Chapter 239

"Wherever I go, calamity will follow, World Honored One; only calamity."

Shiva shifted his gaze to Brahma, "No matter what, it will bring disaster."

Upon hearing this, Brahma said, "Great God, if you go there, you will be free from calamity and misfortune. Daksha is my son born of my heart, and I will make him understand—"

"Arrogance has no father, Brahma. An arrogant person is estranged from even his own family. How can someone who cannot even understand his own daughter understand his father's words?"

"So, how should this matter be resolved?"

"There is no solution, Venerable One."

Shiva said calmly, "I know you must participate in the Fire Sacrifice, but since Sati has already gone, it is your responsibility to ensure she is not humiliated. I can endure humiliation of myself, but not of Sati."

Vishnu and Brahma exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say.

Just as the three gods were locked in a stalemate, a flash of blue light appeared, revealing the figure of the fourth Aspected God Kavia, and his words.

"Making such demands on Vishnu and Brahma, Shiva, isn't that a bit too domineering?"

Kavia said this to Shiva was heartbroken.

"..."

Hearing his friend say this, Shiva could only turn his head away and remain silent.

Seeing this, Kavia turned one palm upward toward Vishnu:

"How can you not know what Vishnu did for your marriage to Sati?"

After the wedding that Daksha held to humiliate Shiva was broken by Kavia, the couple had to perform a half-kneeling, foot-touching ritual before Daksha, the father-in-law.

This is a traditional India greeting, a gesture of respect from a junior to an elder. However, Shiva did not perform this greeting to Daksha, who felt ashamed Daksha left the room without completing the traditional India ceremony of the bride's father handing the bride's hand to the groom, signifying the father's approval of his daughter's marriage. This is a highlight of the wedding.

However, because Daksha felt humiliated, his departure could only be carried out by Sati's mother in his place. Since the wedding was not blessed by her father, Shiva and Sati's wedding became Gandharva wedding, foreshadowing the quarrel between the two today.

Gandharva marriage refers to a marriage between a man and a woman based on the free and unrestrained spirit of Gandharva. It emphasizes mutual affection and free love between the two parties, without the consent or arrangement of either family, and is not bound by Ritual ceremonies.

Besides being so angry that he left, Daksha did something else: he attempted to perform a soul-soothing ritual on the still-living Sati.

The Requiem Festival is a supplementary Ritual to India funerals. At a special time each year, descendants offer water, milk, and food to the Brahmin to commemorate deceased ancestors, especially parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, to repay the kindness of their ancestors and to nourish their souls so that they may rest in peace.

Besides descendants, blood relatives within seven generations, disciples, and priests can also perform requiem rituals for the deceased.

Daksha's actions undoubtedly meant that he no longer regarded Sati as his daughter, or even as a daughter who was already dead, because the Requiem Ritual is performed on the dead, and after he performed it, he would completely erase the memory of Sati from her soul, which can be described as extremely cruel.

Just then, Vishnu arrived and stopped Daksha:

"No one can be above the laws of nature, Daksha. This is inappropriate. If you forcibly try to be above the laws of nature, then you will be my enemy."

"No, Lord, no! I have become an enemy of Shiva, an enemy of my family, and even an enemy of my father Brahma. How can I live if I am your enemy? Narayana, how can I go on living?"

Facing Vishnu, who is also Aspected God, Daksha dared not treat Shiva the same way he treated Vishnu. Instead, he put his hands together, smiled with utmost devotion, and said...

"Lord, you and the Lord of the Himalayas are my Protection. Those who disobey my Deity will have no way to survive. If you wish, I will acknowledge the marriage between Shiva and Sati and will also renounce the Requiem Ritual..."

Then Daksha said:

"But I am also a father, and like any other father in the world, I dream of a bright Future for my daughter. The requiem ceremony just now was just a moment of anger. Even if you hadn't come, I wouldn't have taken any action. It was just an angry outburst. After all, how could I entrust my well-mannered daughter to a barbarian like Shiva?"

"Oh?"

Vishnu was almost amused by Daksha's words, but considering that he was indeed a devout believer, he didn't say anything more. "Do you really think I would ask you for Sati's sake?"

Daksha immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not, Lord. I grant your request, but you must also give me a promise."

Vishnu smiled.

