Search Results for “Parvati”

STO-311-sec Lord Shiva is one of the many sons of Brahma. He was born from between his father’s eyebrows, when Brahma became angry with his four sons, the Kumaras, who refused his request to get married. Shiva can therefore be very angry, as exhibited in his form as Rudra, or when he destroys the creation. […]

STO-313 – Durga Kills the Buffalo Demon

STO-313-sec Story 1 (short version) In the ancient times, a demon called Mahishasura earned the favour of Lord Shiva after a long meditation. Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the demon, blessed him with a boon that no man or deity would be able to kill him. Empowered with the boon, Mahishasura began his reign […]

STO-315 – Hanuman Eats the Sun

STO-315-sec A story explaining how Hanuman as born and how he received his name. One day while watching monkeys play on the beautiful slopes of Kailash Mountain, the great god Shiva and his wife Parvati wanted to do the same. So they transformed themselves into monkeys and enjoyed swinging from the branches of trees and […]

STO-318 – Stories of Ganesh

STO-318-sec How Ganesh received his head Ganesh is the first son of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. During one of Shiva’s long bouts of austerity on Mount Kailash, Parvati became lonely and one day, while taking her bath, she shaped a child out of the flakes of her own skin. She instructed him to stand as a […]

STO-319 – Stories of Skanda

STO-319-sec Skanda’s Birth Shiva’s first wife was Sita, the daughter of Daksha. Once, when Shiva visited his wife’s home, Daksha insulted him before many of his guests. Sati could not bear this. Sitting down, she meditated on the element of fire and, igniting her own body, gave it up. Shiva was furious and he and […]

(T) Stories of Skanda

STO-319 Skanda’s Birth Shiva’s first wife was Sita, the daughter of Daksha. Once, when Shiva visited his wife’s home, Daksha insulted him before many of his guests. Sati could not bear this. Sitting down, she meditated on the element of fire and, igniting her own body, gave it up. Shiva was furious and he and […]

(P) Stories of Ganesh

STO-318 How Ganesh received his head Ganesh is the first son of Parvati, Shiva’s consort. During one of Shiva’s long bouts of austerity on Mount Kailash, Parvati became lonely and one day, while taking her bath, she shaped a child out of the flakes of her own skin. She instructed him to stand as a […]

(T) Hanuman Eats the Sun

STO-315 Anjaneya (Hanuman) Eats the Sun A story explaining how Hanuman as born and how he received his name. One day while watching monkeys play on the beautiful slopes of Kailash Mountain, the great god Shiva and his wife Parvati wanted to do the same. So they transformed themselves into monkeys and enjoyed swinging from […]

(E) Durga Kills the Buffalo Demon

STO-313 Story 1 (short version) In the ancient times, a demon called Mahishasura earned the favour of Lord Shiva after a long meditation. Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the demon, blessed him with a boon that no man or deity would be able to kill him. Empowered with the boon, Mahishasura began his reign […]

(E) Shiva Drinks the poison

STO-311 Lord Shiva is one of the many sons of Brahma. He was born from between his father’s eyebrows, when Brahma became angry with his four sons, the Kumaras, who refused his request to get married. Shiva can therefore be very angry, as exhibited in his form as Rudra, or when he destroys the creation. […]

Skanda

Download PDF: PCT-311 Skanda is the second son of Shiva and Uma (Parvati). He is also known as Kartikeya, Murugan, Subramania, Guha and Shanmukha (one who has six faces). Skanda is sometimes added to the list of five important deities worshipped by the Smarta community, making him a sixth focus of worship. He is depicted […]

Ganesh

Download PDF: PCT-310 Ganesh is the most universally worshipped of the Hindu pantheon. However, he is rarely the exclusive or ultimate object of devotion, though this is relatively common in South India. More often he is supplicated before the worship other deities. He is frequently placed as the keeper of the threshold, standing near the […]

Hanuman

Download PDF: PCT-307 Hanuman is often worshipped with Rama and Sita, but also alone. He is the patron deity of wrestlers, other sportsmen and soldiers. Hanuman embodies courage and physical strength, and simultaneously humility and devotion to duty. He can assume any form at will and can leap great distances. Hanuman is one of the […]

Shakti

Download PDF: PCT-304 Shakti or Devi (the goddess) is one of the three main focuses of worship. Shakti means energy and in one sense refers to all goddesses, the ‘energies’ of their respective husbands. Specifically, Shakti refers to the consort of Shiva. In other words, the Supreme Lord is represented as Shiva and his power […]

Shiva