Shloka 1
Satī Desires to Attend Dakṣa’s Sacrifice; Śiva Warns Against the Pain of Relatives’ Insults
मैत्रेय उवाच सदा विद्विषतोरेवं कालो वै ध्रियमाणयो: । जामातु: श्वशुरस्यापि सुमहानतिचक्रमे ॥ १ ॥
maitreya uvāca sadā vidviṣator evaṁ kālo vai dhriyamāṇayoḥ jāmātuḥ śvaśurasyāpi sumahān aticakrame
Maitreya continued: Thus the hostility and tension between father-in-law and son-in-law—Dakṣa and Lord Śiva—endured for a very long time.
The previous chapter has already explained that Vidura questioned the sage Maitreya as to the cause of the misunderstanding between Lord Śiva and Dakṣa. Another question is why the strife between Dakṣa and his son-in-law caused Satī to destroy her body. The chief reason for Satī’s giving up her body was that her father, Dakṣa, began another sacrificial performance, to which Lord Śiva was not invited at all. Generally, when any sacrifice is performed, although each and every sacrifice is intended to pacify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, all the demigods, especially Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva and the other principal demigods, such as Indra and Candra, are invited, and they take part. It is said that unless all the demigods are present, no sacrifice is complete. But in the tension between the father-in-law and son-in-law, Dakṣa began another yajña performance, to which Lord Śiva was not invited. Dakṣa was the chief progenitor employed by Lord Brahmā, and he was a son of Brahmā, so he had a high position and was also very proud.
FAQs
This verse shows that when two people continually maintain enmity, time simply passes while the hostility remains—implying prolonged suffering and stagnation until the attitude changes.
Maitreya is setting the narrative context: Daksha (father-in-law) and Lord Shiva (son-in-law) were fixed in mutual hostility, which leads into the events surrounding Daksha’s sacrifice and the ensuing offense.
It warns that holding onto resentment can become a long-term habit; consciously choosing reconciliation, respect, and restraint prevents years from being lost in unresolved hostility.