Śiva-Pārvatī Wedding in the Brahma Purāṇa

This account opens the story of the descent of the Gaṅgā as told in the Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, in the Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 2 and 3. The asura Tāraka troubled the devas. Only a son of Bhagavān Śiva could kill him, so the devas arranged Śiva’s marriage. Kāma was burned, Gaurī was born to Himavān, and she wed Śiva on the Himālaya. At the wedding Brahmā lost control of his mind. Śiva then freed him from the fault by giving him a consecrated water jar. The waters of that jar are the waters that later become the Gautamī.

Tāraka’s rule and the devas’ trouble

Ten thousand years before, when the devas were strong, the asura Tāraka grew terribly powerful. He had won a vara (a boon) from Brahmā, and with it he ruled the three worlds. He took the glory and wealth of the devas, dishonoured their women and left them without homes. Tāraka could be killed only by a child not yet ten days old, a son born of Śiva himself.

Indra led the homeless devas to the ocean of milk, where Bhagavān Vishṇu rested on Śesha. They joined their palms and prayed: “You are our father and mother, the creator, sustainer, and destroyer. Excepting you there is no other refuge. Save us from great danger.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu heard them and answered plainly. Tāraka could not be killed by Vishṇu or by any child of Vishṇu. Only a son born of Śiva had the power to end his life. So the first task was to arrange Śiva’s marriage. (Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 2)

Gaurī’s birth and Kāma’s task

The devas went to the great mountain Himavān and his wife Menā. They asked that the first Śakti, the daughter of Daksha who had earlier been Satī, enter Menā’s womb for the good of the worlds. She is the same power that appears in the world as Buddhi, Prajñā, Dhṛti, Medhā, Lajjā, Pushṭi and Sarasvatī. Himavān agreed. Menā said, “Let it be so.”

So the mother of the universe was born as Gaurī in the house of Himavān. From her birth she was devoted to Śiva and meditated on him as her final refuge.

But Śiva was calm and absorbed in himself. How could he be moved to turn to Gaurī? Bṛhaspati gave the answer. Kāma, the deva of desire, who carries the bow of flowers and stirs all beings, must strike Śiva with his finest arrows.

Kāma went to Śiva’s abode with Vasanta (Spring) and his wife Rati. Standing before Śiva, he doubted himself: “Am I, conqueror of the universe, truly able to strike Śiva?” His doubt proved right. As he raised his bow, Śiva’s fiery third eye burned Kāma to ashes.

The devas who watched were struck with fear. Yet Śiva, though he had burned Kāma, was not wholly unmoved by the prayer of the devas. They bowed before him and cried: “Great fear of Tāraka overwhelms us. Make the daughter of Himavān your wife.” Śiva always gives himself for the good of others without thought for himself, and he agreed.

The devas sent Arundhatī, Vasishṭha, Vishṇu and Brahmā to arrange the match. In this way the marriage of Śiva, the ruler of the universe, with the daughter of Himavān was settled. (Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 2)

The wedding on the Himālaya

The wedding took place on the Himālaya. The peak shone with every jewel and was covered with every kind of tree. Rivers, lakes and wells surrounded it. Devas, gandharvas, siddhas, cāraṇas and yakshas often came there.

Viśvakarman had built the altar with great beauty. It was set with diamonds, rubies and sapphires, and it had pillars of gems. The mountains Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa, Maināka and Raivata stood around it.

The Vedas recited their secret principles. Celestial women danced. Gandharvas and kinnaras sang. Maināka held the fried grains for the yajña (fire ritual).

The divine cows Surabhi, Nandinī, Nandā and Sunandā stood in attendance. All the oceans, rivers, serpents and mothers of the worlds were present. Varuṇa did the work of the drink. Kubera did the work of gifts. Agni did whatever the ruler of the worlds wished. Bhagavān Vishṇu performed his own worship separately.

The sacred fire was lit, and the couple walked around the altar stone. At one moment, urged by Vishṇu, Śiva reached out and touched the toe of the right foot of the devī. (Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3)

Brahmā’s fault and the Valakhilyas

Brahmā was in charge of the ceremony. He saw Pārvatī’s toe, and his mind became troubled. His seed fell, though he had not willed it. He was overcome with shame and thought, “In the three worlds who is not deceived by Kāma?” He quickly scattered the seed in tiny drops.

From those tiny drops the Valakhilya ṛshis were born. They are very small, no bigger than half a thumb. They number sixty thousand and live in the region of the sun.

A great uproar rose among the devas. Brahmā was frozen with shame. He rose from his seat and began to leave.

Śiva saw this and spoke to Nandin: “Call Brahmā here. I shall make him free from pāpa (sin). Even if others commit offences, good people take pity on them. This is the nature of worldly objects: they delude even great scholars.” (Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3)

Śiva’s gift: the sacred water jar

Śiva, with Umā beside him, then did an act of deep compassion. He said: “The Earth and the Waters shall become the means of redemption, freeing those who have done pāpa from their pāpa. I shall extract their ultimate essence that is holy.”

He shaped the Earth itself into a water jar and filled it with water. He made it holy by chanting the Pāvamānya hymns. He remembered Śakti, who makes the universe holy, and called her into the jar. Then he gave the jar to Brahmā with these words:

“Indeed the waters are devīs and mothers. The Earth is another mother. Both are the causes of existence, creation, and destruction. It is here that Dharma is established. It is here that the eternal yajña is established. By remembering this water, mental pāpa perishes. By bowing to it, verbal pāpa perishes. By bathing, drinking, and performing ritual ablution in it, physical pāpa perishes. This alone is nectar in the world. There is nothing greater in sanctity. Whoever remembers or drinks this water attains all desired things. O Brahmā, take this water jar.”

The devas cried out in joy and victory. The jar was given. So the most sacred waters, the essence of the Earth and of the first waters, made holy by Śiva himself, passed into Brahmā’s keeping. These are the same waters that later, through a chain of divine events, came down from Śiva’s matted hair and became the Gautamī, the holiest of rivers. (Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3)

Sources

• Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 2
• Brahma Mahā Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 3