PARVATI – THE SUPREME MOTHER

Parvati is Shiva’s consort and Hindu mythology has many an interesting tale of the love shared between Shiva and Parvati. Like other gods and goddesses
In Hindu mythology, Parvati is Shiva’s constant companion. In the scriptures, it’s found that Parvati often questions Shiva, on the abstractness of Hindu philosophy and Shiva explains it all to her. Many difficult issues are sorted out and explained in the form of questions and answers between Shiva and Parvati.

Why Parvati is Worshipped

Girls seek Parvati’s blessings so that they’ll be married to virtuous men. Married women also worship her for a happy married life.
In matters related to delayed marriages the swayamvara parvathi homa is advised; our scriptures talk about the rituals that should be performed in this homa.  The Parvati vrat should also be observed, which starts from the thirteenth day of Ashadha in the Shukla Paksha. It continues for five days. Consumption of salt is prohibited during this vrat.

Gangaur or the Fast of Gauri is observed on the first day of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April). Women or girls make 16 idols of Goddess Gauri and they are worshipped with flowers and rice. Goddess Gauri is prayed for blessings This fast and the rituals continue for 16 days, after which the idols are immersed. The day of immersion falls on the second day of the bright moon. 

Form of goddess parvati:

Parvati as sati

Parvati as Uma

Parvati as Durga

Parvati as Kali

Parvati as Sati

Parvati was the daughter of King Daksha. In this birth her name was Sati. She was married to Shiva. Once, King Daskha organized a massive ceremony. But he did not invite Shiva and Sati. She told Shiva that as it was her father’s house, she didn’t need any formal invitation.

On arrival, when Sati sought an explanation from King Daksha as to why he hadn’t invited Shiva, Daksha started criticizing and insulting Shiva in front of a huge gathering. Sati could not bear this humiliation to Shiva and herself and, disillusioned, set herself on fire. When news of Sati’s death reached Shiva, he grew furious and sent his ganas to wreak havoc at the gathering and to kill Daksha. Shiva lifted Sati’s dead body on his shoulder and started the tandava or dance of destruction. It created great disturbances all over the world. 

Lord Vishnu sent his Sudarshana Chakra and cut Sati’s body into numerous pieces. Wherever a particular piece of her body fell became a place of pilgrimage and a temple of Sati was erected at that site. Even today, these temples exist.

Parvati as Durga

Durga is a multi-dimensional goddess. She has many names, many incarnations, many personalities and many appearances. Depending on her appearances and attributes, she has many names like Parvati (mountain girl), Himavati (daughter of Himalaya), Bhavani (goddess of the universe), Uma (the light), Gauri (the yellow-complexioned beauty), Jagatmata (mother of the world), Durga (the inaccessible), Kali or Shyama (the black-complexioned one), Chandika or Chandi (the fearful one), Bhairavi (the terrible one), Vagheshwari , etc.

Parvati as Kali

Kali is the most fearful and terrifying form of Parvati. She is worshipped in the form of a dark-complexioned woman with four hands. In one hand, she carries a sword; in another hand she carries the head of the demon and with the other two hands, she encourages her worshippers. She wears a garland of skulls, and her eyes are bloodshot. Goddess Kali is worshipped mostly in eastern India.

Parvati as Uma

Parvati was born as Uma, the daughter of Himalaya. Parvati wanted to be the consort of Lord Shiva. But after Sati’s self-immolation, Shiva had lost all interest in marriage, and had taken to meditating, living in a trance-like state. Realizing this, Uma undertook ascetic rites and prayed for a thousand years. After further testing her loyalty, Shiva accepted Parvati as his wife.

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MAHALAKSHMI VRAT

Mahalakshmi Vrat can be observed from the eighth day (ashtami tithi) of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadra (mid-September to mid-October) to the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Ashwin (mid-October to mid-November). This vrat continues for 16 days. Our scriptures place a great deal of importance on Mahalakshmi Vrat. If a person observes this vrat by following the rituals, it generates great results: all the wishes of the devotee are fulfilled. The importance of the Mahalakshmi Vrat has been narrated with a comparison in our scriptures:
Just as Prayag is the best place for pilgrimage and Ganga is the best river, Mahalakshmi Vrat is also the best vrat to observe.

Vrat Vidhan (Rules for the Vrat)

Our holy scriptures have laid down the following rules for observing the Mahalakshmi Vrat:
On bhadrapad shukla ashtami tithi, wake up early in the morning and wash your hands and face 16 times. Bathe, put on fresh clothes and establish the pratima (idol) of Mahalakshmi which is made of chandan and other sacred materials.
Next, tie 16 knots by a rope of 16 threads and worship each knot by chanting this mantra: Mahalakshmi namah.

Take16 durva and 16 akshat. Continue the vrat for 16 days and on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Ashwin give end (or “end”?) the vrat after ratrijagran.
On the sixteenth day, untie the sacred rope of 16 threads and place it near the idol of Goddess Lakshmi. In this vrat, you should spend one full day subsisting on fruits only.
After the vrat, 16 deepaks (traditional handmade lamps) should be made of flour and these should be donated to honest and needy people with dakshina.
Worshipping the Elephant as a vahana of Lakshmi

The elephant is a vahana of many deities, and it is worshipped as a vahana of Goddess Lakshmi as well. It is believed that people may be blessed with wealth and prosperity by worshipping an elephant.

There is an interesting story about the significance of elephant worship as a vahana of Mahalakshmi, which is popular in many regions of India.

A king had two wives. The first wife had many sons but the second wife had only one. The first wife made an elephant out of clay and worshipped it. But the second wife was deprived of this and she was unhappy. When her son asked her why she was so dejected, she told him of her desire to worship an elephant. Since Indra’s vahana was an elephant – Airavata – the son approached Indra for Airavata, and gave it to his mother. She was overjoyed and worshipped a real, flesh-and-blood elephant. As a result of her worship, her son became a famous king. As this incident spread far and wide, people started worshipping elephants.

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Different Forms (Roop) of Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and prosperity, has many appearances. Although as a goddess Lakshmi is one, she exists in various forms. In modern times, the word Lakshmi is used often as a synonym to wealth. Eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi are visualized:

• Dhan-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Wealth) 
• Grih-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Home) 
• Arogya-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Wellness) 
• Yash-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Fame) 
• Sanskar-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Reformation) 
• Gyan-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Knowledge) 
• Adhyatmik Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Spirituality) 
• Moksha-Lakshmi (Lakshmi of Moksha) 

A variety of shlokas (verses) mentioned in our Puranas and books related to Pratima-Lakshan (features of the idols) tell us about the various forms of Lakshmi. These holy scriptures tell us about eight forms of Lakshmi: 

• Dvibhuja     
• Gaj Lakshmi    
• Maha Lakshmi   
• Shree Devi    
• Veer Lakhsmi    
• Dvibhuja Veer Lakshmi    
• Ashtabhuja Veer Lakshmi   
• Prasanna Lakshmi

Among these eight forms, three forms of Lakshmi are more popular; these are:

• Dvibhuja     
• Gaj Lakshmi    
• Maha Lakshmi 

Dvibhuja Lakshmi

As per the Vishnu Dharmottar Purana, Lakshmi is seen with two hands in the Dvibhuja roop, holding a lotus in both hands. When Goddess Lakshmi is visualized with Lord Vishnu, she is always in the Dvibhuja form and should be imagined as being in the left-hand side of Lord Vishnu.

