Parvati opened Her eyes and found Herself in the chambers of Her room. She woke up with a start and was surprised to see Herself back in Her home palace.
She recalled the events of the previous day. She was upset about Rati's curse and Shiva's indifference. She was worried about these difficulties which acted as hindrances in Her path.
She decided to visit Maharishi Dadhichi for further advice. He assured Her and adviced Her to make a Shivling with Her own hands and worship Him.
Parvati found a cool and calm place just near the foothills of the Himalayas. She chose this place as Her cottage and temple of worship. She was going to continue Her penance, even though She had to start from scratch again after Her previous failure to get Shiva's attention.
But what She didn't know was that Shiva was helping Her throughout Her journey continuously. Even though He was meditating, He watched over Her subconsciously. She had become a Shiva devotee and it was His duty to guide and protect Her now, even if He wanted to act cold towards Her approaches.
The truth is, in Rudraloka, Lord Sadashiva and Goddess AdiparaShakti are never separated from each other. They manifest as two sides of the same form of Ardhanarishwar. And Shiva being the Supreme Lord, knew about Parvati's identity. He was aware of Her struggles and contributed to help and support Her throughout Her path.
He saw Her pain and despair as His own. And an observer might say that it was Parvati who was struggling hard, but Parvati is Shiva's reflection Herself. They may look different to the observer due to ignorance.
We think that we are observing God through worship and prayers, and try to find Him outside. The truth is that He is within us. We are the manifestations of the Supreme Truth. God is the observer and we are the observation. We are His creation and it is futile thinking about our own superiority when He's the essence of our existence.
We look at the world with our eyes and wonder how big the Universe is that it envelopes us within itself. But the Supreme Lord is even more magnificent and he entire Universe rests within Him. His vastness surrounds the entire Cosmos.
We are so small and so insignificant. Only enlightenment achieved through human conscience makes us significant. Parvati's penance is a reminder of the efforts man makes to unite with God. He may fail several times in the process but God supports Him throughout and ultimately he becomes one with the Lord.
At the moment, Parvati was trying Her best to make a Shivling from the mud and clay She had collected from the river banks.
No matter what She tried, She just couldn't shape the Shivling. Maybe because She had never seen one in real life. She was only trying to shape Her imagination according to the description given by Maharishi Dadhichi.
The sight was so beautiful for the Gods, that they stopped everything to observe Her. The Supreme Mother, who is the source of creation, and the storehouse of creativity, was struggling to give shape to Her creativity and imagination.
Such is the divine play of ShivaShakti that even though they know everything about the past, present and future, yet they engage in mortal ways of the world. Just to teach everyone about love and divinity.
Lord Vishnu decided to visit Parvati and watch the scene in person. He disguised Himself as a saint and lend Her a helping hand.
He quickly and smoothly shaped the Shivling like magic. Parvati was wonderfully surprised at His creation. It was so perfect and divine. And ofcourse it had to be perfect; it was created by the world's greatest Shiva devotee.
Her eyes widened in delight. Wonder shone like crystals in Her dark almond eyes as She thanked Him.
"Thank you so much, nobleman! I'm truly indebted to You for this help. How can I return Your favour?"
Lord Vishnu smiled and replied, "Goddess Parvati, if You say so then please accept Me as Your brother and I shall humbly and gladly accept it."
Lord Vishnu's request was a reminiscence of the sibling bond between Him and Goddess AdiparaShakti in Their celestial abode.
Parvati smiled and tied a bracelet around His wrist.
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Parvati's determination had now turned into Her stubbornness. She had given up everything and taken up the ways of an ascetic.
She wondered why Shiva never visited Her even though He was easily pleased by the other devotees.
She felt disheartened but She was not going to give up. One day, She followed a devotee who would regularly roam around Her Hut. She wanted to have a glimpse of the Lord.
She reached a small grove and hid behind a tree. What She didn't know was that it was Shiva and Nandi. They would join Her in Her daily prayers and watch over Her.
She overheard their conversation. "If She wears royal robes and dresses up to remind me of Sati, let Her know that She can never take Her place in My life."
Parvati was shocked and hurt at the revelation. She had never imagined that Shiva would be angry at Her because He thought that She was impersonating Sati.
She had no intention of hurting Him by reminding Him of the past. And She had no idea that He misinterpreted Her intentions.
She realised that She would have to give up all mortal and material possessions to bring Shiva closer.
She abandoned Her royal clothes, Her regality as a Princess and even Her nutrition. She gave up all food and water and just survived on a single leaf everyday.
She had gone into deep meditation and the highest state of Her penance. She would not open Her eyes until Shiva wasn't in front of Her.
Even if it resulted in Her death, She would take birth again. But She would not give up Her resolve.
She has become pale and weak as a skeleton. But She never thought of returning to Her lavish palace or meeting Her parents. She once had people catering to Her every want but now She had even given up Her every need by choice.
Years and decades passed with Parvati still in meditation. Shiva was so moved by Her dedication that He blessed Her. His blessings helped Her survive amidst the harsh surroundings, without food and water.
One day, He decided to visit Her in the guise of a Brahmin and test Her. He hurled insults at Shiva and tried to persuade Her to marry someone else and break Her penance. He was genuinely worried about the severity of Her austerity and wondered why She was punishing Herself for no cause.
"You're so beautiful and young, and You must be having a lot of suitors. You can easily marry any handsome Prince and live a lavish life with Him in the comforts of a palace. Why are You adamant on marrying a hermit? He has nothing to offer You and He doesn't even have a stable home. He keeps wandering like a nomad and I have heard that He has lost His sanity."
Parvati was so annoyed at His hindrance in Her meditation. She had vowed to never open Her eyes until She saw Shiva but He had made Her wake up deliberately. She wanted to only see Shiva when She woke up, and secretly, Shiva had kept Her vow, though not to Her knowledge.
"Lord Shiva is My Husband and I have grown up with that thought as My only purpose in life. He may be a nomad but I will help Him settle. He is the epitome of love and devotion and I love Him. He may have not anything to offer but I have nothing to lose."
She didn't bulge or reason with Him. She didn't want to be distracted or listen to His ranting.
"You are just wasting Your time. Go back to Your castle and live a peaceful life. Look at Yourself! How much You've suffered and turned weak and pale."
She snapped back, "If You have heard so much about Him, then let Me know where I can find Him. You've disturbed My penance and now You must pay for it. Tell Me His location and kindly grant Me Your blessings so that I am successful this time in My trial."
The Brahmin obliged and told Her to go to the same cave She began Her journey with, thus ending in a full circle.
And true to His words, She found Shiva meditating inside the same small, secret cubicle of the cave. It was the same place She dreaded so much because She had angered Him here by ignorance.
She was facing Her fears and learning to be enlightened.
Where there is fear, there is no love. And when Love flourishes, all fear is dispelled.
Shiva was there waiting for His Shakti to unite with Him again.
।। ॐ नमः पार्वती पतिये हर हर महादेव ।।
।। ॐ नमः शिवाय ।।