This means that each important member of the marriage party was provided an
independent residential unit where he and his companions stayed. There were
countless gods, some senior and other juniors, and they were all given appropriate
lodges. Lord Shiva was given a wonderful place to stay that must have been different
from those of others for two reasons—one reason is obvious, and it is that he was the
‘bridegroom’, and the second reason is that he was a senior god being the third god of
the Trinity who is responsible for the conclusion of creation, and occupies an
honourable place in the hierarchy of the heaven just like Lord Vishnu who is the
sustainer of creation and is the second god of the Trinity, and Lord Brahma who is the
creator and is the first god of the Trinity.]◊ÒŸÊ° ‚È÷ •Ê⁄UÃË ‚°flÊ⁄UË – ‚¢ª ‚È◊¢ª‹ ªÊfl®„U ŸÊ⁄UËH 2H
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mainām̐ subha āratī sam̐vārī. saṅga sumaṅgala gāvahiṁ nārī. 2.
kan̄cana thāra sōha bara pānī. parichana calī harahi haraṣānī. 3.
Maina, the mother of Parvati, arranged auspicious items needed to perform an
“Aarti^1 ” of the groom, and was accompanied by honourable women who sang
auspicious, melodious songs befitting the occasion^2. (2)
She had arranged the items of the Aarti on a golden plate which looked
beautiful as she held it in her well adorned hands^3. Then she proceeded to welcome
the bridegroom and wave lighted lamps before him in an auspicious gesture that is
traditionally employed to welcome and show great respect to honourable guests^4.
[And in this particular case, it’s not only a gesture to welcome and show honour to the
bridegroom but also marks the beginning of the marriage celebrations.] (3)
[Note—^1 The “Aarti” is a formal gesture wherein lighted earthen lamps filled with oil
are waved before an honourable guest as a sign of welcome and respect. The plate in
which these earthen lamps are arranged also contains other items that are regarded as
auspicious, such as rice grains, turmeric, blades of ‘Durba grass’, which is a special
class of grass that is dark in shade, and other such items.
In the present case however, this Aarti marks the beginning of the marriage
ceremony with the formal welcoming of the bridegroom.
(^2) Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no.
346 that describes the same scene when Sita’s mother had arranged the Aarti to
welcome the bridegroom, Lord Ram.
(^3) Maina’s hands were adorned with bangles and garlands etc. Her palms were
coloured with “Mehandi”, or a paste made from leaves of the myrtle plant.
(^4) Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Doha no. 346 where we read about Sita’s
mother going to welcome her Lord Ram, the bridegroom, with Aarti arranged on a
golden plate which was full of other items needed for such auspicious occasions.]
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bikaṭa bēṣa rudrahi jaba dēkhā. abalanha ura bhaya bhaya'u bisēṣā. 4.
bhāgi bhavana paiṭhīṁ ati trāsā. ga'ē mahēsu jahām̐ janavāsā. 5.
[A repeat of the events that occurred on the outskirts of the city, where the children
were so terrified when they saw Lord Shiva for the first time that they ran away from