Parvati - Definition and Overview

In Hinduism, Parvati (alt. spellings: Paarvati, Parvatti) is an alternate form of Shakti. She is named Pārvatī as a Sanskrit convention, to be understood as 'the daughter of the mountain' - Parvata. She is married to Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction. Shiva and Parvati are the parents of Karttikeya and Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom.

Goddess Parvati is depicted as 'Shakthi' or power. It is said in the Soundarya Lahiri, famous literary work on the Goddess, that She is source of all power in this Universe. It is said in one of the poems in Soundary Lahiri, that because of Her, Lord Shiva has got all powers. She is depicted as half of Lord Shiva. According to Hindus, Shiva and Parvati are the parents for all beings in this world. Hence Parvati Devi is the Mother of all of us. Soundarya Lahiri is a beatuiful literary work of Adi Shankara. It talks about the beauty of the Goddess from the top of Her head to the tips of Her toes. It comprises of 100 slokas(poems). It is said that as Adi Shankara wrote this work in the walls of Mount Kailash, Lord Ganesha started erasing it because it talks about His Mother's beauty. Then it was later realised by him that Adi Shankara is an avatar of Lord Shiva Himself.

Example Usage of Parvati