Rātri

Rātri is the devī of night. The Kaumārika Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa says she was one of Brahmā’s first creations, born from his own body (tanu) when creation began. Brahmā later sent her into the womb of Menā, the wife of Himavān, so that Pārvatī could be born. Because Rātri was within her, Pārvatī was born with a dark complexion.

Birth from Brahmā’s body

Brahmā first looked on the primal Ardhanārīśvara form. This is the form of Bhagavān Śiva as half man and half woman, the first union of puruṣa and prakṛti. Brahmā was moved by the sight, and a woman of rare beauty came out of him. This was Rātri, born from Brahmā’s own body at the start of creation. From this same woman Brahmā then created all the women of the three worlds. From this same vision he also brought forth the eleven Rudras as parts (aṃśas) of Śiva.

The woman born at that moment was given to Dakṣa as his daughter, with the name Satī, and Dakṣa gave her to Rudra as his wife. Later Dakṣa refused to invite Śiva to his great yajña (fire ritual), and Satī was insulted there. She gave up her life in fire, and Dakṣa’s yajña was destroyed. Satī was gone, Śiva was in samādhi (deep meditation), and the worlds needed her to return.

Brahmā’s task for Rātri

The asura Tārakāsura had conquered all three worlds. The devas were defeated and shamed, and they lived in monkey form at Tāraka’s court. They took refuge with Brahmā. Brahmā told them the one way to set things right. Satī-devī must be born again as the daughter of Himavān. She and Śiva must unite. Their son would kill Tāraka.

Brahmā called Rātri to him alone and said: “Rātri! A great task for the devas has come, and only you can do it. Tāraka rules without check. Only the child that Śiva will father can defeat him. First, the woman born of Śiva as Satī must be born again as the daughter of Himavān. For this you must go and enter the womb of Menā. When she is born, Pārvatī will have the dark complexion of your kṛṣṇa (dark) nature, because you enter her. Because of this, when Pārvatī goes to serve Rudra, he will at first turn her away without care. This neglect will drive Pārvatī to do fierce tapas (austerity). As her tapas grows, her dark form will separate from her body, and that dark form will become Kālī. When Kālī leaves, Pārvatī will shed her dark colour and rise in a golden-red complexion. The devas and Pārvatī together will kill Caṇḍa, Muṇḍa and other daityas. Because of those killings, the dark form will be known in the three worlds as Cāmuṇḍā. After Pārvatī does great tapas and Śiva is moved, the two will unite, and their son will kill Tāraka.”

Brahmā’s praise of Rātri

Before he sent her, Brahmā praised Rātri at length. He told her who she truly is, beyond her outward form as the devī of night. He said she is:

  • the prāṇa (life-breath) of all creatures, which keeps all beings alive
  • the yoga of all living beings, the union of the self with the real
  • the final goal of all that exists, the śūnya (the void) into which everything returns
  • rati (the impulse of love) in those who feel romantic love
  • prīti (delight) in those who see beauty
  • kānti (radiance) in those of beautiful form
  • śānti (peace) in those who do good deeds
  • the boundary of the ocean, which stops the ocean from overflowing
  • līlā (divine play) in those who are graceful
  • sambhava and sthiti, the origin and the continuing of all things
  • Kālarātri, who destroys the eight directions
  • the Rātri of embrace, the joy of loved ones holding one another

Brahmā went on: “You are Gāyatrī, with Oṃkāra as your face, to those who do your pūjā. Kings do your pūjā for tejas (radiance) and bala (strength). Merchants do it for wealth. Śūdras honour you as Śivā. You are the kṣamā (forbearance) of ascetics who keep the niyamas (rules of life). You are the upāya (way) of the righteous. O Rātri! Those who honour you with śraddhā (faith) obtain whatever they desire. This is certain.”

Entering Menā’s womb

Rātri agreed and bowed. She went quickly to the home of Himavān, the old dwelling of the lord of mountains. There she saw Menā. Menā had a soft white glow, and her form was a little luminous. Her breast was gently bent by its beauty. Around her were many great medicinal herbs and the sound of sacred mantras.

Menā’s eyes were beginning to close in the deep night, just before the bhrāmī-muhūrta. This is the early dawn hour that belongs to Brahmā, when sattva-guṇa (the quality of purity) is highest. At that moment Rātri entered through Menā’s face. Little by little she went down into the womb of that jagadambā (mother of the worlds), the one who was to be Kumāra’s mother. From within, the shining complexion of holy Menā changed.

The birth and its signs

Menā gave birth at the bhrāmī-muhūrta. Signs of good fortune appeared everywhere in creation when the child came:

  • All creatures, moving and unmoving, were filled with joy.
  • The minds of cruel beings became peaceful and gentle.
  • The stars and nakṣatras shone more brightly.
  • Medicinal herbs came to the forests, fruits became sweet and flowers became fragrant.
  • The sky became clear as crystal, and the wind became soft and pleasant.
  • Forgotten śāstras came back to memory, and sacred tīrthas (holy places) appeared again.
  • The devas in the sky, Bhagavān Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Indra, Sūrya and Vāyu, showered flowers on the house of Himavān.

Pārvatī was born with the dark complexion of Rātri’s dark nature within her. This served the plan Brahmā had made: it led Śiva to turn her away at first, and so led her to her great tapas.

Sources

  • Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kaumārika Khaṇḍa, Chapter 22