Parvati

Introduction

Goddess Parvati is the divine mother, the deity of love, devotion, and power in Hinduism. She is the wife of Lord Shiva and the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. Parvati is the daughter of Himavat (the king of mountains) and Mena, hence she is also called Himavati, Shailputri, and Girija.

Parvati is the reincarnation of Goddess Sati. Sati had immolated herself in the sacrificial fire when her father Daksha insulted Lord Shiva. Reborn as Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas, she won Shiva as her husband through intense austerity. She is Shiva’s Shakti, and in the Ardhanarishvara form, Shiva and Parvati are two aspects of one reality.

Form and Iconography

Parvati’s form is gentle, compassionate, and imbued with motherly grace. In her Gauri aspect, she has a fair (gaura) complexion. She wears green or red garments. Her two or four hands hold a lotus, a mirror, a japamala (rosary), and one hand in the abhaya (blessing) mudra. She is typically depicted seated to Shiva’s left (vamanga). Her vahana (vehicle) is a lion or tiger. In her gentle form she is Gauri; in her fierce forms she manifests as Kali, Durga, and Chandi.

Mythological Stories

Severe Penance: After Sati’s death, Shiva withdrew into deep meditation. To win him, Parvati undertook the most rigorous austerities. She gave up food, surviving on dried leaves, then on nothing at all (earning the name Aparna, “without leaves”). At last, Shiva was moved by her devotion and accepted her hand in marriage.

Shiva’s Test: Before the wedding, Shiva disguised himself as an old Brahmin and spoke disparagingly of himself to Parvati. Incensed, Parvati declared that she would marry Shiva regardless of his appearance. Pleased by her unwavering devotion, Shiva revealed his true form.

Ardhanarishvara: To manifest the unity and love of Shiva and Parvati, the Ardhanarishvara form appeared — half the body is Shiva’s and the other half is Parvati’s. This symbolizes the inseparability of Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (nature).

Major Temples

• Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu — A magnificent temple dedicated to Parvati as Meenakshi
• Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, Assam — One of the foremost Shakti Peethas
• Gauri Shankar Temple, Delhi — An ancient temple dedicated to Gauri and Shankar
• Tulja Bhavani Temple, Tuljapur, Maharashtra — A famous temple of Parvati in her Bhavani form

Associated Festivals

Gangaur is the principal festival of Parvati (Gauri) in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, celebrated on the third day of the bright half of Chaitra. Married women pray for the well-being of their husbands. Hartalika Teej is observed on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, commemorating the Shiva-Parvati marriage. During Navratri, the various forms of Parvati are worshipped over nine nights.

Associated Mantras and Prayers

• Parvati Beej Mantra: “Om Hreem Umayai Namaha”
• Gauri Stotra: “Sarvamangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike…”
• Lalita Sahasranama: The thousand names of the Goddess, from the Brahmanda Purana
• Soundarya Lahari: Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, describing the beauty and glory of the Goddess