One End and A New Beginning: From Devi Sati to Ma Shailaputri

One day, from Kailash, Devi Sati saw a grand procession going toward Prajapati Daksh’s palace. Curious and excited, she insisted that they attend the grand yagna organized by her father. However, Mahadev, Trikaal Darshi, and Trilok Gyani (the seer of the three times and the knower of the three realms) refused to go to the yagna since they were not invited. He also knew that Daksh had done it purposely. Yet, it pained Mahadev to see that Daksh did not reciprocate Sati’s love and excitement. After Sati kept insisting, he finally let her go alone.

With a heart full of both excitement (at the thought of meeting her parents and siblings) and unease (because ever auspicious Lord Shiva wasn’t with her), Sati left for her father’s palace.

But when she arrived at the grand yagna shala, no words of welcome greeted her, and no one looked at her with warmth. Many Devas, Rishis, and Prajapatis were seated in the grand hall. Sati looked around, searching for a seat kept for Mahadev, the greatest of them all—but found none.

Finally, the truth hit her—her father had deliberately insulted her beloved Shankara. A storm of emotions rose within her. She felt deep sorrow for her father's ignorance and a burning anger at his arrogance.

Her eyes blazed with anger; her lips trembled with pain as she turned to Daksh and said,
“Your ego has blinded you, Daksh! You’ve dared insult Parameshwara—the very one whose thought brings the universe to life! I am ashamed to be called your daughter! This very minute, I give up; I give up the body you gave me!”

So saying, Sati ignited a Yogagni (yagna fire) from her Chit Shakti (consciousness) and surrendered and gave up her life right then and there.

When the news reached Lord Shiva, his heart shattered. In his grief and rage, he summoned the fierce warrior Veerabhadra. Storming into the Yagna, Veerabhadra destroyed everything in his path. He ended the Yagna and, in one swift stroke, beheaded Daksha for his arrogance.

The Emergence of Dakshinamurti 

After Sati sacrificed herself, Daksh’s wife and children begged Bholenath for forgiveness.

Even in his deep sorrow, Karunamurti (the compassionate) Lord Shiva forgave Daksh and brought him back to life, giving him a goat’s head.

After that, Lord Shiva entered a deep state of meditation. With his left side (Vama Bhaga) now gone, he became fully absorbed in a life of asceticism and came to be known as Dakshinamurti (the form that only has the Dakshina Bhaga or right side). Dakshinamurti is the intensely detached, ascetic form of Lord Shiva.

In many traditions, Dakshinamurthi is considered the Swaroopam or form of Adi Guru (the first Guru). 

The birth of Devi Shailaputri

While Lord Shiva was deep in meditation, a demon named Tarakasur began to trouble the Devas. Seeing that Shakti had left Shiva, Tarakasur asked Lord Brahma for a boon that he be slayed only by the son of Lord Shiva. The Devas now faced a challenge. It was impossible to make Lord Shiva move even slightly, let alone convince him to find a new wife!

And so, they turned to Adi Parashakti (the primordial Shakti), who can infuse Chaitanya (movement) in every atom of the cosmos, including the immovable Shiva. Pleased by Devas’ devotion and moved by their pain, Ma Adi Para Shakti (primordial energy) once again agreed to manifest as the daughter of Himavan and Mena, the king and queen of the Himalayas. 

And so, the cycle of love and creation continued. A new chapter began where the goddess would reunite with Lord Shiva, setting the stage for the defeat of the demon Tarakasura and the restoration of cosmic balance.