Gaj Lakshmi

This form of Lakshmi is the most popular among all, and is also the most attractive to behold. Goddess Lakshmi is visualized on a lotus that blooms between two elephant in a lake, with both elephants showering water on Goddess Lakshmi from a pitcher. In some scriptures, four elephants instead of two elephants are mentioned. Showering by elephants indicates the power and prosperity that is associated with Lakshmi. The elephant is also regarded as the vahana of Gaj Lakshmi TheSkanda Purana mentions that when Goddess Lakshmi appeared during the churning of the sea, she was mounted on an elephant. According to the Vishnu Purana, Ganga and other holy rivers came to offer a bath to Goddess Lakshmi, and the elephants showered water on her.

Many shlokas are found in different scriptures where Goddess Lakshmi is mentioned as Gaj Lakshmi. 

Maha Lakshmi

 As per the Vishwakarma Shastra, Maha Lakshmi should be visualized as adorned in the finest of garments and bedecked with jewellery, with each of her four hands, carrying a particular meaningful object. The lower right hand carries a pot; the upper right hand carries a Kaumodakee Gada The lower left hand caries a Shree fruit (bilva/bael)  and the upper left hand caries a protective shield.

Shree Devi

The features of Goddess Lakshmi in the form of Shree Devi are mentioned in the book Samranggan Sutradhar: her face should be like the full Moon, her lips should be coloured red, with a smiling, benign expression. She should be dressed in white and adorned with divine jewellery; she should carry lotuses in her hand. This scripture further tells us that we should visualize the Shree Devi form of Goddess Lakshmi in her early young age.  

In the above shloka, Lakshmi is visualized with two hands. But in some other shloks, she is mentioned as having four hands. In the following shlok, she is said to be carrying pash, ankush, akshamala and lotus in four hands while sitting in Padmasana:

Veer Lakshmi

In the shloka of the four-handed Veer Lakshmi, it is mentioned that she exists on the lotus . She carries a lotus in both her upper right and left hands. Both the lower hands are seen in two different types of mudra, namely, abhaya and varad 

The features of the Dvibhuja Veer Lakshmi are the same as Veer Lakshmi. The only difference is that in Dvibhuja Lakshmi, the goddess is always visualized with two hands, while the latter depicts four arms. Actually the word Dvibhuja literally means “having two hands”.

One hand of Dvibhuja Lakshmi is seen in the abhay mudra and the other hand is seen in the varad mudra. 

Ashta Bhuja Veer Lakshmi

Ashta Bhuja Veer Lakshmi is visualized with eight hands. Six hands carry six different types of objects while two hands display two mudras. 

The six objects that she holds are:

• Pash 
• Ankush 
• Aksha-sutra  
• Gada
• Lotus 
• Pot

Prasanna Lakshmi

The shloka of Prasanna Lakshmi details the appearance and features of the goddess. Attired in pure white, she exists in the vaamank (meaning in English?) of Lord Vishnu. She carries beejapur, kanak, (meanings in English?) pitcher and a golden lotus in her four hands. 

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Get the Blessing of Goddess Lakshmi

The divine mother, Goddess Lakshmi, “Ma Lakshmi” is known by everybody. She is the shakti(the force or power) behind all materialistic wealth. Lakshmi is mainly understood as the goddess who endows money and wealth. There are 16 sanskars in Hindu culture and every ritual demands money in the form of prasad, offerings and donations. In fact, every step of life requires money.

But there is much more to Lakshmi’s identity; it is not only wealth but there are as many as eight points of distinctiveness associated with Goddess Lakshmi. She is the powerful, divine consort of Lord Vishnu. She helps and assists Lord Vishnu, who is the preserver of this universe. She has thousands of names and is endowed with enormous powers. She is the deity who creates a pathway to success and attainments in life. Ma Lakshmi is often referred as “Shrii”.

Significance of the Churning of the Sea and Lakshmi

The churning of the sea constitutes an important aspect of Hindu mythology. it offers a deeper meaning: it is related to a person’s consciousness. The churning of the sea symbolizes the churning of the sea of one’s consciousness. It’s a transformational process in which we experience spiritual growth.

