Post No. 9607
Date uploaded in London – –15 May 2021
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
THIS IS WRITTEN FOR LONDON SCHOOL CHILDREN AND MAY BE USED IN OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL. I WILL POST MY SUMMARY ON HINDU GODS ONE BY ONE. LORD GANESH , SKANDA/MURUGA AND LORD SHIVA ARE ALREADY POSTED HERE. THIS IS THE FOURTH ESSAY IN THE SERIES.
Parvati is the consort/ wife of Lord Shiva and mother of Ganesh (Pillaiyaar) and Skanda (Murugan). She is known as Devi and by several other names like her husband Shiva
Parvati means mountain woman. Her father was from the Himalaya mountains. He had mountain emblem in his flag. Parvati has other names such as Bhagavathi, Ambaa, Maa, Jagan Maathaa, Bhavaani, Shivaani, Umaa and Kaali or Durgaa.
In her normal form she is Paarvati. But when she wants to finish bad people she takes arms in her hands and kill the bad people. At that time, she is called Kaali or Durgaa. Her famous temples are in 51 places in India and outside India. By worshipping her, our bad thoughts will go away.
During Nine Nights Festival, that is Nava raatri festival, all the temples decorate her in different ways and different forms. On the tenth day ‘Vijaya Dasami’ (Dasaraah) she kills the Asura. She killed a buffalo headed demon called Mahisaasura. This famous scene is everywhere in India.
She rides a tiger or a lion. That means she can control even the wild animals. She has up to 16 hands. That shows her power. Her two hands can do 16 hand jobs at the same time as your mother. She helps her children, her husband and does household jobs like cooking and cleaning. In her normal form she is red or yellow in colour. In her angry mood she is shown as black. Kaali means black.
Like a mother, she has lot of love, kindness, and compassion. She helps people voluntarily.
TWO STORIES
One day she asked her husband Lord Shiva ‘who helps little creatures like ants?’ Shiva said to her that HE helps everyone in the world. To test whether it is true or not, she hid some ants in a box at the feeding time. When Shiva came back after his work, she told that he forgot to feed some ants. But Shiva told he helped all the creatures on earth. She told him that the ants she hid in the little box did not get food. Shiva asked her to open the box and the ants were eating rice. Parvati was surprised.
Like every mother she loves all her people. One day she saw a poor man without food. She requested Shiva to give him money or food. Shiva told her that men also should THINK and TRY to get money or food. He threw a bundle of currency before the poor man. At the same time, he played Hide and Seek game. He closed his eyes for the sake of the play and walked closing his eyes. Thus he missed the currency bundle. Even if god is ready to help, we must also TRY our level best. God helps who helps themselves.
In Tamil Nadu Parvati has names like Meenaakshi, Kaamaakshi and Visaalaakshi in Kasi. Like Shiva she also has 1008 names. Hindus call it Lalithaa Sahasranaama. When you are a grown-up boy or girl you must read it. Most of the names have beautiful stories.
Hindus are the only people in the world who worship Goddess. In villages she has different names and they will tell you the stories behind each name. Most important name of her is Shakti. It means POWER. Every one of us need power and energy and strength to do anything. So Shiva placed her on his body. He gave half of his body to her. This is also pictured as Ardhanari (half woman). It has a moral lesson for children. Father and Mother are equally important. Together only they do everything.
Without mother no one can live happily. The love of mother to the child is most touching. She forgives all your mischiefs and mistakes. That is why Hindus say ‘Maathaa, Pithaa, Guru Deivam’. Maathaa= Mother comes first. All the three are Gods to Hindus. So give respect to your Mother, Father and Guru/teacher.
Your mother gives you and others food every day. In Sanskrit she is called Annapurani (poorani). It means she has lot of food for everyone. For Hindus the holiest place on earth is Kaasi. Another name is Vaaraanasi. There the goddess is named Annapoorani. The meaning is Food Goddess. In the same temple God Shiva is called Viswanatha or Visveswaran. The meaning is Lord of the World.
Let us all worship the ever- loving, most compassionate, and most powerful SHAKTI and get all the good things in the world.
Tamil poet Bharatiyaar has sung lot of songs on Shakti. In Sanskrit a great saint by name Aadhi Shankara has sung several songs (hymns)
Ask your mother or teacher to teach you at least one song.
Om Shakti!
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tags- Parvati, Durga, Bhavani, Annapurani, Visalakshi, Kasi
Tamil and Vedas 