Lord Shiva’sMarriage

Shiva was married to Sati, the daughter of King Daksha. Although Daksha disliked Shiva and did not consider him a worthy son-in-law, he gave in to his father’s – who was Brahma – insistence and solemnized the wedding between his daughter Sati and Shiva. One day, Sati saw all the deities going towards Daksha’s palace. Every deity had been invited to a sacrificial yagna (ceremony) by King Daksha himself. 

Daksha resented Shiva, and therefore did not invite him to the ritual. Daksha felt that his son-in-law did not respect him, that he roamed about in cemeteries, that ghosts and ghouls were his friends, that he was always half-naked and wore a garland of skulls.

Daksha deeply resented Shiva because once, in a gathering of deities, Shiva had continued to be seated when other gods had risen to show their respect to Daksha. This was because in the hierarchy of gods, Shiva held a higher position than Daksha, and had he stood up, Daksha would have been adversely affected.

Shiva knew about the ritual and why Daksha hadn’t invited him, but Sati was tremendously hurt by this act of her father’s. She went to her father and tried to persuade him to call Shiva as a guest. Initially, Daksha refused politely, but when Sati kept insisting, he passed insulting comments on Shiva. Furious with her father for humiliating her husband and her in such a manner, Sati voluntarily immolated herself (At the time of immolating herself, Sati announced that she would reunite with Shiva only when she would be born to a father she could be proud of. She was reborn as Parvati, daughter of King Himavat, and married Shiva after she won his love, after severe penance. This time, her father happily gave her away in marriage to Shiva.Meanwhile, Shiva, who was furious when the news of Sati’s death reached him, sent his hordes to kill Daksha, to destroy his kingdom and to cause mayhem in the gathering. He ordered Virbhadra to cut Daksha’s head. Shiva came later, and his grief turned to anger, and taking Sati in his arms, he sought to destroy the world. Since no one had the courage to face him and stop him, Vishnu eventually sent his Sudarshan Chakra flying after Shiva-Sati, and Sati’s body was dissected into 51 pieces. Thereupon, Shiva came to his senses. On the advice of Vishnu and other gods, he attached a goat’s head on Daksha’s body, and blessed him with life as the yagna had to be completed. Still grieving, Shiva then retired to the mountains to mourn his wife, and sank into deep meditation.

Vishnu cautioned all those present that whosoever treated Shiva differently will be banished and surrounded by problems and difficulties.

Daksha then started worshipping Lord Shiva and his daughter Sati.

Nataraja, Lord of Cosmic Dance

Nataraja or the Lord of Cosmic Dance is a popular manifestation of Lord Shiva

The dance of Nataraja resembles the movement of the Universe. Sound in atmospheric ether also represents the primeval outburst of creation. Sometimes, an asur (named Tripurari) is also seen under his feet. Shiva punishes this demon by dancing upon his body. This act warns us that Shiva punishes sinners at regular intervals.

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