View allAll Photos Tagged rudraksha
“In 1984 Gurudeva planted 108 trees with his own hands. He dedicated this forest to pilgrims and all Kauaians, inviting them to sit among the sacred trees to rest, meditate, have a picnic or tell stories to their children. Today the trees are fifty feet tall and produce hundreds of thousands of fruits each year. The English name is Blue Marble tree, since the one-inch diameter fruits are a rare cobalt blue. Their unusual color was written about in a Scientific American article. It seems there are two, and only two, living species on the Earth that create color using refraction and not reflection: a deep-sea crustacean and Eleocarpus ganitrus, the Rudraksha tree. Underneath the blue skin is a thin layer of flesh which is edible, but not too tasty. In Ayurveda, Rudraksha seeds, ground with healing herbs, are given to patients of heart disease to strengthen the cardiac muscle. The wood is also unusual. Almost white in color, it is said to have been the wood of choice in World War I for making airplane propellers; and in India the trees practically became extinct when they were chosen as the timber for railroad ties.”
Excerpt from www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/about/rudraksha-forest
For the Smile on Saturday challenge: "Beads"
Using beads for meditation - focusing the mind, calming the mind - many spiritual traditions have used beads in this way.
These particular beads are Rudraksha Mala prayer beads. The Mala is a rosary containing 108 beads. It is used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra, a practice known in Sanskrit as japa.
HSoS!!
Cliche and Smile on Saturday: Here
Still Life Compositions: Here
“In 1984 Gurudeva planted 108 trees with his own hands. He dedicated this forest to pilgrims and all Kauaians, inviting them to sit among the sacred trees to rest, meditate, have a picnic or tell stories to their children. Today the trees are fifty feet tall and produce hundreds of thousands of fruits each year. The English name is Blue Marble tree, since the one-inch diameter fruits are a rare cobalt blue. Their unusual color was written about in a Scientific American article. It seems there are two, and only two, living species on the Earth that create color using refraction and not reflection: a deep-sea crustacean and Eleocarpus ganitrus, the Rudraksha tree. Underneath the blue skin is a thin layer of flesh which is edible, but not too tasty. In Ayurveda, Rudraksha seeds, ground with healing herbs, are given to patients of heart disease to strengthen the cardiac muscle. The wood is also unusual. Almost white in color, it is said to have been the wood of choice in World War I for making airplane propellers; and in India the trees practically became extinct when they were chosen as the timber for railroad ties.”
Excerpt from www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/about/rudraksha-forest
every time I come here I use the crystal clean beautiful water to clean and flush this rudraksha mala.
This is KillerKat, Squish E. Slime and my tribute to the BeeGees & their classic "Stayin' Alive" video!
~Infernal Alchemy~ - Infernal Alchemy~Rudraksha Necklace, ~ Infernal Alchemy~Frankensteins Heart
Quills & Curiosities - Sentient Sludge
Salem's Lot - Store - Market Place - [SL] Zombie Hand Neon v2, [SL] Zombie Head - Both with a hud containing: Light on/off, as well as 6 different colors.
ZOND metaphysical - Dr. Awkward
“Their unusual color was written about in a Scientific American article. It seems there are two, and only two, living species on the Earth that create color using refraction and not reflection: a deep-sea crustacean and Eleocarpus ganitrus, the Rudraksha tree. Underneath the blue skin is a thin layer of flesh which is edible, but not too tasty. In Ayurveda, Rudraksha seeds, ground with healing herbs, are given to patients of heart disease to strengthen the cardiac muscle.”
20170922_065011
Fairy Petticoats, Fringe Bells, Blue olive berry, Lily of the valley, Blue Marble Tree, Bead Tree, Blue Fig, Ash Quandong, Native Olive, White Boree, Utrasum Bean Tree
Sc. Name: Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Synonyms: Elaeocarpus grandiflorus, E. bancroftii, E. grandis, E. sphaericus
Close related to Rudraksha (রুদ্রাক্ষ) Elaeocarpus ganitrus (syn. Elaeocarpus sphaericus)
A Hindu Sadhu (ascetic monk), covered with Rudraksha beads, meditates on the streets of Varanasi, India in search of spiritual enlightenment. Rudraksha beads are considered extremely holy in Hinduism, believed to be tears of Lord Shiva, offering spiritual protection, calmness, and growth by connecting wearers to divine energy.
He is a sadhu I met in Tiruvannamalai, the temple town of Tamilnadu, India. He was so fragile that I wondered how he was bearing the weight of those "Rudraksha malas" around his neck.
This I have already posted. Now I am posting it again with some more treatment by Ayashok, my Flickr friend. Thanks Ashok for the wonderful treatment.
Explored
A Hindu sadhu along the banks of the Ganges, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Thanks for all your views, kind comments and faves! I really appreciate them! Be well and happy shooting!
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A series of sadhus like this one greet you while standing in the queue to get into the holy cave at Amarnath.
Rudrakshas, photos as well as some some currency is up for grabs.
Read more at Amarnath yatra: Trek on a pilgrimage
Those are rudraksha beads around the child's neck. They are one style of prayer beads used for chanting japa/mala
This photo captures the vibrant Main Street leading to the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, a sacred town steeped in spiritual energy. The street is alive with activity—pilgrims dressed in simple traditional attire walk barefoot, while shopkeepers display garlands, brassware, rudraksha beads, and framed images of deities. The atmosphere is charged with devotion, chants, and the scent of incense, all guiding the eye toward the towering eastern gopuram of the temple that dominates the skyline.
At the end of the street stands the Ramanathaswamy Temple, an architectural marvel and one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. Built in the 12th century and expanded by rulers of various dynasties, the temple is renowned for its massive corridors—the longest in any Hindu temple—and intricately carved granite pillars. Its sacred sanctum houses the lingam believed to have been installed by Lord Rama himself, making it a key destination in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.
According to mythology, after rescuing Sita from Lanka, Lord Rama came to Rameswaram to worship Lord Shiva and seek blessings for his journey ahead. He asked Hanuman to bring a lingam from the Himalayas. When Hanuman was delayed, Sita fashioned a lingam from sand, which Rama consecrated—this is the main deity worshipped today. The temple and its surrounding streets carry the legacy of this divine episode, drawing countless devotees who come to experience its timeless spiritual aura.
Rudraksha Malai made with one lack and eight beeds of rudrakshas for the 112 feet Adiyogi statue.
Have a great day dear friends! :-)
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© Kaaviyam Photography - All Rights Reserved. Text and images by Kaaviyam Photography are the exclusive property of Kaaviyam Photography protected under international copyright laws. Any use of this work in any form without written permission of Kaaviyam Photography will result in violations as per international copyright laws.
