How Parvati Won The Heart Of Shiva

Book Summary

FOLKLORE / AGES 6-9Adishakti, the greatest mother goddess of Indian folklore, and Shiva, Lord of All Gods, are an eternally married couple. Husband and wife in Heaven, whenever Shiva or Adishakti come to Earth in human form, they find each other and marry again. But when Adishakti chooses to be born on Earth as the mountain princess Parvati, she has a very hard time getting Shiva to notice her, let alone marry her. Shiva has come to Earth as a wandering yogi.He spends all his time meditating on a remote mountainside in the Himalayas and has no interest in marriage. Parvati washes his feet, wipes his brow, and lays sixteen offerings before him every day for days on end, but he won't even look at her. Sage Narada tells Parvati that she should repeat Shiva's name--Om Namah Shivaya--over and over again as a mantra. So in the heat of the sun, in the driving rain, in snow up to her neck Parvati sits and repeats her beloved's name until the focused power of her heart and mind get Shiva's attention and persuade him to ask for her hand in marriage. Parvati's timeless story teaches us that with enough love and perseverance even the seemingly impossible can be achieved. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Indian wash technique, How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom. HARISH JOHARI has authored many books that bring Eastern spiritual traditions to Western audiences, including Little Krishna, Chakras, and The Monkeys and the Mango Tree. VATSALA SPERLING, fluent in five Indian languages and Sanskrit, learned these traditional stories at her mother's feet. Before marrying and moving to theUnited States, she was the chief of Clinical Microbiological Services at the largest children's hospital in India. She is the coauthor of A Marriage Made in Heaven and lives in Vermont with her husband and son. PIETER WELTEVREDE, who began his artistic studies with Harish Johari in 1977 and also studied with Shri Chandra Bal, is a social scientist by training. He lives in Holland with his wife and two children and travels to India annually. He is also the illustrator of Little Krishna and The Monkeys in the Mango Tree. The magical story of how the princess Parvati opens the heart of her eternal husband Shiva- The courtship story of one of the central couples in Indian lore, Parvati and Shiva, made accessible for Western children ages 6 to 9- Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian traditionIn the Hindu pantheon the great mother goddess Adishakti is the heavenly wife of Shiva, Lord of All Gods. Whenever Shiva or Adishakti come to Earth in human form, they are fated to marry each other again--but that's no guarantee that all will go smoothly with their courtship. In this story Adishakti comes to Earth as the mountain princess Parvati, who has her work cut out for her when she tries to win the affections of Shiva. Shiva spends all his time meditating on a remote mountainside in the Himalayas and has no interest in marriage. Parvati washes his feet, wipes his brow, and lays sixteen offerings before him, but he won't even look at her. Sage Narada advises her to invoke Shiva's name--"Om Namah Shivaya--"over and over again as a mantra. So in the heat of the sun, in the driving rain, in snow up to her neck Parvati sits and repeats her beloved's name until the focused power of her intent opens his heart and persuades him to ask for her hand in marriage.Parvati's timeless story teaches children that with enough love and perseverance even the seemingly impossible can be achieved. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, "How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva" will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

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