What the Shiva Purana actually says (Re: Shiva Sati story)

02-18-2002, 03:17 PM

Colin,

I wanted to thank you for taking the time to look up a published text
and compare it to the web text. I'm a long time research buff myself
so I feel more comfortable with the old fashioned scholarly approach.
I've not yet reached a point where I feel confident about web
information on subjects with which I'm not familiar.

I'm so very interested in this area of study and more than a little
intimidated by the amount of information available. It's too difficult
for a novice to sort all of it out. Previously devi_bhakta has posted
specific guidance regarding books in English that contain the text of
the Devi Gita and Devi Bhagavatam. This was very helpful to me.
Unfortunately, I cannot locate the post right now, but I do have my
copy of the Devi Gita and am not yet ready for the Devi Bhagavatam.

What I mean to say is, I appreciate your thoughtful contribution to
the dialog. It gives me much to think about and specific sources to
review, should I choose to do so. Also, I like the very detailed
comparisons of different source material. It appeals to my
intellectual nature. That you are able to present your comparisons
with such grace is also appealing in this welcoming forum.

Namaste,

Prainbow

--- In shakti_sadhana@y..., colinr@z... wrote:

> I've just visited a library where there is a copy of the Shiva
Purana, in
> an verse by verse English translation published by Motilal
Banarsidass of
> Delhi in 1970. It is Volume 1 of the series _Ancient Indian
Tradition and
> Mythology_ edited by J.L.Shastri.
>
> I have to tell you that the version of the Shiva-Sati story which
appears
> in it is in many ways different from the version you quoted.
>
> In your earlier posting you said that your version came from the
web.
>
> If we want to know what the Shiva Purana actually says, which is the
more
> reliable source...
>
> 1.A verse by verse translation of the Shiva Purana?
>
> or
>
> 2.A narrative on a website which claims to be based on the Shiva
Purana?
>
> >in the version, i read, shiva was 'enraged' at his beloved
> >wife's untimely death - so enraged was he that he cut daksha's head
> >and threw it into the sacrificial fire.
>
> In the version I've just been looking at, Shiva is certainly angered
by the
> death of Sati. However, Shiva doesn't personally cut off Daksha's
head.
> Shiva sends a being called Virabhadra to do this, while Shiva
himself waits
> in Kailasa.
>
> >then upon request . he found
> >the head of a 'goat' on daksha's head and revived him.
>
> Yes. In the Shiva Purana he comes down and does this after the gods
visit
> Kailasa to propitiate him.
>
> >in this version that i read, shiva does take the lifeless 'body'
of
> >sati and in a 'frenzied' mood did the 'tandava' dance - he was
> >roaming round carrying the corpse of sati on his shoulders like a
mad
> >man -then vishnu threw his 'disc' (sudarshana chakra) and cut her
> >body into several pieces and sati's body fell all over and these
> >places were honred as shakti peethas! please refer to post on
shakti
> >peethas!
>
> None of this happens in the text I've just read.
>
> The Shiva Purana version of Sati story ends with Shiva accepting the
> worship of the revived and repentant Daksha, then going back to
Kailasa and
> talking about Sati to his followers there.
>
> The text actually specifies that Sati's body was "reduced to ashes"
when
> she died. (Siva Purana, Rudrasamhita, Section II, chapter 30 verses
6 to
> 8). There is simply no body for Shiva to carry around or for Vishnu
to cut
> up.
>
> The story about the origin of the shakta pithas is well known and
> important. It is found in the Kalika Purana, and probably in other
writings
> as well. But not in the Shiva Purana.
>
> Does this matter? Is it important to distinguish between different
versions
> of a sacred story such as the myth of Shiva and Sati?
>
> I think it is important, because the diversity is part of the
richness of
> India's sacred lore. That richness is obscured when a particular
version of
> the Shiva Sati myth (for instance) is presented as if it were the
only one.
>
>
> >who is to glorify whom? in shiva purana, shiva is glorified and in
> >kalika purana mother kali glorified. in vishnu purana, vishnu is
> >glorified.
>
> True. This is another reason for distinguishing carefully between
the
> versions of a myth found in the different Puranas.
>
> >whenver i read all these 'version' i always find that there are as
> >many versions as there are translations!
>
> So, the ideal thing is to read the original texts in Sanskrit.
>
> >i use my sword of 'discrimination' and like a swan try to seperate
> >the milk from the water!
>
> I try to do that too. But the swan needs to find the water before it
can
> separate out the milk. In the same way, I feel that we need to look
> carefully at the actual texts in order to get to their essence.
>
> >as a woman (stree) it is very appealing to me to see
> >shiva 'grieving ' for his wife, sati. (specially since valentine's
> >day is just a day way- how romantic)
> >by the same token, it is very 'sexy' to see sati sacrificing her
life
> >to make a statement that her beloved husband's honr means more to
her
> >than her own life? is this not the highest form of sacrifice?
> >love!
>
> As a man I can relate to all of that.
>
> Om shantih,
>
> Colin.