In the assembly of gods and sages, a profound truth was spoken: there is truly no one who is inherently strong, foolish, or wise; wisdom and strength arise only from past actions, from the merit one has accumulated. The gods themselves, shining resplendently in heaven, have attained their exalted stations through merit and asceticism performed in sacred places. Whatever merit they acquired, they now enjoy its fruits. Upon hearing these words, Sati—filled with anger toward Bhishma—turned her blazing gaze upon her father, Dakṣa. Her eyes, red with fury, accused him, and she declared, “It is as you have said, father. Every person who possesses merit attains prosperity through merit; through merit, one obtains birth, and all enjoyments are rooted in merit. Therefore, the Lord of the worlds, the highest of all, has wisely assigned stations to all beings. Even the tongue of Brahma cannot express the virtues or glory of that supreme god, the Lord himself. He has made ashes, bones, skulls, and serpents—those that dwell in cremation grounds—his ornaments. Spirits, ghosts, piśācas, and guhyakas are his creation; he arranges and protects the directions of the universe.” Sati continued, “By the grace of Rudra, Indra attained heaven. If Rudra is indeed a god, if Śiva is all-pervading, then by the truth of this, may Śaṃkara destroy your sacrifice—if I possess any austerity or have performed any act of righteousness. By the fruit of that righteousness, your sacrifice does not deserve destruction—if I am dear to the Lord, if he will save me. By that truth, may your pride come to an end.” Having spoken thus, Sati entered into deep yogic concentration, her body blazing with inner energy. In her fury, she consumed herself, along with the gods, asuras, and serpents. The hosts of Gandharvas and Guhyakas, witnessing this terrible event, cried out in confusion, “What is this?” Sati’s body, released in anger, fell upon the western bank of the sacred Gaṅgā, at a place now known as Saunaka. When Rudra heard of his beloved’s destruction, he was overcome with grief. In the presence of the gods, his resolve hardened: he would destroy Dakṣa’s sacrifice. He summoned countless hosts of Gaṇas, Grahas, Vināyakas, spirits, ghosts, and Piśācas, commanding them to lay waste to the sacrifice. As they descended upon the ritual, all the divine beings present were defeated and destroyed. The sacrifice was ruined, and Dakṣa was left dispirited and inactive. Trembling, Dakṣa approached the god of gods, Pinākin, and humbly confessed, “I did not know you, O Lord, sovereign of the gods. You are the supreme Lord of this world; all the gods have been conquered by you. Have mercy, O great Lord, and call off your hosts.” He described the terrifying hosts: beings of fierce forms adorned with diverse ornaments, many mouths and teeth, each brandishing different weapons; matted locks decorated with the bites of king serpents; strong, arrogant, dreadful in destructive power; capable of assuming any shape at will, some unattractive, all endowed with every desire, irresistible in might, fierce yogis and masters of yoga; manes and hair tossing wildly, faces with protruding fangs, displaying the strength and agility of elephants and lions; some intoxicated, shining like flickering lamps, dressed in strange garments, both calm and wild; roaring like deer, tigers, and lions, clad in tiger and bear skins, wearing serpents as garlands and bracelets, sacred threads made of snakes; armed with tridents, swords, spears, axes, javelins, thunderbolts, clubs, maces, rods of Time, and other weapons; surrounded by indomitable chiefs of the Gaṇas, like the sun surrounded by planets. “O god of gods, great god,” Dakṣa pleaded, “the sacrifice was destroyed and ascended to heaven. I have seen you assume the form of a deer, terrified, O Śaṃkara. Salutations to the god adorned with a conch, together with his attendants and Sanandana. Salutations to the one seated upon the bull, to Soma, to the one who ends the time of sacrifices; to the one clothed in the hide of directions, to the one of intense brilliance. Salutations to Brahman, to the one whose body is Brahman, to the supporter of Brahman, to the immeasurable one; to the lord of the mountains, to the lord of the gods, to the supreme lord, repeated salutations. Salutations to Rudra, to the one who counters thunderbolts, to Śiva, to the one who tears asunder; to the lord of gods and demons, to the lord of ascetics, salutations. Salutations to the smoky and fierce one, to the deformed one, to the sacrificer, to the one of terrifying form; to the deformed-eyed, to the inauspicious-eyed, and to the thousand-eyed one. Salutations to the skull-bearer, to the fierce-skull-bearer, to the bearer of the excellent club; to the one of the form of oblations, to the one who receives offerings, to the destroyer of all. Salutations to the one who is compassionate to devotees, who is praised by the recitation of Rudra, to the deformed one, to the beautiful one, to the maker of a hundred forms. Salutations to the five-faced one, to the auspicious-faced one, to the moon-faced one, repeated salutations; to the giver of boons, to the one worthy of boons, to the tortoise, and to the deer. Salutations to the one whose locks are adorned playfully, to the bearer of the water-pot; to the one named Viśva, to the all-pervading one, to the lord of the universe, repeated salutations.” “O three-eyed one, grant us your protection; O destroyer of the triple city, by the devotion of speech, mind, and body, O great lord, from the one who has taken refuge.” Thus, Dakṣa, afflicted in body and spirit, praised the god with a divine hymn, worshipping him thoroughly. Finally, Dakṣa offered the fruit of the sacrifice to the lord of creatures, saying, “You will obtain the supreme fruit, fulfilling all desires.