தேவாரத் தேன்
One of the salient feature of Arubathu Moover Festival is congregationf of சிவனடியார் திருக்கூட்டம் . All saivite devotees carry symbol of saivism like wearing rudraksha ,having holy ash , carrying siva lingam and riciting Thevaram. Really wonderful sight. This dedicated group sings Sambandhar's first Pathigam தோடு உடைய செவியன் விடை ஏறி of திருப்பிரமபுரம்.
தோடுடைய செவியன்விடை
யேறியோர் தூவெண்மதிசூடிக்
காடுடையசுட லைப்பொடிபூசிஎன்1
உள்ளங்கவர் கள்வன்
ஏடுடையமல ரான்முனைநாட்பணிந்
தேத்தஅருள் செய்த
பீடுடையபிர மாபுரம்மேவிய
பெம்மானிவ னன்றே.
16.03.2022
Have a good day dear friends! :-)
________________________________
© Kaaviyam Photography - All Rights Reserved. Text and images by Kaaviyam Photography are the exclusive property of Kaaviyam Photography protected under international copyright laws. Any use of this work in any form without written permission of Kaaviyam Photography will result in violations as per international copyright laws.
Lemons and lemon garlands are special for Sri Durga Devi. Devotees lit lamps using the lemons and offer the garland to pray to mother to fulfil their wishes. Once the wish is fulfilled, another garland is offered as mark of gratitude. It is usually offered to Goddess Durga on Fridays or on Tuesdays. [Source: rudraksha-ratna.com] #ஆடி வெள்ளி
This Rudraksha Is Regarded As One Of The Most Powerful Rudraksha Which Pacifies All The Nine Planets.www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articles/10mukhi
The Adiyogi Shiva statue is a 112 feet (34 m) tall statue of Hindu deity Shiva's bust located at Coimbatore in the Tamil Nadu state of India.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiyogi_Shiva_statue
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© Kaaviyam Photography - All Rights Reserved. Text and images by Kaaviyam Photography are the exclusive property of Kaaviyam Photography protected under international copyright laws. Any use of this work in any form without written permission of Kaaviyam Photography will result in violations as per international copyright laws.
By chance I saw this Chinese buddha holding a Rudraksha in his hands jusr like the mala I always wear as a necklace.
Rudraksh is formed by association of two words, 'RUDRA' and 'AKSHA'.
Rudra is the name of Lord Shiva and Aksha means 'tear'.
It is said that the plant of Rudraksh is originated from the tear drops of Lord Shiva.
As per the vedic scriptures Rudraksh can nullify the effects of malefic planets to a great extent.
Shastras say Rudraksh of any mukhis can never do any harm to the wearer unlike Navratnas, which have to be carefully chosen.
No other necklace or bead is so auspicious and powerful as Rudraksh.
Each bead has a different effect on its holder, depending on the number of mukhis it has.
Each Rudraksh is very individualistic and has to be carefully matched with one's horoscope for it to be beneficial.
The seed of Rudraksh has been given a very special place and it is credited with mystical and divine properties.
The botanical name of the Rudraksh plant is "ELAEOCARPUS GANITRUS", it is a large evergreen broad-leaved tree that grows in the area from the Gangetic Plain to the foothills of the Himalayas, Rudraksha trees are also found in middle areas of Nepal.
It is said that the seed of Rudraksh contains the secrets of entire evolution of the cosmos within it.
It is believed that one who wear Rudraksh on their bodies, cannot be affected by sins.
Even if, one wears Rudraksh on his body, without doing worship and saying the sacred mantra, does no get near any sinful deed or thought.
The Rudraksh are worn for their specific benefits.
These are much more powerful and can help achieve wonders, if energized and empowered the right way.
Rudraksha mālā are worn by many Hindus.
Rudraksha is also used for treatment of various diseases in traditional Indian medicine.
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Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
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A vibrant capture from the sacred Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, showcasing a diverse collection of Rudraksha malas, colorful prayer beads, conch shells, and spiritual items arranged neatly on a ground cloth. This local market scene reflects India's rich spiritual and cultural heritage, where tradition, devotion, and color converge in every item. The photo beautifully portrays the devotional atmosphere and bustling charm of Mahakumbh.
Saw him covered in Rudraksh prayer beads . Rudraksha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the name Rudra ("Shiva") and akṣha ("eyes") . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudraksha. When approached Baba said that he has his ashram in Delhi as well as in Lakhimpur in Assam , he was well versed in English :)
The Maha Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering on earth, and takes place every 12 years on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, the Kumbh Mela took place in Allahabad in 2013 and attracted more than 100 million people...
Sadhu stay in little tent or houses, and all day long bless pilgrims. They smoke hashish, chat, and pause for photographers. They are holy men, they live without nothing, just covering their bodies with ashes. Do not forget the donation! It is impressive to see the people coming, touching their feet, and asking for a blessing.
© Eric Lafforgue
Buddhist prayer beads or "Japa mala" are a traditional tool used to count time while meditating using mantras. They are similar to other forms of prayer beads used in various world religions and to Christianity's Rosary.
A Japa mala is a set of beads commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists, usually made from 108 beads, though other numbers, usually divisible by 9, are also used. Malas are used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity. This practice is known in Sanskrit as japa. Malas are typically made with 19, 21, 27, 54 or 108 beads.
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My Website:
This Rudraksha Removes Obstacles In The Pathway, Destroys Evils And Brings Success. www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articles/8mukhi
The Maha Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering on earth, and takes place every 12 years on the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, the Kumbh Mela took place in Allahabad in 2013 and attracted more than 100 million people...
© Eric Lafforgue
"Divya varsha sahasram tu chakshurunmeelitmayaa, paschanmaakulakshibhyah patita jalbindavah"
"For one thousand divine years I kept closed my eyes then tear drops fell from my eyes".
In front of a temple in Varanasi (Benaras) I met this lady who came for Gujarat, she was buying a few religious items to bring back home, like those Rudraksh beads, tears of Lord Shiva.
The red powder under her hands is sindoor, a red powder (Vermilion) which is the mark of a married woman in Hinduism, it is kept in those little painted boxes (on the left of the image) known as sindoor daani.
Later I took several portraits of her and with her friends who were pilgrims as well, they even asked me to join them for a few pictures.
According to "Shiva Purana", Lord Shiva once went into deep meditation for the well being of all living creatures.
When he woke up, he opened his eyes and tear drops fell on the Earth.
These tear drops took the form of seeds that later on became the Ridraksha tree.
Lord Shiva is always portrayed wearing rosaries of Rudraksha beads on his head, arms and hands.
With this came the religious, spiritual, physical and materialistic significance of Rudraksha.
It is believed that the seed of Rudraksha contains the secrets of entire evolution of the cosmos within it.
