As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 131

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A strange happening startles everyone while Parvati undergoes penance – at that time, a hungry lion comes but the moment he looks at the goddess, be turns into a strong devotee

Parvati conveyed a sense of fortitude to undergo tapa, secured sanction of Shiva and went to the forests of Himalayas. Though she suffered, yet she did not exhibit pain and emotional turbulence. She went to the same place to do tapa where she had gone earlier in ancient times. She discarded royal status, decorations and ornaments and was now a recluse with guileless apparels. She put on the guise of a sanyasin – a saintly recluse. When she was engaged in tapa, she always thought that ‘Sankara’ in the guise of Supreme Brahma would bless.’ Occupied in deep deliberation, she saw a fearsome vyagra – lion standing in the ashrama.

The lion did not come with pious intents and the moment he came near, Parvati’s tapa reduced it to a statue. The lion was hungry and therefore, had come with a plan to devour Parvati. While it looked at the woman (goddess), it began to mull over. She was delighted to see a lion in meditation. As a result, a mere glance of goddess washed away all sins and crimes of lion, and with her blessings, the lion became goddess’s devotee and without any delay, protected the goddess from the dangers of beasts of the jungle. Defense of the lion encouraged her to undergo tapa in a more rigorous manner. On the other hand, the gods of heavens went to Brahma and requested to save gods from the atrocities of mighty demons – Shumbha and Nishumbha and others.

Supreme Brahma heard and remembered everything. He recalled conversation with Shiva. Now, fresh in mind, he went to the ashrama of goddess while the gods of heavens followed him. Goddess Parvati greeted Brahma and gods, and offered proper seats with utmost reverence. Brahma did not divulge real intention. He showed ignorance and asked Parvati the reason of austere tapa. Brahma’s objective was clear because the gods still suffered and he wanted to help them. The death and destruction of daityas Shumbha and Nishumbha was inevitable if peace was to descend on earth. However, he did not reveal the true worries, the cause of anxiety.

Goddess listened to Brahma and said, “O lord Brahma, in ancient times, lord Mahadeva created the universe. You were the first among the created prajas (creation) and therefore, you are my eldest son. Afterward, with the objective to increase prajas, Shiva took birth from your dazzling forehead. That way, you are the father of my husband Shiva and then, you became father-in-law and so you attain the status of a revered guru. When I think that the king of the mountains Himalaya is your son then, you appear as a great Pitahamaha.”

She said futher, “O Pitahamaha of prajas, thus, you are the destiny and lord of journey of people’s life from birth to death. Whatever takes place in the private palace, how can I describe? What is the use of staying? My body is black and now I wish to abandon it and therefore, I decided to resort to sattvic means so that I am fair in colour, charm and beauty with charismatic physique.”

She made intents obvious even though Brahma knew.

Brahma listened carefully, and after a thought, raised questions about the correctness and relevance of a severe tapa and told Parvati that she could have attained the desired objective if she or the lord would have merely expressed a wish. Then, the lord spoke about the delusory powers and its use and told that the use of such powers would benefit people and it would eliminate evil from the three worlds. After he spoke persuasively of positive designs and real intents of truths, he also unhesitatingly revealed that ages ago he had conferred boons on Nishumbha and Shumbha, the most powerful demons, who were now a great threat to the gods of heavens. This state of sad affairs required a favourable resolution, he told.

“Now, they cause troubles and sufferings to gods, goddesses, celestial and various created beings.”

Thus, he tried to make clear the genuine purpose even as he expressed the earnest desires of gods.

He said, “O goddess, because of boons, the daityas become cruel and arrogant and therefore, gods suffer because the demons continue to perpetrate atrocities on virtuous gods. The demons wear the armour of blessings and know only you would kill, so I feel no use to delay. O goddess, for a while you be steady and whatever divine force you release or create will destroy ruthless daityas.” Brahma was quite apparent and without hesitation disclosed the purpose.

Goddess Parvati heard cautiously, got up, abandoned black colour, and appeared in fair complexion with the divine beauty and charm and surprised everyone. She assumed the inherent powers and thereafter, equipped with the energies and forces born of body, she left for Vindhya Mountain and in a fierce war, killed the mighty demons, an exhaustive reference already exists elsewhere.

Supreme lord defines the areas of life and its possible activities. He, who tries to violate those parameters, faces death. Supreme lord loves created beings but if anyone is violent, greedy, egoist or treacherous and makes existence of living beings difficult, lord descends on earth, tears down and finishes violent and evil forces. 

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