[Advaita-l] Stories from the Shiva Purana - 12 (Parvati’s Test)

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from the previous post. Shiva's wife once tested the Divinity of Rama:
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226044.html
Section 2.2, Chapter 24.
The following rendering is Ramana Maharshi's retelling of the incident in “Talks”, #218 (30th June, 1936):
https://english.sreyas.in/parvatis-test/ )
 
 
Parvati’s Test
 
( This part is taken from Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva in “Spiritual Stories” as Told by Ramana Maharshi )
 
Sri Bhagavan was looking into the Shiva Purana and related, “Shiva has the Transcendental and Immanent aspects as represented
by His invisible, transcendental being and the Linga aspect respectively. The Linga, manifested as Arunachala originally,
stands even to this day.
 
“In the sphere of speech, Pranava (the mystic sound AUM) represents the Transcendental (nirguna), and the Panchakshari
(the five-syllabled mantra), represents the Immanent aspect (saguna).” To illustrate this Sri Bhagavan recounted the
anecdote of Parvati testing Rama.
 
Rama and Lakshmana were wandering in the forest in search of Sita. Rama was grief-stricken. Just then, Shiva and Parvati
happened to pass close-by. Shiva saluted Rama and passed on. Parvati was surprised and asked Shiva to explain why He,
the Lord of the Universe, being worshipped by all, should stoop to salute Rama, an ordinary human who having missed his
consort was grief-stricken and moving in anguish in the wilderness looking helpless. Shiva then said, “Rama is simply acting
as a human being would under the circumstances. He is nevertheless the incarnation of Vishnu and deserves to be saluted.
You may test him if you choose.”
 
Parvati considered the matter, took the shape of Sita and appeared in front of Rama, as he was crying out the name of Sita
in great anguish. He looked at Parvati appearing as Sita, smiled and asked, “Why Parvati, are you here? Where is Sambhu?
Why have you taken the shape of Sita?” Parvati felt abashed and explained how she went there to test him and sought an
explanation for Shiva saluting him.
 
Rama replied, “We are all only aspects of Shiva, worshipping Him at sight and remembering Him out of sight.”
 
 
(To be Continued)