Taarakaasur

Bheeshm asked - "How the mighty Taarak was born? How Kaartikeya killed him? And how Rudra got Umaa? Tell me now this." Pulastya Jee said - "As Agni (fire) appears from Arani (a special kind of wood from which fire can appear), Daitya appeared from Diti. In earlier times Kashyap Jee granted her a boon that she would have a son named Vajraang whose all body parts would be as strong as Vajra. When time came Diti gave birth to Vajraang who could not be killed even by Vajra. As soon as he was born he became learned in all Shaastra. He asked his mother - "Maa, What are the orders for me?" Diti got very happy to hear this and said - "My son, Indra has killed my many sons, so you kill Indra for me."

Vajraang went to Indra Lok and brought Indra tied to his mother. At the same time Brahmaa Jee and Kashyap Jee came there and said to him - "He is the king of Devtaa, what will you do of him? Insult of a reputed person is said to be his death. If a person is captured by his enemy and is freed by the grace of anybody else then he is said to be a living dead." Vajraang greeted both and said - "I have no enmity with Indra. I just obeyed my mother. But my duty is to obey you also, so I free him. I wish to do Tapasyaa so my Tapasyaa should be completed without any obstacle, please bless me for this." Brahmaa Jee said - "If you will do it according to my instructions nothing is going to harm you. You have already got the fruit of this life by your clean heart." After that Brahmaa produced a large-eyed maiden and gave her to Vajraang as his wife. He named her Varaangee.

Vajraang went to do Tapasyaa with his wife. Vajraang had large lotus leaf like eyes. His mind was pure and he was a great Tapaswee. He did Tapasyaa raising his arms up for 1,000 years, then he lived inside water for 1,000 years. When he was in water, Varaangee sat quietly on the bank of that pond and she also started doing Tapasyaa without eating and drinking. As 1,000 years got completed, Brahmaa Jee appeared to give him Var. Vajraang said - "I should not have any Aasuree (demonic) feelings, I should attain immortal Lok, and I should always be busy in Tapasyaa till I am alive." Brahmaa said "So be it" and went to his Lok. 

Now Vajraang came back to his Aashram, but he could not find his wife there. He entered a forest with the desire of eating something. There he found her weeping hiding her face behind a tree. He asked her - "Who wishes to go to Yam Lok by insulting you?" Varaangee said - "I am like an orphan in spite of being you alive. Indra has frightened me with a terrible form, he threw me out of the Aashram and has given me lots of trouble. Give me a son who can end my troubles." Although he was capable to punish Indra himself still he intended to do Tap again. Knowing his intensions, Brahmaa Jee came again and asked - "O son, Why do you want to do Tap again?" He said - "After you went, I did not find my wife. When I had found her, she told me that Indra had troubled her a lot, so she wants a son to end her troubles. If you are pleased with me then give such a son to me." Brahmaa Jee said - "You need not to do Tap again, you will get a very mighty son named Taarak."  [see question under 2-Padm, 1-Srishti-24]

Vajraang went back and made his wife happy. Varaangee kept the fetus in her womb for 1,000 years then gave birth to Taarak named son. He became very mighty as soon as he was born. Kujambh and Mahish etc Asur appointed him their king. Taarak said to them - "Devtaa want to destroy us so we all will do Tapasyaa to defeat them." And he went to Paariyaatra mountain and did Tapasyaa for 100 years without eating anything, for 100 years by taking Panchaagni, for 100 years by chewing leaves, and for another 100 years by drinking only water." Brahmaa Jee appeared to give him Var. He said - "I should not be killed by any creature." Brahmaa Jee said - "Whoever has taken a body, he has to die, so you can ask your death from any thing with whom you have no fear." After a long thought he said - "I should be killed by a 7-day old child." "So be it" and Brahmaa Jee went to his Lok and Taarak went to his home.

