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Lesson Lesson 3:3:

Chapter 4Chapter 4Saté Quits Saté Quits Her Body Her Body Chapter 5Chapter 5

FrustrationFrustrations of the s of the

Sacrifice of Sacrifice of DakñaDakña

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Chapter 4: SectionsChapter 4: SectionsVerses 1-10: Saté attends the

sacrifice & becomes offendedVerses 11-23: Saté angrily

speaks to DakñaDakñaVerses 24-27: Saté quits her bodyVerses 28-37: Lord Çiva’s Lord Çiva’s

followers attempt to disrupt the followers attempt to disrupt the sacrificesacrifice

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Verses 1-10: Verses 1-10: Saté attends Saté attends the sacrifice & becomes the sacrifice & becomes

offendedoffended Despite Saté’s torment of having to Despite Saté’s torment of having to decide between whether to go to her decide between whether to go to her father’s house or obey the order of her father’s house or obey the order of her exalted husband, Lord Çiva, she exalted husband, Lord Çiva, she decided to attend her father’s sacrifice. decided to attend her father’s sacrifice. This less intelligent act was due to her This less intelligent act was due to her being a weak woman. When they saw being a weak woman. When they saw Saté leaving alone very rapidly, Saté leaving alone very rapidly, thousands of Lord Çiva's disciples thousands of Lord Çiva's disciples accompanied her like a royal accompanied her like a royal procession. When Saté reached the procession. When Saté reached the arena no one received her well out of arena no one received her well out of fear of Dakña, except her mother and fear of Dakña, except her mother and sisters. (Contd)sisters. (Contd)

Saté attends the sacrifice Saté attends the sacrifice & becomes offended & becomes offended

(Contd)(Contd) She did not reply to the words of her mother She did not reply to the words of her mother

and sisters, nor accept their gifts, because and sisters, nor accept their gifts, because her father did not welcome her. Then she her father did not welcome her. Then she noticed that no sacrificial oblations were noticed that no sacrificial oblations were being offered to her husband. being offered to her husband.

Although she prohibited Çiva's followers from Although she prohibited Çiva's followers from disrupting the sacrifice or killing Dakña, Saté disrupting the sacrifice or killing Dakña, Saté condemned her father before the entire condemned her father before the entire assembly in great anger for envying such a assembly in great anger for envying such a glorious personality as Lord Çiva, who lives to glorious personality as Lord Çiva, who lives to benefit all.benefit all.

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Verses 11-23: Verses 11-23: Saté angrily Saté angrily speaks to Dakñaspeaks to Dakña

Although Dakña simply finds faults, Çiva Although Dakña simply finds faults, Çiva finds no faults with others but if finds no faults with others but if someone has a little good quality, he someone has a little good quality, he magnifies it greatly. Lord Çiva purifies magnifies it greatly. Lord Çiva purifies one of all sinful activities. His order is one of all sinful activities. His order is never neglected. No one but Dakña never neglected. No one but Dakña envies him. Although Dakña considered envies him. Although Dakña considered Çiva inauspicious because of his dress Çiva inauspicious because of his dress and association, great personalities like and association, great personalities like Brahmä honor him by placing the Brahmä honor him by placing the flowers offered to his feet on their heads flowers offered to his feet on their heads with great respect.with great respect. (Contd)(Contd)

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Saté angrily speaks to Saté angrily speaks to Dakña Dakña (Contd)(Contd)

If one hears blasphemy of a great soul If one hears blasphemy of a great soul one should block his ears and go away if one should block his ears and go away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill, then one should cut out the kill, then one should cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender, blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender, and then give up his own life. Therefore and then give up his own life. Therefore Saté declared she would no longer bear Saté declared she would no longer bear the body she received from Dakña, who the body she received from Dakña, who blasphemed Lord Çiva.blasphemed Lord Çiva.

SP (16) reveals Saté’s internal reason for Saté’s internal reason for wanting to attend the sacrifice: “…at wanting to attend the sacrifice: “…at heart she maintained the idea… that it heart she maintained the idea… that it was useless to continue being envious of was useless to continue being envious of Lord Çiva.”Lord Çiva.”