It is proven that the bead has powerful electromagnetic, paramagnetic and inductive properties that vary according to the different faces. It creates specific electric impulses that are sent to the brain stimulating certain centres that then transfer information to the neurophysiology.
This is the main way in which the bead has an impact on the human body.
These electromagnetic impulses can affect the heartbeat, blood pressure, stress levels and hypertension on a physical level.
On the mental level, the bead’s impulses can relieve anxiety, depression, mood disorders and neurotic conditions, while on the spiritual level, it promotes meditation and enlightenment.
For more informations concerning the same topic, this is a link to another picture:
farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2860426223_e5a0a6ac09_o.jpg
Join the photographer at www.facebook.com/laurent.goldstein.photography
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Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
Thanks for your visit, hope you enjoyed, kindly leave your comment that will be very rewarding
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The Holy Man from India
I’m sure any one who has been to India and is camera lover can’t resist capturing India’s cultural aspects.
I was in Jaipur, and after visiting a Temple, I meet this Sadhu (also called Sanyasi or Holy man) out side the Temple. He saw me and greeted me with a smile….I asked him if I can take a picture of him, he had no issues…...
Now, something about Sadhu (Or Holy man). From the orange dress, you can tell that this is a Hindu Sadhu. The Turban has writings of mantras dedicated to Lord Shiva – “Oom Namah Shiva’ya”.
The brown garland is garland of Rudrakash . A Rudrakash bead is considered to be the most divine and powerful ornament for the human body. It was created by Lord Shiva and is believed to fulfill desires, expectations and ambitions and also free one from all sins and diseases. Rudraksha has been used by gods, saints, sages from ancient time for spiritual purposes and to gain good health.
According to Hindu Puranas, Rudraksha trees were created from the tears shed by Lord Shiva. Legend has it that Shiva was in deep meditation for thousands of years. And then one day he opened his eyes and all around him he saw human beings suffering out of ignorance. Overwhelmed by compassion, tears from his eyes dropped onto different places on earth and produced Rudraksha trees.
Rudrakshas are the seed from the fruits of the trees belonging to Elaecarpus Ganitrus Roxb variety (Rudraksha tree) in Himalayas and in South East Asia. Every Rudraksha has Mukhis or faces, which differ in number and it runs from one end of the Rudraksha to the other.
According to the Hindu Dharma, there are four stages in life also knows as four Ashramas :
1.Brahmacharya: The first 20 years of life , preceded by the Upanayanam ceremony during which a child is considered to be born again. Brahmacharya is pure contemplation of life's secrets under a Guru.
2.Grihastha : next 40 years (20-60) is the householder's stage. One married, will satisfy karma and artha within a married life and career.
3.Vanaprastha: Next 20 years (60-80) is the detachment from the material world and entering in contemplation and pilgrimage.
4.Sanyasa: conception of the mystic life to prepare the next life or moksha.
This person is on stage 3. Where he has taken detachment from the material world.
Enjoy the moment !!!!
The shot
Camera Canon 5D, Single shot hand held.
Photoshop post processing:
A bit of post processing in raw editor.
Noise reduction
Unsharp mask
a bit of croping and straightning
Border
I would highly appreciate, if constructive criticisms are given for improvement.
Note : My appologies for not being a regular at Flickr, I'm so much swamped at work. I will manage some time and visit your uploads.......
The flowers of the Bead Tree are so pretty and unusual. I don't remember ever seeing this before in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, or maybe I just wasn't there when it was in bloom. This is a macro shot, so the flowers are fairly small. Taken on 9 April 2013. I love some of the common names for this species - Fringe Bells, Fairy Petticoats, Lily of the valley tree, Blue olive berry, and Scrub ash.
"A medium size tree with a dense crown of foliage, and an approximately conical form. The masses of white and sometimes pinkish flowers are arranged in rows along the branchlets."
toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/elaeocarpus_sp.htm
"Hindus believe the seeds contain the secrets of the entire evolution of the cosmos. It´s said the plant has been born from the tears of Lord Shiva. The fruits have an intensely blue color (Blue olive berry), which changes to a light or dark brown when dried. The seeds are used for rosaries (Malas with 108 beads) and have a hole from the top to the bottom and they have 1 to 21 vertical lines running down its surface, like the longitude lines on a globe. This lines are called Mukhas and depending on the number of Mukhas the beads have a different effect and meaning. Several Elaeocarpus species are used for the production of Rudraksha beads. The Rudraksha tree (Elaeocarpus grandiflorus) is a fast growing, evergreen tree, which can reach a height of about 25 meters. The tropical tree is native from the foothills of the Himalaya throughout South and South-East Asia to Australia. The flowers have an unusual scent, reminescent of liquorice."
www.orchids-flowers.com/tropical-flowers/rudraksha-tree-e...
Parvati (Devanagari: पार्वती, IAST: Pārvatī) is the Hindu goddess of love, fertility and devotion. She is the goddess of divine strength and power. She is the gentle and nurturing aspect of the Hindu goddess Shakti. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects is expressed with a different name, giving her over 100 names in regional Hindu mythologies of India. Along with Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the trinity of Hindu goddesses.
Parvati is the wife of the Hindu deity Shiva - the destroyer, recycler and regenerator of universe and all life. She is the daughter of the mountain king Himavan and mother Mena. Parvati is the mother of Hindu deities Ganesha and Karttikeya. She is also the mother of Ashokasundari, whose husband was Nahusha Her elder sister is the goddess Ganges. Some communities also believe her to be the adopted sister of Vishnu.
With Śiva, Pārvatī is a central deity in the Saivism sect of Hinduism. In Hindu belief, she is the recreative energy and power of Śiva, and she is the cause of a bond that connects all beings and a means of their spiritual release. In Hindu temples dedicated to her and Śiva, she is symbolically represented as argha or yoni. She is found extensively in ancient Indian literature, and her statues and iconography grace ancient and medieval era Hindu temples all over South Asia and Southeast Asia.
ETYMOLOGY AND NOMENCLATURE
Parvata is one of the Sanskrit words for "mountain"; "Parvati" derives her name from being the daughter of king Himavan (also called Himavat, Parvat) and mother Mena. King Parvat is considered lord of the mountains and the personification of the Himalayas; Parvati implies "she of the mountain".
Parvati is known by many names in Hindu literature. Other names which associate her with mountains are Shailaja (Daughter of the mountains), Adrija or Nagajaa or Shailaputri (Daughter of Mountains), 'Haimavathi' (Daughter of Himavan) and 'Girija' or 'Girirajaputri' (Daughter of king of the mountains).
The Lalita sahasranama contains a listing of 1,000 names of Parvati (as Lalita). Two of Parvati's most famous epithets are Uma and Aparna. The name Uma is used for Sati (Shiva's first wife, who is reborn as Parvati) in earlier texts,[which?] but in the Ramayana, it is used as a synonym for Parvati. In the Harivamsa, Parvati is referred to as Aparna ('One who took no sustenance') and then addressed as Uma, who was dissuaded by her mother from severe austerity by saying u mā ('oh, don't'). She is also Ambika ('dear mother'), Shakti (power), Mataji ('revered mother'), Maheshwari ('great goddess'), Durga (invincible), Bhairavi ('ferocious'), Bhavani ('fertility and birthing'), Shivaradni ('Queen of Shiva'), and many hundreds of others. Parvati is also the goddess of love and devotion, or Kamakshi; the goddess of fertility, abundance and food/nourishment, or Annapurna.
The apparent contradiction that Parvati is addressed as the fair one, Gauri, as well as the dark one, Kali or Shyama, has been explained by the following legend: Once, Shiva rebuked Parvati about her dark complexion. An angry Parvati left him and underwent severe austerities to become fair-complexioned as a boon from Brahma. Regional stories of Gauri suggest an alternate origin for Gauri's name and complexion. In parts of India, Gauri's skin color is golden or yellow in honor of her being the goddess of ripened corn/harvest and of fertility.
Parvati is sometimes spelled as Parvathy or Parvaty
HISTORY
Some scholars hold that Parvati does not explicitly appear in Vedic literature, though the Kena Upanishad (3.12) contains a goddess called Uma-Haimavati. Sayana's commentary in Anuvaka, however, identifies Parvati in Talavakara Upanishad, suggesting her to be the same as Uma and Ambika in the Upanishad, referring to Parvati is thus an embodiment of divine knowledge and the mother of the world.
She appears as the shakti, or essential power, of the Supreme Brahman. Her primary role is as a mediator who reveals the knowledge of Brahman to the Vedic trinity of Agni, Vayu, and Indra, who were boasting about their recent defeat of a group of demons. But Kinsley notes: "it is little more than conjecture to identify her with the later goddess Satī-Pārvatī, although [..] later texts that extol Śiva and Pārvatī retell the episode in such a way to leave no doubt that it was Śiva's spouse.." Sati-Parvati appears in the epic period (400 BC–400 AD), as both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata present Parvati as Shiva's wife. However, 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 more comprehensive details. Kinsley adds that Parvati may have emerged from legends of non-aryan goddesses that lived in mountains. While the word Umā appears in earlier Upanisads, Hopkins notes that the earliest known explicit use of the name Pārvatī occurs in late Haṃsa Upanishad (Yoga / Shukla Yajurveda).
Weber suggests that just like Shiva is a combination of various Vedic gods Rudra and Agni, Parvati in Puranas text is a combination of wives of Rudra and Agni. In other words, the symbolism, legends and characteristics of Parvati evolved over time fusing Uma, Haimavati, Ambika in one aspect and the more ferocious, destructive Kali, Gauri, Nirriti in another aspect. Tate suggests Parvati is a mixture of the Vedic goddesses Aditi and Nirriti, and being a mountain goddess herself, was associated with other mountain goddesses like Durga and Kali in later traditions.
LEGENDS
The Puranas tell the tale of Sati's marriage to Shiva against her father Daksha's wishes. Her father Daksha and her husband Shiva do not get along, and ignore the wishes of Sati. The conflict gets to a point where Daksha does not invite Shiva to a major fire ceremony, and Shiva does not come on his own, humiliating Sati. She self-immolates herself at Daksha's yajna ceremony. This shocks Shiva, who is so grief-stricken that he loses interest in worldly affairs, retires and isolates himself in the mountains, in meditation and austerity. Sati is then reborn as Parvati, the second daughter of Himavat and Minavati, and is named Parvati, or "she from the mountains", after her father Himavant who is also called king Parvat.
According to different versions of her myths, the maiden Parvati resolves to marry Shiva. Her parents learn of her desire, discourage her, but she pursues what she wants. She approaches the god Kama - the Hindu god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection, and asks him to help her. Kama reaches Shiva and shoots an arrow of desire. Shiva opens his third eye in his forehead and burns the cupid Kama to ashes. Parvati does not lose her hope or her resolve to win over Shiva. She begins to live in mountains like Shiva, engage in the same activities as Shiva, one of asceticism, yogin and tapas. This draws the attention of Shiva and awakens his interest. He meets her in disguised form, tries to discourage her, telling her Shiva's weaknesses and personality problems. Parvati refuses to listen and insists in her resolve. Shiva finally accepts her and they get married. Shiva dedicates the following hymn in Parvati's honor,
I am the sea and you the wave,
You are Prakṛti, and I Purusha.
– Translated by Stella Kramrisch
After the marriage, Parvati moves to Mount Kailash, the residence of Shiva. To them are born Kartikeya (also known as Skanda and Murugan) - the leader of celestial armies, and Ganesha - the god of wisdom that prevents problems and removes obstacles.
ALTERNATE STORIES
There are many alternate Hindu legends about the birth of Parvati and how she got married with Shiva. In the Harivamsa, for example, Parvati has two younger sisters called Ekaparna and Ekapatala. According to Devi Bhagawata Purana and Shiva Purana mount Himalaya and his wife Mena appease goddess Adi Shakti. Pleased, Adi Shakti herself is born as their daughter Parvati. Each major story about Parvati's birth and marriage to Shiva has regional variations, suggesting creative local adaptations. In another version of Shiva Purana, Chapters 17 through 52, cupid Kama is not involved, and instead Shiva appears as a badly behaved, snake wearing, dancing, disheveled beggar who Parvati gets attracted to, but who her parents disapprove of. The stories go through many ups and downs, until Parvati and Shiva are finally married.
Kalidasa's epic Kumarasambhavam ("Birth of Kumara") describes the story of the maiden Parvati who has made up her mind to marry Shiva and get him out of his recluse, intellectual, austere world of aloofness. Her devotions aimed at gaining the favor of Shiva, the subsequent annihilation of Kamadeva, the consequent fall of the universe into barren lifelessness, regeneration of life, the subsequent marriage of Parvati and Shiva, the birth of Kartikeya, and the eventual resurrection of Kamadeva after Parvati intercedes for him to Shiva.
ICONOGRAPHY AND SYMBOLISM
Parvati, the gentle aspect of Devi Shakti, is usually represented as fair, beautiful and benevolent. She typically wears a red dress (often a sari), and may have a head-band. When depicted alongside Shiva, she generally appears with two arms, but when alone, she may be depicted having four. These hands may hold a conch, crown, mirror, rosary, bell, dish, farming tool such as goad, sugarcane stalk, or flowers such as lotus. One of her arms in front may be in the Abhaya mudra (hand gesture for 'fear not'), one of her children, typically Ganesha, is on her knee, while her elder son Skanda may be playing near her in her watch. In ancient temples, Parvati's sculpture is often depicted near a calf or cow - a source of food. Bronze has been the chief metal for her sculpture, while stone is next most common material.
