Before Daksha Prajapati's sacrifice brought sorrow to gods, sages, and devotees alike, Sati Devi dwelt peacefully with Shiva. The Bhagavata Purana remembers her during this period as a devoted wife, a beloved daughter, and one whose heart still cherished the home in which she had been raised.

The Daughter Given to Shiva

Daksha Prajapati, one of the progenitors entrusted with the continuation of creation, was married to Prasuti, daughter of Svayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa. Sixteen daughters were born to them, and each was given in marriage according to sacred custom.

Among them was Sati Devi, whom Daksha gave to Shiva.

Verse: trayodaśādāddharmāya tathaikāmagnaye vibhuḥ । pitṛbhya ekāṃ yuktebhyo bhavāyaikāṃ bhavacchide ॥ 48 ॥

Translation: The mighty Daksha gave thirteen daughters to Dharma, one to Agni, one to the united Pitrs, and one to Shiva, the remover of worldly bondage.(Bhagavata Purana 4.1.48)

Sati Devi thereafter dwelt with Shiva, devoted to her husband and sharing his manner of life.

A Life Shared with Shiva

Verse: bhavasya patnī tu satī bhavaṃ devamanuvratā । ātmanaḥ sadṛśaṃ putraṃ na lebhe guṇaśīlataḥ ॥ 65 ॥

Translation: Sati, the wife of Shiva, faithfully followed her divine husband. Endowed with qualities and conduct resembling his own, she was not blessed with a son equal to herself.(Bhagavata Purana 4.1.65)

Sati Devi was devoted to Shiva and was honoured for her noble qualities and conduct. Husband and wife dwelt together in contentment, their companionship undisturbed by worldly ambitions and desires.

Remembering Her Father's House

In time, Daksha Prajapati undertook a great sacrifice. Celestial beings travelled through the sky accompanied by their wives, adorned with ornaments and festive garments, as they made their way towards the sacrificial grounds.

Seeing them, Sati Devi understood that a great gathering was taking place at her father's abode.

She remembered her sisters, who would surely be present with their husbands. She thought of her mother, her aunts, and the relatives whom she had not seen for a long time. Turning towards Shiva, she expressed her wish to visit them.

O foremost among the gods, how can the heart of a daughter remain unmoved upon hearing of festivities in her father's house? Even without invitation, people go to the homes of friends, husbands, teachers, and parents.(Bhagavata Purana 4.3.13)

Though she dwelt with Shiva, Sati Devi had not forgotten the home where she had spent her childhood years. The thought of seeing her mother and sisters again awakened affectionate memories, and she wished that Shiva might accompany her to the sacrifice.

Yet beneath these joyful thoughts another current already flowed unseen. Daksha's regard for Shiva had begun to diminish, and the sacrifice prepared in celebration would soon become the setting for sorrow.

Note to Readers

This account principally follows the Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 4, and is supplemented in a few places by the Vayu Purana. Only a small number of representative verses have been quoted, while the remaining events are narrated in prose based upon the surrounding passages of the sacred texts. Since these texts survive in several manuscript traditions, minor variations in wording, chapter numbering, and arrangement of passages may occasionally occur. Corrections and suggestions from learned readers are gratefully welcomed.