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. The appearance of Lakshmi in the churning of the sea reveals that if we churn the sea of our consciousness, we will get spiritually enriched. Sooner or later, we will experience spiritual growth, the true wealth in our life.

Lakshmi in our Consciousness

In researches on meditation, it has been observed that Lakshmi exists in the heart holding ten qualities. These are food, royal power, mystic power of manifestation, universal sovereignty, noble rank, holy lustre, kingdom, fortune, bounteousness, and beauty. Lakshmi can release these ten qualities in us. Lakshmi has a connection with a powerful shakti sitting at the base of spine.  

The best way to attract financial abundance in our life is by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi. Shri Sukt is a good mantra to please Goddess Lakshmi.

Where does Goddess Lakshmi live? 

The Vishnu Purana gives a list of the places, homes and among people where the goddess of prosperity and abundance,

Lakshmi, resides.

•  The place where animals and birds reside.
• Those who respect their visitors/guests.
• Those who control their senses/behaviour.
• Those who speak politely and softly.
• Those who respect food.
• Those who are not proud and arrogant.
• Those who understand others sorrow.
• Those who bathe daily.
• Those who wear clean clothes.
• Those who offer flowers to God without inhaling the fragrance.
• Those who donate.
• Those who always remain in a festive mood.
• Those who offer agarbattis to God.
• Those who are respected by their wives
• Those who don’t have a dishonest wife.
• Those women who don’t eat while cooking.
• Those who don’t blame their wives unnecessarily.
• Those who respect their wives.
• Those who keep their feet clean and soft.
• Those who eat less than required.
• Those who do not indulge in sex on pious days.
• Those who do not have bad body odour.
• Those who eat in silence. 
• Those who fast on ekadashis.
• Those who offer awala to Lord Vishnu.
• Those who remember God both in the morning and evening.
• Those who face the north when urinating during the day and face the south when  urinating at night.
• Those who do not use shabby, run-down furniture.
• Those who do not touch fire and elders with their feet.
• Those who do not sleep during the day.
• Those who do not have sex during the day.
• Those who do not look upon their body as a musical instrument.
• Those who do not use tables and utensils as musical instruments.
• Those who keep their house well lit.
• Those who do not chew their lips and nails.
• Those who take care of their physical appearance, their body and hair

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Why Shiva is worshipped as Linga

The word lingam has many meanings. In the word Shivalingam, “linga” actually means sign, mark or symbol. The Shiva Purana, source book of Shiva’s divinity, tells us that “Linga is the distinctive sign through which the nature of an object is recognized”

Lord Shiva is universally worshipped as a lingam. One should not look upon it is the male reproductive organ, and emotions should always be pure while worshiping the Shiva Lingam. The Padma Purana tells us that once Rishi Bhrigu visited Shiva’s abode at Mt. Kailash. As he was about to enter, he was stopped by the ganas who informed him that at that moment Shiva was with Parvati, united in divine sexual union,and was not be disturbed. Bhrigu waited but after some time his patience ended.Furious, he shouted aloud to Shiva, cursing him that since he had kept him, a rishi, waiting at his door for so long unattended, people would henceforth worship him in the form of a lingam. Since then, people worship the Shivalingam.

Although Shiva has thousands of names, a few of his names are very popular. 

• Neelkanth – The Blue-throated 

• Mrityunjaya – The One who take Control over Death

• Gangadhara – He who has Ganga in his Hair

• Mahakala – The Great Time

• Trymbaka – The Three-eyed

Shiva Ratri: Shiva Ratri is celebrated to mark Shiva’s marriage to Parvati. It is celebrated on the fourteenth night of the dark half-moon in the month of Magha (mid-January to mid-February). 

