Sati

One-line: first wife of Shiva whose death turns grief into the Shakta Pithas.

First appears: Book 7, in Book 7 retelling.

Who they are: Sati is the daughter of Daksha and the first wife of Shiva. When Daksha insults Shiva and excludes him from a sacrifice, Sati’s death becomes one of the most important turning points in Shakta sacred geography. Shiva’s grief scatters her body across the land.

What they do that matters:

• Dies after Daksha’s insult and sacrifice crisis.
• Her body is cut apart as Shiva carries it in grief.
• The places where her body falls become Shakta Pithas.

Other names: Gauri

Family / lineage (when relevant): Daughter of Daksha; wife of Shiva; later reborn as Parvati.