shivpar

Whilst Lord Siva was in a trance a demon whose name was Taraka (popularly known as Tarakasura) had a boon of invincibility, except that he would be killed by someone born to Lord Shiva. Tarakasura started a reign of terror all over what ever had been created. Siva had be brought out of his trance and made to marry Parvati. But whosoever will break is trance was sure to be killed. The gods approached Lord Brahma and explained to him their problem.
Lord Brahma suggested to them to approach Kamadeva, the god of love (cupid of Hindu mythology), and manage to make him agree to distract Lord Shiva. He said-'Sati, who had immolated herself during Daksha-Yajna, has been reborn as Parvati. She has observed all the strict rules of an austere life with an aim to get Lord Shiva as her bridegroom. Once Lord Shiva, angered by Kamadeva's arrows, comes out of trance, we shall pray to him to accept Parvati as his wife. This is the only way we can bring an end to the career of Tarakasura's life. There is no other way.

Following the advice of Lord Brahma the gods approached Kamadeva and explained to him their problem.
Kamadeva said, "I know it only too well that it shooting my arrows at him means sure death but since I see the welfare of all creation in doing what you ask me to do, I will do it," and saying this Kamadeva went near Lord Shiva with his bow and arrows and climbed up a mango tree and sat on one of its branches. He then shot five arrows one by one from his bow which found their mark on the heart of Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva opened his eyes and saw Kamadeva sitting in the mango tree. He immediately knew that it was Kamadeva who had shot the arrows. Lord Shiva opened his third eye and with the powerful stream of brilliant light emitted by it he incinerated him.
Seeing her husband reduced to ashes, Rati, Kamadeva's wife, fell at the feet of Lord Shiva, and began praying to him for mercy. Lord Shiva, who can be easily appeased, pitied her and blessed her that in due course Kamadeva would be born to Lord Krishna as Pradyumna.

After the DEATH of Kamadeva all the gods assembled together and approached Lord Shiva. "Gods! What is it that brings you all here?" asked Lord Shiva.
The gods said, "Lord! Goddess Parvati has lived a life of austerity and worship for thousands of years with the sole purpose to get you as her bridegroom. Please be kind to us gods and answer our prayers by accepting her as your wife. We pray to you to give us a son who could slay Tarakasura and bring an end to his menace."
Lord Shiva agreed and sent a message to the house of Himalaya through Saptarishis. Himalaya was extremely pleased to get such a proposal from Lord Shiva and immediately consented to it.

A Hindu bridegroom goes for his marriage in a procession riding a horse or dancing on foot or as per the caste custom. This procession mostly has the groom's friends, followers and the elders required for the marriage rites.
The marriage procession following Lord Shiva was full of sages, gods and thousands of people in different forms-some blind, some having only one eye, some lame, some having more than two eyes and some in the form of skeletons etc. In short it was a procession of all natures human creation on earth.
Having reached the entry point of the city, Lord Shiva sent sage Narada to the house of Himalaya to inform him of the arrival of the marriage procession. Himalaya's heart was filled with boundless joy to learn that, the time has come when he would be giving his daughter's hand in marriage, to Lord Shiva. He proceeded to receive the marriage procession along with Brahmins and mountains.
The king of mountains, Himalaya, offered his salutations to everyone reverently, and then he led the procession to his city.
Maina, the mother of Parvati, suffered from a big ego problem which Lord Shiva intended to rectify. He asked Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma to go one by one to the house of Himalaya and said that he would follow them later.

Following the wish of Lord Shiva, it was Lord Vishnu who reached the house of Himalaya first.
His godly appearance overwhelmed Maina as she had never seen anybody who radiated so much grace. Filled with happiness she asked Narada-'Sage Narada! Is he the one who is going to get the hand of my daughter in marriage?'
Sage Narada said, "No Maina Devi! You are mistaken! One you are talking about is not Lord Shiva; he is Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva is matchless in appearance. The elegant look he bears is beyond description."
And then many gods arrived one after the other and, every time when asked, Narada told her their real identity and, that none of them was Lord Shiva nor were their looks and carriage anywhere near Lord Sivas'.
Maina began enjoying the thoughts in her imagination that her daughter was going to be wedded to a most, handsome, elegant and graceful groom.
When Maina Devi was lost in her imagination of a groom better looking than all the gods she had seen, Lord Shiva, with an intention to banish the ego of Maina, in a very strange form, and also those behind him who had joined the marriage procession had strange forms of ghosts, dirty men with matted hair and bedraggled men in general.

Maina was terribly shocked to see her would-be son-in-law in such a crude and rude form,- five heads with matted hair, each having three eyes, serpents round his neck, ten hands holding bow and tridant and fierce looking eyes. Frightened she dropped the platter from her hands and said to Parvati, "Daughter! I will leap to my death from the mountain with you, I shall burn myself to death in fir, or jump into the sea, but I will not give your hand in marriage to this mad man."
Lord Shiva's purpose was served, he had succeeded in making Maina ego free.
He pitied her and appeared in his original divine form which would have embarrassed many Kamadevas.
Maina, who had been shocked to see Lord Shiva in his other form a moment ago was now sure that she was fortunate to have him as her son-in-law.
At an auspicious time under the direction of Gargacharya the marriage ceremony was performed with great pomp and gaiety.
Lord Shiva returned to Kailasa with Parvati and began living happily.