The Legend of Lord Shiva
BOOK 1
The Story Of Lord Shiva’s Marriage With Parvati:
(Based entirely on Goswami Tulsidas’ classics:
“Ram Charit Manas” & “Parvati Mangal”.)
Chapter 3
Pārvatī Maṅgala
Goswami Tulsidas’ book ‘Parvati Mangal’ is exclusively dedicated to the theme of
Lord Shiva’s marriage. Since it deals with the subject matter of this book titled “Lord
Shiva’s marriage with Parvati, I decided to incorporate the full text here. The original
verses of Parvati Mangal with their Roman Transliteration and English commentary
follows.]
Invocation
fcub xqjfg xqfuxufg fxfjfg xuukFkfgA
ân;¡ vkfu fl; jke /kjs /kuq HkkFkfgAA1AA
xkom¡ xkSfj fxjhl fcckg lqgkouA
iki ulkou ikou eqfu eu HkkouAA2AA
bina'i gurahi guniganahi girihi gananāthahi.
hṛdayam̐ āni siya rāma dharē dhanu bhāthahi. 1.
gāva'um̐ gauri girīsa bibāha suhāvana.
pāpa nasāvana pāvana muni mana bhāvana. 2.
1-2. At first I (Tulsidas) pray and pay my obeisance to my Guru (moral preceptor;
teacher), to the wise ones, to the patron goddess of speech (i.e. goddess Saraswati)
and Lord Ganesh (who is the Lord of Shiva’s followers and the deity who ensures
success in all enterprises).
Having done so, I most reverentially remember and invoke in my heart Lord
Sita-Ram who has a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver tied around his waist^1.
After paying due respect to these revered deities I shall now begin the
narration of the auspicious marriage of Gauri (Parvati) and Lord Shiva (Girish)^2.
Singing, hearing and narrating this auspicious event vanquishes all sins. It is very
purifying for the mind and the heart, and is adored by great sages and saints who love
to sing it and hear about it. (1-2)
[Note—^1 It must be noted that Tulsidas was a devotee of Lord Ram first and foremost.
So he invoked the Lord and enshrined him in his heart before proceeding further. In