Day 1 of Navratri: The Incarnation of Devi Shailputri

Sati- the previous incarnation

Maa Parvati is Adi shakti herself. She was born as Sati, the daughter of Daksha (son of Bramha) and Prasuti (daughter of Manu and Shatrupa) in her previous incarnation. She was the youngest and known to be the most beloved daughter of Daksha. Aadi shakti was meant to be united with Lord Shiva. But ignorance and ego had overshadowed Daksha's intellect and inner conscience. So knowing no other ways, Sati went against her father's wishes and married her eternal love, Shiva.

After sometime Daksha had organised a huge yajna. He had invited all the deities but intentionally had not sent any invitation to Lord Shiva and Devi Sati. Sati was upset by this act but she was really missing her home and wanted to meet her family. She convinced herself that daughters need no invitations and they are always welcome to their family. She even tried to convince Lord Shiva to accompany her to the yajna. Lord Shiva however refused to go and had tried to make Sati understand that if Daksha Prajapati had not asked them to come he might not want them to present over there. But Sati was stubborn enough to not listen to her husband and went to attend the yajna alone.

At the yajna, Daksha and other relatives were unhappy seeing Sati there except her mother. Daksha insulted Shiva infront of Sati and said many derogatory things about him. Sati could not bear the humiliation of her husband, regreted going there and immolated her physical body that she had got from Daksha using her yog shakti.

The Need to Remarry

Lord Shiva was devastated upon getting separated from his wife and went deep into the state of samadhi. On the other hand, after getting boon from Lord Brahma, Tarakasur (a demon) was violating his powers and was ruling over devas (gods). He very well took advantage of the situation as he could only be killed by the son of Shiva. It was Shiva's remarriage that could rescue the devas from the oppression of the demon, Tarakasur.

Curse of the Kumaras

Daksha had another daughter called, Swadha who had married to Pitr. Together they had three daughters- Maina, Dhanya, and Kalavati. Once they went to Shwetdeep to have darshan of Lord Vishnu. The four kumaras- Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanatkumar arrived there too. Seeing them everyone present there stood up in their reverence except these three sisters. Sanatkumar got very angry and cursed them that they don't deserve to be in heaven and should go to earth and live as humans. Upon realising their mistake, the sisters sought forgiveness. Sanatkumar showed mercy on them and blessed them that they would marry great men and would be fortunate to be the mother of Aadi shakti herself. In their human lives, Maina married to Himavan and gave birth to Parvati, Dhanya married to King Janak and was the mother of Sita, similarly Kalavati married to Brishbhan and was the mother of Sri Radha. And in this way, all three of them would get liberated and attain heaven again.

Also Maina and Himavat were very fond of Sati like her own daughter and took care of her whenever she would be spotted in the mountains. Before dying, Sati had thought that she would become the daughter of Maina in her next life.

Birth of Shailputri

All the devas prayed to Aadi shakti and requested her to take another birth so that she could become the wife of Lord Shiva and their son would be able to kill Tarakasur. Goddess Shakti re-assured them that they need not to worry as she would soon take her next birth as the daughter of Himavat and Maina as said by Sanatkumar.

The devas rejoiced and went to Himavat and Maina, told them about what had happened and instructed to perform penance to please Aadi shakti.

The goddess was pleased after 27 years of penance of Maina and Himavat. Shakti asked Maina to ask for anything she wanted. She then asked the goddess to grant her 100 sons and requested her to incarnate as her daughter and marry Lord Shiva.

It was then Aadi shakti who re-incarnated as Parvati, also called as Shailputri, which literally means daughter of the mountain (shail= mountain, putri= daughter).

Iconography of Devi Shailputri

The goddess is fair in complexion and wears shwet (white) saree, sits on the bull, Nandi. She holds a trisul (trident) with her right hand and a kamal (lotus flower) in her left hand.

Benefits of Worshipping Maa Shailputri

She is the goddess of moon. Worshipping her helps remove doshas related to moon. Praying to her also strengthens the mooladhara chakra as she corresponds to the beginning of the spiritual journey. She teaches us to be strong and resilient and blesses us with our desires.