Once Lord Shiva’s father-in-law Daksha organized a grand sacrifice –Yajna. However, Daksha did not invite both Lord Shiva and Devi Sati. Sati being the daughter of Daksha decided to attend the sacrifice anyway and ask her father the reason for his behavior. Lord Shiva said to Devi Sati that attending an event without being invited brings humiliation. Devi Sati, however, thinking that meeting her parents can never draw humiliation went on to attend the sacrifice. Upon reaching the place of sacrifice, Devi Sati asked her father why he chose to ignore Lord Shiva as fit to be invited for the occasion. Daksha said that having Lord Shiva as a guest would have polluted the sacrifice, since Lord Shiva wore ash of cremated humans on his body. Devi Sati raging with fury at the insult of her husband said that the ash on Lord Shiva’s body was not indicative of termination of everything. Rather the knowledge that the human body is a means to attain the eternal god and to merge with it after death.  

Lord Shiva as the Annihilator of Darkness: The Shiva Katha at Jammu

Sadhvi Garima Bharti Ji brought this story alive through a stunning narration with the grace of His Holiness Ashutosh Maharaj Ji, Founder and Head of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS), in front of the people of Jammu and Kashmir from 1st to 5th November, 2017. A dynamic team of the trained musician disciples of DJJS further helped Sadhvi Ji make the Shiv Katha a soothing event. 

Sadhvi Ji, continuing the narration of the myth of Daksha’s sacrifice, stated that the above story has been told through the ages and hence, most people know the events that happen in the final part of the story. Unable to listen to her father’s insults for her husband, Sati dies at the sacrifice itself leading to the annihilation of the sacrifice as well as beheading of Daksha by Virbhadra (born of Lord Shiv’s matted lock). Sadhvi Ji said that Daksha, however, is rewarded with the head of a goat in the end by Lord Shiv.

Lord Shiva as the Annihilator of Darkness: The Shiva Katha at Jammu

The final act of restoration of Daksha’s head as well as the sacrifice by Lord Shiva, asserted Sadhvi Ji, is metaphorical in nature rather than being literal. The act metaphorically represents the removal of darkness (tamas) that filled Daksha’s head with serenity (satva) that the head of goat has. This was performed through the process of enlightenment of Daksha; a process in which Lord Shiva imparted divine knowledge (Brahm Gyan) to Daksh. Sadhvi Ji concluded that the above myth is not merely a story of an encounter between father-in-law (Daksha) and son-in-law (Lord Shiva) gone wrong but is symbolic of the fact that divine knowledge (Brahm Gyan- which paves the way for astute wisdom) is a necessity for in its absence we humans, like Daksha, can bring upheaval in our lives. Hence, Sadhvi Ji urged the audience to embark on spiritual quest and attain enlightenment. In this regard, said Sadhvi Ji, the doors of DJJS will always remain open.

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