SHIVA AND PARVATI
Sati was reborn as Parvati, daughter of Himavan, King of the mountains and his wife, Mena. Narada saw the child and predicted that she would marry a yogi with no family and no home. Her parents were unhappy but Parvati, aware of her great destiny, was glad. The parents too were reassured by Narada.

Destiny at Work
And then many things happened. Parvati dreamt of Shiva and so did Himavan. Shiva chose a spot nearby for his penance. Himavan reserved the area for his exclusive use and went there with Parvati to welcome him with an offering of fruits and flowers. He also suggested that his daughter and her friends look after his daily needs. Shiva, wary of women, particularly one as beautiful as Parvati, told Himvana that he did not wish to have her serve him. His manner was brushque and he was quite categorical-woman, how said, was the root of all worldy attachment. Himavan fell silent, but Parvarti who was not the shy retiring girl that Sati was, spoke up boldly and clearly. She told him that the power behind his penance was Prakriti (Nature) and that he could not do without her. Shiva replied that he was trying to destroy Prakriti with his penance. Prakritit was a force that all good persons should root out. He felt confident that he would be able to eliminate her. Parvati laughed and said that he had been swallowed by Prakriti already, but had not realised it. She concluded the argument by stating that she was Prakriti and he, Purusha and that if he was confident about his self control, he should not be affected by her proximity.

It was a cleaver challenge to have thrown his way. Shiva gave in and permitted her to serve him in dangerously intimate ways- after all he was not supposed to be afraid. She would rub his body down with a warm cloth, wash his feet and drink the same water in a gesture of devotion and subservience he found difficult to resist. She performed menial jobs like cleaning and scrubbing. The lord was definitely yielding, but wanted her first to destroy her ego totally and that would involve penance- the sure, and perhaps only, way to Shiva's heart. That was how Sati had won him too.

At this point the gods stepped in. the demon Taraka was on the rampage and only a son of Shiva and Parvati could kill him. Things were moving to a close. Kama was summoned by Indra and received with much flattery. He boasted that he could do anything, even tackle Shiva. He was landed with just that task. He left with his wife Rati and his inseparable companion, Spring, Vasanta.