Shiva Renounces Sati and Enters Samadhi
Because of Sati’s conduct, Shiva withdraws from her inwardly and no longer accepts her in the same way. He then enters profound samadhi, turning away from worldly engagement.
Bal Kand · Episode 17 / 59
Episode Text
तब संकर प्रभु पद सिरु नावा। सुमिरत रामु हृदयँ अस आवा॥ एहिं तन सतिहि भेट मोहि नाहीं। सिव संकल्पु कीन्ह मन माहीं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba saṃkara prabhu pada siru nāvā। sumirata rāmu hṛdayaṃ asa āvā॥ ehiṃ tana satihi bheṭa mohi nāhīṃ। siva saṅkalpu kīnha mana māhīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Then Shiva bowed his head at the Lord’s feet, and as he remembered Rama, it came to his heart that in this body there could be no meeting with Sati in the manner of husband and wife. Shiva formed this resolve in his mind.
अस बिचारि संकरु मतिधीरा। चले भवन सुमिरत रघुबीरा॥ चलत गगन भै गिरा सुहाई। जय महेस भलि भगति दृढ़ाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa bichāri saṃkaru matidhīrā। chale bhavana sumirata raghubīrā॥ calata gagana bhai girā suhāī। jaya mahesa bhali bhagati dṛḍhāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Thinking thus, the steadfast Shiva went toward his abode (Kailasa), remembering Rama. As he walked, a lovely voice from the sky said: "Victory to you, Mahesha! You have shown fine steadfastness in devotion."
अस पन तुम्ह बिनु करइ को आना। रामभगत समरथ भगवाना॥ सुनि नभगिरा सती उर सोचा। पूछा सिवहि समेत सकोचा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa pana tumha binu karai ko ānā। rāmabhagata samartha bhagavānā॥ suni nabhagirā satī ura socā। pūchā sivahi sameta sakocā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
"Who else besides you can make such a vow? You are a devotee of Rama, capable, and divine." Hearing this voice from the sky, Sati became troubled in her heart and, with hesitation, asked Shiva—
कीन्ह कवन पन कहहु कृपाला। सत्यधाम प्रभु दीनदयाला॥ जदपि सतीं पूछा बहु भाँती। तदपि न कहेउ त्रिपुर आराती॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kīnha kavana pana kahahu kṛpālā। satyadhāma prabhu dīnadayālā॥ jadapi satīṃ pūchā bahu bhāṃtī। tadapi na kaheu tripura ārātī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
"Tell me, O compassionate one, what vow have you made? O Lord, you are the abode of truth and the friend of the lowly." Although Sati asked in many ways, Tripurari Shiva said nothing.
सतीं हृदयँ अनुमान किय सबु जानेउ सर्बग्य। कीन्ह कपटु मैं संभु सन नारि सहज जड़ अग्य॥ ५७ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
satīṃ hṛdayaṃ anumāna kiyā sabu jānêu sarbagya। kīnha kapaṭu maiṃ sambhu san nāri sahaja jaḍa agya॥ 57 (a) ॥
Meaning:
Sati concluded in her heart that the omniscient Shiva had understood everything. "I deceived Shiva; by nature woman is dull and ignorant," she thought.
जलु पय सरिस बिकाइ देखहु प्रीति कि रीति भलि। बिलग होइ रसु जाइ कपट खटाई परत पुनि॥ ५७ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jalu paya sarisa bikāi dekhahu prīti ki rīti bhali। bilaga hoi rasu jāi kapaṭa khaṭāī parata puni॥ 57 (b) ॥
Meaning:
See the beautiful nature of love: even water, when mixed with milk, is sold as if it were milk; but when the sourness of deceit falls in, the water separates again (the milk curdles), and the taste [of love] is lost.
हृदयँ सोचु समुझत निज करनी। चिंता अमित जाइ नहिं बरनी॥ कृपासिंधु सिव परम अगाधा। प्रगट न कहेउ मोर अपराधा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hṛdayaṃ sochu samujhata nija karanī। cintā amita jāi nahiṃ baranī॥ kṛpāsindhu siva parama agādhā। pragaṭa na kaheu mora aparādhā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Remembering her own conduct, Sati had such sorrow in her heart and such boundless anxiety that it could not be described. [She understood that] Shiva is the supreme, unfathomable ocean of compassion, and so he did not openly speak of my fault.
