Dakshayani
Ma Dakshayani is the first avatar of Ma Parvati, who was born to Lord Daksha and Prasuti. She was a pious, chaste and a holy woman, who was also mentioned in the Vedas (10.72). She was also known as Sati, and she was married with Lord Shiva, and she was worshipped as an incarnation of Ma Shakti Devi. She was mentioned in the famous ‘Devi Mahatmya Purana’, and she is described as the universal mother.
During the first Krita Yuga, Ma Sati was born as a child to Daksha, and she was considered as very favourite to her father Daksha, but when she married with Shiva against her father’s wishes, Lord Daksha began to disrespect her. Sati, from her childhood itself, developed great love and affection on Lord Shiva and became his ardent devotee. Sati didn’t like to enjoy the comforts and luxuries in her father’s palace and went to the forest and deeply meditated on Lord Shiva. After winning in the tests conducted by Lord Shiva, finally Lord Shiva had married her wholeheartedly.
Once when during a Yagna, when Daksha dishonoured her, and spoke badly about Lord Shiva, Sati self-immolated herself, and her body fell down in the earth, which was later known as Shakti Peetas. On knowing about this incident, Lord Shiva had become very angry with Daksha, and he had created Lord Veerabhadra, who went to the Yagna, and destroyed the Yagna and also removed the head of Lord Daksha. Later on the request of Daksha’s consort Prasuti, Veerabhadra placed a goat’s head on the body of Daksha, and restored back his life.
In her next birth, Ma Sati was born as Parvati to Parvatha Raja and Mena, and after performing severe penance on Lord Shiva, she had married him, and went back to the Shiva Loka.
As per legend, it is believed that those who read the story of Ma Sati with full of devotion in their mind, would get all kinds of prosperity in their lives, and they would attain salvation after their death. Hence let us worship the divine mother Ma Sati and be blessed.
“OM MA SATI DEVIYE NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR