Shiva, You are my Valentine - Part 2

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namaha

Om Namah Shivaaya

Om Sri Sai Ram

Read Shiva, you are my Valentine-Part 1 here

Parvathy dates and dotes on Shiva!

Continuation from Part 1: Sati’s father Daksha (Shiva’s father-in-law) disliked Shiva and insulted Him by not inviting Shiva to Daksha’s grand Yagna. Sati alone attended the Yagna but she was also insulted by her own father Daksha. Ashamed of being a daughter of such a father, she immolated herself by jumping into the scared (Yagna) fire and vowed to be born to a father whom she can respect. Shiva became angry, sent his people to destroy the Yagna. He went back to the Himalayas and started His meditation again.

Parvathy’s birth: Very near the place where Shiva was meditating, there lived a great mountain king, Himavan.  He had married the heavenly nymph Menaka. One day, Menaka gave birth to a lovely baby girl. Since the baby was born to the mountain (Paravatham) king, they named her Parvathy (also known as Girija). Parvathi was really Sati reborn, this time, to a father she could be proud of and who was also proud of her. As the years flew by, Parvathy grew up to be a beautiful maiden. Himavan and Menaka seriously began to think about getting their daughter married.

Narada visits Himavan: One day Narada visited Himavan’s palace. Himavan immediately called Parvathy and told her, “Parvathy, please come here and take the blessings of sage Narada!” Parvathy fell at the feet of sage Narada and sought His blessings. After blessing Parvathy, Narada told Himavan, “Your daughter is destined to be the wife of none other than Lord Shiva” and left the palace.

Himavat’s worry: After Narada left the palace, Himavan started worrying. He had seen Shiva meditating in the grove nearby. Himavan started thinking, “How can I approach Shiva? He has not looked upon a woman since Sati gave up her body. What if He refuses me?” The poor father shared his concerns with his wife Menaka and waited for quite some time hoping that someday Shiva would come out of His meditation and spot Parvathy in the orchard. Then, may be things will happen!

Waiting hurts: Himavan waited for many years and the wait was very painful. Parvathy’s marriage appeared to be in a deadlock. Nothing was happening. He was reminded of the saying, ‘Common sense comes first. God sense comes next.’ Another one flashed to his mind - ‘For anything to happen there should be Prayatnam (effort), Kaalam (right time) and Daivam (divine grace).’ He had left everything to Daivam without making any effort on his part. He thought of an idea.

Himavan’s idea: He told Menaka, “I have waited long enough. Shiva is lost in meditation. I will send Parvathy to serve Shiva in the daily rituals. He will slowly begin to love her.” Menaka agreed with this proposal. Parvathy was very happy that she was able to serve Shiva by cleaning His prayer seat and the surrounding area every morning, plucking flowers for the Puja, procuring material for naivedyam (food offering) and filling His Kamandalu (vessel) with fresh water etc. Yet, Lord Shiva did not fall for Parvathy’s beauty.

Indra goes to Kamadeva for help: Indra (Lord of the heavens) asks Kamadeva (Cupid) to lure Shiva into marrying Parvathy. One day, when Parvathy was about to place a garland on Shiva’s neck for the morning worship, Kamadeva shot a flower arrow at Shiva. Shiva suddenly started admiring Parvathy’s beauty and Parvathy at once blushed! Realizing that this is not His natural trait, Shiva looked around and found Kamadeva hiding behind a bush. By His mere look, Shiva burnt Kamadeva and left the grove without even caring for Parvathy.

Parvathy does penance: Realizing that she has lost her Lord, Parvathy cast off her fine clothes and jewelry and went into a grove and started meditating on Shiva. She never cared for food or comfort and went on non-stop prayer, meditating on her Lord. Because of that, she was called Aparna by the sages who were living in the forest nearby. Many sages told her not to fast and do penance and hurt her body. She was also called Uma (U =Oh! ma =don’t). Shiva was pleased with her penance and came disguised in the form of a hermit and told her, “Shiva is always covered with ashes and lives near a grave yard. Serpents bedeck His body and He is clothed in foul smelling hides. He is not fit for you.”

Shiva shows His form: Hearing these bad remarks about her Lord, she angrily started walking away from the saint. The saint stretched his arms, stopped her and suddenly his from turned into the beautiful form of Lord Shiva! Shiva told Parvathy, “I am very pleased with your devotion and penance. I am willing to be your slave.” Parvathy told Shiva, “Please approach my father for my hand.” Shiva met Himavan and asked for Parvathy’s hand in marriage. Himavan was very pleased at the turn of the events. He chose an auspicious day and the wedding of Shiva and Parvathy took place in a grand manner. A verse from Lingashtakam describes this story.

Kama Dahana Karunaakara Lingam

Ravana Darpa Vinashaka Lingam

Tat Pranamami Sadaa Shiva Lingam.

Jai Sai Ram!

Shiva, you are my Valentine – Part 1

Happy Valentines day to all my readers! Today I am going to share a very beautiful write-up from Sai Amritwani owner, Prasad Garu. It is considered to be very auspicious to read this story and especially auspicious to read on the Magha Pournami which falls today (February 14th, 2014) ! Please read on...

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Two years ago, I wrote a story, ‘Baba, please, be my Valentine’. Many of you liked it. Some of you read only half the story. Some of you after reading a little said, “I don’t get it.” Some of you didn’t care to read at all. It was understandable because it was a fiction. It was a story about how a man in love with his girlfriend falls in love with Baba. But, this is one is really real… it is a story about how Parvathy falls in love with Shiva and how Shiva falls in love with Parvathy as described in Shiva Purana and Kumara Sambhavam by Kalidasa. It will be good to read this story of divine love and get prepared for Shivarathri which falls on Thursday, Feb 27^th.  It is in two parts… so you can take a break and fall in love!

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namaha

Om Namah Shivaaya

Om Sri Sai Ram

Sati meets Shiva

Brahma’s desire: Shiva is an ascetic and He is always in meditation. Brahma (who represents passion) wants Shiva to get married. Brahma approaches Vishnu and asks for His advice. Vishnu tells Brahma to pray to goddess Uma and beg her to take birth on Earth so that she can become Shiva’s consort. Brahma’s prayers were answered soon. Brahma’s son Daksha was blessed with a daughter who was none other than Uma and they name her Sati. Sati slowly grew up into a beautiful girl ready to be given in marriage.

Narada visits Daksha: Once Narada and Brahma visited Daksha’s palace and Sati paid obeisance to Brahma. Brahma blessed Sati saying, “May the Lord Shiva become your Lord and He will not marry anyone else.” The blessings of Brahma influenced Sati to a great extent. She said to herself, “I shall perform severe penances and win my Lord.” She at once sat by the side of a river and began chanting sacred mantras. Her mind was all the time concentrated on Shiva. Lakshmi and her husband Vishnu, Saraswathy and her husband Brahma and many sages were impressed by her penance and they all came down to Earth to bless. Sati was fully absorbed in the thought of Shiva and did not even notice their presence. All the Gods, Goddesses and sages who had come to bless her, instead sought her blessings and left!

Brahma convinces Shiva: All the Gods, Goddesses and sages who left Sati went directly to Shiva. Brahma said, “O Shiva, you must also have a loving woman as your eternal companion like us. I have taken Saraswathy and Vishnu has taken Lakshmi. Will you please consider our request seriously?”

Shiva said, “I am willing to marry but I am an ascetic. I am looking for a woman who values prayer and meditation as the most important thing in her life. Is there such a woman?”

Brahma replied, “O Shiva, there is! My granddaughter Sati. She is doing severe penances now to reach you.”

Vishnu pleaded, “Shiva, please grant her wish!” and all of them left Shiva’s abode.

Shiva meets Sati: Shiva appeared directly in front of Sati by the river. Shiva said, “O daughter of Daksha, I am extremely pleased by your devotion. Please ask for a boon!” Sati slowly opened her eyes and she could not believe that Lord Shiva was actually standing in front of her! Sati had never dated any man in her life. Seeing her fiancé in such close quarters, Sati blushed and her cheeks turned pink! Shiva watched all this and had a gentle smile!

Sati’s dilemma: Sati kneeled and bowed in front of Lord Shiva with folded palms. She was feeling very shy to ask for the boon that she had in her mind. How can she tell Him that the boon that she is seeking is Him? This is the first time she was in close proximity to any man in her life. It is usually the man who proposes but now she has to propose to Lord Shiva. She hesitated for a while and then developed a some courage to speak in a gentle voice, “Lord, will you…” She could not complete the sentence because her natural feminine instincts hushed her voice. The Lord knew all of this.

Shiva completes the sentence: The Lord knew the predicament Sati was in. Lord Shiva completed the sentence by saying, “Be my consort, O dear Sati!” All the hesitation Sati had suddenly vanished in a moment! She was smiling and she was looking at the Lord sweetly for some time. The Lord was also very happy to see the smile on Sati’s face. It appeared as though the Lord was willing to take her with Him. Being brought up in a family of traditional values, Sati reminded to Shiva, “Lord, please take me only with the consent and blessings of my parents.” Shiva replied, “So, be it!”

Daksha’s hestitation: Daksha did not like the man that Sati had chosen to be her husband (sounds familiar?). Shiva was always wearing an elephant skin around His waist and bare- chested with snakes around His neck and shoulders and looked like an ascetic. He was normally found to be sitting on a tiger’s skin and meditating. Which father would like to give his daughter to an ascetic?

Brahma makes the marriage happen: Brahma talked nicely to his son Daksha and convinced him that giving Sati in marriage to Lord Shiva is the best thing that can happen to his granddaughter.  On an auspicious day, Sati was married to Shiva with great pomp and fanfare. Brahma, Saraswathy, Lakshmi, Vishnu, the Devas and other sages attended the function and blessed the couple.

Yagna by the sages: At Prayaag, the sages were performing a great Yagna and Shiva and Sati went to the Yagna. As they entered the Yagna grounds,  Devas and the sages bowed to them in respect. As soon as Shiva and Sati were seated, Daksha entered. Everyone stood up and bowed to Daksha except Shiva and Sati. Daksha noticed it, felt insulted and vowed to teach Shiva a lesson.

Shiva thought to himself, “My father-in-law does not know that I am superior to him. If I bow to him, some calamity will befall on him.”

Daksha’s Yagna:  Some time later, Daksha planned to conduct a grand Yagna and he had invited everyone except Shiva and Sati. Sati was surprised that her father had forgotten to invite them. Sati went to Shiva and told Him, “Dear Lord, please oblige to my request. Let us both go and attend the Yagna.” Shiva said, “My Love! Your father Daksha has purposely overlooked us. I cannot go. However, you can go.”

Sati attends the Yagna: Sati went to Daksha’s palace and bowed to her parents. Sati asked her father, “Why was my Lord and I not invited?” Daksha ignored her. Sati then addressed the question to Brahma and Vishnu: “How could you tolerate this insult to my Lord?” Daksha quickly interrupted and said, “Sati, I have had enough of your impudence. You can go or stay. Why did you come at all? Your husband is uncultured and he is not fit to attend such auspicious functions. I gave you to him only because my father persuaded me. I don’t have a good opinion of him.”

Sati jumps into the fire: Enraged by her father’s reply, Sati shouted, “I am ashamed to call myself your daughter. I will throw this body off mine as a worthless corpse!” Slowly, Sati’s anger subsided; she became calm and prayed to Shiva, “My Lord, I shall come back to you when I am born of a father whom I can respect.” She suddenly jumped into the fire and immolated herself. When Shiva was informed of the events that took place at the Yagna, He sent Virabhadra and Maha Kaali and destroyed the Yagna. A verse from Lingashtakam reminds us of this event as well as the story!

Daksha Suyagna Vinaashaka Lingam

Tat Pranamaami Sadaa Shiva Lingam

To be continued…