Unique Attributes : Power, Virtuous, marital
felicity, fertility, beauty, asceticism
Other Names : Girija, Gauri, Uma, Aparna, Lalitha, Ambika
Consort : Lord Shiva
Children : Ganesha and Kartikeya
Vahan (vehicle) : Lion
Primary Scriptures : Shiva Purana, Lalitha Sahasranama, Matsya
Purana, Skanda Purana
Abode : Mount Kailash
Parents : Himavan and Mena
Goddess Parvati is believed to be one of the nine representations of
Shakti - the ultimate divine power. She is the consort of Lord Shiva the
destroyer and rejuvenator amongst the Trinity of Hindu gods. Goddess
Parvati is believed to be the reincarnation of the former consort of
Lord Shiva - Sati. She was born to King Himavan, the lord of the
mountains and hence is sometimes referred to as Girijaputri (daughter of
the king of mountains). After severe penance and trials Goddess Parvati
was reunited with Lord Shiva as his wife. She left the luxury of her
father's palace to get married to Shiva and live with him on Mount
Kailash.
Goddess Parvati is an image of contradiction with both being associated
with the form of Goddess Kali - the deity of destruction and being a
mother to Lord Ganesha and Kartikeya. Goddess Parvati is believed to be
the divine force who with her companionship pacified the ever filled
with rage Lord Shiva. As a householder Parvati became Ambika the goddess
of marital bliss and motherhood. The couple of Lord Shiva and Goddess
Parvati together constituted the divine form of Ardhanareshwar (half man
& half woman). The Ardhanareshwar form of the divine pair wielded
the ultimate truth of interdependence of man & woman for procreation
and sustenance.
Goddess Parvati is not worshipped as an individual entity but is always
seen together with Lord Shiva in numerous shrines. As an individual she
is worshipped in her other forms like Kali and Durga. Goddess Parvati is
immensely revered by married woman for her image as an ideal
householder. In the state of Rajasthan she is specially revered during
the festival of Gangaur which is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Maidens
and married woman pray for husbands like Shiva and a happy married life
like Shiva-Parvati have led. Some of the famous shrines where either she
or her primary forms are worshipped are the 51 Shakti peeths, Visalakshi
temple at Banaras, Meenakshi temple at Madurai, Kamakshi Amman temple at
Tamil Nadu. Goddess Parvati is one of the most revered Hindu Goddess and
is represented in Hindu religion as one holding transcendental knowledge
and power.