Baal Kaanda
26 - Siva's peculiar marriage procession and preparations for the wedding (undertaken by the other party)
Chaupais
Description
Then Narada reassured them all, narrating to them the past history of Uma. He said, "Mena, hear my true words: your daughter is none else than Bhavani (the eternal Consort of Siva), Mother of the universe. She is the unborn and imperishable divine energy, which has no beginning; She is Sambhu's inseparable half. She creates, maintains and then dissolves the universe and assumes the semblance of a material form of Her own will. First she was born in the house of Daksa. Sati was Her name and charming was Her form. Even in that incarnation Sati was married with Sankara. The story is well-known throughout the world. One day, while She was returning home with Siva, She beheld Sri Rama, who is a sun as it were to the lotus-like race of Raghu. Bewildered by His sight, She did not listen to Siva advice and was beguiled into assuming the disguise of Sita. (1-4)