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The story of Sati and Shiva is a tale of love, sacrifice, and devotion. Sati, the daughter of Daksha, married Shiva against her father's wishes. Daksha, enraged by this, held a yajna (fire sacrifice) and did not invite Shiva. Sati, unable to bear the insult to her husband, immolated herself in the yagna fire. Shiva, upon hearing of Sati's death, was consumed by grief and anger. He danced the tandava, a dance of destruction, and vowed to avenge Sati's death. Vishnu, seeing Shiva's destructive rage, intervened and convinced him to calm down. Shiva, still grieving, carried Sati's body around the world. Vishnu, using his discus, dismembered Sati's body into 51 pieces, which fell to different parts of the earth. These places became known as Shakti Peethas, sacred pilgrimage sites.