Week 14 Story: Sati, The Supreme
Sati was happy with Shiva.
Her road to marriage was difficult and laden with obstacles. She had fallen in love with Shiva at a young age, and had fixed her eyes on him for marriage. Her father, Prajapathi Daksha, was a strict devotee of Vishnu, and would not accept Sati's proposals. At the end, Shiva himself had come to take Sati as his bride, and Daksha had no choice but to accept. He did not confer his blessings on the marriage, but Shiva and Sati were satisfied nonetheless.
And now news had just come to Sati that her father was holding a yagna, a holy sacrifice, and had invited all the gods and celestials except Sati and Shiva. Sati felt a little embittered about it, but decided she would go uninvited anyway.
"A daughter can go to her own father's house uninvited," Sati replied when Shiva tried to object. "I'm sure that's why my father didn't extend an explicit invitation to us."
But the reality was vastly different. Shiva stayed behind at their abode on Mount Kailash while Sati went ahead to her father's sacrifice. When she got there, the first person she greeted was her mother, Prasuti. Prasuti was very happy to see Sati, but seemed nonetheless worried about something.
"What happened, mother?" Sati inquired.
"Oh, nothing, dear, nothing," Sati's mother replied. "....Your husband isn't here, is he?"
Sati's smile dropped to a dull frown. "No, mother, he is not," she responded, a hint of scorn in her voice. She went to go find her father, but he quickly avoided her to go entertain Vishnu and Brahma instead, greeting her with a glare. Sati was not fond of the environment already.
When the time for the sacrifice came, everybody took their seats, including Sati. Perhaps it would be best for me to ignore the negativity here, she thought. But, just before the sacrifice began, Daksha stood up and looked around at the crowd.
"We have an uninvited one among us today!" he announced. "She and her vile husband were left off the list of invitations for a reason; we didn't want them to come and defile our holy endeavors." Everyone turned and looked at Sati, who stood up slowly. She was not about to take any more of this.
"Shiva, the most disgraceful -, " Daksha began before Sati cut him off. "Stop it, Prajapathi!" she yelled. Her voice resounded through the heavens and the earth alike. Everybody there, including Daksha, widened their eyes in surprise.
Lightning lit up the sky, birds screeched, and animals scurried in panic. The oceans were restless, and large waves terrorized the shores. The wind picked up as what appeared to be a strong storm settled in. Sati's eyes were glowing red, and her hair was flowing with the wind. Her fists were clenched tight in anger
Daksha was quick to get out of his stupor, though. "Sati, how dare you speak back to your father like that!" he exclaimed, having to yell over the wind and thunder.
Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light, and everyone had to cover their eyes momentarily. Some people claimed to hear the roar of a lion. Sati, still with glowing red eyes, had transformed into her form as the Supreme Goddess. Everyone had to shade their eyes as they took in her resplendent, cosmic form. She now bore ten arms, each holding a sharp weapon, and by her feet was a lion. Despite the blinding light that surrounded her, everyone could notice the glowing red eyes.
"Prajapathi, you seem to have forgotten that I am the Supreme Goddess. You prayed to me austerely for decades so that I may be born to you. But see what you have become!" Sati said angrily. Her voice resounded across the entire universe. "Not only did you disrespect me, but you also disrespected by husband. Unacceptable!"
Daksha looked terrified. Any sort of confidence he once had was gone.
"You will pay the price dearly for your ignorance, Prajapathi Daksha," Sati claimed. "How dare you try and deface the Supreme Goddess herself."
And with that, there was another blinding flash of light, and Sati vanished. Left behind was a ravenous fire that consumed the whole world.
Author's Note: This story relays the experience of Sati. In the original story, Sati immolates herself upon hearing her father slander Shiva. However, in this version, she shows off her sheer power and immolates the entire world instead of herself.
Her road to marriage was difficult and laden with obstacles. She had fallen in love with Shiva at a young age, and had fixed her eyes on him for marriage. Her father, Prajapathi Daksha, was a strict devotee of Vishnu, and would not accept Sati's proposals. At the end, Shiva himself had come to take Sati as his bride, and Daksha had no choice but to accept. He did not confer his blessings on the marriage, but Shiva and Sati were satisfied nonetheless.
