Virbhadra and the End of Daksha's Yagya

The ganas who had gone with Sati returned to Kailash and told Shiv everything. Hearing it, the ever-calm Mahadev was filled with fury. He pulled a lock from his matted hair and struck it on the ground.

From that lock rose a fierce, towering warrior: Virbhadra. He had many arms and eyes that blazed like fire. With him appeared Mahakali, the fierce form of the Goddess. Virbhadra folded his hands and asked: Lord, what is your command? Shiv said: go and destroy Daksha's yagya.

Virbhadra led Shiv's ganas to Kankhal. The yagya hall was torn down, and the devas who had stood by Daksha's injustice were punished. Finally Virbhadra cut off the proud Daksha's head. The yagya that had been planned as an insult could not be completed.

Then Brahma, Vishnu and all the devas went to Kailash and pleaded with Shiv: Lord, calm your anger, let the yagya be completed, forgive Daksha. The heart of Ashutosh Shiv softened, and he came to Kankhal himself.

A goat's head was placed on Daksha's body, and he came back to life. Now his pride was completely broken. With folded hands he praised Shiv and gave him his rightful share in the yagya. But the grief of losing Sati stayed in Shiv's heart, and he went into deep samadhi.