Dharma, one was married to Agni (Fire God), one to all the Pittars (spirits of dead
ancestors who have become demi-gods), and one to Lord Shiva.
The eleven daughters who were married to Dharma were the following—
Shraddha (who gave birth to Shubha), Maitri (who gave birth to Prasaad), Dayaa
(who gave birth to Abhaya), Shaanti (who gave birth to Sukha), Tushti (who gave
birth to Moda), Pushti (who gave birth to Ahankaar), Kriyaa (who gave birth to
Yoga), Unnati (who gave birth to Darpa), Buddhi (who gave birth to Artha or
financial well-being), Medhaa (who gave birth to Smriti or memory), Titikshaa (who
gave birth to Kshema or taking care of necessities of life), Hrii or Lajja {modesty and
dignity} (who gave birth to Prasraya or prayerful submission), and Murti (who gave
birth to two great sons named Nar and Naaraayan).
The youngest daughter who was married to Lord Shiva was called Sati. This lady
later on burnt herself out of anger and insult in the fire sacrifice of her own father.
This incident however is narrated in detail in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, from
Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha no. 60—to Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes
Doha no. 65.
At the time of death however, she wished to be married to Lord Shiva once again
as she was fully devoted to the Lord and did not want to marry anyone else in her
next birth. So took birth as Parvati in the household of the king of mountains known
as Himwaan. Parvati did severe Tapa to marry Lord Shiva. This story is narrated in
detail in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, from Doha no. 72—to Chaupai line no. 4
that precedes Doha no. 103.
A different version is narrated in Garud Puran. According to it the story is as
follows:—With the aim of creating a world with living beings, the creator Brahma
created five “Manas Putras” or mental-born sons in his own likeness. They were
Dharma, Rudra, Manu, Bhrigu and Sankaadi. Then with his right thumb, Brahma
created Daksha, and with his left thumb he created the wife of Daksha who produced
16 daughters. They were the following—Shradhaa, Maitri, Dayaa, Shaanti, Tushti,
Pushti, Kriyaa, Unnati, Buddhi, Medhaa, Murti, Titikshaa, Hli, Swaahaa, Swadhaa
and Sati.
Swaahaa was married to Agni, Swadhaa to the Pittars, and the other thirteen
daughters were married to Dharma. The 16th daughter, Sati, was married to Rudra
whose other name is Shiva. When Daksha had insulted Shiva by not inviting him to
the fire sacrifice he had organized, and in which Sati had burnt herself as narrated in
Ram Charit Manas (Baal Kand, from Doha no. 61—to Chaupai line no. 4 that
precedes Doha no. 65), Shiva had cursed him (Daksha) that he would be demoted to
become a human being and take birth in the family of Dhruv. One of the descendents
of Dhruv was known as Prachetaa who did severe Tapa (penance) to get the power of
reproduction and spread his progeny. He married the daughter of Kandu, named
Maarishaa, and from her he begot a son named Daksha. Then this Daksha produced
so many living beings by his mere mental wish men that they filled all the four
corners of the world. But the irony was that these mental-born creatures were unable
to reproduce themselves—i.e. they could not beget children in order to perpetuate this
creation consisting of living beings on earth. In other words, once they died the land
would be barren once again.
In order to overcome this problem, Daksha married Asikni, the daughter of
Veeran Prajapati. From her he produced thousand sons and countless daughters.
These daughters were the ones from whom Kashyap and others were able to
perpetuate this creation. In other words, this present generation of living beings, of all
genres and families, has Daksha as their ancestor in the present cycle of creation.
The story of Daksha and his sons (numbering ten thousand) is narrated as a note
appended to Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha
no. 79.]
kiana
(Kiana)
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