Sati and Shakti Peeths have a significant importance in India. Sati is consort of Lord Shiva and there is a story behind the origin of Shakti peeths. Please read on for details on this interesting mythological story about Sati.
Sati’s Penance
Sati was daughter of Daksh Prajapati who was a ruler. When Sati grew old she performed intense penance to attain Shiva as her husband. She married Lord Shiva against the wish of her father.When Daksha was performing a Yagna, he invited all the deities except Shivji and Sati. Sati was very sad after not receiving an invitation for the yagna. She insisted on attending the function, despite of the disapproval of Lord Shiva.
Daksh insults Shiva and Sati
When Sati entered the palace, king Daksha insulted her. He said that his other daughters were more distinguished and worthy of honour than Shivji and Sati. Sati was unable to bear her father’s disrespect for her husband. Then Goddess Sati approached the sadas (the area of the site of sacrifice where the main priest sits). She thundered: “My husband, the Lord of Lords has been insulted for no good reason. No fault exists in Him. It is claimed in the Scriptures that those who steal knowledge, those who betray a teacher and those who defile the Lord are great sinners and ought to be punished”.After saying these words, Goddess Sati threw herself in glowing sacred fire. Daksha yagna was desecrated.
All the invitees were scared of being avenged, hence disappeared. When Lord Shiva heard this he was enraged. He created a creature Veerbhadra from lock of his hair.Veerbhadra tore off king Daksha head and tossed it in the same sacrificial fire. However it was proclaimed that the yagna should not be left incomplete, so head of goat was placed on Daksha to restore his life.
Lord Vishnu comes to rescue to stop Lord Shiva
Sad Lord Shiva began to wander carrying the dead body of Sati in his arms. He started dance of destruction of universe. In order to save universe and break this attachment of Lord Shiva, Vishnu with his sudarshan chakra and cut Sati’s body into pieces. Sati’s body pieces fell at different places and these are called Shakti Peeths.There are 52 shakti peeths and it is believed that if you worship these places with devotion all desires are fulfilled.
A list of Shakti Peeths as taken from Tantra Chudamani is provided below:
| No: | Place: | Part of the body: | Bhirava: | Shakti: |
| 1. | Hingula (Pakistan) | Brahma randhra | Bhima lochana | Kottari |
| 2. | Sharkarara (Maha rashtra) | Trinetra | Krodheesha | Mahisha mardini |
| 3. | Sugandha (Bangla desh) | Nasika | Triambaka | Sunanda |
| 4. | Kashmira (Jammu&Kashmir) | Kantha desha | Tri sandhyeshwara | Maha maya |
| 5. | Jwala mukhi (Himachal pradesh) | Jihwa | Unmatta/ Vatukeshwara | Siddhida/ Ambica |
| 6. | Jalandhara (Punjab) | Vama stana | Bhishana | Tripura malini/ Tripura nashini |
| 7. | Vidya natha (Bihar) | Hridaya | Vidya natha | Jaya durga |
| 8. | Nepala (Nepal) | Janu dwaya | Kapali | Maha maya |
| 9. | Manasa (Tibet) | Dakshina hasta | Amara/ Hara | Dakshaini |
| 10. | Utkala/ Viraja (Orissa) | Nabhi | Jagannatha | Vimala/ Vijaya |
| 11. | Gandaki (Nepal) | Dakshina ganda | Chakra pani | Gandaki chandi |
