Hindu Society of North Carolina

Author(s): Hindu Society of North Carolina
Publisher: Hindu Society of North Carolina

Page 45

43 Page
SHIV-VANDANA VANDEY SHAMBHU MUMAPATIM SURGURUM VANDEY JAGAT KARNAM VANDEY PANNAG BHOOSHANAM MRIGDHARAM VANDEY PASHOONAM PATIM VANDEY SURYA SHASHANK VANHI NAYANAM VANDEY MUKUND PRIYAM VANDEY BHAKTA JANAASHRAYAM CH VARADAM VANDEY SHIVAM SHANKARM
the first self-revelation of the Absolute, the male being the personification of passive aspect, the female being the activating energy, shakti or universl power. Goddess Parvati represents this universal power. The goddess is also known Annapurna meaning the bestower of food, Anna. The food here has a wider meaning and includes all material object/wealth with are food for five sense organs. The goddess is endowed with different types of food that she provides to her devotees.
PARVATI DEVI
NANDI.
Parvati Devi also known as Girija, Uma or Bhavani is the consort of Lord Shiva. She is the daughter of Himvan, the king of mountains. In her previous life she was born as Sati, daughter of king Daksha. She took her own life during an Yajna (fire worship) performed by her father king Daksha because he did not invite her and her husband to the Yajna and insulted Lord Shiva. When she was born as daughter of Himvan, she performed Tapasya to marry Lord Shiva. During her Tapasya, she lived for many years on leaves and was given the name Aparna.
Nandi the bull is conceived as the vahana, or the vehicle of Lord Shiva. In Shiva temples, Nandi is always placed in front of the chief shrine or just outside it, with its head turned away from the deity but the gaze fixed on it. It is interpreted as jivatman, the individual soul, with its animal nature pulling it away from the god, but his grace pulling the jivatman back to him. Nandi's two horns symbolize tama (non apprehension of Reality) and rajas (misapprehension of reality). Thus bull is a symbol for the extrovert man. Shiva, the self rides the bull. In Sanskrit, Nandi also means one who is full and happy. Only a perfect man or a realized soul can enjoy fullness and complete happiness. Nandi thus proves to be a symbol of the perfect man who has completely purified the mind and intellect and has sought identity with the self.
Parvati represents prakriti, the matter. The power of destruction has to be associated with destructible matter. In other words destruction ceases to have any meaning without destructible objects. The god of destruction Lord Shiva, therefore chose Parvati or Uma as his consort. The God and Goddess are
HINDU SOCIETY OF NORTH CAROLINA CELEBERATION AND APPRECIATION (1976-2006)
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