It was during the rainy months that Shiva is said to have swallowed the poison that emerged during the samudra manthan or churning of the ocean. So strong was its effect that the gods had to pour water, milk, curd and honey on Shiva to cool Him. That’s when the rain god Indra instructed the rains to shower Shiva.
Mondays are dedicated to Shiva, particularly those of the month of Sawan or Sravana. This is when the story of Shiva and Parvati is recounted, enriched with elements of drama, passion and love.
When Shiva’s wife Sati insisted on taking a break to be with her father, at her maternal home in the mountains, Shiva reluctantly made arrangements for her trip. When He got the news that following an argument, Sati had immolated herself in the fire kindled for a yagna, He was inconsolable. An enraged Shiva stormed the yagna and destroyed it. Picking up Sati’s body, He traversed the three worlds in tandava — the dance of wrath — and threatened to destroy everything as His beloved was no more.
To contain Shiva’s tandava, Vishnu had no option but to direct His Sudershan Chakra to cut Sati’s lifeless body into 108 pieces. Places where these pieces fell became designated as Shakti peethas, venerated as pilgrimage centres.
Sati was reborn as Parvati. She performed austerities in the Himalayas for several thousand years in order to be able to marry Shiva. Told my sages that this was indeed His beloved wife Sati, Shiva met her in the garb of an elderly Brahmin and suggested that she forget Shiva as He was so ugly with three eyes, five heads, matted hair, ash-smeared body, snake-ornaments, and no wealth, and who lived in a forest and drank poison. An angered Parvati admonished the Brahmin for daring to disturb her tapasya and that’s when Shiva revealed Himself to her, with a marriage proposal.
So great was Shiva’s love for Parvati that He incorporates her body with His, and the half-man half-woman avatar of Shiva is known as Ardhnareeshwar. When Shiva is depicted with Parvati He is shown smiling but when depicted alone He is shown in His serious yogic posture, meditating.
Shiva is known also as Bholenath for his childlike disposition. Saint Thirumular exclaimed: “Anbe Shivam!” That is, he saw Shiva as Love personified. Shiva is also known as Umapati (husband of Uma, daughter of the mountains), and Parvatipati (husband of Parvati). While His wife as Shakti is out battling demons, He stays at home to take care of the children.
And when Shakti dances — in a tandav that sends tremors around — after vanquishing the demons, Shiva lies quietly beneath her feet in the hope of calming her by making her aware that if she continued, she would end up crushing Him under her feet.
Many of these stories indicate gender equity and the importance and beauty of loving togetherness. They serve as instructive and interesting talking points during the month of Sawan. This is when many devotees fast on Mondays, remembering Shiva and offering prayers, invoking His blessings for a happy and peaceful life.