A common symbolism for her and her husband Siva is in the form of yoni and linga respectively. In ancient literature, yoni means womb and place of gestation, the yoni-linga metaphor represents "origin, source or regenerative power". The linga-yoni icon is widespread, found in Shaivite Hindu temples of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Often called Shivalinga, it almost always has both linga and the yoni. The icon represents the interdependence and union of feminine and masculine energies in recreation and regeneration of all life. In some temples and arts, the iconographic representation of sexuality, fertility and energies of Parvati and Shiva, is more explicit, where they are shown in various stages of their sexual form and union.
In some iconography Parvati's hands may symbolically express many mudras (symbolic hand gestures). For example, Kataka — representing fascination and enchantment, Hirana — representing the antelope, the symbolism for nature and the elusive, Tarjani by the left hand — representing gesture of menace, and Chandrakal — representing the moon, a symbol of intelligence. Kataka is expressed by hands closer to the devotee; Tarjani mudra with the left hand, but far from devotee.
If Parvati is depicted with two hands, Kataka mudra — also called Katyavalambita or Katisamsthita hasta — is common, as well as Abhaya (fearlessness, fear not) and Varada (beneficence) are representational in Parvati's iconography. Parvati's right hand in Abhaya mudra symbolizes "do not fear anyone or anything", while her Varada mudra symbolizes "wish fulfilling". In Indian dance, Parvatimudra is dedicated to her, symbolizing divine mother. It is a joint hand gesture, and is one of sixteen Deva Hastas, denoting most important deities described in Abhinaya Darpana. The hands mimic motherly gesture, and when included in a dance, the dancer symbolically expresses Parvati. Alternatively, if both hands of the dancer are in Ardhachandra mudra, it symbolizes an alternate aspect of Parvati.
Parvati is sometimes shown with golden or yellow colour skin, particularly as goddess Gauri, symbolizing her as the goddess of ripened harvests.
In some manifestations, particularly as angry, ferocious aspects of Shakti such as Durga or Kali, she has eight or ten arms, and is astride on a tiger or lion. In benevolent manifestation such as Kamakshi or Meenakshi, a parrot sits near her right shoulder symbolizing cheerful love talk, seeds and fertility. A parrot is found with Parvati's form as Kamakshi - the goddess of love, as well as Kama - the cupid god of desire who shoots arrows to trigger infatuation. A crescent moon is sometimes included near the head of Parvati particularly the Kamakshi icons, for her being half of Shiva. In South Indian legends, her association with the parrot began when she won a bet with her husband and asked for his loin cloth as victory payment; Shiva keeps his word but first transforms her into a parrot. She flies off and takes refuge in the mountain ranges of south India, appearing as Meenakshi (also spelled Minakshi).
SYMBOLISM OF MANY ASPECTS FOR THE SAME GODDESS
Parvati is expressed in many roles, moods, epithets and aspects. In Hindu mythology, she is an active agent of the universe, the power of Shiva. She is expressed in nurturing and benevolent aspects, as well as destructive and ferocious aspects. She is the voice of encouragement, reason, freedom and strength, as well as of resistance, power, action and retributive justice. This paradox symbolizes her willingness to realign to Pratima (reality) and adapt to needs of circumstances in her role as the universal mother. She identifies and destroys evil to protect (Durga), as well as creates food and abundance to nourish (Annapurna).
MANIFESTATIONS AND ASPECTS OF PARVATI
Several myths present alternate aspects of Parvati, such as the ferocious, violent aspect as Shakti and related forms. Shakti is pure energy, untamed, unchecked and chaotic. Her wrath crystallizes into a dark, blood-thirsty, tangled-hair Goddess with an open mouth and a drooping tongue. This goddess is usually identified as the terrible Mahakali or Kali (time). In Linga Purana, Parvati metamorphoses into Kali, on the request of Shiva, to destroy a female asura (demoness) Daruka. Even after destroying the demoness, Kali's wrath could not be controlled. To lower Kali's rage, Shiva appeared as a crying baby. The cries of the baby raised the maternal instinct of Kali who resorts back to her benign form as Parvati.
In Skanda Purana, Parvati assumes the form of a warrior-goddess and defeats a demon called Durg who assumes the form of a buffalo. In this aspect, she is known by the name Durga. Although Parvati is considered another aspect of Sakti, just like Kali, Durga, Kamakshi, Meenakshi, Gauri and many others in modern day Hinduism, many of these “forms” or aspects originated from regional legends and traditions, and the distinctions from Parvati are pertinent.
In Devi Bhagwata Purana, Parvati is the lineal progenitor of all other goddesses. She is the one who is the source of all forms of goddesses. She is worshiped as one with many forms and names. Her different moods bring different forms or incarnation. For example,
- Durga is a demon-fighting form of Parvati, and some texts suggest Parvati took the form of Durga to kill the demon Durgamasur.
- Kali is another ferocious form of Parvati, as goddess of time and change, with mythological origins in the deity Nirriti.
- Chandi is the epithet of Durga, considered to be the power of Parvati; she is black in color and rides on a lion, slayer of the demon Mahishasura.
- Ten Mahavidyas are the ten aspects of Shakti. In tantra, all have importance and all are different aspects of Parvati.
- 52 Shakti Peethas suggests all goddesses are expansions of the goddess Parvati.
- Navadurga nine forms of the goddess Parvati
- Meenakshi, goddess with eyes shaped like a fish.
- Kamakshi, goddess of love and devotion.
- Lalita, the playful Goddess of the Universe, she is a form of the Devi Parvati.
- Akhilandeshwari, found in coastal regions of India, is the goddess associated with water.
- Annapurna is the representation of all that is complete and of food.
