Sati Shakti Peeths – Indian Mythology

Sati and Shakti Peeths have a significant importance in Indian Mythology. Sati is one of the gods of indian mythology and there is a story behind the origin of Shakti peeths. Please read on for details on this interesting mythological indian story about Sati.

There was a king named Daksha, whose daughter was Sati.

Sati and Shiva
Sati and Shiva

When Sati grew old she performed intense penance to attain Shivji 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.

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 threw herself in glowing sacred fire. Daksha yagna was desecrated.

Shiva and Sati
Shiva and Sati

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.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&amp;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


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  2. want to visit all these shakti peetas atleast once in a life time with gods help.

  3. Nice article. Its quite amazing to know that there are so many stories of Shiva that many are not aware of. These stories are a perfect example. Adding one more story of God Shiva and Consort. The story of GOddess Sati’s immolation and her rebirth as Goddess Parvati.

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