Verses 24-27: Verses 24-27: Saté quits Saté quits her bodyher body

Thus she sat in yoga posture, meditated on the lotus feet of her exalted husband, purifying herself of all sin, and burned her body to ashes in fiery mystic yoga.

SP draws parallel between Satéé’s purification and that of devotees simply by chanting (27). According to Çrila Çrila Jiva Goswäämi, she gave up within her heart her relationship with Dakña. Dakña. Çrila VCT comments that since Saté is mäyä, Çrila VCT comments that since Saté is mäyä, when she quit her body she simply transferred when she quit her body she simply transferred herself to another, better body (as daughter of herself to another, better body (as daughter of Menakä), not necessarily a spiritual body, Menakä), not necessarily a spiritual body, intending to reunite with Lord Çiva.intending to reunite with Lord Çiva.

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Verses 28-37: Verses 28-37: Lord Çiva’s Lord Çiva’s followers attempt to disrupt followers attempt to disrupt

the sacrificethe sacrifice Then there was a tumultuous roar all Then there was a tumultuous roar all

over the universe. While people were over the universe. While people were talking about Saté’s death, her talking about Saté’s death, her attendants readied themselves to kill attendants readied themselves to kill Dakña with their weapons, but Bhågu Dakña with their weapons, but Bhågu Muni by brahminical power Muni by brahminical power immediately uttered hymns from the immediately uttered hymns from the Yajur Veda by which the destroyers of Yajur Veda by which the destroyers of yajïic performances could be killed yajïic performances could be killed immediately. immediately. (Contd) (Contd)

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Lord Çiva’s followers Lord Çiva’s followers attempt to disrupt the attempt to disrupt the

sacrifice sacrifice (Contd)(Contd)At once thousands of powerful

demigods named Åbhus became manifested, and attacked the ghosts and Guhyakas with half-burned fuel from the yajïa fire, thus causing them to disperse.

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Discussion PointsDiscussion PointsAMI Misapplication of the statement: “Divorce Misapplication of the statement: “Divorce

takes place due to womanly weakness” takes place due to womanly weakness” (3)(3)

PeA/PrA How to respond when a Vaiñëava is

insulted (10, 17) Identify reasons why Saté decided to give Identify reasons why Saté decided to give

up her body. (17-18, 23-24, 26)up her body. (17-18, 23-24, 26) Discuss the relevance set by her severe Discuss the relevance set by her severe

example(26)example(26)

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Lesson 3 Lesson 3 (Contd):(Contd):

Chapter 5Chapter 5Frustrations Frustrations

of the of the Sacrifice of Sacrifice of

DakñaDakña

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Chapter 5: Chapter 5: SectionSection

Verses 1-26: The destruction of the sacrifice and the killing of Dakña

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Verses 1-26: Verses 1-26: The The destruction of the sacrifice destruction of the sacrifice

and the killing of Dakñaand the killing of Dakña When Lord Çiva heard from Närada that When Lord Çiva heard from Närada that

Saté, his wife, was now dead he became Saté, his wife, was now dead he became greatly angry. He immediately snatched a greatly angry. He immediately snatched a hair from his head, stood up and, laughing hair from his head, stood up and, laughing like a madman, dashed the hair to the like a madman, dashed the hair to the ground, creating a fearful black demon, ground, creating a fearful black demon, Vérabhadra. He was as high as the sky and Vérabhadra. He was as high as the sky and as bright as three suns with very fearful as bright as three suns with very fearful teeth and hairs on his head like burning fire. teeth and hairs on his head like burning fire. He had thousands of arms, equipped with He had thousands of arms, equipped with various weapons and he was garlanded with various weapons and he was garlanded with the heads of men. Vérabhadra asked with the heads of men. Vérabhadra asked with folded hands, "What shall I do, my lord?“folded hands, "What shall I do, my lord?“(Contd)(Contd)

The destruction of the The destruction of the sacrifice and the killing sacrifice and the killing

of Dakñaof Dakña (Contd) (Contd) Çiva ordered him to kill Dakña and his Çiva ordered him to kill Dakña and his

soldiers at the sacrifice. Vérabhadra soldiers at the sacrifice. Vérabhadra circumambulated Lord Çiva and left. circumambulated Lord Çiva and left. Many other soldiers of Lord Çiva followed Many other soldiers of Lord Çiva followed him in a tumultuous uproar. At that time, him in a tumultuous uproar. At that time, all the persons at the sacrifice wondered all the persons at the sacrifice wondered where the darkness was coming from. where the darkness was coming from. Concluding it was a dust storm, they Concluding it was a dust storm, they conjectured “Is the dissolution of the conjectured “Is the dissolution of the planet now to occur?” (Contd)planet now to occur?” (Contd)

