TYPE: Mother goddess
ORIGIN: Hindu (Epic and Puranic)
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: Circa 400 CE until present.
SYNONYMS: Sakti; Ahladini-Sadini; Sati; Uma. Many epithets including Amba (Mother); Aja (she-goat); Gauri (Grain goddess aspect); Bhutamata (mother of goblins)
ART REFERENCES: sculptures, chiefly in bronze but also in stone reliefs.
LITERARY SOURCES: Ramayana epic and various Puranic texts.
INFORMATION: Parvati may have originated from the mountain tribes in the Himalaya. As a goddess of fertility she is the youngest of the benign aspects of the goddess Sakti. She also appears as a reincarnation of Sati. She is the daughter of Himavan (the Himalaya) and Mena, a sister of Visnu and the younger sister of Ganga. She becomes the consort of the god Siva and, as such, personifies the extreme example of the devoted and steadfast Hindu wife. Her sons include Ganesa and Skanda.
She is presented to Siva, the ascetic, as a beautiful dancing girl. On becoming aware of his lack of interest, she pursues a life of self-denial until he finally appears to her as an old Brahman and takes her as his consort.
Parvati is depicted with two arms when accompanying Siva, but four when standing alone; she may be elephant headed or carrying Ganesa as a baby, and appears in many varieties.
ATTRIBUTES: Conch, crown, mirror, ornamented head-band, rosary and occasionally a lotus.