STORY OF THE ATTAINMENT OF THE NAME DURG
A demon named Durgasur has undertook severe austerities to please Lord Brahma. Being pleased with his penances, as his blessing, he cannot be killed by any man, demon, God or male deity. He gathered his large demonic forces and declared war against the Gods. Durgasur and Indra's forces engage in a severe war. In the end, Durgasur defeats Indra and he, with the help of his fellow demons take over the three worlds, and the heavens. Durgasur, full of pride and arrogance started tormenting and torturing innocent common people like villagers, wrecking down the religious schools and students and teachers, molesting other sages' wives and wreaking atrocities on the sages also. All the Gods, sages, their wives, the common people, teachers and students, united all together went to Kailash to seek the refuge of Lord Shiva but he was not there. They turned to his wife, Goddess Parvati, the full form of the Adi Parashakti and requested her to kill Durgasur and put an end to his every bad deed and atrocity. Parvati, hearing the atrocities of Durgasur, felt compassionate for them and she promised to stop Durgasur. She invokes Kaalratri, in the form of a damsel and requested her to go to Durgasur and ordered him to stop his atrocities on vulnerable people and Gods. Kaalratri went to Durgasur's territory and she requested him to cease his every atrocity on the Gods and common people and to hand over their respective abodes by going back to where he came from or get slayed at the hands of Parvati. Hearing this, Durgasur becomes very annoyed and he refuses to stop his atrocities on the world and ordered his demons to catch hold of the female messenger. Kaalratri turns furious and so she grew massive in her original form. She tells him to make preparations for his death. Durgasur becomes angry and commands his army to attack Kailash. Kaalratri returns to Parvati and conveyed the complete message to her. Parvati, on hearing this, she tells Durgasur that his last wish is to fight and his wish would be fulfilled by her. Parvati infuses Kaalratri in her body. Then, she, along with the Gods and common people approach the battlefield, waiting for Durgasur. Parvati creates a luminous circle around them as their own safety shield. Durgasur and his corps reach the battleground. Seeing them, Parvati sprouted a thousand hands holding all types of weapons. Seeing this thousand-armed form of Parvati, the Gods and common people express their gratitude awhile Durgasur and his army corps are terrified. At her call, all her Shaktis, of female forms, having a number of arms, weapons, wearing different garments, ornaments and apparels, riding on all kinds of animal vehicles, some of them were fierce and some of them were beneficial, they were of different names and incarnations and/or forms of Adi Parashakti. The war began. The fierce forms of Parvati managed to destroy the entire demon army of Durgasur. A severe duel erupted between Parvati and Durgasur. In the end, Parvati kills Durgasur with her trident. Seeing this end or Durgasur, the Gods and common people's joy knew no bounds and started worshipping her. She was instantly pleased. The Gods gave Parvati the name Durga as she killed demon Durgasur. Parvati restored all the worlds and abodes of the Gods and common people and the worlds were at peace again.
LEGENDS
Parvati's legends are intrinsically related to Shiva. In the goddess-oriented Shakta texts, that she is said to transcend even Shiva, and is identified as the Supreme Being. 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. Parvati represents the householder ideal in the perennial tension in Hinduism in the household ideal and the ascetic ideal, the later represented by Shiva. Renunciation and asceticism is highly valued in Hinduism, as is householder's life - both feature as Ashramas of an ethical and proper life. Shiva is portrayed in Hindu legends as the ideal ascetic withdrawn in his personal pursuit in the mountains with no interest in social life, while Parvati is portrayed as the ideal householder keen about the nurturing worldly life and society. Numerous chapters, stories and legends revolve around their mutual devotion as well as disagreements, their debates on Hindu philosophy as well as the proper life.
Parvati tames Shiva, the "great unpredictable madman" with her presence. 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. In many myths, Parvati is not as much his complement as his rival, tricking, seducing, or luring him away from his ascetic practices.
Three images are central to the mythology, iconography and philosophy of Parvati: the image of Shiva-Shakti, the image of Shiva as Ardhanarishvara (the Lord who is half-woman), and the image of the linga and the yoni. These images that combine the masculine and feminine energies, Shiva and Parvati, yield a vision of reconciliation, interdependence and harmony between the way of the ascetic and that of a householder.
The couple is often depicted in the Puranas as engaged in "dalliance" or seated on Mount Kailash debating concepts in Hindu theology. They are also depicted as quarreling. In stories of the birth of Kartikeya, the couple is described as love-making; generating the seed of Shiva. Parvati's union with Shiva symbolises the union of a male and female in "ecstasy and sexual bliss". In art, Parvati is depicted seated on Shiva's knee or standing beside him (together the couple is referred to as Uma-Maheshvara or Hara-Gauri) or as Annapurna (the goddess of grain) giving alms to Shiva.
Shaiva approaches tend to look upon Parvati as the Shiva's submissive and obedient wife. However, Shaktas focus on Parvati's equality or even superiority to her consort. The story of the birth of the ten Mahavidyas (Wisdom Goddesses) of Shakta Tantrism. This event occurs while Shiva is living with Parvati in her father's house. Following an argument, he attempts to walk out on her. Her rage at Shiva's attempt to walk out, manifests in the form of ten terrifying goddesses who block Shiva's every exit.
David Kinsley states,
The fact that [Parvati] is able to physically restrain Shiva dramatically makes the point that she is superior in power. The theme of the superiority of the goddess over male deities is common in Shakta texts, [and] so the story is stressing a central Shakta theological principle. ... The fact that Shiva and Parvati are living in her father's house in itself makes this point, as it is traditional in many parts of India for the wife to leave her father's home upon marriage and become a part of her husband's lineage and live in his home among his relatives. That Shiva dwells in Parvati's house thus implies Her priority in their relationship. Her priority is also demonstrated in her ability, through the Mahavidyas, to thwart Shiva's will and assert her own.
ARDHANARISVARA
Parvati is portrayed as the ideal wife, mother and householder in Indian legends. In Indian art, this vision of ideal couple is derived from Shiva and Parvati as being half of the other, represented as Ardhanarisvara. This concept is represented as an androgynous image that is half man and half woman, Siva and Parvati respectively.
IDEAL WIFE, MOTHER AND MORE
In Hindu Epic the Mahabharata, she as Umā suggests that the duties of wife and mother are as follows - being of a good disposition, endued with sweet speech, sweet conduct, and sweet features. Her husband is her friend, refuge, and god. She finds happiness in physical, emotional nourishment and development of her husband and her children. Their happiness is her happiness. She is positive and cheerful even when her husband or her children are angry, she's with them in adversity or sickness. She takes interest in worldly affairs, beyond her husband and family. She is cheerful and humble before family, friends, and relatives; helps them if she can. She welcomes guests, feeds them and encourages righteous social life. Her family life and her home is her heaven, Parvati declares in Book 13 of the Mahabharata.
Rita Gross states, that the view of Parvati only as ideal wife and mother is incomplete symbolism of the power of the feminine in mythology of India. Parvati, along with other goddesses, are involved with the broad range of culturally valued goals and activities. Her connection with motherhood and female sexuality does not confine the feminine or exhaust their significance and activities in Hindu literature. She is balanced by Durga, who is strong and capable without compromising her femaleness. She manifests in every activity, from water to mountains, from arts to inspiring warriors, from agriculture to dance. Parvati's numerous aspects, states Gross, reflects the Hindu belief that the feminine has universal range of activities, and her gender is not a limiting condition.