Now he got his army ready to invade Indra. His Daitya leaders were the leaders of 100 million (10 Crore) Daitya each. Jambh Daitya was their Commander and Kujambh was second in command. Besides there were Mahish, Kunjar, Megh, Kaalnemi, Nimi, Manthan, Jambhak and Shumbh who were his principal Daitya. As Devtaa saw them coming they informed this to Indra. Indra asked the advice from their Guru Brihaspati Jee. Brihaspati said - "There are two means to win a war - Saam policy and four-division army. Policy is four types - Saam (counseling), Bhed (divide and rule), Daan (donation) and Dand (punishment). If enemy is greedy then Saam policy does not affect him. If they are united then they cannot be divided. Who are capable of taking everything by force, they cannot be controlled by Daan, therefore we are left only with one choice, that is Dand."

So Indra also got ready to fight under the commandership of Yam Raaj. This army had 330 million (33 Crore) Devtaa. The war began. Taarak killed millions of Devtaa. At last Devtaa lost the battle and ran away all around. They went to Brahmaa Jee and prayed him. Brahmaa Jee asked - "Devtaa, Why do you look so desperate?" Devtaa said - "Hey Father, You know everything. This Taarakaasur has taken our Meru mountain and Swarg Lok. Now only you are our protector." Brahmaa Jee said - "Taarakaasur cannot be killed by anybody. That person is not yet born who can kill him. Taarakaasur was doing Tap, at that time I gave him Var to stop him doing Tapasyaa. He asked the Var to be killed by a 7-day old child. Such child can be only of Shankar and Himaalaya's daughter Umaa. He will kill him." Hearing this Devtaa went away.

Birth of Paarvatee and Her Marriage to Shiv

After this Himaalaya's wife Mainaa gave birth to a daughter. She was named Umaa. Knowing this Indra remembered Naarad. When Naarad came, Indra said to him - "Now we have to act in such a way so that Shankar can marry Umaa." Naarad understood what Indra wanted from him so he went to Himaalaya's palace. Himaalaya welcomed him and worshipped him. Mainaa and Umaa also came to his Darshan. Mainaa asked her friend to ask Naarad Jee about the good symptoms of Umaa. Naarad said smilingly - "Her husband is un-born. Her body has no signs. Her one hand will always be up. Her feet have bad characteristics but their shine is beautiful. This is the prediction about her future."

Hearing this Himvaan got worried, he said - "Destiny is very powerful. Shaastra say that son takes father to Swarg, but this seems strange, because without woman creation is not possible. You have told only bad omens of my daughter. Hearing them I am very disappointed. You have said that "her one hand will always be up" but that happens only with beggars. I am not happy with your this statement also that "her feet have bad omens"."

Naarad said - "Giri Raaj, You are unhappy instead of being happy? I tell you the meaning of my statements. Her husband is Mahaadev, he is unborn. Her body has no signs, because she is immortal, so those signs are not on her body. Her one hand will always be up means that she will always be giving Var. Her feet are pink, when her nails reflect on them, they look white. When Devee and Devtaa will greet her, the reflection of their crowns will make them of different colors, that is why I said that they have bad characteristics, but their shine is beautiful. She is the wife of Mahaadev who feeds everybody. she is the mother of the whole world. She is born in your house only to make your family holy. Now you should do something so that she can soon be married to Shiv Jee." 

Pulastya Jee said - "Himvaan took a sigh of relief and requested to guide him about Umaa's marriage so that she can be married to him without any obstacle. Naarad Jee said - "Take it as done." and he went to Indra and asked him to get help from Kaam Dev. Indra remembered him and he appeared before him. Indra asked him to help him to meet Umaa with Shankar. He said - "There is no need to explain you anything, you yourself are born with Sankalp, that is why you know everybody's mind. Take this Madhu Maas (Vasant, or spring month, or Chaitra month) and take help from your wife Rati also." Kaam Dev said - "These things are good for Rishi and Muni, but they cannot control Shiv." Indra said - "I know your powers, you will be successful in your work. Now you go."

