The goddess, addressing the lord of the gods, spoke with gentle detachment, “I have nothing to do with relatives, O lord of the gods. Do as you wish, O great god, so that I may find happiness.” Hearing her words, the great lord, for her sake, left his own mountain and journeyed to Meru. He was attended by gods and siddhas, accompanied by his divine wife and a host of followers. Now, O Brahman, lord of creatures, you have asked how the horse sacrifice of Daksha, son of Prachetas, was brought to ruin during the reign of Vaivasvata. The answer lies in the goddess’s anger, which was the root cause of the destruction. The all-pervading lord, knowing this, grew wrathful. Thus, Mahadeva, in his rage and wishing to please the goddess, destroyed the mighty Daksha’s sacrifice. Listen, O brahmins, as I recount this event in detail. Long ago, upon a peak of Meru, worshipped by the three worlds and known as Jyotishthala—wondrous and adorned with all gems—there sat the god, immeasurable and unassailable, revered by all worlds. On the mountain slope, surrounded by all kinds of minerals, he sat broad as a couch, with the daughter of the mountain king, his beloved consort, always by his side. There assembled the mighty Adityas, the powerful Vasus, and the great Ashvins, best among physicians. King Vaishravana, the illustrious lord of the Yakshas and master of Kailasa, was present, surrounded by Guhyakas. The great sage Ushanas, along with Sanatkumara and foremost sages, worshipped the great soul. Angiras, leading divine sages, Vishvavasu the Gandharva, Narada, and Parvata were also there. Hosts of Apsaras gathered in great numbers, and the gentle, auspicious wind blew, carrying pure fragrances. The trees blossomed with flowers of all seasons, while Vidyadharas, Sadhyas, Siddhas, and ascetics joined the assembly. All these beings worshipped Mahadeva, the Lord of Creatures, as well as other divine forms. Fierce Rakshasas and mighty Pisachas, bold and of many forms, armed with various weapons, stood guard. The god’s attendants, blazing like fire, were present, and the blessed Nandishvara remained there with the god’s approval. The lord held a blazing trident, shining with his own radiance, and Ganga—the best of rivers, born from the waters of all sacred fords—was there, worshipping the god in his form. Thus, the Blessed One was honored by gods and sages alike. Amidst this assembly of greatly fortunate gods, Mahadeva stood in majesty. Then, at a certain time, Daksha, the lord of creatures, appeared, intent on performing a sacrifice according to ancient rites. At his sacrifice, all the gods led by Indra assembled, coming from their heavenly abodes in radiant, blazing chariots. With the god’s consent, they went to the gateway of the Ganga, a place crowded with Gandharvas and Apsaras, adorned with various trees and vines. Daksha, the best upholder of dharma, was surrounded by sages, perfected beings, and those dwelling on earth, in the sky, and in the heavenly worlds. All, with joined palms—the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, and the hosts of Maruts—approached the Lord of Creatures. All the recipients of the sacrifice came, including Vishnu, the Ushmapas, Dhumapas, Ajyapas, and the Somapas. The Ashvins, the Maruts, various groups of gods, and many other hosts of beings arrived as well. Those born from womb, egg, sweat, and sprout, all the sacrificers, all the gods, along with women and sages, assembled. They shone in their chariots, blazing like fires. Upon seeing them, the sage Dadhichi, filled with anger, spoke out: “A man incurs great sin, without doubt, by honoring the unworthy and failing to honor those who are worthy.” Having spoken thus, the sage addressed Daksha again, “Why do you not worship the Lord of Creatures, who is truly worthy of honor? There are many Rudras of mine, bearing tridents and matted hair, established in eleven places; we know no other great lord than him. For all, there is one mantra; yet my lord is not invited. As I see it, beyond Shankara, there is no other deity. Thus, Daksha’s grand sacrifice will not succeed. “Various shares have been given to Vishnu, and likewise to the Rudras; other gods, too, have their allotted portions. I give shares, but not to Shankara.” Hearing this, the gods went to the daughter of the mountain king, who spoke to Sharva, the lord and master of creatures: “O blessed one, where are these gods headed, led by Indra? Tell me truly, knower of truth; this great doubt has arisen in me.” Sharva replied, “Daksha, O greatly fortunate one, is the eminent lord of creatures; he is performing a horse sacrifice, and the heavenly beings are going there.” She asked, “O greatly fortunate one, why do you not follow this sacrifice? By what prohibition is your going not permitted?” And she continued, “O greatly fortunate one, all this has been performed by the gods alone. In all sacrifices of mine, no share has been allotted to me.” Thus unfolded the events leading to the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice, as the gods, sages, and all beings gathered, and the seeds of discord and divine wrath were sown.