As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 58

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Birth of Maina…marriage to Himavana, and expansion of family of Himvana-Himalaya…manas putrees of pitres – Ayonija… and the curse of sage Sanaka – blessings and birth of Parvati (Uma), Dhanya is wife of king Janaka and mother of Sita and Kalavati in Dwapar Yuga gives birth to Radha

Himalaya was wandering about in the most beautiful forest, which was a house of jewels, wonderful trees and beasts where each being enjoyed divine blessing. It was very dear to gods, sages, monks, for it provided perfect environment for severe bhakti, and meditation and offered refuge to various kinds of beasts, who lived in ideal harmony. It provided fantastic heavenly scenario charming and mesmerising. It was also present physically as an image of god – Shailraj. He wanted to expand family and therefore, requested pitres to marry Maina, the elder daughter to Himvana Mountain, which would benefit all. They happily solemnised the proposed marriage.

One of the daughters of Daksa Svadha married to pitres gave birth to three daughters, an image of fortune and dharma. Eldest was Maina, the second one Dhanya and third was Kalavati. The girls were manas-putrees of pitres – Ayonija – and were mothers of the entire world and were holy women of yoga, store house of knowledge and had the privilege to go anywhere.

The three girls went to Swetdeep to pay regards to Vishnu and on request of god, stayed back. One day, Sanaka and others monks went to the land of Vishnu. Everyone stood up to greet but the girls did not and so the monks cursed them to live as women. When they pleaded before the monks, the monks blessed and said, “The eldest Maina will give birth to Uma – Parvati, Dhanya will become spouse of King Janaka. Dhanya will give birth to Sita. Kalavati in Dwapar Yuga will marry Vrisbhanu Vaisya and give birth to Radha. Thus, the beloved daughters of pitres prayed before monks Sanaka and others, got blessings and were free from curse, and so, lived a saintly life of ideals and dharma.

Marriage of Maina with Himavana was an occasion of grand celebrations. All gods went to Himavana and saluted him. He was deeply impressed and out of absolute inner contentment, tears rolled down and Himachal said, “I feel blessed”.

Gods, after a while, told him, “O Himachal, you know how Sati took birth and became spouse of lord Shiva and how she abandoned body in a yajna and went to the supreme land. If Sati takes birth again through the womb of Maina, it will bless gods of heavens and make lives of created beings safe, happy and peaceful.”

Himachal (Himavana) was happy and thought the sacred wish as a divine blessing. Later, gods of heavens remembered goddess Jagdamba and respectfully began to praise her, the image of Shiva, shraddha, purity and all pervasiveness and so they continued to sing hymns of glory.

The goddess was extremely pleased at the intensity of devotion and praised the gods of heavens and so she appeared before the gods and dazzled the divine beings with the splendor, magnificence and glitter of radiance. When gods saw goddess, they were very happy.  They said, “O goddess, please be kind and listen. You took birth as a daughter of prajapati Daksa and became spouse of Shiva. At that time, you had liberated gods and created beings from continuous sufferings. Later, you abandoned body when you did not get proper respect and sacrificed life. You relinquished mortal frame but it did not help gods of heavens and the objective remained unrealised. We came to seek shelter. Please fulfill our earnest wish so that you fulfill prophesy of Sanatkumaras. Kindly descend on earth and accept Rudra as consort and bless gods and created beings.” Goddess Uma agreed and asked gods to return happily.

Gods of heavens advised Himalaya and Maina to undergo intense tapa and please goddess Shiva. They continued meditation and tapa for twenty-seven years with devotion and performed acts of charity. Goddess blessed the devotees and said, “I bless you. First, you will get one hundred sons. Out of them, one would be very powerful and the greatest and will take birth first namely Mainaka, who would be friendly to sea and later, would become a pleasure resort for Nagas. Pleased with bhakti, I shall take birth as your daughter and would serve gods of heavens and attain the objective.”

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