According to Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), Dhātā or Dhātri  (Dhata or Dhatri) and Vidhātā or Vidhātri (Vidhata or Vidhatri)– two sons were born of the womb of Khyāti(Khyati), sired by Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage)Bhṛgu (Bhrigu). Dhātā and Vidhātā got married to Āyati (Ayati) and Niyati, daughters of Meru.
Āyati gave birth to a son named Mṛkaṇḍa (Mrikanda) sired by Dhātā, and Niyati bore a son to Vidhāta, namely, Prāṇa (Prana). However, in Viṣṇupurāṇa (Vishnupurana), Prāṇa(Prana) is referred to as the son of Āyati and Dhātā.

In one description in Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), it is said that Āyati is the wife of Vidhātā, and their son is called Pāṇḍu (Pandu).

Another description in Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana) says that Āyati is one of the daughters of Dhāraṇī (Dharani) and Meru, and she is the wife of Dhātā.

One reading of Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana) says that Āyati, daughter of Meru, is the wife of Vidhātā and mother of Prāṇa. In another reading of Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa , she is mentioned as the wife of Dhātā.

The meaning of the term Āyati is ‘future’. Probably the name has been used as an allegory in the Purāṇas (Purana).