As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 133

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Lord Shiva pays tributes to goddess Parvati – the mother of all, the origin of wisdom, knowledge, creation, preservation and destruction.

It is difficult to imagine the depth of hearts of men whom love and passionate emotions of beloveds captivate. One fails to describe intensity of feelings of love. The news of journey of Parvati to Mandrachala reached lord Shiva. All the citizens were very happy and waited for the arrival of Parvati. The guardians of the gates eagerly waited for the goddess. The ganas of Shiva were equally anxious to have darshana of goddess. Lord Mahadeva was keen to meet goddess as early as possible. When she entered the magnificent palace, then they, the gatekeepers and ganas filled with nervousness and suspicions, and an uncertain sense of extreme pleasure, looked at the goddess with feelings of love and affections born of deep love. The goddess also saw with equally deep feelings of zealous and profound love. Vayudeva narrated every detail fervently and the sages heard the divine tale with devotion.

At that time, the greatest counselors of lord Shiva, living in the palace offered prayers and then, worshipped goddess Parvati. When she reached near lord Shiva, the goddess saluted in humility with feelings of reverence. She was still getting up after saluting the lord, when the lord held the goddess and embraced warmly with strong expression of love. He continued to look as if he had not seen the beloved for ages.

The lord of gods as anticipated exercised restraint on feelings, looked deep into the eyes of goddess and said, “O the most beautiful goddess, are you free from feelings of pity and sufferings? I was unable to pacify your rage. If reasons of discontentment and antagonism exist among celestial beings as if they were ordinary people, then, one should be certain of the destruction of the universe. Situated on the forehead of the lord of Fire I am, and whereas you feel happy positioned in lord Soma. The universe exists here and it is honoured because fire and soma are firmly established.”

After a few moments, Shiva said, “For the wellbeing of the universe, we assume different bodily forms and wander about in the three worlds and if we live separately feeling the pain of separation, the whole universe will have no basis. It means a message of love and harmony, must go around otherwise belief and faith of created beings will vanish. Another reason is enshrined in the worlds is distinctive. It carries adequate justification and has the sanction of scriptures. The creation has a purpose and meaning. Your voice and I form unique fusion of voice and meaning with the virtues of nectar. How one can separate meaning and nectar-filled voice in essence. You are knowledge and wisdom, and so offer glimpses of my image.”

He said, “I am the great soul, the great lord, who is the knowledge you bestowed with faith and belief on living beings. How parting is possible between the soul of knowledge and the Vedas? I do not create and destroy the three worlds independently. I cannot act freely. Mere sanction and consent make it possible to create and destroy the universe, and its created beings. O goddess, only you embody the consent and the command. The essence of divine luxury, joy and pleasure is inherent in you, O goddess. It is the symbol and quality of liberation. If I am deprived of the virtue, what would be the appearance and figure of joys and divine delight?”

He looked at the goddess and said again, “O goddess, it is not possible for beings to live separately. For the benefit of gods and goddess, under the exercise of delusory powers, I said sarcastic and mocking words so that gods achieve the objective. Otherwise, it was very difficult. O goddess, you were also aware of the truth. Then, why did you get angry? Therefore, one can construe whatever anger and annoyance you demonstrated and displayed for the benefit of the three worlds was an act of celestial righteousness. You keep nothing in mind that hurts or harms living beings of the universe.”

She heard delightful words from the mouth of Shiva. The beauty, charm and divine glory of goddess captivated the lord. Parvati looked on with love and warmth. The Goddess of the birthplace, source and land of basic feelings of love and thoughts Parvati smiled at the entrancing, affectionate and effusive love of the lord of lords Shiva. She comprehended the essence of truth but did not answer because of natural shyness.

However, after a careful thought, she said, “O lord, did you enjoy glimpses of Kaushiki I created? Such a girl of divine beauty took birth in this loka and will never take birth again in future.”

She said gently and narrated the entire episode relating to the death and destruction of Shumbha and Nishumbha when she lived at the holy mountain of Vindhya.

She said again, “I bless the devotees with appropriate reward. They see and feel. I protect the three worlds perennially. You hear everything relating to the creation from Supreme Brahma.”

After one of the friends of goddess secured her consent with a smile, she hurriedly went out, brought the dreadful lion and asked him to stand still before lord Shiva.

Beholding the lion, Parvati said, “O lord, I brought the lion as a gift to you. Please look at it. One finds no devotee equal to him. He guarded the  ashrama from the terror of beasts of the jungle. He is the most trusted devotee and the quality of safeguarding the land of tapa and ashrama is superb. Therefore, he won my confidence. He left his land for my happiness and security. O lord Maheshwara, if you are happy at my arrival and if you love me deeply, then with the approval of Nandi, I wish he should stand at the gate of my palace with other guardians and bear similar insignia.”

Shiva thought. She was right and forceful and it strengthened feelings of love and faith.

He said, “O goddess, I am happy.” Vayudeva told what he observed.

Afterward, he appointed the lion as the chief of ganas and asked it to stand at the main gate of queen’s palace. He bore the symbols of authority and recognition, which other ganas possessed. Thus, he got a golden embedded stick, jewel-studded armour, a snake-shaped sharp knife and grand attire suitable for the chief of the ganas. He brought contentment to Mahadeva, Uma and Nandi. Later on, people knew him as Soma-nandi. Now, lord Shiva and goddess Parvati lived happily in Mandrachala where she got extraordinary love and respect, he told further.

“Quite apparently, the designs of the Supreme Lord are evident. For the pleasure and benefit, wellbeing and happiness of devotees, Supreme lord wanders around the earth and the three worlds in various guises, and not only he liberates the worlds and created beings from sins and wickedness but also establishes the tenets of dharma. To achieve the objective, even gods and goddesses undergo sufferings and anguish.” The sages learnt from Vayudeva.

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