In the midst of the great assembly, the goddess Ambika, whose face shone with the gentle radiance of the moon, beheld her father Daksha seated among the gathered hosts. With a steady and unwavering voice, free from all pity, she addressed him before all present. “Father,” she said, “the god whom even Brahma and all the celestial beings down to the spirits honor without question has not been worshipped here today as is proper.” She continued, “Let it be that you have neglected the worship of me, your eldest daughter. But in scorning this, you have committed a blameworthy act.” Hearing these words, Daksha’s anger and resentment flared. He replied, “Among my daughters, there are many greater and more distinguished than you, and though still young, they are worthy of honor. Their husbands, too, are esteemed by me—joyful and superior in every virtue, even more so than your husband, Tryambaka. But you have chosen as your refuge a husband whose mind is arrogant and shrouded in darkness. Therefore, I disregard you, for he is hostile to me.” Thus rebuked by her father, the goddess’s anger blazed forth. In the hearing of all in the sacrificial hall, she cried out, “Daksha, without cause you revile my husband, the faultless Lord of the Worlds, with your words. The scriptures declare that one who betrays his teacher, defiles the Vedas, or is a thief of knowledge is a great sinner, deserving of punishment. Therefore, for this grievous sin of yours, a severe and sudden punishment, befitting your crime, will come upon you by divine will. Because you did not worship Tryambaka, the god of gods, know that your lineage will be corrupted and destroyed.” Having spoken thus in anger, Sati, casting aside all fear, abandoned her body and departed to the mountain Himavat. Himavat, devoted and glorious, performed severe austerities for a long time, seeking only the favor of the goddess. By her own will and yogic power, the goddess bestowed her grace upon Himavat and became his daughter. When Sati, distressed and condemning Daksha, departed, the sacred mantras vanished and the sacrifice was ruined. News of the goddess’s departure reached Shiva, the destroyer of the three cities, and fury overcame him. In his wrath, he cursed Daksha and the assembled sages: “Because Sati, though innocent, was slighted by Daksha on my account, while all his other daughters and their husbands were honored, in the time of Vaivasvata Manu, all your sons-in-law will be born together, not from a womb, at the Brahma sacrifice. You, Daksha, will be born as a human king in the lineage of Cākṣuṣa, the grandson of Prācīnabarhis and the son of the Pracetas. Yet even there, O wicked-minded one, I will again and again cause obstacles for you in all your actions concerning righteousness, wealth, and desire.” Thus cursed by Rudra, Daksha, abandoning his Svāyambhuva body, fell to the earth in distress. In the course of time, Daksha, son of Pracetas, was indeed born again in the Cākṣuṣa period as the grandson of Prācīnabarhis and the son of Pracetas. Bhṛgu and other sages were also born during the sacrifice of Brahmā, who upheld the Vāruṇī form, in the interval of Manu Vaivasvata. Then, for the sake of Daksha’s righteousness, Maheśa caused an obstacle in the sacrifice of that evil-minded Daksha while Manu Vaivasvata was present. Curious about this great event, the sages asked, “How did Maheśa cause this obstacle in the sacrifice undertaken by the evil-minded Daksha for the sake of righteousness? We wish to know this.” By the power of her austerities, the goddess, the mother of the universe, attained the status of daughter to Himavat and rejoiced on the snowy mountain. When the gods arranged her marriage on the summit of Himavat, after much time had passed, she and Himavat delighted together. When the period of Vaivasvata arrived, Daksha, son of Pracetas, undertook an Aśvamedha sacrifice. He performed this great ritual on the slopes of Himavat, at Gaṅgādvāra, a sacred place frequented by sages and siddhas. At this sacrifice, all the gods, led by Indra, gathered together and resolved to attend. The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, hosts of Maruts, Ūṣmapās, Somapās, Ājyapās, and Dhūmapās, along with the Aśvins, the Pitṛs, and other great sages, all came, accompanied by Viṣṇu, to participate in the sacrifice. But when Dadhīci saw the entire assembly of gods present without Īśvara, he was filled with anger and spoke to Daksha: “If worship is offered to one who is not worthy, or the worthy are neglected, great sin is incurred—of this there is no doubt. Where the approval of the wicked prevails and the good are disrespected, the punishment of the gods descends swiftly and terribly. Why do you not worship the Lord, the master of beings, who is to be honored?” He continued, “There are many Rudras of mine, bearing tridents and matted hair, eleven in number, who stand ready. I know no other Great Lord. What use are these other gods honored in the sacrifice, if you, O king, do not worship Rudra in this ritual? He is the imperishable Lord, the creator of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara; from Brahma down to the spirits, all are his servants. He is beyond the elements and beyond the person; he is contemplated by yogis and sages who see the truth.” Thus, the tale of Daksha’s pride, Sati’s sacrifice, and the supreme place of Shiva in the universe unfolded before the assembly, bearing witness to the consequences of neglecting the Lord of the Worlds.