Sati, meaning `true` was one of the daughters of Daksha. Sati is a Hindu goddess of marital felicity and long life and is worshipped by all Hindu women for the long life of their husbands. Sati is the first consort of Lord Shiva and his second wife is Parvati, the incarnation of Sati.

In the Puranas it is mentioned that Sati lures Shiva from leading a lonely life into creative involvement in the world. Sati or Dakshayani is also known as Uma, Aparna and Sivakamini.

She was named Gauri for her fair and golden complexion. She is also known as Dakshayani for being the daughter of Daksha.

To win the heart of Lord Shiva, Sati abandoned the lap of royal luxury and went to the forest, where she devoted herself to austerities and the worship of Shiva. After a long time of rigorous penance, Shiva was finally pleased with Sati`s devotion and married her much against the wishes of Daksha. Daksha being an arrogant king cut off all his relations with Sati and deprived her from his family.

Later, Daksha once organized a huge Yajna to which all the Gods were invited, except Sati and Shiva. Sati went to the Yagnya against the wishes of Lord Shiva. Shiva then provided her with a guide to attend the Yajna.

Sati was greeted coldly by her father Daksha. They were soon in the midst of a heated argument about the demerits of Shiva. Daksha criticized Shiva in the face of all gods. Sati could not stand such abuse and she immolated herself.

When Lord Shiva came to know about this devastation, he was furious. He created Virabhadra and Bhadrakali, two fierce creatures who wreaked chaos and disorder in the Yajna area. Everyone present in the Yajna along with Daksha was terrified. An enraged Lord Shiva performed the fearsome Tandava dance with Sati`s charred body on his shoulders. During this dance, Sati`s body came apart and fell into pieces at different places on earth and these places came to be famous pilgrimage sites for Hindus.