Parvati

About Parvati

Parvati is the daughter of Himavan, king of the Himalayas — her name simply means 'of the mountain.' To win Shiva as husband she performed such fierce tapas (austerity) that she stopped eating even fallen leaves, earning the name Aparna. She is rarely worshipped as one figure. Instead she splits into named forms: Annapurna in Varanasi, holding a jeweled rice-bowl and golden ladle; green-skinned Meenakshi at Madurai; the cremation-ground Bhairavi of the Mahavidyas; and the nine Navadurgas honored across Navaratri nights. The Devi Mahatmyam's closing shloka — Sarvamangala Mangalye — hails her as the one who fulfills every aim.