||Om Nama: Shivaya||

 

Chapter – 66 – Rudra Samhitha/Sati Kanda – 5

 

Maharishi Narada speaks “ Oh! Bhraman, Oh! Vidhe, Oh! Mahabhaga, Oh! Vishnushishya, Oh! Mahamathe, you have narrated the wedding of Kamadeva with Devi Rathi, immediately after that the Sages assembled returned to their respective abodes, Oh! Bhagavan, kindly narrate about your mind-born daughter Sandhya, where did she go after that incident? What happened to her? Did she marry again? Kindly narrate the legend of Devi Sandhya.”

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “ Oh! Mune, I shall narrate the legend of Sandhya, listening, or reading her story would transform a woman to chaste. Sandhya undertook severe penance and austerities, and left her mortal coil, afterward she took birth as Devi Arundhathi who is the daughter of illustrious Sage. Devi Arundhathi undertook severe penance at the instruction of the trinities, as a result of the piousness achieved, she had attained Sage Vashishta as her husband, and thus Devi Arundhathi became well known for her chastity.”

 

Maharishi Narada speaks “Oh! Bhrama, where did Devi Sandhya conduct Tapasya? What was the purpose of the Tapasya? How did she leave the mortal coil? How did she achieve rebirth as the daughter of illustrious Sage? Kindly describe the wedding of Devi Arundhathi and Sage Vashishta took place at the instruction of Lord Bhrama, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Mahesha.”

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “ Oh! Narada, I have already explained the situation of the birth of manes /Pithrus from the sweat of mine, after having a passionate desire to obtain Devi Sandhya who was mind-born of mine, due to the willful exposure of the skills of Kamadeva. All those sages assembled had the same feeling to approach Devi sandhya, and the desire to have amorous sport with her was uncontrollable, thus everyone assembled before Kamadeva was besieged with the passion for Devi Sandhya which put her in deep distress. I could not control anger upon Kamadeva, so I have cursed him. Lord Shiva restored peace in us and left to his abode. Devi Sandhya could not mellow the fact of the Sages who were my mind-born sons, and my desire to achieve her for amorous sport, even though Kamadeva received the punishment for the sin. She felt terribly upset about the entire scenario, as she has become the center point of the passionate glances of Sages and her own father. She was also driven passionate towards brothers and father by the cupid arrows of Manmatha, she has considered herself as the grave sinner who caused to kindle the fire of lust in her own father and brothers. Therefore Devi Sandhya sought after the help of Veda for the atonement of the sins, further decided to burn down the body which caused her to stir passionate feelings towards her brothers and father. She decided to perform severe Tapasya, in order to abolish the immoral concept once for all from the Earth, further she decided to put an end to the body which kindled the hearts of her brothers and father, in this way she decided to discard the body which has no use, withered in immoral ways. Thus, Devi Sandhya went to Mount Chandhrabhaga and undertook extreme Tapasya on the riverbank of Chandrabhaga, further she moved to the hills of Chandrabhaga and conducted the penance. I spoke to my son Vashista who is profound in Veda, Vedanga, Agamashasthras, and scriptures, he is knower of all, and a perfect Yogi, informed him about the wretched state of Devi Sandhya and asked him to meet her.  She was undertaking penance in the mountains of Chandhrabhaga, I have advised him to provide Deeksha to her, explained all that disgraceful incident took place with Devi Sandhya, I wanted my daughter Devi Sandhya who is virtuous to attain the state of a chaste woman. I have advised Vashishta to instruct Devi Sandhya about the proceedings of Tapasya, she was already on the verge of leaving her mortal coil. I have instructed Vashishta to assume the form an ascetic and approach her, and guide her properly to achieve the fruitfulness of the Tapasya because she will not accept any of the favors from me or her brothers. I wanted to guide Devi Sandhya to achieve the highest of the piousness before leaving the mortal coil.”

 

Lord Bhrama continues “Oh! Narada, as per my instruction, Vashishta assumed the form of a Brahmin and approached Devi Sandhya who was seated on the river banks of Manasarovar. The presence of Devi Sandhya multiplied the beauty of the river and the whole atmosphere in the Mansarovar, the lake was packed with lotus flowers, it was the hours of the twilight. Vashishta approached her, looked at the cluster of lotus flowers and reddish sky, the river Chandhrabhaga on the southern side of the Ghat streaming towards the ocean, and the river Ganga streaming down through the western side of the hill towards the ocean. Vashishta respectfully spoke “Oh! Bhadhre, why are you here on the auspicious hills of Chandhrabhaga? What would you do here? Whose daughter are you? I could read out extreme distress from your full moon-like face, if you do not mind, describe the reason for it, I am willing to listen to your qualms?” Devi Sandhya felt extremely relieved listening to the kind words of Sage Vashishta, she offered a seat to the Bhraman and spoke “Oh! Bhagavan, I have achieved the piousness of visiting the mount Chandhrabhaga, I have met a pious soul. Oh! Bhagavan, I am the daughter of Lord Bhrama, I am Sandhya I have returned to the dense wood for conducting Tapasya in the mount Chandhrabhaga, Oh! Bhagavan, kindly deliver a speech on supreme knowledge and the supreme Lord, I would like to listen from you. I have returned to woods without the knowledge of performing the Tapasya, I was perplexed and was extremely unwell.”  Vashishta who was already known about the wretched state of Devi Sandhya did not ask further questions.”

 

Sage Vashishta immersed on the meditation upon supreme Lord Shankara who is the flawless Yogi and spoke to Sandhya “ Oh! Varanane, the supreme Lord Mahadeva who has lustrous appearance is the greatest Yogi,  I would suggest you should contemplate upon that Lord Shankara. You should meditate upon that Purushoththama who is the source of Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha,  Lord Mahadeva is primordial, he is the cause for the Universe and its living beings, Oh! Shubhanane, the supreme Lord Mahadeva is Devesha, therefore meditate upon that supreme Lord Shambhu, you will definitely achieve all that desired. Oh! Devi, you can recite the glorious syllable ‘Om Nama: Shankara” in your mind and conduct Tapasya. I shall advise a few more methods of performance of Tapasya, take a holy dip and undertake the worship of supreme Lord Mahadeva, in the beginning, you can consume the water once in four hours and conduct Tapasya. The worship of Lord Mahadeva in silence and fast would provide the merit of celibacy, Oh! Devi, if you sincerely conduct the worship of the supreme Lord Mahadeva, you would achieve all that desired, there is no doubt in it.” Thus, Sage Vashishta after giving the guidance and Manthradheeksha to Devi Sandhya disappeared from her sight.