One of the main effects that come when you practice yoga for sometimes is bravery and fearlessness in the way how we carry ourselves. There is also significant increase in our mental and physical focus that somehow we become less tolerant to our forever-busy-for-nothing in the hassled modern lifestyles. So without even going through the whole lots of self-help books in how to simplify our life, we just start to get more organized, systematic and prioritize what is more important from what isn’t. Thus life becomes less burdensome but more spontaneous expression of our joyous being; sharing happiness and gifts brought forward deep within the hearts. I feel most grateful to the yogic path I have been shown thus far, to be able to face any life’s challenges without fear and hesitations, but instead with courage and willingness. I suppose I became a quiet warrior without intending to. And I like it much better this way than playing a delicate princess or a queen that, as little girls we are led to fancy through fairytales…
The three variations of the Warrior Poses (I, II, III) are the most iconic Yoga poses among all Yoga Asanas. The first warrior pose raises its energy from the front with arms up over head, the second spreads sideways with arms outstretched, and the third balances forward with arms stretched forward parallel with the floor. All of them are mighty, fierce and strong standing poses that illustrates the power and ferocity of the warrior.
The warrior poses are physical and symbolic of warrior energy in that they require considerable strength in the muscles of the legs, which symbolize virility and power. And yet, at the same time, all three warrior poses demand that the chest and heart are remain open. The arms and legs are active, while the heart center, when open, banishes the fear of death.
In the yoga mythology, Virabhadra is the name of a warrior-devotee of Shiva, the lord of cosmic destruction and freedom bestowal. He was created from Shiva’s top-hair dreadlock out of his hot temper to make it even with Daksha, his father-in-law, who had committed the terrible sins of infuriating Shiva. According to the story,
“The great Shiva’s consort Shakti has many incarnations, as the gods often do, and one of her many lifetimes, she was known as Sati that was born to a mortal father named Daksha. Sati was incredibly beautiful and wholly devoted to Shiva. However, Daksha wasn’t a huge fan of Shiva, who is covered in ash, also known to have a bad temper and sat in meditation for thousands of years on top of a remote mountain. Not to mention his choice of clothing, which was pretty scant. Nonetheless, Sati’s heart was set upon Shiva while she was growing up and when came to her age to choose her marriage partner, she wanted no one but Shiva. Daksha had no choice but to give his lovely princess to the god he despised so much. But Daksha kept his contempt against Shiva even after Sati and Shiva were wed and living happily on the mountaintop.
One day, Daksha threw a grand party inviting all the gods and men of rich, except Shiva, which was an insult of the highest order. Sati became very upset that her father still would not accept the choice that made her happy. During the party, Sati appeared before her father with a saddened face and sorrow in her heart. All the guest turned to see Daksha’s beautiful daughter standing and weeping before him. Daksha, who loved his daughter very much, was distraught to see her so upset but stood by his decision to continue reject Shiva as her partner. Sati’s fury and great sadness ignited a fire that burned so brightly inside her that she went up in flames right in the middle of the party and was reduced to a pile of ashes before her father’s very eyes.
When Shiva came to know of what had happened, he became absolutely furious. In his fury and rage, he ripped off a dreadlock from his head, and this dreadlock snaked into the earth all the way down through the mountain, only to emerge in the center of the party, right in the very spot where Sati’s ashes lay. The dreadlock was transformed into Virabhadra, the great warrior, who rose out of the ground (visualize the warrior I pose, rising up with arms up overhead), drew his sword (visualize warrior II with arms open), and slice off Daksha’s head. When it fell to the ground, Virabhadra bent to pick it up and reached forward to place it upon a stake (think warrior III, arms reaching forward). This shocking act caused quite a uproar among the partygoers, who tried to flee the scene because they feared for their own heads.
In the world of the gods, things can happen almost instaneously, and this dire situation required the great Sati to secure another form very quickly so she could go reason with Shiva. She donned a new body and showed up at the party again, but this time, she scolded Shiva for beheading her father. “Look at what you have done!” she exclaimed to Virabhadra, knowing that Shiva would hear her on the mountaintop. “I know my father didn’t do a kind thing, but it wasn’t your place to step into the middle of it and kill him. Do you think that is going to solve our problem and make him accept you?” Shiva hadn’t really thought of that. He was just so angry at Daksha, he didn’t really consider how Sati would feel or that it would start a dramatic chain of events that would actually make things worse, not better. The problem was, he hadn’t thought at all. Sati demanded, “Make this right, right now!”
Well, Shiva himself arrived at the party, where a few lone partygoers were peering from behind trees to see what the great would do. He came marching in with his trident in hand and waved Virabhadra aside to keep him at bay. Shiva looked around and realized immediately that Daksha’s head was not suitable for reattachment, so he found the nearest replacement, which happened to be a goat. Off came the head of the goat, and onto Daksha’s body it went. Shiva breathed a great exhale, and life returned to a Daksha’s body. The object of his rage was standing in front of him, but Daksha suddenly felt grateful that Shiva had realized the error of his ways and made amends. In his gratitude, and with the realization that he had not behaved in a dignified way toward Shiva, Daksha held one final party and made Shiva and Sati his guests of honor.”
So Sati, the gorgeous and beautiful princess, despite the great love and respect she hold towards her father and beloved, and yet, was brave, firm and defiant when it came to setting things right. Even the great Shiva couldn’t argue with her. A true warrior as she is in her heart, maybe it will do good to those who hasn’t outgrown of princess dream to emulate Sati. Then life can be truly “happily ever after!”
