Shiva appeared before Daksha Prajaapati.
He asked for the hand of Daakshaayini.
Daksha was overjoyed.
Marriage was arranged with all the grandeur, the God-World could muster.
Brahma agreed to be the priest.
The sacred fire in the marriage altar was burning.
Some other fires were also ablaze.
Shiva burnt with the ‘Dharmic Passion’.
Shivaa burnt in the ‘Fire of Bliss’.
Brahma burnt in the ‘improperly placed passion’.
Maybe that is why Naaraayana had already assured the safety of the occasion.
He had asked Shiva to destroy anyone who dared to look at Daakshaa with desire.
Shiva had agreed.
But now, the Creator himself was in the ‘path of unrighteousness’.
His eyes fell on the ‘tender feet’ of Daakshaa, who was going round the fire.
Her face was covered with a red cloth filled with golden threads.
Her head was bent in shyness.
She was following the footsteps of her husband.
Her anklets tinkled reflecting her joy.
Her feet were decorated with beautiful red lines, trying to hide their beauty.
But Brahma could see beyond the gateway of the red lines and grasp the beauty of those tender lotus-like feet. He felt his heart beating violently.
‘If the feet were so beautiful, what will her face look like?’
He had now only one thought in his mind; to get a glimpse of her pretty face!
The Source of Vedas had forgotten the Codes of Vedas!
He thought that he could fool Shiva.
He added wet wood to the fire.
A heavy smoke arose from the fire.
Shiva closed His eyes.
Brahma was quick in action.
He lifted the cloth covering Daakshaa’s face and peeped into it.
His joy knew no bounds.
His ‘Veerya’ reacted.
His semen fell to the ground; just four drops!
He hid the drops unknown to anybody.
But nothing was unknown to Shiva who was the SELF of All.
He was angry. He was ready to curse.
His hands lifted the Trishula in anger.
No curse was enough for this fool who had an eye for His beloved!
Everyone assembled were shocked.
‘Brahma will be killed!’
‘No! That should not be done!’
All hands lifted in submission.
Prayers flowed from every mouth.
But, Shiva ignored these pleas.
His eyes burnt with the fire of anger.
Everyone assembled there trembled; afraid that they will also be burnt by His Third Eye if they continued to plead for Brahma!
Naaraayana took the situation in his hands.
He smiled in submissiveness.
He requested Shiva not to kill Brahma.
“After all Shiva Himself had created Brahma to do the work of Creation!
The TRINITY - Brahma Vishnu, Shiva were after all One Self!”
His eyes looked at Brahma with a tinge of mischief!
Brahma bent his head in shame.
He felt foolish; first Sandhyaa, now Daakshaa!
He never learnt the lessons of life.
His own spouse never gave him company.
He was ignorant.’
But Shiva was not in a forgiving mood.
He told Vishnu, not to interfere.
He said that the loss of this Creator would not hurt the Creations in any way.
He was quite capable of creating everything Himself!
Or, He would create another Creator!
But this wicked one had to be destroyed first!
Vishnu again pleaded. He talked philosophy.
“Were not all three of them of three forms made out of One Self?”
Was He teaching Dvaita and Advaita to the Vedic God?
“If all are one, then why make the moral codes at all? Or, was everybody different?
If the foot-ware also is Self, should it not be placed in the temple as God?
If everyone is Para Brahman, anybody could do anything! Why the question of Dharma and Adharma?
If Brahma is made as the same soul of Shiva, did he have a right to desire Shiva’s wife?”
Shiva laughed loudly.
He said, “Brahma was standing in front of Him, and was indeed different!”
Vishnu did not stop his efforts.
He discoursed about the Principle of Shiva.
“Creation, Maintenance and Destruction were the three functions which Maheshwara performed as Three Divinities. He was all the three, Rudra, Hari and Brahma.”
All the people assembled there, heard his explanation with reverence.
Brahma apologized.
Rudra lost His anger.
He decided not to destroy Brahma.
But, punishment was due for this idiot who transgressed the rules of the Scriptures.
In any world ruled by Shakti, insult to Shakti is not tolerated.
Whether it is Daakshaayini, the ‘wife of Shiva’ or an ordinary woman of the world, insult to Shakti carries a heavy price to pay. And Shiva, the Guardian of Shakti could not let the matter rest lightly.
He ordered Brahma to touch his own head with his hand.
Brahma obeyed.
He touched his head with his hand and saluted Shiva.
He saw himself with Shiva’s head, saluting Shiva.
He felt embarrassed.
He bent his head in shame.
There was his Advaita mocking at him!
Was he Shiva, or was he different from Shiva?
If he knew he was Shiva, he did not peep at another’s wife.
If he knew he was Shiva, he did not have to fear from his own Self.
If he knew he was Shiva, he need not feel that he had sinned.
All is ONE; all are Different; which is the Truth?
Poor Brahma had to still learn the lesson.
He was ashamed of his own action.
Vishnu knew Shiva-Tattva.
Brahma did not know the Rudra Form standing in front of him.
He asked for forgiveness.
Shiva knew that He was also Brahma.
But, Brahma did not know that he was Shiva.
So Shiva had to ‘act’ as if ‘he was different’.
If you want to be ‘different’, God is also different from you.
If you think you are an ordinary Jeeva, you will be limited like a Jeeva.
If you believed yourself to be Shiva you transcend all the boundaries of time and space.
If you think, Shiva is Shiva and you are just you then, you are just you; a limited being with no powers.
To Know Shiva, Be Shiva!
Brahma did not know himself to be Shiva.
He was frightened of Shiva standing in front of him.
He asked for forgiveness.
He asked for some penance by which he could get rid of his sin.
Shiva cursed:
“Brahma will be known as Rudra-Shira, one with the head of Shiva!
He will become a man and live in the world.
As the people talk of his misdeed, his curse will gradually get redeemed.
The four drops of semen which fell to the ground will become terrible clouds of destruction.”
The four clouds of destruction rose up with a roar and covered the quarters.
The marriage ceremony was concluded.
Shiva’s anger also cooled down.
He was pleased with Brahma’s service.
He decided to console the crestfallen Creator.
He was in a generous mood.
He asked Brahma to ask any fee for his priestly services.
Brahma was improving.
He asked ‘Shiva and Shivaa’ to exist there blessing one and all; make that place a holy centre; so all who visit it would be free of sins.
Shiva agreed. His ‘essence’ stayed back.
Shiva went back to Kailaasa with his newly wed ‘Bride-Supreme’.
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