Sati Devi’s wedding to Rudra Deva

Brahma gave a boon to His son Manmadha or Pushpavan with the powers of turning passionate any victim with the use of ‘Pancha Pushpa Banas’(Five Flowery Arrows) called Harshan, Rohan, Mohan, Soshan and Maran. The test-run was performed by Manmatha on Brahma and he got victimised in respect of Sandhya and hence the chastisement received from Rudra Deva. Brahma’s ill-feeling over Rudra was still not forgotten inspite of Lord Vishnu’s advice that Rudra Deva would never be disturbed by Manmadha’s arrows. At this juncture, Daksha Prajapati offered his daughter, Rati Devi to wed Manmadha, which was appreciated by all concerned as the couple looked that they were made for each other. Brahma prevailed His son Daksha Prajapati to beget a daughter with Devi Bhagavati’s ‘Amsa’ (part manifestation) and Daksha prayed to Her for thousands of years. Devi Bhagavati blessed Daksha to beget Sati Devi and that she would also be wedded to Rudra Deva. But, Sati Devi would perform penance for thousands of years and once she would be married, she would not brook insults to Rudra Deva and if anybody did so, then She would end up her existence by ‘Yoga-agni’! Daksha had got already sixty daughters all married – ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kashyap, twenty seven to Moon, two to Bhutaganas, and two to Kushashva and six to Garuda. The sixty first daughter now blessed by Bhagavati was Sati Devi from Virani Devi. As Sati came of marriagable age, she had already fixed Her mind on Rudra and performed severe ‘tapas’. Rudra agreed to wed Sati, Brahma proposed formally to Daksha and the marriage was executed with pomp and show. After the auspicious wedding, Sati and Rudra shifted from Kailash to Himalayas for ten thousand Deva years and Bhagavan enlightened and exchanged views with Sati on many matters of Spiritual significance including the naunces of Yantra, Tantra and Yoga.

Sri V.D.N.Rao and Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

Kamakoti.org presents the Essence of Puranas in English, condensed by Sri. V.D.N.Rao, devotee of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Compiled, Composed and Interpreted by V.D.N.Rao, Former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India The author can be contacted at [email protected]