GANESHA
Hindu literature, including the Matsya Purana, Shiva Purana, and Skanda Purana, dedicates many stories to Parvati and Shiva and their children. For example, one about Ganesha is:
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, lost his temper and severed the boy's head with his trident. When Parvati came out and saw her son's lifeless body, she was very angry. She demanded that Shiva restore Ganesha's life at once. Shiva did so by attaching an elephant's head to Ganesha's body, thus giving rise to the elephant headed deity.
PARVATI IN CULTURE
FESTIVALS
Teej is a significant festival for Hindu women, particularly in northern and western states of India. Parvati is the primary deity of the festival, and it ritually celebrates married life and family ties.[68] It also celebrates the monsoon. The festival is marked with swings hung from trees, girls playing on these swings typically in green dress (seasonal color of crop planting season), while singing regional songs. Historically, unmarried maidens prayed to Parvati for a good mate, while married women prayed for the well-being of their husbands and visited their relatives. In Nepal, Teej is a three-day festival marked with visits to Shiva-Parvati temples and offerings to linga. Teej is celebrated as Teeyan in Punjab.
The Gowri Habba, or Gauri Festival, is celebrated on the seventh, eighth, and ninth of Bhadrapada (Shukla paksha). Parvati 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 and Karnataka.
In Rajasthan the worship of Gauri happens during the Gangaur festival. The festival starts on the first day of Chaitra the day after Holi and continues for 18 days. Images of Issar and Gauri are made from Clay for the festival.
Another popular festival in reverence of Parvati is Navratri, in which all her manifestations are worshiped over nine days. Popular in eastern India, particularly in Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam, as well as several other parts of India such as Gujarat, this is associated with Durga, with her nine forms i.e. Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyani, Kalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidaatri.
Another festival Gauri tritiya is celebrated from Chaitra shukla third to Vaishakha shukla third. This festival is popular in Maharashtra and Karnataka, less observed in North India and unknown in Bengal. 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 a 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. In south Indian states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, the Kethara Gauri Vritham festival is celebrated on the new moon day of Diwali and married women fast for the day, prepare sweets and worship Parvati for the well-being of the family.
ARTS
From sculpture to dance, many Indian arts explore and express the stories of Parvati and Shiva as themes. For example, Daksha Yagam of Kathakali, a form of dance-drama choreography, adapts the romantic episodes of Parvati and Shiva.
The Gauri-Shankar bead is a part of religious adornment rooted in the belief of Parvati and Shiva as the ideal equal complementing halves of the other. Gauri-Shankar is a particular rudraksha (bead) formed naturally from the seed of a tree found in India. Two seeds of this tree sometimes naturally grow as fused, and considered to symbolic of Parvati and Shiva. These seeds are strung into garlands and worn, or used in malas (rosaries) for meditation in Saivism.
NUMISMATICS
Ancient coins from Bactria (Central Asia) of Kushan Empire era, and those of king Harsha (North India) feature Uma. These were issued sometime between 3rd- and 7th-century AD. In Bactria, Uma is spelled Ommo, and she appears on coins holding a flower. On her coin is also shown Shiva, who is sometimes shown in ithyphallic state holding a trident and standing near Nandi (his vahana). On coins issued by king Harsha, Parvati and Shiva are seated on a bull, and the reverse of the coin has Brahmi script.
MAJOR TEMPLES
Parvati is often present with Shiva in Saivite Hindu temples all over South Asia and southeast Asia.
Some locations (Pithas or Shaktipeeths) are considered special because of their historical importance and legends about their origins in the ancient texts of Hinduism. Other locations celebrate major events in Parvati's life. For example, the World Heritage Site at Khajuraho is one such site where Parvati temple is found. It is one of the four major sites associated with Parvati, along with Kedarnath, Kashi and Gaya. The temple’s origin in Khajuraho has been traced to the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Parvati and Shiva got married.
One interpretation of the (Khajuraho) temples is that they were built to celebrate the mythic marriage of Shiva and his consort. At Maha-shivratri in Khajuraho, they celebrate the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. (...) The erotic sculptures are a metaphor of the union of Shiva and Parvati, the marriage of two cosmic forces, of light and darkness, sky and earth, spirit and matter.
Each major Parvati-Shiva temple is a pilgrimage site that has an ancient legend associated with it, which is typically a part of a larger story that links these Hindu temples across South Asia with each other.
Some temples where Parvati can be found include Annapurneshwari temple, Attukal Bhagavathy temple, Chengannur Mahadeva temple, Oorpazhachi Kavu, Valiya Kavu Sree Parvathi Devi temple, Sri Kiratha Parvathi Temple Paramelpadi, Korechal Kirathaparvathi temple, Sree Bhavaneeswara Temple Palluruthy, Irumkulangara Durga Devi Temple, Chakkulathukavu Temple, Nedukavu Parvathy Devi temple, Karthyayani Devi temple, Varanad Devi Temple, Veluthattu Vadakkan Chowa temple, Thiruvairanikulam Mahadeva temple, Ardhanariswara temple and Kadampuzha Devi Temple in Kerala, Meenakshi Amman Temple in Tamil Nadu, Kamakshi Amman Temple in Tamil Nadu, Sri Siva Durga Temple , Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Temple and Devi Kanya Kumari in Tamil Nadu, Mookambika Devi Temple and Banashankari Temple in Karnataka, Maanikyambika Bhimeswara temple in Andhra pradesh, Vishalakshi Temple, Vishalakshi Gauri temple and Annapurna devi temple in Uttar Pradesh, Parvati Temple in Madhya Pradesh, Tulja Bhavani Temple in Maharashtra, Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya, Tripura Sundari Temple in Tripura.
OUTSIDE INDIA
Sculpture and iconography of Parvati, in one of her many manifestations, have been found in temples and literature of southeast Asia. For example, early Saivite inscriptions of the Khmer in Cambodia, dated as early as the fifth century AD, mention Parvati (Uma) and Siva. Many ancient and medieval era Cambodian temples, rock arts and river bed carvings such as the Kbal Spean are dedicated to Parvati and Shiva.
Boisselier has identified Uma in a Champa era temple in Vietnam.
Dozens of ancient temples dedicated to Parvati as Uma, with Siva, have been found in the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia. Her manifestation as Durga has also been found in southeast Asia.[86] Many of the temples in Java dedicated to Siva-Parvati are from second half of 1st millennium AD, and some from later centuries. Durga icons and worship have been dated to be from the 10th- to 13th-century.
