Daksh and Satee

Bheeshm asked - "Hey Muni, Daksh's daughter Satee was a high soul woman then why did she leave her body? Why did Rudra destroy the Yagya of Daksh?"

Pulastya said - "Bheeshm, It is long time ago that Daksh Prajaapati did a Yagya in Gangaadwaar (present Haridwaar). Devtaa, Pitar, Asur, Maharshi etc all came to attend it. Naag, Yaksh, Garud, creepers, herbs, Kashyap, Atri, myself etc all came there. A square Vedee (where sacred fire is lighted) was built and the Yagya was started. Many kinds of food items were there. Its land was about 10 Yojan all around.

Satee noticed this and said to her father - "Hey Father, All Rishi, Devtaa, Asur etc have come to attend your Yagya. Yam Raaj has come with his wife Dhoomrnaa, Indra has come with his Shachee, Varun has come with Gauree, Kuber is also here with his wife. In short Brahmaa's all creation is present here. My sisters are here, their children are here, your other relations are here. Only my husband is not present here. It looks empty without him. I understand that you have not invited him. Certainly you have forgotten to invite him. What is the reason for this, please, tell me."

Hearing this Daksh made her sit in his lap and said - "Listen dear daughter, Why I have not invited him in this Yagya this I tell you now. He smears ash in his body and roams around in burial ground carrying trident and a rod. He wears lion skin and covers himself with the skin of elephant. He puts on Vaasuki Naag as his Yagyopaveet. All this is a matter of shame for me. How can he sit with these Devtaa in this Yagya? As his attire is, he is not worthy to come here. When this Yagya will be over, I will bring your husband and I will worship him in the best way I can. Therefore you should not be angry at this."

Satee got very sad and angry at this, she spoke in anger - "Hey Father, Shankar is the only Lord of the whole Universe and he is considered the highest. Even Brahmaa cannot describe his attributes. If all is true what I said then Shankar should destroy your Yagya." And she sat in Samaadhi. Fire flames started emanating from her body and thus she immolated herself on the bank of Gangaa. The same place is known today as Saunak Teerth.

Rudra got very sad to hear about his wife's death. He ordered his Gan to destroy that Yagya. They did that. Daksh went to Shiv and said - "Hey Dev, I did not recognize your qualities. You are the highest among all Devtaa, you have won them. Please be pleased with me and take your Gan back from there." Shiv said - "Hey Prajaapati, I have given you the fruits of that Yagya, you will get everything you wanted from that Yagya." Daksh went to his home, and Shiv started living in Gangaadwaar because of the grief of his wife.

One day Naarad Jee came there and told Shiv Jee that his dear wife Satee had incarnated as the daughter of Himvaan and Mainaa. Shiv came to know about this through his Yog Power also. He got relieved. When Paarvatee became of marriageable age, he married her."