संकर रुख अवलोकि भवानी। प्रभु मोहि तजेउ हृदयँ अकुलानी॥ निज अघ समुझि न कछु कहि जाई। तपइ अवाँ इव उर अधिकाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃkara rukha avaloki bhavānī। prabhu mohi tajeu hṛdayaṃ akulānī॥ nija agha samujhi na kachu kahi jāī। tapai avāṃ iva ura adhikāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Shiva's expression, Bhavani understood that her Lord had abandoned her, and she became distressed in her heart. Realizing her own sin, she could say nothing, but her heart burned all the more intensely within, like a kiln's furnace.
सतिहि ससोच जानि बृषकेतू। कहीं कथा सुंदर सुखहेतू॥ बरनत पंथ बिबिध इतिहासा। बिस्वनाथ पहुँचे कैलासा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
satihi sasocha jāni bṛṣaketū। kahīṃ kathā sundara sukhahetū॥ baranata pantha bibidha itihāsā। bisvanātha pahuṃce kailāsā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Vṛṣaketu Shiva, seeing Sati full of worry, spoke beautiful stories to give her comfort. In this way, recounting various tales along the way, Vishwanath reached Kailash.
तहँ पुनि संभु समुझि पन आपन। बैठे बटतर करि कमलासन॥ संकर सहज सरूपु सम्हारा। लागि समाधि अखंड अपारा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tahaṃ puni saṃbhu samujhi pana āpana। baiṭhe baṭatara kari kamalāsana॥ saṃkara sahaja sarūpu samhārā। lāgi samādhi akhaṇḍa apārā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
There, Shiva again remembered his vow and sat down under the banyan tree in padmasana. He gathered up his natural form, and then his undivided, boundless meditation began.
सती बसहिं कैलास तब अधिक सोचु मन माहिं। मरमु न कोऊ जान कछु जुग सम दिवस सिराहिं॥ ५८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
satī basahiṃ kailāsa taba adhika sochu mana māhiṃ। maramu na koū jāna kachu juga sama divasa sirāhiṃ॥ 58 ॥
Meaning:
Then Sati lived on Mount Kailash, and her mind was filled with great sorrow. No one knew this secret at all. For her, each day passed like an age.
नित नव सोचु सती उर भारा। कब जैहउँ दुख सागर पारा॥ मैं जो कीन्ह रघुपति अपमाना। पुनि पतिबचनु मृषा करि जाना॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nita nava sochu satī ura bhārā। kaba jaihauṃ dukha sāgara pārā॥ maiṃ jo kīnha raghupati apamānā। puni patibachanu mṛṣā kari jānā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
A new and heavy sorrow kept rising in Sati's heart: when would she ever cross this ocean of suffering? I insulted Shri Raghunath, and then I took my husband's words to be false--
सो फलु मोहि बिधाताँ दीन्हा। जो कछु उचित रहा सोइ कीन्हा॥ अब बिधि अस बूझिअ नहिं तोही। संकर बिमुख जिआवसि मोही॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so phalu mohi bidhātāṃ dīnhā। jo kachu uchita rahā soi kīnhā॥ aba bidhi asa būjhia nahiṃ tohī। saṃkara bimukha jiyāvasi mohī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The Creator gave me the fruit of that deed; whatever was proper, He did. But now, O Destiny, it is not right for You to keep me alive even though I am estranged from Shankar.
कहि न जाइ कछु हृदय गलानी। मन महुँ रामहि सुमिर सयानी॥ जौं प्रभु दीनदयालु कहावा। आरति हरन बेद जसु गावा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahi na jāi kachu hṛdaya galānī। mana mahuṃ rāmahi sumira sayānī॥ joṃ prabhu dīnadayālu kahāvā। ārati harana beda jasu gāvā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The anguish in Sati's heart cannot be described. The wise Sati remembered Shri Ramchandra in her mind and said, 'O Lord, if You are called compassionate to the lowly and the Vedas sing Your glory as the remover of suffering,'
तौ मैं बिनय करउँ कर जोरी। छूटउ बेगि देह यह मोरी॥ जौं मोरें सिव चरन सनेहू। मन क्रम बचन सत्य ब्रतु एहू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tau maiṃ binaya karauṃ kara jorī। chūṭau begi deha yaha morī॥ joṃ moreṃ siva carana sanehū। mana krama bachana satya bratu ehū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then I pray with folded hands that this body of mine may soon be released. If I truly have love for Shiva's feet, and if this vow of mine is true in mind, speech, and deed,
तौ सबदरसी सुनिअ प्रभु करउ सो बेगि उपाइ। होइ मरनु जेहिं बिनहिं श्रम दुसह बिपत्ति बिहाइ॥ ५९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tau sabadarasī suniya prabhu karau so begi upāi। hoi maranu jehiṃ binahiṃ śrama dusaha bipatti bihāi॥ 59 ॥
Meaning:
Then, O all-seeing Lord, hear me and quickly do that by which I may die, and without any toil this unbearable calamity [of being abandoned by my husband] may be ended.
एहि बिधि दुखित प्रजेसकुमारी। अकथनीय दारुन दुखु भारी॥ बीतें संबत सहस सतासी। तजी समाधि संभु अबिनासी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi dukhita prajesakumārī। akathanīya dārun dukhu bhārī॥ bīteṃ sambaṭa sahasa satāsī। tajī samādhi saṃbhu abināsī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
In this way, the daughter of the king of the gods, Sati, was deeply afflicted with indescribably terrible sorrow. After eighty-seven thousand years had passed, the imperishable Shiva came out of meditation.
राम नाम सिव सुमिरन लागे। जानेउ सतीं जगतपति जागे॥ जाइ संभु पद बंदनु कीन्हा। सनमुख संकर आसनु दीन्हा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma nāma siva sumirana lāge। jāneu satīṃ jagatapati jāge॥ jāi saṃbhu pada bandanu kīnhā। sanamukha saṃkara āsanu dīnhā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva began to repeat the name of Rama, and then Sati understood that the Lord of the universe had awakened. She went and bowed at Shiva's feet. Shiva offered her a seat facing him.
लगे कहन हरिकथा रसाला। दच्छ प्रजेस भए तेहि काला॥ देखा बिधि बिचारि सब लायक। दच्छहि कीन्ह प्रजापति नायक॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
lage kahana harikathā rasālā। daccha prajesa bhae tehi kālā॥ dekhā bidhi bicāri saba lāyaka। dacchahi kīnha prajāpati nāyaka॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva began to speak the sweet stories of Hari. At that very time, Daksha became a Prajapati. Brahma, considering him worthy in every way, made Daksha the leader of the Prajapatis.
बड़ अधिकार दच्छ जब पावा। अति अभिमानु हृदयँ तब आवा॥ नहिं कोउ अस जनमा जग माहीं। प्रभुता पाइ जाहि मद नाहीं॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baḍa adhikāra daccha jaba pāvā। ati abhimānu hṛdayaṃ taba āvā॥ nahiṃ kou asa janamā jaga māhīṃ। prabhutā pāi jāhi mada nāhīṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
When Daksha gained such great authority, extreme pride entered his heart. There is no one born in the world who does not become intoxicated with pride upon gaining power.
दच्छ लिए मुनि बोलि सब करन लगे बड़ जाग। नेवते सादर सकल सुर जे पावत मख भाग॥ ६० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
daccha lie muni boli saba karana lage baḍa jāga। nevate sādara sakala sura je pāvata makha bhāga॥ 60 ॥
Meaning:
Daksha summoned all the sages, and then the great sacrifice began. He respectfully invited all the gods who were to receive a share in the sacrificial offering.
किंनर नाग सिद्ध गंधर्बा। बधुन्ह समेत चले सुर सर्बा॥ बिष्नु बिरंचि महेसु बिहाई। चले सकल सुर जान बनाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kiṃnara nāga siddha gandharbā। badhunha sameta chale sura sarbā॥ biṣṇu biraṃci mahesu bihāī। chale sakala sura jāna banāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Upon receiving Daksha's invitation, the Kinnaras, नागas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and all the gods went with their wives. Leaving Vishnu, Brahma, and Mahesh aside, all the gods set out in splendid vehicles.
सतीं बिलोके ब्योम बिमाना। जात चले सुंदर बिधि नाना॥ सुर सुंदरी करहिं कल गाना। सुनत श्रवन छूटहिं मुनि ध्याना॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
satīṃ biloke byoma bimānā। jāta chale sundara bidhi nānā॥ sura sundarī karahiṃ kala gānā। sunata śravana chūṭahiṃ muni dhyānā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Sati saw many kinds of beautiful celestial cars moving through the sky. The heavenly maidens were singing sweetly, and hearing them caused the sages' meditation to slip away.
