Parvathi is not seen in Vedic literature. The Kena Upanishad(3.12) contains a goddess named Uma-Haimavati. She appears as the Shakthi, the essential power of the Supreme, the Brahman. The primary role of the goddess is to be a mediator, who reveals the knowledge of Brahman to the Vedic trinity of Agni, Vayu and Indra boasting and posturing in the flush of a recent victory over a demon hoard.

But Kinsley notes say: it is little more than conjecture to identify her with the later goddess Sati-Patvathi although ... later text that extol Shiva and Parvathi retell the episode in such a way to leave no doubt that it was Shiva's spouse..." Where as textual and archaeological evidence suggest Sati-Parvathi appears in epic period (400BC - 400AD). The Ramayana and the Mahabharata present Parvathi as Shiva's wife. The plays of Kalidasa(5th - 6th centuries) and the puranas(4th through the 13th centuries) acquire comprehensive details about the myths of Sati-Parvathi. Kinsley also adds that Parvathi may have emerged from legends of non-aryan goddess that lived in mountains.

Prof. Weber suggests that like Shiva is combination of various gods Rudra and Agni, the puranic Parvathi is a combination of Uma, Haimavathi, Ambika, and earlier Parvathi, identified as wives of Rudra, of others like Kali, who could be a wife of Agni and of Gauri and others inspired by Nirriti, the goddess of evil. Tate suggests that Parvathi is a mixture of the Vedic goddess Aditi and Nirriti and being a mountain goddess herself, was associated with other mountain goddess like Durga and Kali in later traditions.