There is a legend behind the celebration of Shiva Ratri. Once, a hunter lost his way in the forest and decided to spend the night on a bael (bilva) tree. Upset and worried that he wouldn’t be able to reach home that night and provide food (whatever he had hunted) to his family, he was unable to sleep and was in tears,plucking the leaves and dropping them on the ground below. A Shivalingam stood at the foot of the tree, upon which fell the leaves of the tree, as well as his tears. This unintended and unknown offering pleased Shiva, who blessed the hunter. Since then, Shiva Ratri festival has been celebrated in the honour of Lord Shiva.

Offerings to Lord Shiva

In worshipping Hindu gods, devotees offer a variety of flowers, and worshipping Shiva is no different. Flowers are offered to Shiva too, to propitiate him and seek his blessings. But different flowers produce different results and these have to be kept in mind. 

• Those seeking Goddess Lakshmi, should worship Lord Shiva with the lotus, Baelpatra, Shutpatra,flowers. 

• Those who want name and fame should worship Shiva with Dhatura.

• People seeking luxuries and moksha should worship Shiva with the Tulsi flower, and   red and White Aaks.

• Those seeking a good vehicle (what is meant by “good vehicle”?) should worship Shiva  with Chameli.

• Those seeking a good wife should offer bael flowers to Shiva.

• Worshipping Shiva with juhi flowers gives abundant granary to the devotee.

• Those who worship Shiva with harshingar are blessed with sheer joy and happiness and full prosperity.

• Rice, shrifal (coconut), til, jou, wheat, moong, aromas and fruits please Shiva               tremendously.

• If you are suffering from depression, sadness, problems in all spheres of your life and   bitter and strained relationships, offer pure milk to Lord Shiva .

• If one offers Gangajal to Shiva and read the Rudrasuktha, you’ll be blessed with all       comforts of life. 

• Do not offer Champa and Kewra flowers to Lord Shiva.

Shiva should be offered a deepak with five lights. At the time of aarti, remember to offer aarti to his feet four times; twice to the navel area; once to the face; and seven times to the whole body.

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Lord Shiva’sMarriage

Shiva was married to Sati, the daughter of King Daksha. Although Daksha disliked Shiva and did not consider him a worthy son-in-law, he gave in to his father’s – who was Brahma – insistence and solemnized the wedding between his daughter Sati and Shiva. One day, Sati saw all the deities going towards Daksha’s palace. Every deity had been invited to a sacrificial yagna (ceremony) by King Daksha himself. 

Daksha resented Shiva, and therefore did not invite him to the ritual. Daksha felt that his son-in-law did not respect him, that he roamed about in cemeteries, that ghosts and ghouls were his friends, that he was always half-naked and wore a garland of skulls.

Daksha deeply resented Shiva because once, in a gathering of deities, Shiva had continued to be seated when other gods had risen to show their respect to Daksha. This was because in the hierarchy of gods, Shiva held a higher position than Daksha, and had he stood up, Daksha would have been adversely affected.

Shiva knew about the ritual and why Daksha hadn’t invited him, but Sati was tremendously hurt by this act of her father’s. She went to her father and tried to persuade him to call Shiva as a guest. Initially, Daksha refused politely, but when Sati kept insisting, he passed insulting comments on Shiva. Furious with her father for humiliating her husband and her in such a manner, Sati voluntarily immolated herself (At the time of immolating herself, Sati announced that she would reunite with Shiva only when she would be born to a father she could be proud of. She was reborn as Parvati, daughter of King Himavat, and married Shiva after she won his love, after severe penance. This time, her father happily gave her away in marriage to Shiva.Meanwhile, Shiva, who was furious when the news of Sati’s death reached him, sent his hordes to kill Daksha, to destroy his kingdom and to cause mayhem in the gathering. He ordered Virbhadra to cut Daksha’s head. Shiva came later, and his grief turned to anger, and taking Sati in his arms, he sought to destroy the world. Since no one had the courage to face him and stop him, Vishnu eventually sent his Sudarshan Chakra flying after Shiva-Sati, and Sati’s body was dissected into 51 pieces. Thereupon, Shiva came to his senses. On the advice of Vishnu and other gods, he attached a goat’s head on Daksha’s body, and blessed him with life as the yagna had to be completed. Still grieving, Shiva then retired to the mountains to mourn his wife, and sank into deep meditation.

