Parvati began her penance. She did not care about the hardships she had to face or about the harsh weather around her. All she cared about was that she had to win Lord Shiva.
She worshipped Lord Shiva for years, but the Lord never appeared. As Parvati meditated fiercely, she realised the truth about herself. Parvati realised that she was an incarnation of Mahadevi and that it was her destiny to become Shiva’s Shakti.
She realised that she was Sati in her previous life who had given up her life because Daksha - Sati’s father has insulted Shiva. She realised that her love for Shiva transcended everything, because she was for all purposes Shiva’s...half. Both Shiva and Parvati were incomplete without each other.
With her meditation, Parvati became very powerful. With her powers of penance, she soon gave up all food, water or even air. The other sages meditating in the Himalayas would come and visit Parvati and admire her tenacity. Parvati was so engrossed in her meditation that she never noticed any of them.
However Parvati’s penance was so powerful that the Devas could bear it no more. The whole kingdom of the Gods began to get hot as Parvati meditated. The Gods rushed to Brahma. Brahma and Vishnu together went to Shiva and told him that Parvati’s penance was to end, or the whole Kingdom would burn.
Shiva realised that Parvati was not just another mortal and that she was special. But could she be my Sati. He wondered...
The next day as Parvati was about to begin her penance, when she saw a young ascetic staring at her.
Parvati looked at him, "Is there a reason you are staring at me like that?"
"Yes" The ascetic said looking at her mystified. "My lady, I have watching you for a few days. Once you start performing your penance I have never seen anything like it. You have not eaten. People come and go, you do not seem to realise it. Your meditation is very powerful. Why would you..." He stopped.
Parvati nodded asking him to continue.
"...What would prompt such a beautiful lady like you to perform such a penance." The ascetic said shrugging his shoulder, "I mean, what would be worth that..."
Parvati smiled, "Love, young sir. Love. I do all this for love."
The young man looked at her baffled, when Parvati smiled, "Lord Shiva. I wish to marry him. I will win him over by my devotion." She said simply.
When Parvati finished, the young ascetic looked surprised and then burst out laughing. Parvati looked surprised seeing the ascetic laugh.
"You wish to marry..." he said still laughing, "...Shiva. You mean the three eyed God..." He said still unable to control himself. "I mean... why waste your beauty and intelligence on someone like that... who smears ashes on himself and wears skulls... And my Lady, did I forget to tell you he is homeless and just roams around in graveyards...Do you mean that Shiva..."
Parvati eyes started blazing when she heard the ascetic making fun of Lord Shiva, "Yes. I mean that Shiva and also the Shiva who is the master of the three worlds." She said pride shining in her voice. "That Shiva who cannot be understood by pathetic puny minds like yours..." She said scornfully, wishing she had never spoke to the ascetic.
The young ascetic opened his mouth to talk, when Parvati held up her hands fiercely, "DON’T SAY ANOTHER WORD" She said emphasising each word, angry through and through. "It is not only a sin to talk like this, it is bigger sin to listen to this rubbish..." Saying she stomped and was about to turn away, when she saw a flash. The young ascetic disappeared and standing in that place was the man whom she had dreamed her entire life. Lord Shiva...her Shiva.
Shiva looked tenderly at Goddess Parvati, thinking her words That Shiva and also the Shiva who is the master of the three worlds... She had said that with pride. When she had said that, something changed in him. He realised that she was his Shakti. She was indeed his wife reborn...
"Parvati, I am sorry. I should have realized it earlier. But..." Lord Shiva shook his head.
In their eyes they saw that they both belonged to each other. They had always been together. Just with different names. Lord Shiva was the father of the universe and Goddess Parvati the mother.
Goddess Parvati shyly turned to Lord Shiva, "My Lord, you have to come to my father and ask for my hand. It is the proper thing to do."
Lord Shiva nodded and went back to Kailasa, whereas Goddess Parvati returned to her father’s home.
Then Lord Shiva came and asked Himavat permission to marry his daughter. Himavat readily agreed and thus Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati celebrated their wedding with great pomp and show.
After their marriage, Goddess Parvati gave birth to Lord Kartikeyan, who defeated and killed the evil demon Tarakasura.
True to her promise, after her marriage with Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati requested Lord Shiva to bring back Kamadeva to life. Smiling the Lord obliged and Rati got her husband back!
11 сен 2024