Sati was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati, the son of Brahma. Since childhood she was so much attached to Siva and despite her royal life and the possibility of marrying royal princes she chose to marry Siva out of pure love. On the other hand Siva was a staunch ascetic, unconcerned with the worldly affairs. However, moved by the perseverance of Sati, he came to her and offered to marry her. Daksha Prajapati despised Siva for everything;his life style, his garments, his abode and what not everything. But he could not deny his daughters wish and performed their marriage rather reluctantly. Sati went to Siva's abode and they spent a few years cherishing their love. Meanwhile there were anger and disgust fomenting in the heart of Daksha and he was waiting for a time to insult Siva.
A few years later, Daksha proposed to perform a great yagna and for that purpose he had invited all gods, deities, rishis, kings and relatives but he purposefully ignored to invite Sati and Siva. However,Siva was immersed in his usual meditation and ascetic life without minding such worldly issues. But for Sati, who was after all the very loved daughter of Daksha, could not stay aloof when her father was performing such a great yagna and asked her husband to go and attend the yagna. For which Siva replied that it was not wise to attend a ceremony uninvited. Sati, shrouded by her affection towards her father, argued that her father's intention in not sending for any invitation to them was because they were almost like family members and didn't need any invitation and there was no other intention. At last Siva slackened his resolve a bit and allowed Sati to attend the yagna without him if she wished but warned her about the possibility of receiving insults from her father. Sati felt elated and started for the yagna with Nandi as escort, unmindful of the upcoming tragedy.
Daksha had made grand arrangements like now are never for the yagna and his palace is replete with enormous riches. All invitees were being received with warmth and the yagna started with hubris and pomp. Soon, Sati had arrived at the yagna, but to her dismay nobody welcomed her in her own home. Even gods and other acquaintances were mum and didn't wish Sati, for they know that Daksha intently ignored her and they didn't want to displease Daksha at such a moment. Sati recovered from her initial shock and went straight to her father Daksha who was performing the yagna and greeted him. Daksha pretended that he didn't see his daughter and continued his yagna. This was too much to bear for a tender soul like Sati;her beloved father betrayed her for no fault of her, that too in the presence of all of the world. Her heart sank with humility and she slowly moved away to a desolated place to sit in the yagnasala. Sati was panting out of grief and repented for not listening to her husband's advise. In a moment of time Sati invoked Agni and self immolated herself in the yagnasala to the horror of all those who attended the yagna. Daksha continued his yagna, unmoved.
Nandi, with inconsolable grief returned to Kailas and informed Siva about the whole incident. The death of his beloved wife made Siva forget his years of practice of asceticism and calmness. He plunged out of his yoga posture, shaking with fury and vengeance, he plucked a strand of hair from his head and threw it to the ground. Form that hair emerged the powerful and menacing Siva incarnate Veera Bhadra. Siva ordered Veera Bhadra to destroy the yagna and bring Daksha's head. Veera Bhadra along with Sivagana(Siva's army) entered and Daksha Yagna and started destroying the arrangements. All gods and deities came in defense of Daksha but could not stand a chance against Veera Bhadra. A severe battle ensued and all invitees fled away from the yagna. At last Veera Bhadra caught Daksha and severed his head from his body. Meanwhile, aggrieved Siva arrived at the yagna and took the charred body of his beloved Sati. The death of Sati completely overpowered Siva and he was in a state of boundless pain. By carrying his wife's body, Siva wandered off the world doing Pralaya Tandavam-A gesture which was supposed to be performed at the end of the creation-disturbing the balance of the creation. Sensing this catastrophe, Vishnu, the preserver of the creation, with the help of his Sudarsana Chakra, severed the body of Sati into several parts and all those body parts were scattered and fell over several places in India.Some say there are 18 such places and some say 51 and others say they are 108. After this, Siva came to his senses, took to the reality and forgave Daksha. Since the head of Daksha had been destroyed at the yagna, a goat's head had been fixed to his body. The world balance had been restored. Sati would reborn in further incarnation as Parvati and would become left half of Siva making him Arthananeshwara, so that they would never ever be apart. Thus ends the story of Sati and Siva.
Above all its puranic and dharmic dimensions, this story, in essence is a great love story.The places where Sati's body fragments fell were called Sakthipeetas. There are 18 prominent Sakthipeetas in the Indian subcontinent and they are referred as Astadasa Sakthi Peetas. They are very sacred places of worship for Hindus. Whenever if you happen to visit one of these places, remember this great story and pay your silent respects to the eternal love of Siva and Sati. Our ancestors had honored their story by building temples at all Sakthi Peetas with reverence and devotion.