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The destruction… The destruction… (Contd)(Contd)

Prasüti, Saté’s mother, along with the other Prasüti, Saté’s mother, along with the other women, became very anxious and said, “This women, became very anxious and said, “This danger has been created by Dakña because danger has been created by Dakña because of the death of the innocent Saté, who quit of the death of the innocent Saté, who quit her body as her sisters looked on.” The her body as her sisters looked on.” The gigantic black man bared his fearful teeth. gigantic black man bared his fearful teeth. By the movements of his brows he scattered By the movements of his brows he scattered the luminaries all over the sky, and he the luminaries all over the sky, and he covered them with his strong, piercing covered them with his strong, piercing effulgence. While all the people talked effulgence. While all the people talked amongst themselves, Dakña saw dangerous amongst themselves, Dakña saw dangerous omens from all sides. omens from all sides. (Contd)(Contd)

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The destruction… The destruction… (Contd)(Contd) All the followers of Lord Çiva surrounded the All the followers of Lord Çiva surrounded the

arena of sacrifice and thus began to create arena of sacrifice and thus began to create disturbances by pulling down the pillars which disturbances by pulling down the pillars which were supporting the pandal of sacrifice, entering were supporting the pandal of sacrifice, entering the female quarters, destroying the sacrificial the female quarters, destroying the sacrificial arena, and entering the kitchen and the arena, and entering the kitchen and the residential quarters. They broke all the pots residential quarters. They broke all the pots made for use in the sacrifice, and some of them made for use in the sacrifice, and some of them began to extinguish the sacrificial fire. Some began to extinguish the sacrificial fire. Some tore down the boundary line, and some passed tore down the boundary line, and some passed urine on the arena. Some blocked the way of the urine on the arena. Some blocked the way of the fleeing sages, some threatened the women, and fleeing sages, some threatened the women, and some arrested the fleeing demigods.some arrested the fleeing demigods. (Contd)(Contd)

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The destruction… The destruction… (Contd)(Contd) Maëimän arrested Bhågu Muni, Maëimän arrested Bhågu Muni,

Vérabhadra, the black demon, arrested Vérabhadra, the black demon, arrested Prajäpati Dakña, others were also Prajäpati Dakña, others were also arrested. Vérabhadra tore off the arrested. Vérabhadra tore off the mustache of Bhågu, and forcibly put out mustache of Bhågu, and forcibly put out the eyes of Bhaga, who had been moving the eyes of Bhaga, who had been moving his eyebrows during Bhågu's cursing of his eyebrows during Bhågu's cursing of Lord Çiva. Vérabhadra knocked out the Lord Çiva. Vérabhadra knocked out the teeth of both Dakña, who had shown teeth of both Dakña, who had shown them while cursing Lord Çiva, and Püñä, them while cursing Lord Çiva, and Püñä, who, by smiling sympathetically, had also who, by smiling sympathetically, had also shown his teeth. (Contd) shown his teeth. (Contd)

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The destruction… The destruction… (Contd)(Contd) Vérabhadra then used the wooden device Vérabhadra then used the wooden device

meant for killing sacrificial animals to meant for killing sacrificial animals to behead Dakña, causing the followers of behead Dakña, causing the followers of Lord Çiva to rejoice and brähmaëas in Lord Çiva to rejoice and brähmaëas in charge of the sacrifice to grieve. charge of the sacrifice to grieve. Vérabhadra then took the head and with Vérabhadra then took the head and with great anger threw it into the southern great anger threw it into the southern side of the sacrificial fire, offering it as an side of the sacrificial fire, offering it as an oblation. Thus Lord Çiva’s followers oblation. Thus Lord Çiva’s followers devastated all the arrangements for devastated all the arrangements for sacrifice. After setting fire to the whole sacrifice. After setting fire to the whole arena, they departed for Kailäsa.arena, they departed for Kailäsa.

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