Nārada said, “O Brahmā, O sinless and intelligent one, you have splendidly narrated the story of Śivā and Śiva. My life has been sanctified. This is conducive to my benefit. Now please tell me, what was the boon that Dakṣa, with steady sacred rites and austere penance, secured from the Goddess, and how She became Dakṣa’s daughter?”  
Brahmā said, “O Nārada, listen. You are blessed. You are revered by all sages with devotion. Hear how with good sacred rites, Dakṣa performed penance and secured boons. At my bidding, intelligent Dakṣa the great chief controlled his mind and went to worship the Goddess, the Mother of the universe, with that cherished desire. He went to the northern shore of the ocean of milk and began to perform the penance, keeping the Mother of the universe in his heart. He wished to see the Goddess in person. For 3,000 divine years he performed the penance with good sacred rites, controlling his mind and keeping himself pure. For some years, he sustained himself on taking in only air, abstaining from food, and for some years taking only water and for some years taking only leaves as food. Thus he spent the time meditating upon the Goddess in cosmic form.