"Indeed, you are Daksha, how could you possibly agree without a promise? Tell me, what do you want?"

Daksha immediately said, "Whenever I am in danger and need you, you must come to protect me."

"As you wish."

This was the price Vishnu paid to prevent Daksha from performing a soul-soothing ritual on Sati.

Now that Kavia had spoken so bluntly, Shiva was heartbroken, but he couldn't ignore it, so he could only nod in response:

"Yes, I know."

Seeing Shiva nod, Kavia then turned his other hand, palm up, toward Brahma:

You should know what Brahma did for you.

Brahma argued with Daksha more than once in order to speak up for Shiva. Although Daksha's initial Wrath towards Shiva was only because Brahma's head had been cut off, Brahma no longer pursued the matter, but Daksha stubbornly clung to it.

However, since Brahma had already given Daksha the rules of Fire Sacrifice at the time of Daksha birth, there was not much else he could do.

"Hmm... I know all of that."

Shiva nodded once more.

"Since you know that Brahma is bound by the rules he set during the Fire Sacrifice, Vishnu is bound by his promise to Daksha, and you yourself are bound by the vow Sati made to you, how can you unilaterally and forcefully demand that they do things that even they themselves find difficult to do?"

Kavia said calmly.

"You, Shiva, are you perhaps already prepared to destroy the world?"

Shiva remained silent. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Kavia Angel Vishnu and the Brahma angel a look, indicating that he would handle it and that they should leave first.

The two Aspected God tellers nodded and then left, leaving the two of them alone.

"Like you, Shiva, I have also foreseen the end for Sati."

When Kavia uttered those words, Shiva could no longer conceal himself. A surge of intense emotion instantly overwhelmed him, and a wave of sorrow welled up within him. Tears, like a fountain or a geyser, slowly streamed down his face.

"... a stubborn woman like that can't be stopped, Kavia..."

"I know."

"This time, Sati is really going to die..."

"She will be reincarnated."

"But that's not her anymore, I'll never see Sati again..."

"I know."

"What should I do, Kavia...?"

This was perhaps the first time Kavia had witnessed Shiva's 'ugly' state, a state that had been utterly indifferent since their first meeting.

Sati will die and eventually be reborn as Parvati, the Parvati, to be with Shiva. However, the aloof and elegant Parvati will never be as stubborn, headstrong, reckless, and passionate as Sati.

"Nandi once told me a story about you and Sati," Nandi said.

Once, my Lord and his Mistress were under a fruit tree. His Mistress offered him fruit twice, and he refused both times. But I knew that my Lord was thinking that if his Mistress offered him fruit one more time, he would eat it. Because repeating a sentence three times makes it a wish, and my Lord would fulfill his Mistress's wish.

But the Mistress did not ask a third time... because God Jia, you have come, so they have come to hear you tell the story of the Jalandhara."

"... Is that so...?"

"Maybe so, or maybe Nandi is just talking nonsense."

Kavia looked up at the Sun and smiled, "Although you're a quiet type, Sati is quite talkative. I learned everything about your meeting from her a long time ago. Don't worry, I'll do something about it."

Sati and Shiva first met in the Forest.

Sati looked at Shiva, who resembled a wild man, with curiosity, and even asked him his name.

However, Shiva was perhaps Meditation at the time, or perhaps he simply didn't want to engage, and therefore didn't speak immediately.

After thinking for a long time, Sati suddenly said, "Rudra, I'll call you Rudra."

Why do you call me by this name?

Shiva asked, somewhat curiously.

"Because with this name, you can run freely in the Forest and in the wilderness."

This is what happened when the two met.

Upon hearing Kavia's words, Shiva's mind was flooded with memories of the past. Though he couldn't stop the tears from falling, he still raised his head and said:

"No, this is something that cannot be stopped. There's no way to change it. I can transform into a human, but I cannot change my Fate..."

Shiva's doubts are correct. If Sati goes to Daksha's Fire Sacrifice, she will die and become the Parvati, which is part of Lila and part of karma. The fact that he could not stop Sati from going is the best proof of this.

However, this problem was extremely simple for Kavia.

"Because Shiva, you are my friend."

He smiled and replied.

"And I, Kavia, even if it's not that name, as long as I am who I am, will never stand idly by when a friend is in trouble."

