Umamaheshvara

Umamaheshvara

When Shiva and I are seated together on a single lotus in loving embrace, I am called Uma Maheshvara. We exemplify a loving married couple. You may know me best as Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, the goddess of fertility, love, and devotion. When I first encountered Shiva in deep meditation on Mt Kailash, seeing his face radiating infinite joy, I fell instantly in love with him. Though I was the beautiful daughter of a great king he ignored me. Determined to win his love, I left the palace and entered the forest to meditate. When I was near to death from fasting, he came to me. Seeing my deep devotion, he fell in love with me, and married me, not for my outer beauty but for my selfless love. I had to overcome my parent’s objects. I didn’t go to live in his palace, he came to live in my father’s palace. 

We are co-equals, a complimentary pair. I am regarded as the creative energy and power of Shiva. You could say that by today’s conservative attitudes toward women, we are radicals and offer the vision of a more just and equitable world for women.

We are represented in the animal world by the animals on which we ride, and their sculptures can often be found in front of temples in which we reside. Nandi, the bull on which Shiva rides, symbolizes fertility, as Shiva is regarded by his devotees as having created the universe through his cosmic dance. I am represented by the lion and when I take my form as Durga, I ride the lion into battle to defeat  forces of evil that threaten to destroy humankind. 

Last updated by admin at 11 September, 2020