| 12. | Bahula (West bebgal) | Vama bahu | Bhiruka/ Tivraka | Bahula |
| 13. | Ujjaini (Madhya pradesh) | Kurpara | Kapilambara | Mangala chandi |
| 14. | Chattala (Bangla desh) | Dakshina bahu | Chandra sekhara | Bhavani |
| 15. | Tripura (Tripura) | Dakshina pada | Tripuresha | Tripura |
| 16. | Trisrota (West bengal) | Vama pada | Ambara/ Eshwara | Bhramari |
| 17. | Kama giri/ Kama rupa desha (Assam) | Maha mudra/ Yoni | Umananda | Kamakhya/ Dasha maha vidya |
| 18. | Yugadya/ Ksheera grama (West bengal) | Dakshina padangushta | Ksheera kantaka | Bhoota dhatri |
| 19. | Kali peetha (West bengal) | Dakshina padanguli | Nakuleesha | Kali |
| 20. | Prayaga (Uttar pradesh) | Hastanguli | Bhava | Lalitha |
| 21. | Jayanti (Bangladesh) | Vama jangha | Kramadeeshwara | Jayanti |
| 22. | Kireeta/ Kireeta kona (West bengal) | Kireeta | Samvarta/ Siddha rupa | Vimala/ Bhuvaneshi |
| 23. | Manikarnika/ Varanasi (Uttar pradesh) | Karna kundala | Kala bhirava | Vishalakshi |
| 24. | Kanyashrama (Tamil nadu) | Prishta | Nimisha | Sharvani |
| 25. | Kurukshetra (Haryana) | Dakshina gulpha | Sthanu | Savitri |
| 26. | Manivedika (Rajasthan) | Mani bandha | Sarvananda/ Sharvananda | Gayatri |
| 27. | Srisaila/ Sri hatta (Andhra pradesh) | Greeva | Samvarananda/ Shambarananda | Maha lakshmi |
| 28. | Kanchi (Tamil nadu) | Kankala | Ruru | Deva garbha/ Veda garbha |
| 29. | Kala madhava (Uttar pradesh) | Vama nitamba | Asitanga | Kali |
| 30. | Shona (Madhya pradesh) | Dakshina nitamba | Bhadra sena | Narmada |
| 31. | Rama giri/ Raja giri (Uttar pradesh) | Dakshina stana | Chanda | Shivani |
| 32. | Brindavana (Uttar pradesh) | Kesha jala | Bhootesha/ Krishna natha | Uma/ Katyaini |
| 33. | Shuchi/ Anala (Tamil nadu) | Oordhwa danta pankti | Samhara/ Samkrura | Narayani |
| 34. | Pancha sagara (Maharashtra) | Adho danta pankti | Maha rudra | Varahi |
| 35. | Kara toya tata (Bangladesh) | Vama talpa | Vamana | Aparna |
| 36. | Sri parvata (Andhra pradesh) | Dakshina talpa | Sundarananda | Sundari |
| 37. | Vibhasa (West bengal) | Vama gulpha | Sarvananda | Kapali/ Bhima rupa |
| 38. | Prabhasa (Gujarat) | Udara | Vakra tunda | Chandra bhaga |
| 39. | Bhirava parvata (Madhya pradesh) | Oordhvoshta | Lamba karna | Avanti |
| 40. | Jana sthana (Maharashtra) | Chibuka | Vikritaksha | Bhramari |
| 41. | Godavari teetra (Andhra pradesh) | Vama ganda | Danda pani/ Vatsa nabha | Vishwa matrika/ Rakini |
| 42. | Ratnavali (West bengal) | Dakshina skandha | Shiva | Kumari |
| 43. | Mithila (Nepal) | Vama skandha | Mahodara | Uma devi/ Maha devi |
| 44. | Nalahati (West bengal) | Nala | Yogeeshwara | Kali |
| 45. | Karnata (Karnataka) | Karana | Abhiru | Jaya durga |
| 46. | Vakreshwara (West bengal) | Manas | Vakra natha | Mahisha mardini |
| 47. | Yashora (Bangla desh) | Vama hasta | Chanda | Yashoreshwari |
| 48. | Attahasa (West bengal) | Adharoshta | Vishweshwara | Pullara |
| 49. | Nandi pura (West bengal) | Kantha hara | Nandikeshwara | Nandini |
| 50. | Lanka (Sri lanka) | Nupura | Rakshaseshwara | Indrakshi |
| 51. | Virata (Rajasthan) | Vama padanguli | Amrita | Ambika |
| 52. | Magadha (Bihar) | Dakshina jangha | Vyoma kesha | Sarvanandakari |
