Parvati

Attributes

Iconography

Depicted as a beautiful woman with golden skin, seated beside Shiva on Mount Kailash. Has two arms holding a lotus, dressed in red silk and gold jewelry. Sometimes shown with Shiva as Ardhanarishvara (half-male, half-female form). In her form as Annapurna, she holds a food vessel and a spoon. As Gauri, she has white skin and is the goddess of marital bliss.

The Story

Parvati is the daughter of Himavan (the king of the Himalayas) and Queen Mena. In her previous birth, she was Sati — the daughter of Daksha, who married Shiva against her father's wishes. When Daksha humiliated Shiva at a yajna, Sati self-immolated in protest. She was then reborn as Parvati (the daughter of the mountains), destined to reunite with Shiva. From a young age, Parvati was devoted to Shiva and performed intense penance for 108 years to win him as her husband. Pleased by her devotion, Shiva agreed to marry her. Their wedding is celebrated as Teej and Maha Shivaratri in different traditions. Parvati is the mother of Ganesha (whom she created from her body's sandalwood paste) and Kartikeya/Murugan. She is also the mother of Ashokasundari (born from a Kalpa tree). Parvati has many forms: Sati (the first birth), Parvati (the daughter of the mountains), Durga (the warrior), Kali (the destroyer of time), Gauri (the radiant), Annapurna (the provider of food), Uma (the light), and Bhavani (the giver of existence). Together with Lakshmi and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi (the feminine trinity).

Significance

Parvati is the goddess of love, marriage, devotion, and fertility — the divine consort of Shiva and the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. She represents the ideal wife and the ideal mother — her devotion to Shiva is the model for every Hindu marriage. Her story of winning Shiva through penance symbolizes that the divine must be sought with single-minded dedication. Parvati is the gentle, nurturing aspect of Shakti — in contrast to her fierce forms (Durga, Kali). She is the source of all creation, the power behind Shiva's meditation. Together, Shiva and Parvati form Ardhanarishvara — the androgynous form representing the unity of masculine and feminine, purusha (consciousness) and prakriti (nature). Parvati's worship is central to women's festivals like Teej, Hartalika Teej, Karwa Chauth, and Varalakshmi Vratam — women pray to her for marital bliss and the long life of their husbands. As Annapurna, she is the goddess of food and nourishment — worshipped in Kashi (Varanasi) where she feeds all who come. As Gauri, she is invoked in marriage ceremonies to bless the bride.

Famous Temples

Festivals

Stotras & Mantras