shiva
Shiva also known as Mahadeva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism. Shiva has pre-Vedic tribal roots, and the figure of Shiva as we know him today is an amalgamation of various older non-Vedic and Vedic deities, including the Rigvedic storm god Rudra who may also have non-Vedic origins, into a single major deity.
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Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu. In the Shaivite tradition, Shiva is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects and transforms the universe. In the Shakta tradition, the Goddess, or Devi, is described as one of the supreme, yet Shiva is revered along with Vishnu and Brahma. A goddess is stated to be the energy and creative power (Shakti) of each, with Parvati (Sati) the equal complementary partner of Shiva. He is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.
Shiva is the primal Atman (soul, self) of the universe. There are many both benevolent and fearsome depictions of Shiva. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash as well as a householder with wife Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. In his fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi Shiva, regarded as the patron god of yoga, meditation and arts.
The iconographical attributes of Shiva are the serpent around his neck, the adorning crescent moon, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, the third eye on his forehead, the trishula or trident, as his weapon, and the damaru drum. He is usually worshipped in the aniconic form of lingam. Shiva is a pan-Hindu deity, revered widely by Hindus, in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Parvati : Breif Introduction
Pravati the name is translated to be belonging to the mountains, where pravat means mountain. She is the daughter of the King Himavan (lord of the mountaints. Parvati is more commonly known as wife or consort of the lord shiva, she is the goddess of power(Shakti). She have many forms, mostly wrathful like Durga, Kali, Jagadamba, Maha Devi, Tara Chandi and the Dash Mahavidya( Ten Great Wisdom). She is how ever the second wife of shiva, but she is believed to be the re Incarnation of the first Wife Maha sati who sacrifice herself in the flames when she could not bare the insult of her husband by her father Hiranyakasab.
She is also mother to Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Ashoka Sundari. While Some communities also believe her to be sister of Vishnu.
She is also known by 108 names from the Durga Saptashati. These include Durga (invincible), Shakti (power), Ambika ('dear mother'), Gauri ('fair complexioned'), Bhairavi ('ferocious'), Kali ('dark'), Uma, Lalita, Mataji ('revered mother'), Sahana ('pure'), Maheshwari ('great goddess'). Bhavani, Shivaradni ('Queen of Shiva'), and many hundreds of others. The Lalita sahasranama contains an authoritative listing of 1,000 names of Parvati.
Source of Power
Parvati represent all form of power or energy. It is believed when shiva lost his first wife he went to a massive depression, in a nearly a Shava(Dead Body / Corpse) It is also believed that without her, Shiva remains as Shava or Corpse, for she is the ultimate source of power for all beings, gods and Devas. She brought back shiva from that Shava(Corpse)mode to Shiva.
That is why she is considered as goddess of power. Indeed, she is most powerful of all. When her anger reaches its peak, she can destroy the whole universe, gods and Trimurti in just seconds. Even Trinity i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, never try to make her angry at any cost.
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