In this world where situation-ships, benching, and other forms of relationship cultures are growing slowly. There’s a call from the past which became a symbol of eternal love.
Navaratri is the festival where we Indians worship nine forms of Goddess Shakti also known as Shri Durga. It’s celebrating feminism in such a beautiful way, that the glow on the face Indian women is different these times, it seems goddess Shakti herself blessing them.
But behind this festival lies a beautiful saga of love between Shri Shiva and Shri Shakti (Shri Parvati). It took 108 births for Shri Shakti to finally reunite with Shri Shiva, with Shri Sati being 107th birth. An ascetic person, a yogi, who was running away from the materialism and worldly things to look over the universe. He’s Shri Shiva, the god of destruction, an innocent and ever loving deity by all the creatures of universe. Even demons admire him in awe. He gave boons to everyone who used to do his penance.
As the news of Shri Sati’s incarnation roamed around gods, they were eager to see her marrying with Shri Shiva. But gods too have to respect and accept the cycle of fate. We blame our fates and curse the situations but Shri Shiva and Shri Sati (107th incarnation of Shri Shakti) accepted it. Shri Shiva and Shri Sati got married but the tests were such intense that the fate was sealed for them. Shri Sati gave her life in Havana while Prajapati Daksh, her father was performing it. The reason why Shri Sati gave her life, because she couldn’t bear the insult of Shri Shiva from her father. After Shri Shiva witnessed the tragedy, He sent out Veer-Bhadra, his counter-part and destroyed the reign of Prajapati Daksh, and beheaded Prajapati Daksh. But as Shri Shiva is innocent, he replaced his head with a goat’s head for time being. As goat always shouts “Main, Main” means “Mine Mine” in sanskrit and hindi, symbolising the ego of a person.
Shri Shiva took the burnt body of Shri Sati and roamed around the world in grief and pain, until Shri Vishnu used his Sudarshana discus on unalive body of Shri Sati and disintegrated her in 51 parts, now known as Shakti Peethas, the power spots of spirituality in India. As Shri Vishnu couldn’t bear the pain of Shri Shiva so he had to do it. Later Shri Shiva secured 51 places where parts of Shri Sati fell and assigned guards to protect them, the guards are worshipped as Kal-Bhairava.
Even gods faced the terrible fates but they didn’t stop. They continued looking over the universe. Until 108th incarnation came on earth as Shri Parvati. Love bloomed again, but this time the pact was sealed, they are together. Shri Shiva and Shri Parvati got married and set an example of eternal love.
Navaratri is the story of the evolution of Shri Parvati as Shri Durga.
First, she’s worshipped as Shri Shailaputri, Daughter of Himalayas.
Second, she’s worshipped as Shri Bramhacharini, one who did penance to attain Shri Shiva.
Third, Shri Chandraghanta, this form which has moon on her head, the resemblance to Shri Shiva.
Fourth, Shri Kushmanda, mother of whole universe.
Fifth, Shri Skandamata, after being mother of the universe, she looked on her duties as mother of Shri Kartikeya, also known as Shri Skanda. The result of love and patience between Shri Shiva and Shri Parvati.
Sixth, Shri Katyayani, the protector of her devotees.
Seventh, Shri Kalaratri, The ever dark form of Shri Parvati, who can only be calmed by her love, Shri Shiva. But with a twist, he took a form of small kid crying, to calm down the rage of Shri Kalaratri.
Eighth, Shri Mahagauri, the epitome of motherhood, the ever-shining presence bless her devotees and children. Shri Ganesha, her son is always known as Gauri-Putra (Son of Shri Gauri).
Ninth, Shri Siddhidatri, a wife who becomes one with her husband and both gain qualities of each other. Here Shri Parvati is the one who is doing the same act of love and innocence towards her devotees, like Shri Shiva does, to bless and give boons to those who do her penance.
This is another aspect of Shri Shakti I explored while worshipping her during Navaratri. You become like the person you love. Shri Shiva had to wait for Shri Shakti to completely become his Shakti for 108 births. He had immense patience, but we surely learn to love from those who we devote.
Being a devotee of Shakti, I realised that, after all it’s love that transforms a human. No matter its form, love of a mother towards her son, father towards his daughter, love of a partner towards other, innocent love between kids, love towards whom we admire.
YOU BECOME WHAT YOU LOVE.
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