पूछेउ तब सिवँ कहेउ बखानी। पिता जग्य सुनि कछु हरषानी॥ जौं महेसु मोहि आयसु देहीं। कछु दिन जाइ रहौं मिस एहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pūcheu taba sivaṃ kaheu bakhānī। pitā jagya suni kachu haraṣānī॥ joṃ mahesu mohi āyasu dehīṃ। kachu dina jāi rahauṃ misa ehīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Sati asked [why the gods were going in the aerial cars], and Shiva explained everything. Hearing about her father's sacrifice, Sati felt somewhat pleased and thought that if Mahadev would grant her permission, she could go and stay at her father's house for a few days on that pretext.
पति परित्याग हृदयँ दुखु भारी। कहइ न निज अपराध बिचारी॥ बोली सती मनोहर बानी। भय संकोच प्रेम रस सानी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pati parityāga hṛdayaṃ dukhu bhārī। kahai na nija aparādha bicārī॥ bolī satī manohara bānī। bhaya saṃkocha prema rasa sānī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Because their hearts were burdened with the great sorrow of being abandoned by their husband, they said nothing, knowing their own fault. At last Sati spoke in a sweet voice, soaked in fear, modesty, and the essence of love--
पिता भवन उत्सव परम जौं प्रभु आयसु होइ। तौ मैं जाउँ कृपायतन सादर देखन सोइ॥ ६१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pitā bhavana utsava parama joṃ prabhu āyasu hoi। tau maiṃ jāuṃ kṛpāyatana sādara dekhana soi॥ 61 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, there is a grand celebration at my father's house. If it is Your command, then, O abode of compassion, I would go respectfully to see it.
कहेहु नीक मोरेहुँ मन भावा। यह अनुचित नहिं नेवत पठावा॥ दच्छ सकल निज सुता बोलाईं। हमरें बयर तुम्हउ बिसराईं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahehu nīka morehuṃ mana bhāvā। yaha anauchait nahiṃ nevata paṭhāvā॥ daccha sakala nija sutā bolāīṃ। hamarẽ bayara tumhau bisarāīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva said, 'You have spoken well; this too pleases my heart. But it is improper that they did not send an invitation. Daksha has called all his daughters; yet because of their enmity toward us, they have forgotten you as well.'
ब्रह्मसभाँ हम सन दुखु माना। तेहि तें अजहुँ करहिं अपमाना॥ जौं बिनु बोलें जाहु भवानी। रहइ न सीलु सनेहु न कानी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmasabhāṃ hama sana dukhu mānā। tehiṃ tē ajahuṃ karahiṃ apamānā॥ joṃ binu boleṃ jāhu bhavānī। rahai na sīlu sanehu na kānī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Once, in Brahma's assembly, they took offense at me, and because of that they still insult me. O Bhavani, if you go without being invited, then neither dignity nor affection, nor proper decorum, will remain.
जदपि मित्र प्रभु पितु गुर गेहा। जाइअ बिनु बोलेहुँ न सँदेहा॥ तदपि बिरोध मान जहँ कोई। तहाँ गएँ कल्यानु न होई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jadapi mitra prabhu pitu guru gehā। jāi'a binu bolehuṃ na saṃdehā॥ tadapi birodha māna jahaṃ koī। tahāṃ gaeṃ kalyānu na hoī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Although there is no doubt that one may go without invitation to the house of a friend, lord, father, or guru, still where someone feels offended, going there does not bring welfare.
भाँति अनेक संभु समुझावा। भावी बस न ग्यानु उर आवा॥ कह प्रभु जाहु जो बिनहिं बोलाएँ। नहिं भलि बात हमारे भाएँ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhāṃti aneka saṃbhu samujhāvā। bhāvī basa na gyānu ura āvā॥ kaha prabhu jāhu jo binahiṃ bolāeṃ। nahiṃ bhali bāta hamāre bhāeṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva tried to persuade her in many ways, but by the force of destiny Sati did not understand. Then Shiva said that if you go without being invited, in our view it would not be proper.
कहि देखा हर जतन बहु रहइ न दच्छकुमारि। दिए मुख्य गन संग तब बिदा कीन्ह त्रिपुरारि॥ ६२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahi dekhā hara jatana bahu rahai na dacchakumāri। die mukhya gana saṃga taba bidā kīnha tripurāri॥ 62 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva tried again and again to dissuade her, but when Sati would not stop in any way, then Tripurari Mahadev sent her off with his chief attendants.