| Values for Life : Giving importance to one and ignoring the rest creates unnecessary tension. |
Paramatma or Supreme Soul, is the representation of ‘AUM’, culmination of three Vedic chants. This ‘Paramatma’ has been divided into three separate entities with respect to their responsibilities. Lord Brahma is destined for Creation; Lord Vishnu is intended for Sustenance and Lord Shiva for Fulfilment. Many conceive and propagate Lord Shiva as the destroyer. His Divine act of rooting out certain evil forces does not qualify him to be a destroyer. He is Mrityunjaya, one who overcomes and scuttles mrityu or death. His Leela’s or in other words activities are examples.
Sati, the twenty-eighth daughter of Daksha’s (Dakshaprajapati), son of Lord Brahma, married Lord Shiva. Daksha was dead set against this marriage, because he had a hatred for Lord Shiva. Sati, by her will, married the Lord. The already arrogant and antagonised Daksha severed all ties with his daughter. Lord Shiva and Sati enjoyed their married life blissfully.
Sati’s other sisters were given in marriage to Chandra, the Moon, the handsomest in the universe, under the condition from Daksha that all his daughters should be loved and treated equally by Chandra. As time passed by, Chandra’s love for Rohini, one of the sisters gradually accelerated and eventually he neglected the others. Initially the young girls tried to register their protest, but that only reinforced Chandra’s affection for Sati. “Let them love each other more, but we are also his wives,” Aswathy, the first among them said.“At least a kind word or a smile would have made us happier,” pined the second. “I would have been happier, had I got a kind look”, said the third. “How shall we retaliate against this injustice?” asked the fourth. “Retaliate? With who?” asked the fifth “We shall only spend our days here loathing.”
One day, there appeared saint Narada, the ceaseless wanderer, with his lute, in the Chandraloka. Narayan…Narayan. The devout saint’s loud chanting of the mantra diverted the attention of the girls. Seeing their uncle unexpectedly, their joy knew no bounds.They all welcomed him with utmost love and reverence. “How, now, are you all happy and in good cheer…?” “Yes uncle,” replied the first one, “With your mercy we are.”“But why do your faces seem gloomy and look like burnt out charcoals?” The saint walked towards the first niece and patted her on her head. The pain she was suppressing in her tender heart so far flew out as a stream of hot tears. She, with stammering, told him about the situation at home.
He advised them about Satidharma in detail and appeased them thus: “Wait for some more time with patience. Time will heal all wounds. I leave now. Narayan…Narayan…”
“Uncle, please don’t inform our father about our misfortune, if you ever have a chance to meet him. He will burn himself in sorrow.”Narayan…Narayan, with this reply the saint left them. He went straight to the abode of Daksha, his brother. Daksha welcomed the holy guest befitting the manner of a saint. “I am blessed by your unexpected visit, O holy saint. Is this a courtesy visit or is there anything important?”
“Where are you coming from, right now?” “Narayan…Narayan… I am presently coming from Chandraloka.” Then Narad narrated the pathetic situation of all his daughters, except one, to Daksha.
K K Shanmukhan (To be concluded )
