Brahmachari: The Old Brahmin Incarnation of Shiva and Parvati's Test of Love.

In the Shiva Purana, Lord Shiva has various incarnations to assist his devotees or to accomplish divine missions. One of his meaningful incarnatio sudah is the Brahmachari Avatar, where Shiva takes the form of an old ascetic as part of a test of the love and devotion of Goddess Parvati.

Several incarnations of Lord Shiva (Source: Private Collection)

The Reason for Goddess Parvati’s Atonement

This story begins when Goddess Parvati, Shiva’s wife in her previous birth as Sati, wanted to reunite with her husband, Shiva. However, due to a great sin from her past, Parvati had to perform intense penance to cleanse herself. She spent thousands of years meditating in the forest, enduring all kinds of natural hardships.

Goddess Parvati is meditating in the forest (Source: Private Collection)

During the summer, she meditated near blazing fires. In the rainy season, she was unaffected by the heavy rains. In the winter, she submerged herself in water without caring about the cold. She fasted while meditating on Lord Shiva, chanting "Namah Shivaay" as part of her atonement.

In the first year, she survived on fruits. In the second year, she survived on leaves. Then, she even gave up eating leaves and survived without any food. Finally, she performed great penance by standing on one leg, constantly thinking of Lord Shiva.

The Test from the Saptarishis and Shiva

Lord Shiva, observing Parvati’s struggle and determination, summoned the Saptarishis, the seven sages, to test her. When these sages came, they told Goddess Parvati that Lord Shiva was not worthy of her efforts. They described Shiva as an unattractive, ugly figure who lived with ghosts and snakes, and smeared ashes on his body. Despite these words, Parvati remained steadfast in her devotion and was not swayed by what the sages said.

Lord Shiva transformed into an old Brahmin (Source: Private Collection)

Then, Lord Shiva himself disguised as an old Brahmin and visited Goddess Parvati to test her sincerity. In his disguise, he told Parvati about all of Shiva's shortcomings — how unattractive he was, how filthy and dishonorable Lord Shiva appeared, and how he lived in isolation. Despite hearing all these criticisms, Parvati did not change her opinion. Instead, she began describing the greatness of Lord Shiva.

The Profound Dialogue About Shiva

In a meaningful dialogue, Goddess Parvati explained that Lord Shiva is the supreme soul, beyond all physical attributes. He is the perfect Brahman, the source of everything, and cannot be measured by appearance or worldly judgments. Shiva does not need physical attributes, for He is the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, transcending space and time. Parvati's explanation not only demonstrated her love and devotion for Shiva but also revealed deep spiritual wisdom about the true nature of Lord Shiva.

After saying this, Parvati, the daughter of the mountains, paused and meditated on Shiva with a calm mind. Hearing the goddess's words, as the Brahmin ascetic began to say something, Parvati, whose mind was focused on Shiva and who disliked hearing degrading comments about Shiva, immediately spoke to Vijaya, her attendant.

Slightly annoyed, Parvati immediately called her servant (Source: Private Collection)

Parvati said:

"This lowly Brahmin must be stopped firmly. He seems inclined to say something further. He will surely insult Shiva again. Not only will he sin by degrading Shiva, but also, the one who hears it will incur sin. Anyone who insults Shiva deserves to be punished by Shiva’s servants. If he is a Brahmin, he should be dismissed, or the listener should leave immediately. Let us leave this place at once and go elsewhere. There should be no further discussion with this foolish man."

After saying this, even as Parvati was about to step forward, the Brahmin, who was actually Shiva in disguise, embraced his beloved. After taking on the handsome form that Parvati had envisioned and revealing it to her, Shiva greeted her while Parvati stood with her head bowed.

The Divine Union

Through her spiritual journey and many trials, Parvati was finally reunited with Shiva (Source: Private Collection)

After hearing Parvati's heartfelt explanation and seeing her dedication in performing penance, Shiva revealed His true, handsome, and majestic form. He embraced Parvati and declared that her test was over. Shiva acknowledged Parvati’s devotion and unwavering resolve, and finally agreed to marry her. Parvati’s joy was immeasurable, and all her suffering during the penance was finally rewarded.

This story is not just about the test and reunion of Parvati and Shiva, but it also conveys a deep message about the true nature of Lord Shiva, which transcends all forms and physical attributes. Parvati's loyalty and determination teach the importance of sincere devotion and how love and dedication can overcome all worldly obstacles.