And now news had just come to Sati that her father was holding a yagna, a holy sacrifice, and had invited all the gods and celestials except Sati and Shiva. Sati felt a little embittered about it, but decided she would go uninvited anyway.
"A daughter can go to her own father's house uninvited," Sati replied when Shiva tried to object. "I'm sure that's why my father didn't extend an explicit invitation to us."
But the reality was vastly different. Shiva stayed behind at their abode on Mount Kailash while Sati went ahead to her father's sacrifice. When she got there, the first person she greeted was her mother, Prasuti. Prasuti was very happy to see Sati, but seemed nonetheless worried about something.
"What happened, mother?" Sati inquired.
"Oh, nothing, dear, nothing," Sati's mother replied. "....Your husband isn't here, is he?"
Sati's smile dropped to a dull frown. "No, mother, he is not," she responded, a hint of scorn in her voice. She went to go find her father, but he quickly avoided her to go entertain Vishnu and Brahma instead, greeting her with a glare. Sati was not fond of the environment already.
When the time for the sacrifice came, everybody took their seats, including Sati. Perhaps it would be best for me to ignore the negativity here, she thought. But, just before the sacrifice began, Daksha stood up and looked around at the crowd.
"We have an uninvited one among us today!" he announced. "She and her vile husband were left off the list of invitations for a reason; we didn't want them to come and defile our holy endeavors." Everyone turned and looked at Sati, who stood up slowly. She was not about to take any more of this.
"Shiva, the most disgraceful -, " Daksha began before Sati cut him off. "Stop it, Prajapathi!" she yelled. Her voice resounded through the heavens and the earth alike. Everybody there, including Daksha, widened their eyes in surprise.
Lightning lit up the sky, birds screeched, and animals scurried in panic. The oceans were restless, and large waves terrorized the shores. The wind picked up as what appeared to be a strong storm settled in. Sati's eyes were glowing red, and her hair was flowing with the wind. Her fists were clenched tight in anger
Daksha was quick to get out of his stupor, though. "Sati, how dare you speak back to your father like that!" he exclaimed, having to yell over the wind and thunder.
Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light, and everyone had to cover their eyes momentarily. Some people claimed to hear the roar of a lion. Sati, still with glowing red eyes, had transformed into her form as the Supreme Goddess. Everyone had to shade their eyes as they took in her resplendent, cosmic form. She now bore ten arms, each holding a sharp weapon, and by her feet was a lion. Despite the blinding light that surrounded her, everyone could notice the glowing red eyes.
"Prajapathi, you seem to have forgotten that I am the Supreme Goddess. You prayed to me austerely for decades so that I may be born to you. But see what you have become!" Sati said angrily. Her voice resounded across the entire universe. "Not only did you disrespect me, but you also disrespected by husband. Unacceptable!"
Daksha looked terrified. Any sort of confidence he once had was gone.
"You will pay the price dearly for your ignorance, Prajapathi Daksha," Sati claimed. "How dare you try and deface the Supreme Goddess herself."
And with that, there was another blinding flash of light, and Sati vanished. Left behind was a ravenous fire that consumed the whole world.
An image depicting the Supreme Goddess (as Durga) taking back her physical form of Sati from Daksha's sacrifice. Source.
Author's Note: This story relays the experience of Sati. In the original story, Sati immolates herself upon hearing her father slander Shiva. However, in this version, she shows off her sheer power and immolates the entire world instead of herself.
Hi Vinay!
ReplyDeleteI really loved reading your story. One of my storybook posts focuses one Sati and Shiva and her rebirth as Parvati so I really enjoyed getting a different perspective on the story. I like that in your story her anger destroys her father and everyone else rather than just her suffering for his actions. Well done and I can't wait to read more.
-Elizabeth
Hi!
ReplyDeleteYour choice of changing the story has some funny consequences of meaning that this character decided to just straight up end the world. I think it's great, but she may now be the poster child for over reactions.