Shiv Shakti - The Family We Made!

An Empty World

Shiva stared in astonishment as Parvati disappeared from before him. It took him quite a while to understand what happened. With the disappearance of Parvati, the nature lost it's lustre. Flowers and leaves disappeared from trees. Lush greenery turned into barren lands and foremost, food became scarce. Not a grain was left in any corner of the world. This situation reached Vishnu in Vaikunth as well and he woke up from his slumber. Seeing him waking, Lakshmi got curious.

"Narayan, what happened? Why did you wake up all of a sudden? Is everything alright?"

Vishnu looked at her seriously, "No Shree, nothing is right. With the disappearance of Prakriti, the world is in danger. We have to go to Kailash immediately."

Vishnu and Lakshmi reached Kailash and saw Shiva surrounded by his children.

"Where is Maa, Pitashree? Where did she go?" Kartikeya asked.

"Pitashree, please bring back Maa. We cannot stay without her" said Ganesh.

Shiva stayed quite amongst all the questions.

"What happened, Shiva? Why did Parvati leave?"

Shiva looked up hearing Vishnu's voice. He sighed and replied, "I.... I disregarded her food and her maya. So she got upset and left."

"Mahadev, you rejected her existence that's why she left but you need to bring her back. Without her, the world is in distress. She is nature herself so with her leaving, nature's glory has left as well. Where did she go?" Lakshmi said.

Shiva shook his head, "I don't know, Devi. I can't see her anywhere."

Kartikeya got excited, "But how can this happen, Pitashree? You know everything. You can see everything. How can you not know where she is? Please bring her back."

"Calm down, Kartikeya. He cannot find her because Parvati has hid herself from Shiva by her own will. She is angry with him and doesn't want him to find her. But don't worry, we will try to find her. You try to look after the others."

"And I will try to find a way to end the world's sufferings" Shiva said and went back to his meditation.

"What is Pitashree doing? Why did he go back to meditation, uncle?" Ganesh asked.

"Ganesh, it's because your father is still upset over his fight with your mother but he will come around quickly. He's always easily satiated. But we need to find a way to bring back Parvati."

"But how will we do that?" Lakshmi asked.

"If we cannot find her, we have to pray to her. It's the only way to bring her back."

.......................

Vishnu and Lakshmi went near the banks of Mandakini river and started chanting the Devi mantra :

"The goddess who is omnipresent as the personification of universal mother,
The goddess who is omnipresent as the embodiment of power
The goddess who is omnipresent as the symbol of peace
Oh Goddess (Devi) who resides everywhere in all living beings as intelligence and beauty,
I bow to her, I bow to her, I bow to her again & again."

The chanting soon reached Devi Mahamaya and she couldn't help but appear. She greeted both Vishnu and Lakshmi and they returned her gesture.

"Narayan, why did you call me?" She asked.

"Sister, you had left without any trace. We were worried."

Mahamaya let out a sigh, "Bhrata, I cannot stay at a place where I have no respect. Mahadev doesn't acknowledge me or my duties. He thinks that food and illusion are unnecessary distraction. I cannot go back to Kailash."

Vishnu shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder, "Sometimes you two behave like children. You know our Shiva, that sometimes his ascetic side comes out and he starts to withdraw but you are always there with him. You know how much he loves and respects you. He is nothing without you. This world is nothing without you.

"And Devi, with your disappearance the world has become barren. Your world needs Prakriti to function. Your children need you" Lakshmi added. Then she showed her what was happening in the world.

People were on the verge of death because of hunger as there was nothing left of even a grain. Hungry children were crying for food to their helpless mothers. Droughts and famines were everywhere.

Parvati looked at the imagery with a broken heart.

"What have I done! Due to my fued with Mahadev, I forgot about my children? How could I do this being a mother?"

She cried in distress and Lakshmi comforted her.

"Don't be upset, Parvati. There is still time. Come back."

Parvati wiped her tears and said, "I cannot go back to Kailash but that doesn't mean I will not come in aid to my children. I will appear somewhere else, in the pure land of Kashi. A favourite of Shiva and mine. There I would reside in my Annapurna form and would distribute food. No one will go hungry."

Lakshmi and Vishnu smiled at each other and agreed.

"As you wish."

Soon, the three of them appeared in Kashi. Parvati called for Narad and Vishwakarma (the God of Architecture) and they arrived at her wish.

"Vishwakarma, it is my request that you build me a temple here so I can make it my residence and continue my distribution of food."

"As you wish, Mata" Vishwakarma said with joined hands and in no time built a beautiful and extravagant temple. Parvati was pleased seeing it.

"Now Devarshi, your job will be to spread the news among everyone that I am distributing food from here."

Narad accepted his part with glee. Having assigned jobs to everyone, Parvati closed her eyes and transformed into the Goddess Annapurna.

Devi Annapurna had the lustre like the first rays of the sun in the morning. She wore beautiful garments and precious ornaments and a magnificent crown rested on her head. In her hands, she held a golden pot filled with rice and a jewel crested laddle to serve. She was the epitome of the image of the divine mother. The mother who fulfils everyone's wishes.

Seeing her, the Gods joined their hands in reverence. Finally the draught upon the world will be over.

A/N : This series is coming to an end as well. So do drop your reviews on how you you liked it!