To my mind it is not Tajmahal in India that represents love but these Sakti Peetas all over Inida.
A few years later, Daksha proposed to perform a great yagna and for that purpose he had invited all gods, deities, rishis, kings and relatives but he purposefully ignored to invite Sati and Siva. However,Siva was immersed in his usual meditation and ascetic life without minding such worldly issues. But for Sati, who was after all the very loved daughter of Daksha, could not stay aloof when her father was performing such a great yagna and asked her husband to go and attend the yagna. For which Siva replied that it was not wise to attend a ceremony uninvited. Sati, shrouded by her affection towards her father, argued that her father's intention in not sending for any invitation to them was because they were almost like family members and didn't need any invitation and there was no other intention. At last Siva slackened his resolve a bit and allowed Sati to attend the yagna without him if she wished but warned her about the possibility of receiving insults from her father. Sati felt elated and started for the yagna with Nandi as escort, unmindful of the upcoming tragedy.
Daksha had made grand arrangements like now are never for the yagna and his palace is replete with enormous riches. All invitees were being received with warmth and the yagna started with hubris and pomp. Soon, Sati had arrived at the yagna, but to her dismay nobody welcomed her in her own home. Even gods and other acquaintances were mum and didn't wish Sati, for they know that Daksha intently ignored her and they didn't want to displease Daksha at such a moment. Sati recovered from her initial shock and went straight to her father Daksha who was performing the yagna and greeted him. Daksha pretended that he didn't see his daughter and continued his yagna. This was too much to bear for a tender soul like Sati;her beloved father betrayed her for no fault of her, that too in the presence of all of the world. Her heart sank with humility and she slowly moved away to a desolated place to sit in the yagnasala. Sati was panting out of grief and repented for not listening to her husband's advise. In a moment of time Sati invoked Agni and self immolated herself in the yagnasala to the horror of all those who attended the yagna. Daksha continued his yagna, unmoved.
Nandi, with inconsolable grief returned to Kailas and informed Siva about the whole incident. The death of his beloved wife made Siva forget his years of practice of asceticism and calmness. He plunged out of his yoga posture, shaking with fury and vengeance, he plucked a strand of hair from his head and threw it to the ground. Form that hair emerged the powerful and menacing Siva incarnate Veera Bhadra. Siva ordered Veera Bhadra to destroy the yagna and bring Daksha's head. Veera Bhadra along with Sivagana(Siva's army) entered and Daksha Yagna and started destroying the arrangements. All gods and deities came in defense of Daksha but could not stand a chance against Veera Bhadra. A severe battle ensued and all invitees fled away from the yagna. At last Veera Bhadra caught Daksha and severed his head from his body. Meanwhile, aggrieved Siva arrived at the yagna and took the charred body of his beloved Sati. The death of Sati completely overpowered Siva and he was in a state of boundless pain. By carrying his wife's body, Siva wandered off the world doing Pralaya Tandavam-A gesture which was supposed to be performed at the end of the creation-disturbing the balance of the creation. Sensing this catastrophe, Vishnu, the preserver of the creation, with the help of his Sudarsana Chakra, severed the body of Sati into several parts and all those body parts were scattered and fell over several places in India.Some say there are 18 such places and some say 51 and others say they are 108. After this, Siva came to his senses, took to the reality and forgave Daksha. Since the head of Daksha had been destroyed at the yagna, a goat's head had been fixed to his body. The world balance had been restored. Sati would reborn in further incarnation as Parvati and would become left half of Siva making him Arthananeshwara, so that they would never ever be apart. Thus ends the story of Sati and Siva.
Above all its puranic and dharmic dimensions, this story, in essence is a great love story.The places where Sati's body fragments fell were called Sakthipeetas. There are 18 prominent Sakthipeetas in the Indian subcontinent and they are referred as Astadasa Sakthi Peetas. They are very sacred places of worship for Hindus. Whenever if you happen to visit one of these places, remember this great story and pay your silent respects to the eternal love of Siva and Sati. Our ancestors had honored their story by building temples at all Sakthi Peetas with reverence and devotion.
To my mind it is not Tajmahal in India that represents love but these Sakti Peetas all over Inida.