Vishnu cautioned all those present that whosoever treated Shiva differently will be banished and surrounded by problems and difficulties.

Daksha then started worshipping Lord Shiva and his daughter Sati.

Nataraja, Lord of Cosmic Dance

Nataraja or the Lord of Cosmic Dance is a popular manifestation of Lord Shiva

The dance of Nataraja resembles the movement of the Universe. Sound in atmospheric ether also represents the primeval outburst of creation. Sometimes, an asur (named Tripurari) is also seen under his feet. Shiva punishes this demon by dancing upon his body. This act warns us that Shiva punishes sinners at regular intervals.

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The saga of Lord Shiva

Birth of Shiva

The Vishnu Purana narrates the story behind the birth of Shiva.

Lord Shiva is said to have sprung from the forehead of Brahma. Later, he separated himself into assume male and female forms. This legend is the forerunner of Shiva’s another manifestation, the Ardhanareshvara. In this manifestation, he is half-male and half-female, signifying that he is the combination of the energies of both the sexes written in shastra(books). It symbolizes that Shiva is the unison of Substance and Energy, the life Principal and Shakti.

Shiva’s Appearance

·         The third eye on his forehead

·         Trishul, Shiva’s weapon

·         He sits on/wears a tiger skin

·         Cobras adorn his neck and shoulder

·         Long matted hair, part of which is partially piled atop his head

·         Crescent-shaped Moon on his hair

·         River Ganga flowing down one side of his head

·         Bull, the vahana (vehicle) of Shiva

·         The mendicant’s bowl

Shiva’s Third Eye: Because of his third eye, Shiva is also known as Trinayana, Tri-netra, Tri-ambaka. Shiva’s third eye is the eye of higher perception. In Sri Shiva Tattva, it is mentioned as the “Frontal Eye” or the “Eye of Fire”. When this eye is directed upwards, it burns all that stands in its way. Many of us have read how Kamdev, God of Love, was once burnt to ashes by Shiva’s third eye, when he had broken Shiva’s meditation.

As “The Destroyer”, Shiva is also responsible for the periodical destruction of the Universe.

Trishul: Shiva’s trishul (trident) represents three functions of the Supreme Soul:  Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. It also stands for the punishments of sinners in all the three planes: spiritual, subtle and physical.

The Tiger Skin: The tiger is the vahana of Shakti, Goddess of Power. The tiger is also the symbol of power, and the tiger skin symbolizes that Shiva is beyond all power and is the victor of all force.

Cobras: Cobras are often synonymous with death. Cobras around Shiva’s neck symbolize that he is beyond the reach of death; he is encircled by death, yet death is powerless against him . The cobras are also symbols of Kundalini -- the dormant energy Researches.

Matted Hair (Jata): The matted hair represents him as the lord of wind. Vayu is the lord of wind who is a subtle form of breath.

Crescent: The crescent-shaped Moon is the Moon on its fifth-day. The crescent represents the power of the Moon (Soma). When the sea was churned for the Nectar of Immortality, many splendid and amazing things rose from the sea, the Moon being one of them. Shiva took the Moon as his ”share” from the churning of the sea.

Ganga: The Holy Ganga represents purification. Ganga is the holiest of all rivers in India. The Ganga is immensely powerful and has the capacity of causing untold damage and destruction if allowed to move at its own pace and fury. Shiva controlled both the power and the force of Ganga by imprisoning Ganga in his hair, and allowing a small stream to flow through the Earth so as to purify mankind from all sins.

Shiva’s Vahana: The bull is Shiva’s favourite animal; Nandi is his vehicle or vahana, and is always seen with Shiva. Shiva’s devotees also worship Nandi along with Lord Shiva.