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Tales from Indian Mythology
no equal in the Three Worlds." Immediately she placed the lotus garland round his neck, and Manmatha's sammohanastra ("The Arrow of Temptation") struck the Lord, who began to feel amorous towards Parvati. But Manmatha's success was short lived, for Shiva in a twinkling assumed his terrific form and, opening his Third Eye of Fire, he reduced the God of Love to ashes. Realizing the futility of penance in the presence of a woman, Shiva disappeared.
No sooner did the news of her husband's tragic death reach Rathi than she rushed to the deodar forest. Holding Manmatha's ashes in her fist, she addressed her most poignant prayers to the Lord Mahesha, appealing to him to bring her husband back to life. But there was no response. Preferring death to the life of a widow, she was about to throw herself into fire when a voice from the heavens assured her: "Do not be rash. Your husband shall come back to life on the day Shiva marries Parvati.” Now she decided to keep a vigil on the ashes of her husband till he rose from them on the appointed day.
Parvati returned to Oshadhiprastha humiliated, but not frustrated. Her parents tried to persuade her to forget about Shiva, but she would not listen. "Father,” she said, "I can reach him only through the path shown by him, the path of penance. And permit me to do so."
"My child,” cried her mother, "your place is in the palace and austerities are not for you.”
"Parvati, be patient," advised her father. "The Lord himself will come to you and seek your hand. Narada's prophecy never goes wrong. But don't talk of penance, my child." "Narayana! Narayana!” Announcing his arrival, Narada said: "King of
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