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Parvati
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Parvati (Sanskrit: Pārvatī, पार्वती), sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu goddess and nominally the second consort of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and rejuvenation. However, she is not different from Satī, being the reincarnation of that former consort of Shiva. She is also the mother of Ganesha and Skanda (Kartikeya). Some communities also believe her to be the sister of Lord Vishnu and Shaktas consider her as the ultimate Divine Shakti. In many interpretations of the scriptures, Parvati is also regarded as a representation of Shakti or Durga, albeit the gentle aspect of that goddess because she is a mother goddess otherwise known as Devi. She is regarded the daughter of the Himalayas.
Generally considered a benign goddess, Parvati when depicted alongside Shiva appears with two arms, but when alone, she is shown having four arms, and astride a tiger or lion.
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Parvata is one of the Sanskrit words for "mountain"; "Parvati" translates to "She of the mountains" and refers to Parvati being born the daughter of Himavan, lord of the mountains and the personification of the Himalayas.
She is also known by a number of other names, including Ambika (mother), Gauri (golden, fair)[1], Shyama (dark complexioned), Bhairavi (awesome), Kali (black-colored), Umā [2], Lalita, Aparna, the maternal epithet Mataji, and many hundreds of others; the Lalita sahasranama contains an authoritative listing. The apparent contradiction that Parvati is addressed as the fair one, Gauri as well as the dark one Kalior Shyama can be explained by the following Hindu myth: when Shiva rebuked Parvati about her dark skin colour, the angry Parvati left him and underwent severe penace to get a fair colour as a boon from Brahma. [3]
The Parvati does not appeaer in Vedic literature. The Kena Upanishad (3.12) contains a goddess called Uma - Haimavati. [4] She appears as the shakti, or essential power, of the Supreme Brahman. Her primary role is of a mediator who reveals the knowelge 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. [5] But Kinsley notes: "it is little more than conjuture to identify her with the later goddess Satī-Pārvatī, although [..] later text that extol Śiva and Pārvatī retell the episode in such a way to leave no doubt that it was Śiva's spouse.." [6] Both textual and archaeological evidence suggests Sati-Parvati appears in epic period (400 BC - 400 AD). Both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata present Parvati as Shiva's wife. [7] It is not until the plays of Kalidasa (5th-6th centuries) and the Puranas (4th through the 13th centuries) that the myths of Sati-Parvati and Shiva acquire comprehensive details. [8]
The Puranas repeatedly tell the tale of Sati's marriage to Shiva against her father Daksha's wishes and her subsequent self-immolation at Daksha's Yajna (fire offering) leaving Shiva grief-striken and having lost interest in worldly affairs. In Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Sati appears before Shiva, in her divine form, and reassureshim that she will return as the daughter of Himavan. Sati is reborn as Parvati, the daughter of Himavan, and the apsaras Menā. Like Sati, Parvati underwent severe pence (tapas), pleased Shiva and regained him as her husband.
Kalidasa's epic Kumarasambhavam ("Birth of Kumara") details with matchlessly lyrical beauty the story of the maiden Parvati; her devotions aimed at gaining the favour of Shiva; the subsequent annihilation of Kamadeva; the consequent fall of the universe into barren lifelessness; the subsequent nuptials, in these circumstances, of the partners of many previous births; the immaculate birth of Skanda (Kumara, Shiva's first son) and the eventual resurrection of Kamadeva after intercession by Parvati to Shiva in his favour.
Parvati symbolises many noble virtues esteemed by Hindu tradition. Just as Shiva is at once the presiding deity of destruction and regeneration, the couple jointly symbolise at once both the power of renunciation and asceticism and the blessings of marital felicity.
Parvati thus symbolises many different virtues esteemed by Hindu tradition: fertility, marital felicity, devotion to the spouse, asceticism and power. It is said in the Saundarya Lahari, a famous literary work on the goddess, that she is the source of all power in this universe and that because of her, Lord Shiva gets all his powers.
