-enclosure at my request, O Sadāśiva!"

1.3.1.56

Hearing that speech of hers, he spoke words of truth: / "You should not go, O gentle lady, to Dakṣa’s sacrifice.

1.3.1.57

All those proud people belonging to him, along with gods and kinnaras, / they have all reached the sacrifice of your father, without doubt.

1.3.1.58

And those who go uninvited to another’s house, O fair-browed lady, / meet with dishonour, which is worse than death.

1.3.1.59

Even Indra, having reached the house of others, would suffer humiliation. / Therefore you must not go, O auspicious lady, to Dakṣa’s sacrifice."

1.3.1.60

Addressed thus by that great-souled Maheśa, Satī, / best among those who know speech, uttered words full of anger:

1.3.1.61

"You are indeed the sacrifice itself in the world, you the supreme lord of the gods! / You have not been invited today by him, my father of perverted conduct. / I wish to know all of that: the intention of that wicked one.

1.3.1.62

Therefore, I am going this very day to my father’s sacrifice-enclosure. / Grant me permission, my lord, god of gods, ruler of the universe!"

1.3.1.63

Having been spoken to thus by that goddess, the blessed Rudra, Śiva himself, / the knower, the all-seeing seer, the blessed source of all beings,

1.3.1.64

he, the lord of the gods, Maheśa, giver of all perfections, said to her: / "Go, O goddess, with haste, at my word, O lady of good vows!

1.3.1.65

Mounting this Nandī, accompanied by various gaṇas." / Sixty thousand Rudra-gaṇas went by Śiva’s command.

1.3.1.66

Surrounded by those gaṇas, the goddess went to her father’s abode. / Looking at that entire host, Mahādeva was greatly astonished.

1.3.1.67

Costly ornaments for them and for the goddess, that scorcher of foes, / Mahādeva, composed in mind, sent behind them.

1.3.1.68

Reflecting entirely on the goddess’s departure to her father’s house, the blessed Maheśa / then declared to his own city: "Satī, Dakṣa’s daughter, insulted by her father, will not return."

1.3.1.68_1

Thus ends the second chapter, named 'Description of the Goddess Satī’s Departure to Dakṣa’s Sacrifice', in the Kedārakhaṇḍa of the first [part], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit