Tapa. Remember: Tapa is highly purifying and enabling. Besides this, it was
obligatory for Shiva to honour the wish of his devotee—in this case Uma—who
wants to have him as her life-partner. Shiva did not violate any of the principles of
moral law and ethics when he decided to obey his Lord’s words instructing him to
marry Uma.
Shiva’s decision to accept Lord Ram’s instructions were in line with the
principles of Dharma and Vivek, besides being in accordance with the principles of
Bhakti.(^2) Shiva had taken a vow that he will not accept Sati in her present body or form
because she had assumed the form of Sita—refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand,
from Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes Doha no. 56—to Chaupai line no. 2 that follow
this Doha. He had kept this vow as long as Sati lived as is clear from reading the
subsequent verses, viz. from Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 57—right
upto Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 60. Shiva had abandoned Sati from
his mind and heart; mere presence of her meant nothing to him just like a renunciate
ascetic or hermit who is unconcerned and unaffected by his surroundings.
Later on we read that Sati had burnt herself—and this ended her existence once
and for all. So, in effect, Shiva lived upto his vows—“not to have any thing to do
with Sati as long as she lived”. This is history now. Uma is a new individual, born at
a new place, has her own fate and life. So, this was a new beginning, a new chapter.
Shiva won’t break his vows if he accepted Uma.]
•¢Ã⁄UœÊŸ ÷∞ •‚ ÷Ê·Ë – ‚¢∑§⁄U ‚Ùß ◊Í⁄UÁà ©U⁄U ⁄UÊπËH 7H
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antaradhāna bha'ē asa bhāṣī. saṅkara sō'i mūrati ura rākhī. 7.
tabahiṁ saptariṣi siva pahiṁ ā'ē. bōlē prabhu ati bacana suhā'ē. 8.
Giving his instructions to Lord Shiva as narrated above, Lord Ram vanished from
sight. Lord Shiva enshrined that divine image of his revered Lord Ram in his heart.
(7)
Just at that time, the seven celestial sages, known as the ‘Sapta Rishis’, came
to Lord Shiva (as prophesised by Brahma)^1. Lord Shiva spoke to them in pleasant
words (as narrated herein below). (8)
[Note—^1 Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha
no. 75.
The “Sapta-rishis” was a group of seven ancient sages or seers consisting of the
following—Kashyap, Atri, Jamdagni, Vishwamitra, Vasistha, Bharadwaj and
Gautam.
Here in Ram Charit Manas it is just said that the seven sages came to Lord Shiva
after Lord Ram vanished from sight. That means, the seven sages were askewd by the
creator Brahma to go and meet Shiva before proceeding to meet Parvati.
But in Tulsidas’ “Parvati Mangal”, verse no. 75, it is said that the sages came
when Lord Shiva remembered them.
These seven sages were the following—Kashyap, Atri, Jamdagni, Vishwamitra,
Vasistha, Bharadwaj and Gautam.
The same narration of coming of the Sapta-rishis when Lord Shiva remembered
them is also mentioned in Shiva Puran, 2/3/25/7-11.
Another variation in the narrative of Ram Charit Manas and other books, such as
Parvati Mangal and Shiva Puran, is that while Lord Shiva asks these sages to go and
test the sincerity of Parvati in Ram Charit Manas (refer: Doha no. 77 herein below),
he has sent them to the father of Parvati to fix a date for the marriage and do whatever
is necessary in Parvat Mangal, verse no. 78.]