Parvati represents the householder ideal in the perennial tension in Hinduism in the household ideal and the ascetic ideal, represented by Shiva. [9] In classical Hindu mythology, the "raison d’être" of Parvati, and before that of Sati, is to lure Shiva into marriage and thus into a wider circle of worldly affairs. [10] Parvati civilizes Shiva, the "great unpredictable madman" with her presence. [11] When Shiva does his violent, destructive tandava dance, Parvati is described as calming him or complementing his violence by slow, creative steps of her own Lasya dance. [12] In many myths, Parvati is not as much his complement as his rival, tricking, seducing or luring him away from his ascetic practices. [13] Again, Parvati subdues Shiva's immense sexual vitality. In this context, Shiva Purana says: 'The linga of Shiva, cursed by the sages, fell on the earth and burnt everything before it like fire. Parvati took the form of a yoni and calmed it by holding the linga in her yoni'. The Padma Purana also tells the story of Parvati assuming the form of yoni to receive lingam of Shiva, who was cursed by sage Bhrigu to be the form of the lingam. [14]
Three images are central to the mythology, iconography and philosophy of Parvati :
- The theme of Shiva-Shakti
- The image of Shiva as Ardhanarishvara (the Lord who is half woman)
- The image of the linga and the yoni
These images that combine the two deities - Shiva and Parvati, yield a vision of reconciliation, interdependence and harmonic harmony between the way of the ascetic and that of a householder. [15]
The couple are often depicted in the Puranas as engaged in dalliance or seated on Mount Kailash or discussing abstract concepts in Hindu theology. Occasionally, they are depicted as quarrelling. [16]
Though Ganesha considered as son of Shiva and Parvati, the Matsya Purana, Shiva Purana and Skanda Purana ascribe the birth of Ganesha to Parvati only, without any form of participation of Shiva in Ganesha's birth. [17]
Once, while Parvati wanted to take a bath, there were no attendants around to guard her and stop anyone from accidentally entering the house. Hence she created an image of a boy out of turmeric paste which she prepared to cleanse her body, and infused life into it, and thus Ganesha was born. Parvati ordered Ganesha not to allow anyone to enter the house, and Ganesha obediently followed his mother's orders. After a while Shiva returned and tried to enter the house, Ganesha stopped him. Shiva was infuriated severed Ganesha's head with his trishula. When Parvati came out and saw her son's lifeless body, she was very angry and sad. She demanded that Shiva restore Ganesha's life at once. Unfortunately, Shiva's trishula was so powerful that it had hurled Ganesha's head very far off and thus could not be found. Finally,an elephant's head was attached to Ganesha's body and bringing him back to life. Still upset, Parvati demanded her son be made head of the celestial armies, and worshipped by everyone before beginning any activity and gods excepted this condition.
Ganesha is identified as a god named after his mother. He is called Umaputra, Parvatisuta, Gaurisuta meaning son of Parvati and Heramba, "mother's beloved (son)". [18]
In several myths, the presence of a dark, violent side of this otherwise benign Parvati is suggested. When approached by the gods to defeat demons, Parvati typiclly gets angry at the prospect of war and from her wrath emerges a violent goddess, which proceeds to fight on Parvati's behalf. This goddess is usually identified as the terrible, black ascept of the goddess, Kali. [19] In Linga Purana, Parvati summons Kali on the request of Shiva, to destroy a female asura (demoness) Daruka. The legend further concludes with Kali breast-feeding Shiva, who appeared on the battlefield as an infant. [20] Kali is associated and identified with Parvati as Shiva's consort. [21]
In Skanda Purana, Parvati is said to have assumed a form of a warrior-goddess and defeated a demon called Durg who assumes the form of a buffalo. Thereafter, she is by the name Durga. [22] In myths relating her defeat of demons Sumbha and Nisumbha, Durga emerges from Parvati when Parvati sheds her outer sheath, which takes the identity of it's own as a warrior goddess. [23]
The Gauri Festival is celebrated in on the seventh, eighth, ninth of Bhadrapada Shukla. She is worshipped as the goddess of harvest and protectress of women. Her festival, chiefly observed by women, is closely associated with the festival of her son Ganesha (Ganesh Chaturthi). The festival is popular in Maharashtra.[24]
Another festival Gauri tritiya is celebrated from Chaitra shukla third to Vaishakha shukla third. It is believed that Parvati spends a month at her parent's home now. This festival is popular in Maharashtra, less observed in North India and unknown in Benegal. The unwidowed women of the household erect a series of platforms in a pyramidal shape with the image of the goddess at the top and collection of ornaments, images of other Hindu deities, pictures, shells etc. below. Neighbours are invited and presented with turmeric, fruits, flowers etc. as gifts. At night, prayers are held by singing and dancing.[25]
Some of the famous temples where Parvati forms are predominantly worshipped include,
- Meenakshi temple at Madurai in Tamilnadu, India
- Kamakshi Amman temple at Kanchipuram in Tamilnadu, India
- Akilandeswari temple at Thiruvanaikaval in Tamilnadu, India
- Visalakshi temple at Banaras,Uttar Pradesh,India
- Devipuram temple at Viskapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
- ^ "Gauri." Encyclopedia Mythica from Encyclopedia Mythica Online. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/gauri.html>
- ^ "Uma." Encyclopedia Mythica from Encyclopedia Mythica Online.<http://www.pantheon.org/articles/u/uma.html>
- ^ Kennedy p.334
- ^ Kinsley p.36
- ^ Kena Upanisad, III.11-IV.3, cited in Müller and in Sarma, pp. xxix-xxx.
- ^ Kinsley p.36
- ^ Kinsley p.36
- ^ Kinsley p.37
- ^ Kinsley p.46
- ^ Kinsley p.35
- ^ Kinsley p.46
- ^ Kinsley p.48
- ^ Kinsley p.48
- ^ Kennedy p.300
- ^ Kinsley p.49
- ^ Kennedy p.334
- ^ Kennedy p.353-4
- ^ G anesa: Unravelling an Enigma By Yuvraj Krishan p.6
- ^ Kinsley p.46
- ^ Kennedy p.338
- ^ Kinsley p.126
- ^ Kinsley p.96
- ^ Kinsley p.96
- ^ The Hindu Religious Year By Muriel Marion Underhill p.50 Published 1991 Asian Educational Services ISBN 8120605233
- ^ The Hindu Religious Year By Muriel Marion Underhill p.100
- Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
- Researches Into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology By Vans Kennedy; Published 1831; Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green; 494 pages; Original from Harvard University; Digitized Jul 11, 2005 [1]
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