Himavat
Himavat is the Himālaya mountain range as a king. He is also called Himācala, Himādri and Hima-śaila-pati. His name Himālaya means “abode of snow”. He is the husband of Menā and the father of Pārvatī. His golden city on the peaks is the most splendid dwelling in the geography of the worlds. In the Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, his city is where Pārvatī was born, where she grew up, and where Bhagavān Śiva came for the wedding.
Family
Himavat’s wife is Menā, a great devī of gentle beauty and deep devotion. Their daughter is Pārvatī. She was born as the new birth of Satī, the first wife of Bhagavān Śiva. This followed the plan begun by Brahmā to bring about the birth of a son, Kumāra (Skanda), who would kill the asura Tārakāsura. Himavat also has a son, Maināka, the golden-winged mountain who hid in the ocean before Indra could cut his wings.
Some accounts also count Gaṅgā among his daughters. The sacred river rises from the icy heights of his land.
Pārvatī’s birth and childhood
The great event in Himavat’s story is the birth of Pārvatī to Menā. In the Matsya Mahā Purāṇa this birth was no ordinary event. Brahmā himself prepared it. He told the night-devī Vibhāvarī to enter Menā’s womb and live there.
Pārvatī was born at brahma-muhūrta (the hour before dawn). All creation was happy at the same moment. Suffering stopped in naraka (hell). Fierce creatures became gentle. The earth became fragrant and fruitful. The results of long-forgotten tapas (austerity) bloomed. (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 153)
The golden city of Himavat is described as a wonder of building. It had golden toraṇas (gateways), floors of marakata-maṇi (emerald), foundations of vaidūrya stone, and flowing streams. Hundreds of flags waved on the walls. Flowers of the kalpa-vṛkṣa (wish-granting tree) lay scattered at every doorstep. The divine scent of dhūpa (incense) rose like clouds. This was Pārvatī’s home from birth until the day she married Śiva.
The marriage of Pārvatī and Śiva
Śiva came to the city of Himavat for the marriage. All the devas and ṛṣis came with him, in a bright procession from the celestial world. The city was full of wonder. Himavat made every preparation worthy of a king who gives his daughter to the greatest of rulers.
The wedding was held in his great palace. It was one of the highest festivals of the cosmos. Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Indra and all the celestial ranks attended. (Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 155–156)
Burned to ashes and restored
The Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 140, tells this in the Umā-Maheśvara Saṃvāda (the talk between Umā and Maheśvara), told by Nārada. Pārvatī was playing and covered the eyes of Śiva. The eyes of Śiva are the sun and the moon, so the worlds fell into darkness. Śiva opened his blazing third eye to light the worlds again.
The tejas (fiery power) of that eye burned Himavat to ashes, with all his forests, birds and slopes. Pārvatī saw her own father burned. She bowed to Śiva in silent distress. Śiva could not bear the grief of his beloved. He looked on the mountain with love. In a moment Himavat had his natural form again, with birds singing and trees in bloom.
This event led Pārvatī to ask her questions about the form and signs of Śiva. Those questions opened the whole teaching on dharma in the chapters that follow.
His part in the birth of Kārttikeya
Himavat acted as a noble father and a generous host. His household made possible the birth of Pārvatī and her union with Śiva. That union produced Kārttikeya, who killed Tārakāsura and brought peace back to the three worlds.
Sources
- Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 153–157
- Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 140