Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20
सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body
शस्त्रैरघ्नन्निजांगानि केचित्तत्र शुचाकुलाः । शिरोमुखानि देवर्षे सुतीक्ष्णैः प्राणनाशिभिः
śastrairaghnannijāṃgāni kecittatra śucākulāḥ | śiromukhāni devarṣe sutīkṣṇaiḥ prāṇanāśibhiḥ
Ô sage divin, là, accablés par le chagrin, certains frappèrent leurs propres membres avec des armes ; et avec des lames extrêmement tranchantes et destructrices de vie, ils blessèrent même leurs têtes et leurs visages.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
FAQs
It depicts how intense sorrow can bind beings (pāśa) into tamasic despair; Shaiva Siddhanta emphasizes returning to Shiva (Pati) through devotion and inner steadiness rather than being conquered by grief.
In moments of collective anguish, the Purana’s implied remedy is taking refuge in Saguna Shiva through worship—especially Linga-upāsanā and remembrance—so the mind turns from self-destruction to surrender and purification.
Replace agitation with Shiva-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and stabilize the mind with simple worship such as offering water to the Linga; this redirects grief into bhakti and restraint.