Pārvatī Janana and Tapas (Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa)

Satī gave up her body at Daksha’s yajña. She was reborn as Pārvatī, the daughter of Himavān, the king of the mountains, and his wife Mainādevī. This episode comes from the Bāla Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa. It tells of her birth, of what Nārada said about her husband, of her great tapas, and of how the Saptarshis tested her twice.

Satī’s dying prayer and her rebirth

When Satī gave up her body in the fire at Daksha’s yajña, she prayed to Bhagavān Hari: “Grant me the vara (boon) of being born as Śiva’s pāda-dāsinī (servant of his feet) in every birth, from birth to birth.” Her prayer was granted. She was born in the home of Himavān, the lord of mountains, as Pārvatī.

From the day Pārvatī was born, Himavān’s realm grew rich in everything. Its rivers were pure. Its trees were heavy with flowers and fruit. Precious gems lay all through the mountains, and animals and birds of every kind lived there. Himavān’s home shone like a festival that never ends.

Nārada’s visit and his words

One day the devarshi Nārada came to visit Himavān. The king of the mountains welcomed him with arghya and pādya (water offered to a guest). When all the courtesies were done, he brought his daughter before Nārada. He asked the muni, who knows the three times and is full of wisdom, to read the child’s good and bad marks.

Nārada looked at Pārvatī closely and smiled a little, as if keeping something back. Then he spoke:

“O king of the mountains, your dear daughter is delicate and beautiful. She is virtuous, full of saubhāgya (good fortune in marriage) and gracious, with every good quality. In the world she will be known by the names Umā, Ambikā and Bhavānī, and she will bring fame and honour to her parents. But, O Girirāja, I also see one or two faults in her nature. Because of those faults her husband will be a yogin who wanders with matted hair and is dressed in the sky. He will have no father or mother and no desire. He will be an ascetic, wholly detached.”

These words fell on Mainādevī and Himavān like a thunderbolt. Their faces turned pale and joyless. But Pārvatī heard them and thought at once, “This husband is Bhava himself.” She was filled with quiet joy and went on playing with her friends as before.

The sad parents begged Nārada for some remedy. He thought for a moment and answered: “Do not lose hope. All the qualities I called faults, the wandering renunciant, one without family, one with matted hair, fit Śiva perfectly. Near the great, faults become virtues. Let your daughter perform tapas for Śiva. Only that path will succeed.” Then Nārada blessed Pārvatī with the words “Kalyāṇa-prāptir astu” (may you gain blessing), and left for Brahmaloka.

Mainādevī’s fear and Pārvatī’s dream

After Nārada left, Mainādevī stayed in grief. One night she went alone to her husband and said: “My husband, since I heard Nārada’s words my heart has had no peace. Find a proper bridegroom of good kula (family) and gotra (lineage) for our daughter.” Himavān calmed her: “Mainādevī, Nārada’s words cannot prove false. The one who brought Pārvatī into this world will protect her. Śiva is free of every fault. Pārvatī can win him through tapas. You must persuade our daughter to perform tapas for Tripurāri (Śiva).”

Encouraged, Mainādevī went to Pārvatī. As soon as she saw her daughter’s face, her tears came on their own. But Pārvatī was wise. She comforted her mother and told her of a dream. A radiant brāhmaṇa had come to her in her sleep and said: “O Girijā, Nārada’s words are not false. Perform tapas for Mukkuṇṭhi (Śiva), and he will surely become kind to you. There is nothing tapas cannot win, and your parents will give you their blessing.”

Hearing this, Mainādevī’s grief turned to joy. She ran to tell Himavān. With the blessing and leave of both parents, Pārvatī set out to perform tapas.

The ghora tapas

Pārvatī’s tapas was ghora (very severe). She placed her heart wholly in Īśvara’s care and sank her mind in unbroken dhyāna (meditation). She bore every hardship of the body without complaint.

• For one thousand years she ate only roots and tubers.
• For the next hundred years she lived on leaves alone.
• For a further period she lived on air and water alone.
• For a time she kept nirjala-upavāsa, a fast without water.
• For three thousand years she ate only the dry leaves that had fallen from the bilva tree.
• At last she gave up even those dry leaves.

Because she gave up parṇa (leaves), she was called Aparṇā from that day.

After this long span of fasting and dhyāna, a voice rang out from the sky (ākāśavāṇī): “O daughter of the mountain, the strictness of your vow has no equal. Śaṅkara will become your husband as you have wished. So let your dīkshā (vow) end now. Your father will come to take you home. When the Saptarshis visit you, know that my words are true.” At these words Pārvatī’s body shivered with joy and her mind became calm.

The two tests by the Saptarshis

The first test

Śiva was pleased with Pārvatī’s steady devotion and called the Saptarshis. He told them: “Go to Girikanyā (the mountain’s daughter) and test how deep her love for me is. Then visit Himavān and arrange for her to return home.” The ṛshis obeyed and went to the place where Pārvatī was doing her tapas. They were filled with awe at the sight of her hard austerity. They went up to her and asked why she was doing such severe tapas. She answered: “I am following the guidance of Nārada Maharshi. I am trying to win Bhava as my husband.”

To test her, the ṛshis spoke badly of Śiva: “O Umā, you were truly born in a mountain. Only someone with no worldly knowledge would trust Nārada’s words. He has ruined many with his advice. And Śiva has no kula or gotra and no home. He is a kāpālika (one who carries a skull) and a digambara (one clothed in the sky). Why do you want to marry this bhairāgi (ascetic), this madman who abandoned Satī? Give up this foolish love and accept the master of Vaikuṇṭha, who is full of every good quality.”

Pārvatī listened to the Saptarshis, smiled gently and answered with calm, complete firmness: “Ayyalārā (O my elders), I was truly born of a mountain, and so it is my nature never to let go of what I have taken hold of, even if my life leaves me. You speak of the master of Vaikuṇṭha. Whatever greatness he has, it has nothing to do with me. I have given my whole being to Triśūlika (Śiva, bearer of the trident). This is my kṛta-niśchaya (firm resolve). Śiva with his matted hair will be my husband in every birth, birth after birth, or else I will stay a kumārī (unmarried girl) for ever. I bow to you for your concern. Please go back to your homes now.”

The ṛshis were greatly pleased by Pārvatī’s firm bhakti and pure resolve. They praised her at length, wished her “Jaya” (victory) and went to Himavān’s home. They told Girirāja that the time had come to bring Pārvatī home. Then they went before Śiva and told him everything about her steadfastness. When Śaṅkara heard of her bhakti and her unshaken devotion, his heart was deeply satisfied.

The second test, after Kāma’s burning

After Kāma was burned, the ṛshis went to Pārvatī again, on Brahmā’s instruction. They said: “O Śailajā (daughter of the mountain), Kālakantha’s heart is very hard. He has even burned Kāma. Your vow is now useless.” Pārvatī laughed gently and answered: “Ṛshis, from your words it seems you thought Śiva was a bhogin (one who enjoys the senses). That is your ajñāna (ignorance). Śaṅkara is for ever a nirvikāra yogin (a yogin without change), free from all kāma (desire). It is because he is such that I have vowed to serve him. I am sure Phālāksha (Śiva, the one with the eye on his forehead) will honour my resolve. As snow melts before fire, so that unlucky Māra (Kāma) was destroyed when he came near Niṭalāksha (Śiva, the one with the eye on his forehead).”

Sources

• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Pārvatī Janana
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Pārvatī Tapas
• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Saptarshis Test Pārvatī