Editing Virabhadra (section)

=== Origin ===
[[File:Virabhadra silver plaque.jpg|thumb|Virabhadra devotional plaque<br>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/:File:Virabhadra_silver_plaque.jpg Notes]]]

Virabhadra was created by [[Shiva]] after [[Sati (Hindu goddess)|Sati]], [[Shiva]]'s wife, immolated herself during the [[Daksha]] Yajña.

The origin of the [[Daksha]] Yajña legend lies in Taittirīya Samhita 2.6.8, where [[Rudra]] (later Shiva) was excluded from the sacrifice by the Devas, then Rudra pierced the sacrifice. [[Pushan]] lost his teeth and [[Bhaga]] got blinded. This legend is also mentioned in the Shatapatha Brāhmana of the Shukla Yajurveda and in the Gopatha Brāhmana of the Atharvaveda. The Gopatha Brāhmana version mentions [[Prajapati]] as the one who excluded Rudra from the sacrifice. In post-Vedic literature, [[Daksha]] [[Prajapati]] excluded Shiva from the Yajña.

According to [[Shaivism]], Virabhadra's origins are described as follows: Sati was the youngest daughter of [[Daksha]]. While growing up, she had her heart set on Shiva and worshipped him. During the [[Swayamvara|svayamvara]] of Sati, Daksha invited all the [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]] and princes except Shiva. Sati cast her garland into the air, calling upon Shiva to receive it, and beheld him to be standing in the midst of the court, with the garland about his neck. Daksha had no choice but to accept the marriage of his daughter to Shiva.<ref name="ReferenceA">[[Sister Nivedita]] & [[Ananda K. Coomaraswamy]]: Myths and Legends of the Hindus and Buddhists, Kolkata, 2001 {{ISBN|81-7505-197-3}}</ref>

One day, Daksha invited all the deities, as well as all of his children and grandchildren, in order to perform a [[Yajna|ritual sacrifice]], deliberately not inviting Sati and Shiva. Sati's urge to attend the event, due to her affection towards her parents, overpowered the social etiquette of not going to an uninvited ceremony. When Shiva refused to accompany her, Sati insisted on attending the ritual without him. Upon her arrival, Daksha started to humiliate her and her husband, expressing his hatred for Shiva in front of the entire assembly of people. Unable to bear the ignominy, the furious Sati leapt into the sacrificial fire, immolating herself with her yogic abilities. When Shiva heard of these tidings, he tore a clump of his matted hair, from which Virabhadra and Bhadrakali emerged.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dalal |first=Roshen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=87k0AwAAQBAJ&dq=bhadrakali+daksha&pg=PT371 |title=The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths |date=2014-04-18 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-396-7 |pages=371 |language=en}}</ref> Shiva instructed Virabhadra to lay waste to the sacrifice, and destroy all of its participants.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Doniger |first=Wendy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iM_QAgAAQBAJ&dq=daksha+sati&pg=PA226 |title=On Hinduism |date=March 2014 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=978-0-19-936007-9 |pages=226 |language=en}}</ref> Veerabhadra is a small element of Shiva. Shiva himself personally did not want to get into a violent mode. So, he took a strand of his hair and created Veerabhadra.

The [[Padma Purana]] identifies Virabhadra as the fierce form of [[Mangala]] (Mars). Virabhadra is born when Shiva, due to his anguish regarding the death of [[Sati (Hindu goddess)|Sati]], perspires, and his perspiration falls upon the earth. This gives birth to the fierce Virabhadra, who destroys the sacrifice. In the aftermath, Shiva calms him down and makes him Angaraka, the planet Mars.<ref>Padma Purana Srishti Khanda First Canto Chapter 24.Verse 29b-41a. English translation by Motilal Bansaridas Publications Book 1 page 343-344 Link: https://archive.org/details/PadmaPuranaVol05BhumiAndPatalaKhandaPages15651937ENGMotilalBanarsidass1990_201901</ref>