Kaam Dev immediately went to Kailaash Parvat along with Rati, his wife, and Vasant Ritu (spring season). He found Mahaadev in meditation. So he entered his heart through his ear. Shankar's desires aroused and he remembered Satee. Satee came to him and he got lost in her memories. But in a few moments he knew that it was Kaam's cheating, so he again got busy in meditation. Kaam Dev came out of his body and shot an arrow of mango flower set on a bow of flowers at his heart. At this, as Mahaadev cast a glance at Kaam Dev, he got burnt to ashes immediately and that fire extended to burn the whole Universe. Then he distributed that fire among mango tree, Vasant, Moon, flowers, bumble bees, and cuckoo's mouth.

Seeing her husband burnt, Rati started crying and fell on Shiv's feet. She said - "Please give me my husband back, I cannot live without him." Shiv consoled her - "Don't worry, your husband will be reborn at the appropriate time and he will be known as Anang." Hearing this Rati went away. According to Naarad, Himvaan brought his daughter Umaa to Shiv along with her two friends. Hearing the burning of Kaam Dev Himvaan got frightened. He got ready to go back to his city, then Paarvatee asked her friends to convey her message to her father, "There is nothing impossible through Tap so I will do Tap to get him." Himvaan said - "Hey Umaa, You are very young, how would you tolerate the pains of Tap. Whatever has to happen, it happens, now there is no need to do Tapasyaa, let us go home." But Umaa was not ready to go home. The then a Divine voice said - "You have called her as "Umaa" so from today she will be known as Umaa and she will certainly get her desired wish through Tap." Hearing this Himvaan permitted her to do Tap and he himself went back to home.

Paarvatee, along with her two friends, went to a peak of Himaalaya where even Devtaa cannot reach easily, she took off her royal clothes and jewelry, and put on Divine yellow clothes. She took bath three times a day and ate only rose flowers for 100 years. After that she ate only one leaf a day for 100 years. After that she did not eat anything for another 100 years. Tri-Lok trembled with the effect of her Tap. Indra called Saptarshi and asked them to go to Paarvatee and assure her that she would certainly get her desired thing soon.

They came to Shail Kumaaree and asked - "Dear daughter, Why are you doing such severe Tap?" Paarvatee told them that she was doing that Tap to get Shiv as her husband. Muni said - "There are two types of pleasure - physical and mental. If you are seeking physical pleasure then what you will get from him. He has snakes on his body, his body is ash smeared, his Gan have terrible forms. Vishnu is much better than him or wish for any other Devtaa." Paarvatee got angry hearing this, she said - "Obstinate people cannot be brought on right track, I am also like that. It seems that although you understand everything but still you do not know the grace of Shiv. Tell me whose form is this sky? Whose form is this Agni? Whose eyes are these Soorya and Chandramaa?"

Hearing this Saptarshi went to Shiv and told him about Paarvatee and her Tapasyaa to get him as her husband. Shiv said - "I know, but maybe that Himvaan hesitates to marry his daughter to me." Then Saptarshi went to Himvaan and said - "Shiv is asking your daughter for the good of the Universe. Be blessed by giving your daughter to him." Then they all went to Paarvatee. Paarvatee's intention was firm - she wouldn't marry any other except Shiv. Saptarshi said - "So be it, tomorrow morning Shiv will marry you. Now you stop this Tap and go back to your palace." Hearing this Paarvatee Jee went back to palace with her father.

Next day morning, all marriage ceremonies started. Seasons, herbs, creepers, trees all were present there in human form and were busy in serving Paarvatee. On the other side, Devtaa, Muni, Naag, Yaksh, Gandharv, Kinnar etc were busy in getting ready Shiv for marriage. Brahmaa adorned Moon in Shankar's Jataa, Vishnu brought various gem-studded ornaments, Nandee was also decorated. Varun brought gems, ornaments and beautiful flowers made from gems. Shiv arrived at Himvaan's palace. He got married to Paarvatee, spent the night there only, then went to Mandaraachal mountain with his wife riding on Nandee."