The Story Of Lord Shiva’s Marriage With Parvati

But the ‘children’—a metaphor used to include all those who were ignorant of the

reality like young and inexperienced children—became horrified at the sight of Lord

Shiva’s companions. They did not know the significane of Parvati’s Tapa, and who

Lord Shiva actually was whom she wanted to marry.

(^2) Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-5 that precede Doha
no. 92 herein above, and Chanda line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 95 herein below.
(^3) It is a scene straight out of a comedy. Where has anyone seen a groom as
described in these lines, and furthermore where has anyone seen a marriage party of
ghosts and phantoms?]

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chanda.

tana chāra byāla kapāla bhūṣana nagana jaṭila bhayaṅkarā. 1.
sam̐ga bhūta prēta pisāca jōgini bikaṭa mukha rajanīcarā. 2.
jō ji'ata rahihi barāta dēkhata pun'ya baṛa tēhi kara sahī. 3.
dēkhihi sō umā bibāhu ghara ghara bāta asi larikanha kahī. 4.

[The terrified children reported to their parents—] ‘The groom has his body smeared
in ash, and he wears serpents and skulls by way of ornaments. Except these coverings,
he is otherwise naked, sports a thick lock of knotted hairs on his head, and generally
looks very fearful^1. (Chanda line no. 1)
He is accompanied by horrifying ghosts, phantoms, ogres and female spirits
who have strange faces and mouths, and who move out only during the night
(“Rajnichar”)^2. (Chanda line no. 2)
Anyone who survives even after seeing this sort of a marriage procession is
very lucky and fortunate (because the sight of ghosts, phantoms, ogres and spirits is so
horrifying that it is sufficient to make an ordinary person faint out of fear and die due
to shock that accompanies it). (Chanda line no. 3)
---Only such a person who survive this shock and awe would be able to see
(witness) the marriage (of Shiva with Parvati) (because the rest would be already dead
by the time the ceremony actually starts)^3 .’
Children said these kinds of things in each household of the city (when they
rushed-in terrified to report to their parents about what they had seen on the outskirts
of the city where the marriage procession of Lord Shiva had arrived). (Chanda line no.
4)
[Note—^1 Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-2 and 4 that
precede Doha no. 92.

(^2) The entities mentioned here are called “Rajnichar” because they move out and
wander in the world only during the dark hours of the night. The word “Rajnichar”
has two parts—viz. “Rajni” = night, “Char” = to move about.
Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 6-8 and Chanda line nos.
1-4 that precede Doha no. 93.
(^3) In other words, only those persons who do not die out of shock when they see
such a wild-looking groom and his horrifying companions in the marriage party