________________
The Marriage of Parvati
7
evergreen torans (festoons). The air was rent with music and mantras. There seemed to be a marriage in every house.
Led by the Seven Sages and Arundhati, Shiva, riding Nandi, with Brahma and Vishnu on either side and surrounded by all the devas, rishis and pramatha ganas, descended on the outskirts of Oshadhiprastha, and they pitched their tents there. Soon Parvateswara and Mena accompanied by the entire kingdom, as it were, received them and took them to the marriage mandap. The auspicious moment arrived. Parvati was seated beside Shiva with her head bent. Her downcast eyes remained fixed on her anklets where she saw the reflection of Shiva. To the chanting of mantras by the rishis, to the playing of music by Narada and Tumburu and to the rhythm of dances by the Apsaras, Parvateswara and Mena performed their sacred duty of kanyadan. Immediately came an arrow of flowers from somewhere and hit Shiva on the chest. It heralded the arrival of Manmatha who bowed to Shiva and said: "My Lord, I have come back to life, as ordained by you. Permit me to serve you now.'
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
