किमर्थं स भवो देवः सर्वभूतहिते रतः जघान यज्ञं दक्षस्य देवैः सर्वैर् अलंकृतम्
For what reason did Bhava, the god devoted to the welfare of all beings, destroy Daksha’s sacrifice, adorned by all the gods?
न ह्य् अल्पं कारणं तत्र प्रभो मन्यामहे वयम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे ब्रूहि परं कौतूहलं हि नः
We do not consider the cause there to be trivial, O Lord; we wish to hear—tell us, for our curiosity is indeed great.
दक्षस्यासन्न् अष्ट कन्या याश् चैवं पतिसंगताः स्वेभ्यो गृहेभ्यश् चानीय ताः पिताभ्यर्चयद् गृहे
Daksha had eight daughters, who, united with their husbands, were brought from their own homes, and their father honored them in his house.
ततस् त्व् अभ्यर्चिता विप्रा न्यवसंस् ताः पितुर् गृहे तासां ज्येष्ठा सती नाम पत्नी या त्र्यम्बकस्य वै
Then, after being honored, the Brahmins stayed in their father’s house; among them, the eldest was named Sati, wife of Tryambaka.
नाजुहावात्मजां तां वै दक्षो रुद्रम् अभिद्विषन् अकरोत् संनतिं दक्षे न च कांचिन् महेश्वरः
Daksha, hostile to Rudra, did not invite his own daughter; he made obeisance to Daksha, but Maheshvara received no honor.
जामाता श्वशुरे तस्मिन् स्वभावात् तेजसि स्थितः ततो ज्ञात्वा सती सर्वास् तास् तु प्राप्ताः पितुर् गृहम्
The son-in-law, steadfast in his own nature and radiance, remained; then, knowing this, Sati, along with all the others, arrived at her father’s house.
जगाम साप्य् अनाहूता सती तु स्वपितुर् गृहम् ताभ्यो हीनां पिता चक्रे सत्याः पूजाम् असंमताम् ततो ऽब्रवीत् सा पितरं देवी क्रोधसमाकुला
Sati, though uninvited, went to her father’s house; her father performed worship for all except Sati, which she disapproved. Then the goddess, overwhelmed with anger, spoke to her father.
यवीयसीभ्यः श्रेष्ठाहं किं न पूजसि मां प्रभो असत्कृताम् अवस्थां यः कृतवान् असि गर्हिताम् अहं ज्येष्ठा वरिष्ठा च मां त्वं सत्कर्तुम् अर्हसि
I am superior to the younger ones—why do you not honor me, O Lord? You have placed me in a contemptible state, which is blameworthy. I am eldest and most distinguished; you ought to honor me.
एवम् उक्तो ऽब्रवीद् एनां दक्षः संरक्तलोचनः
Thus addressed, Daksha, his eyes reddened, spoke to her.
त्वत्तः श्रेष्ठा वरिष्ठाश् च पूज्या बालाः सुता मम तासां ये चैव भर्तारस् ते मे बहुमताः सति
My daughters who are superior and distinguished, and their husbands, are worthy of honor, O Sati; they are greatly esteemed by me.
ब्रह्मिष्ठाश् च व्रतस्थाश् च महायोगाः सुधार्मिकाः गुणैश् चैवाधिकाः श्लाघ्याः सर्वे ते त्र्यम्बकात् सति
They are Brahminical, observant of vows, great yogis, supremely righteous, and, by their virtues, praiseworthy—all of them, except for Tryambaka, O Sati.
वसिष्ठो ऽत्रिः पुलस्त्यश् च अङ्गिराः पुलहः क्रतुः भृगुर् मरीचिश् च तथा श्रेष्ठा जामातरो मम
Vasishtha, Atri, Pulastya, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, and Marichi—these are my most distinguished sons-in-law.
तैश् चापि स्पर्धते शर्वः सर्वे ते चैव तं प्रति तेन त्वां न बुभूषामि प्रतिकूलो हि मे भवः
Sharva competes with them, and all of them oppose him; therefore, I do not wish for you—Bhava is adverse to me.
इत्य् उक्तवांस् तदा दक्षः संप्रमूढेन चेतसा शापार्थम् आत्मनश् चैव येनोक्ता वै महर्षयः तथोक्ता पितरं सा वै क्रुद्धा देवी तम् अब्रवीत्
Having spoken thus, Daksha, with a bewildered mind, uttered words for the purpose of cursing himself, as the great sages had said. Then, the goddess, angered, spoke to her father.
वाङ्मनःकर्मभिर् यस्माद् अदुष्टां मां विगर्हसि तस्मात् त्यजाम्य् अहं देहम् इमं तात तवात्मजम्
Because you reproach me, your own son, though I am without fault in word, thought, or deed, therefore, father, I now renounce this body.