In Nakhorn Si Thammarat province of Thailand, excavations at Dev Sathan has yielded a Hindu Temple dedicated to Vishnu (Na Pra Narai), a lingam in yoni, a Shiva temple (San Pra Isuan). The sculpture of Parvati found at this excavation site reflect the South Indian style.Bali, IndonesiaParvati, locally spelled as Parwati, is a principal goddess in modern day Hinduism of Bali. She is more often called Uma, and sometimes referred to as Giriputri (daughter of the mountains). She is the goddess of mountain Gunung Agung. Like Hinduism of India, Uma has many manifestations in Bali, Indonesia. She is the wife of deity Siwa. Uma or Parwati is considered as the mother goddess that nurtures, nourishes, grants fertility to crop and all life. As Dewi Danu, she presides over waters, lake Batur and Gunung Batur, a major volcano in Bali. Unlike India where Sri refers to Lakshmi, Sri is another name of Uma in Bali; her icons and pillar temples grace terraced rice fields (sawahs). Parwati's small pillar temples in rice fields is to seek her blessings of abundance and a good crop. Her ferocious form in Bali is Dewi Durga. As Rangda, she is wrathful and presides cemeteries. As Ibu Petri, Parwati of Balinese Hinduism is the goddess of earth. The legends about various manifestations of Parwati, and how she changes from one form to another, are in Balinese literature, such as the palm-leaf (lontar) manuscript Andabhuana.
RELATED GODDESS
BUDDHISM
Tara found in some sects of Buddhism, particularly Tibetan and Nepalese, is related to Parvati. Tara too appears in many manifestations. In tantric sects of Buddhism, as well as Hinduism, intricate symmetrical art forms of yantra or mandala are dedicated to different aspects of Tara and Parvati.
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Parvati is closely related in symbolism and powers as Cybele of Greek and Roman mythology and as Vesta the guardian goddess of children. In her manifestation as Durga, Parvati parallels Mater Montana. She is the equivalent of Magna Mater (Universal Mother). As Kali and punisher of all evil, she corresponds to Proserpine and Diana Taurica.
As Bhawani and goddess of fertility and birthing, she is the symbolic equivalent of Ephesian Diana. In Crete, Rhea is the mythological figure, goddess of the mountains, paralleling Parvati; while in some mythologies from islands of Greece, the terrifying goddess mirroring Parvati is Diktynna (also called Britomartis). At Ephesus, Cybele is shown with lions, just like iconography of Parvati is sometimes shown with a lion.
Carl Jung, in Mysterium Coniunctionis, states that aspects of Parvati belong to the same category of black goddesses as Artemis, Isis and Mary. Edmund Leach equates Parvati in her relationship with Shiva, with that of Greek goddess Aphrodite - a symbol of sexual love.
108 NAMES OF PARVATI
Parvati is known by 108 different names. Following are the name along with it meaning.
Aadya: The meaning of this name is initial reality.
Aarya: It is the name of the Goddess
Abhavya: Signifies fear
Aeindri: The power of Lord Indra.
Agnijwala: Signifies fire
Ahankaara: Indicates pride.
Ameyaa: The name signifies beyond measure.
Ananta: Signifies one who is infinite.
Ananta: The Infinite
Anekashastrahasta: It means the possessor of many hand weapons
AnekastraDhaarini: It means the possessor of many weapons
Anekavarna: Person with multiple complexions.
Aparna: Signifies a person who does not eat anything during fasting
Apraudha: Signifies a person who does not age
Bahula: Various forms
Bahulaprema: Loved by everyone
Balaprada: Signifies the giver of strength
Bhaavini: The Beautiful Woman
Bhavya: Future
Bhadrakaali: One of the forms of Goddess Kali
Bhavani: The abode of the universe
Bhavamochani: The absolver of the universe
Bhavaprita: Loved by everyone in the universe
Bhavya: Indicates magnificence
Braahmi: God Brahma’s power
Brahmavaadini: Present everywhere
Buddhi: Intelligence
Buddhida: The bestower of wisdom
Chamunda: Name of Goddess who killed the demons Chanda and Munda
Chandaghanta: Mighty bells
ChandaMundaVinashini: Goddess who killed asuras Chanda and Munda
Chinta: Tension
Chita: Death-bed
Chiti: The thinking mind
Chitra: The Picturesque
Chittarupa: Thinking or thoughtful state.
Dakshakanya: It is the name of daughter of Daksha
Dakshayajnavinaashini: Interrupter of the sacrifice of Daksha
Devamata: Mother Goddess
Durga: The Invincible
Ekakanya: The girl child
Ghorarupa: Fierce outlook
Gyaana: Knowledge
Jalodari: Abode of the ethereal universe
Jaya: The Victorious
Kaalaratri: Goddess who is black and is similar to the night.
Kaishori: The adolescent
Kalamanjiiraranjini: Musical anklet
Karaali: Violent
Katyayani: Sage Katyanan worships this name
Kaumaari: Adolescent
Komaari: Beautiful adolescent
Kriya: Action
Krrooraa: Brutal
Lakshmi: Goddess of Wealth
Maaheshvari: Power of Lord Shiva
Maatangi: Goddess of Matanga
MadhuKaitabhaHantri: Goddess that killed the demons Madhu and Kaitabha
Mahaabala: Strength
Mahatapa: Penance
Mahodari: Keeping the universe in a huge belly
Manah: Mind
Matangamunipujita: Worshipped by Sage Matanga
Muktakesha: Open tresses
Narayani: Lord Narayana destructive attributes
NishumbhaShumbhaHanani: Goddess who killed brothers Shumbha Nishumbha
Mahishasura Mardini: Goddess who killed demon Mahishasura
Nitya: Eternal one
Paatala: The color red
Paatalavati: Wearing the color red and white
Parameshvari: Ultimate Goddess
Pattaambaraparidhaana: Dress made of leather
Pinaakadharini: Trident of Shiva
Pratyaksha: Real
Praudha: Old
Purushaakriti: Taking the form of a man
Ratnapriya: Adorned
Raudramukhi: Fierce face like destroyer Rudra
Saadhvi: Sanguine
Sadagati: Bestowing Moksha
Sarvaastradhaarini: Possessor of missile weapons
Sarvadaanavaghaatini: Ability to kill all the demons
Sarvamantramayi: Instruments of thought
Sarvashaastramayi: Deft in all theories
Sarvavahanavahana: Rides all vehicles
Sarvavidya: Knowledgeable
Sati: Women who burned on the pyre of her husband
Satta: Above all
Satya: Truth
Satyanandasvarupini: Eternal bliss
Savitri: Daughter of the Sun God Savitr
Shaambhavi: Consort of Shambhu
Shivadooti: Ambassador of Lord Shiva
Shooldharini: Person who holds a monodent
Sundari: Gorgeous
Sursundari: Very Beautiful
Tapasvini: Engaged in penance
Trinetra: Person with three eyes.
Vaarahi: Person who rides on Varaah
Vaishnavi: Invincible
Vandurga: Goddess of forests
Vikrama: Violent
Vimalauttkarshini: Providing joy
Vishnumaya: The spells of Lord Vishnu
Vriddhamaata: Mother who is old
Yati: Person one who renounces the world
Yuvati: Woman
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