I answered sincerely and from the bottom of my heart.

The answer was neither hesitant nor pretentious.

This was both a rule he set for himself and a genuine "desire" to do so.

Shiva was stunned.

"You, Vishnu, Brahma all have their own limitations in this Fire Sacrifice, but I do not—not with Daksha, not with the rules, not with Sati."

Kavia looked directly into Shiva's eyes and said:

"So believe me, I will definitely do it."

The Fire Sacrifice held in Daksha was conducted as usual at noon, when the sunlight was dazzling and intense, everything was too bright, and everything was shimmering in bright white light.

In a beautiful and magnificent space where sunlight streams in through large windows adorned with numerous flowers, the grand Fire Sacrifice held by Daksha begins in Kanakhala.

Kanakhala, located near the Hinduism Holy Land of Haridwar, is traditionally believed to be the site of Daksha's ceremonies and is also mentioned in the Mahabharata.

At this moment, many Rishi surrounded Daksha, who was chanting to the Sacrificial Altar in the center Daksha, which was laden with offerings:

"O messenger of the gods Agni, appear before me at my request."

"When the God of Fire comes, all the gods arrive; when the God of Fire comes, all the gods arrive."

The moment the unanimous voices fell silent, a raging fire erupted from the Sacrificial Altar.

The fire god Agni slowly emerged from the crowd, and everyone around him bowed their heads and clasped their hands in respect.

"Welcome, Vulcan Agni."

Daksha gestured to one side, "Please take a seat."

With each chant, one Deity after another appeared: Indra, the Heavenly Emperor; Varuna, the Varuna of the sea; Wind God Vayu; Surya, the Sun God; Yama, the god of Death God Kama, the Love God, and many other gods.

Before the Ritual even began, Sati's mother, upon learning that Sati had come alone, had already instructed the guards at the door not to let Sati in. Now, she somewhat regretted extending that invitation to her daughter, as she knew it had led to an argument between them, causing her immense distress and remorse for her rashness...

However, even with such orders, the guards couldn't stop Sati from entering, after all, in their eyes, Sati was just a daughter who wanted to see her father.

At the end of the Ritual, Vishnu and his consort, as well as Brahma and his consort, appeared. As for Kavia, she was still with Shiva and therefore could not arrive.

Meanwhile, Vritra, the gatekeeper of the Himalayas, was sharing a table with Kama again. Although she wasn't the only Asura present, since Daksha had made it clear that anyone could attend the Fire Sacrifice to show its grandeur, Kama naturally sat down with Vritra, remembering what had happened last time. As for Rati, being Daksha's daughter, she stood in the chanting group.

"Your presence at my Fire Sacrifice has greatly honored my humble abode, and I am deeply grateful. By the way, Lord of the Himalayas accepted my invitation?"

Daksha spoke to Vishnu.

"Yes, Jia should be here shortly."

According to Vishnu, Kavia, who comforted Shiva, would come to perform the Fire Sacrifice for the first time because of Sati.

"Daksha, don't you think it was a grave mistake not to invite Shiva?"

Upon hearing Brahma's words, Daksha frowned.

"I didn't invite Shiva, could some Calamity befall me? Father, did no god or Goddess refuse to participate in this Fire Sacrifice in protest of Shiva's absence?"

Brahma sighed deeply:

"We were all forced to come, Daksha. Those invited to the Fire Sacrifice had no choice but to appear. However, without Great God, no Fire Sacrifice can be completed. Child, you shouldn't have made an enemy of Shiva. There's still time. Summon Shiva and ask for his forgiveness. He is Sati's lover, and he will forgive you. Otherwise, everyone knows Shiva's wrath, and you will regret it then."

"Shiva's wrath? That Jalandhara?"

Daksha laughed, "That Jalandhara leads evil to wreak havoc in the Three Worlds, disregarding even the Aspected God. His wrath is already so savage; he himself must be even more so! Judging from this, Shiva is utterly unworthy of being considered Aspected God!"

Seeing that Daksha was so stubborn, Brahma could say nothing more and could only sit with Vishnu in the highest position, which only the sage could sit in.

Seeing that Brahma had stopped speaking, Daksha also proceeded with the Ritual steps diligently.

"Brahma, Father of the World; Saraswati, Mother of the World; I salute you."