ततस् तेनापमानेन सती दुःखाद् अमर्षिता अब्रवीद् वचनं देवी नमस्कृत्य स्वयंभुवे
Then, deeply pained and unable to bear the insult, the goddess respectfully addressed the Self-born with these words.
येनाहम् अपदेहा वै पुनर् देहेन भास्वता तत्राप्य् अहम् असंमूढा संभूता धार्मिकी पुनः गच्छेयं धर्मपत्नीत्वं त्र्यम्बकस्यैव धीमतः
By whose power I have left this body, may I, with a new radiant form, again be born unconfused and righteous, and become once more the lawful wife of the wise Tryambaka.
तत्रैवाथ समासीना रुष्टात्मानं समादधे धारयाम् आस चाग्नेयीं धारणाम् आत्मनात्मनि
There, seated, she composed her mind in anger, and performed the fiery concentration, sustaining the fire within herself.
ततः स्वात्मानम् उत्थाप्य वायुना समुदीरितः सर्वाङ्गेभ्यो विनिःसृत्य वह्निर् भस्म चकार ताम्
Then, raising her own self, stirred by the wind, she departed from all her limbs, and the fire reduced her to ashes.
तद् उपश्रुत्य निधनं सत्या देव्याः स शूलधृक् संवादं च तयोर् बुद्ध्वा याथातथ्येन शंकरः दक्षस्य च विनाशाय चुकोप भगवान् प्रभुः
Hearing of Sati's death and their conversation, the trident-bearer, understanding the truth, became enraged, O Lord, for the destruction of Daksha.
यस्माद् अवमता दक्ष सहसैवागता सती प्रशस्ताश् चेतराः सर्वास् त्वत्सुता भर्तृभिः सह
Because Sati, though praised, came uninvited and was slighted by Daksha, all your other daughters, along with their husbands, are blessed.
तस्माद् वैवस्वते प्राप्ते पुनर् एते महर्षयः उत्पत्स्यन्ति द्वितीये वै तव यज्ञे ह्य् अयोनिजाः
Therefore, when the age of Vaivasvata arrives, these great sages will be born again in your second sacrifice, not from a womb.
हुते वै ब्रह्मणः सत्त्रे चाक्षुषस्यान्तरे मनोः अभिव्याहृत्य सप्तर्षीन् दक्षं सो ऽभ्यशपत् पुनः
When the sacrifice of Brahma was performed in the interval of Cākṣuṣa Manu, Daksha, having summoned the seven sages, cursed him again.
भविता मानुषो राजा चाक्षुषस्यान्तरे मनोः प्राचीनबर्हिषः पौत्रः पुत्रश् चापि प्रचेतसः
There will be a human king in the interval of Cākṣuṣa Manu, the grandson of Prācīnabarhis and the son of Pracetas.
दक्ष इत्य् एव नाम्ना त्वं मारिषायां जनिष्यसि कन्यायां शाखिनां चैव प्राप्ते वै चाक्षुषान्तरे
You will be born by the name Daksha from Māriṣā, the daughter of the trees, when the interval of Cākṣuṣa arrives.
अहं तत्रापि ते विघ्नम् आचरिष्यामि दुर्मते धर्मकामार्थयुक्तेषु कर्मस्व् इह पुनः पुनः
Even there, O misguided one, I will again cause obstacles for you in actions connected with righteousness, desire, and wealth, again and again.
ततो वै व्याहृतो दक्षो रुद्रं सो ऽभ्यशपत् पुनः
Then Daksha, having spoken thus, cursed Rudra again.
यस्मात् त्वं मत्कृते क्रूर ऋषीन् व्याहृतवान् असि तस्मात् सार्धं सुरैर् यज्ञे न त्वां यक्ष्यन्ति वै द्विजाः
Because you, out of cruelty for my sake, have spoken harshly to the sages, therefore, along with the gods, the twice-born will not offer you oblations in sacrifice.
कृत्वाहुतिं तव क्रूर अपः स्पृशन्ति कर्मसु इहैव वत्स्यसे लोके दिवं हित्वायुगक्षयात् ततो देवैस् तु ते सार्धं न तु पूजा भविष्यति
After making an offering to you, O cruel one, they will touch water in the rites; you will remain in this world until the end of the age, having abandoned heaven, and even then, though with the gods, you will not receive worship.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं तु देवानां ते चाप्य् एकत्र भुञ्जते न भोक्ष्ये सहितस् तैस् तु ततो भोक्ष्याम्य् अहं पृथक्
The fourfold order of the gods partakes together, but I will not eat with them; I will partake separately.