Shiv Shakti - The Mountains Bound Us! (Haimavati)

Burning Of Desire

On the designated day, Parvati arrived at the cave, unknown to what was about to happen. Vasant had already played his magic and a sudden enrollment of spring had engulfed the environment. Parvati was startled.

"There were never so much flowers around here. How is it possible for spring to come now that also in the month of Jaishtha? But who knows? Nature works in mysterious ways" thought Parvati. Seeing the beautiful flowers, she quickly collected a few and even adorned her hair with some. There was something different in the air that day. It was intoxicating.

She went inside and saw Shiva sitting there alone for a change. Sensing her presence, he opened his eyes but when he saw her, he was stunned. She looked ethereally beautiful. She had never looked like that before. It felt like all of nature's beauty was poured into her. His fixated gaze on her made her heart race faster and she felt shy, something that she had never felt before. She looked down and offered him the flowers. Then she sat in front of him and started making a garland with the flowers she had collected.

Outside, Kam Dev was waiting for an opportunity and he finally got it. He turned to his wife and friend.

"Okay it's time. I have to go in now."

"Please, be careful. Don't forget that this is Mahadev. I still don't think this is a good idea" Rati said with worry. Kam assured her.

"Don't worry, my dear. Your husband is powerful enough to make even the God of the Gods fall with his arrows. Anyways, Devraj is with us. Don't worry. Wait here. Vasant will be here with you."

Saying so, he went inside. There he saw Parvati sitting and making the garland. He immediately knew that she was his perfect muse. He saw that Shiva, instead of being in his usual meditative state, was looking at her. He understood that Vasant's magic has worked. It was successful in swaying the heart of the great yogi. Now he just needed to do his part of the job.

Parvati finished her garland and looked up at Shiva.

"Can I put this around your neck?" She asked softly. Shiva agreed and got up from his seat. Parvati gently placed the garland around his neck. Kam took the exact opportunity and released all his five arrows at once and it hit Shiva in the heart.

Suddenly, Shiva's entire body trembled. For a moment, all those feelings that he had repressed for so long wanted to burst out. His yearning for his Shakti became heavier than his control.

"Parvati" he called her name with such intensity and love that it even surprised Parvati but she was overjoyed. She thought that finally he had heard her wish.

"Mahadev!"

Shiva moved forward towards her.

"What do you want, Parvati? Ask anything you like" he said. Parvati knew this was her only chance.

"Mahadev from the moment I have known you, I have only thought about you. I have loved you since so long that I cannot even count. If you really want to grant me something then it is my heartiest wish that I want to marry you!"

Hearing her words, he smiled. He slowly reached to hold her shoulders but then he stopped. He suddenly realised what was happening. He had lost his self control for a moment which was impossible. He immediately moved away and then looked around and at the corner of the cave, spotted Kam Dev. He became furious. Parvati was confused and looked at the direction he was looking at and saw Kam as well. By then, The God of love had realised that he was caught. His smirk was rubbed off his face and he ran to fall at Shiva's feet.

"HOW DARE YOU, KAM DEV? HOW DID YOU EVEN THINK OF USING YOUR ARROWS AT ME?" Shiva shouted.

Parvati had never seen him that angry so she backed away.

"Please! Please, Mahadev! Forgive me! Whatever I did was due to Devraj's manipulation. He was the one who ordered me to do this. Please spare me, Mahadev!" Kam Dev pleaded and cried. But Shiva didn't heed to any of his words. He was raging with fury and then his forehead started to glow and appeared his much destructive 'third eye'. The world started shaking. A flow of fire emitted from his third eye and immediately burnt Kam Dev and he was reduced to ashes. His haunting screams echoed throughout the cave.

Parvati was stiff in her place as she witnessed the horrifying scene. In front of her it was not the calm and serene Shiva that she had come to know who was standing but it was the fearsome, destructive, Rudra. She was frightened at seeing this side of him.

Meanwhile, hearing Kam Dev's screams, Rati had come inside and saw her husband's ashes. She broke down and started sobbing. She pleaded to Shiva to forgive her husband but he didn't listen. He looked at Parvati once and then walked out of the cave. By then, all the Gods had gathered outside. Brahma and Vishnu were there too. They were angry at Indra for pulling such a stunt but their main priority was to calm down Shiva but the angry Shiva had walked right passed them without listening to anyone. Nobody dared to stop him. Rati too, collected her husband's ashes and went away, mourning.

Parvati was standing inside the cave, dumbfounded. She could not process what she just witnessed. After a while she slowly moved out and saw the Gods waiting. Seeing her, all the deities kneeled down.

"Mata, please help us. Please save us!" everybody cried.

Parvati didn't say anything because before she could, her body started to glow and she transformed into the Goddess Shailaputri.



Goddess Shailaputri was dressed in pure white and white jewellery. In her left hand, she held a trishul and in her right hand, she held a lotus flower. Her vahan was Nandi. Everybody, along with Brahma and Vishnu joined their hands and greeted her. The Goddess said in a sweet voice.

"Hey Devgan, I'm Shailaputri. I'm Parvati's Shakti form. You all calm down. It was due to your own fault that Mahadev had gotten angry and Kam Dev met his end. But I can understand your problem and I assure you that I, as Parvati, will very soon engage in Sadhana and win over Shiva. Don't lose hope."

The dieties felt assured by her kind words and praised her.

"Vande Vanchhit Laabhaay, Chandrardhkritshekharaam |

Vrisharudham Shooldharaam Shailputriim Yashaswinim ||"

After that, the Gods left the place and Shailaputri emerged back into Parvati. Parvati, unable to take the recent incidents and the sudden emergence of Shakti, fell down unconscious.