Shiva-Parvati One Shot

A Touch Of Romance

It is the night of the full moon. Personally he used to prefer the amavasya nights, when the black sky mirrored the darkness in his soul. But today, he felt soothed seeing the silver rays of the moon fall on the water ripples. The icy slopes of Kailash reflected the moonbeams and the whole area was bathed in an ethereal, lustrous glow. How was it that he had never noticed the beauty of this place before? Or was it that, it had suddenly acquired this beauty because of someone's arrival?
 The thought of her brought a smile to his face. She had arrived ... once again- to Kailash, once again into his life. Their journey had not been easy.
  Determined not to let the past repeat itself, he had made her take the difficult path. Steeling his heart, he had watched as she burnt herself in the fire of penance. She had called out to him so many times, when she felt could carry on no longer. It required immense self control  on his part not to answer her call. There was nothing more he wanted than to rush to her and take her in her arms, but he could not do that till she had reached the summit of her tapasya. Even Gods were bound.
 But very subtly, by pervading in her consciousness, he had guided her through every step, every level. And along with her, he too underwent every emotion. When she surrounded herself with fire, he burnt. When she stood on one leg, chanting his name, his heart ached.
 His tears insulated her from the heat; his pain relieved her. But all that was now the past. Now they were together, hopefully forever.
 He became aware of something soft on his feet. He opened his eyes to see her sitting down, her face lowered, offering flowers at his feet. He bent down and took her hands in his and brought it close to his lips. She blushed and turned her face away. A lock of hair fell on her face, veiling her. He did not like to be deprived of his wife's face's vision and he gently brushed the hair away. He smiled as he saw her blush harder. Her face was now as red as her lips, he thought.
 "Tell me, dearest, what do I mean to you?" he asked as he lifted her face.
 "Nothing in this world is hidden from you, my Lord. Why then do you ask?" she replied
 "I want to hear it from your mouth'" he teased.
 "You are to me...my Lord..."she hesitated, lowering her face again.
 "Yes...go on..."he encouraged her, smiling broadly
 Her voice dipped, "You are to me, Lord...what breath is to the body, what light is to the Sun. Without you, Lord, I exist not."
 He held his breath, as she continued "I was only a human. Your touch made me divine"
 He burst out spontaneously "And I was a God, but your love made me a human"
 She looked up into his eyes and he looked down into hers. He leaned forward and holding her by her shoulders made her get up. He wanted time to freeze so that he could savour every moment. He placed his hands on her waist and brought her closer to him. Closing her eyes, she melted into his arms. She felt her whole being surrender into his body. And holding her in his arms, he had never felt so complete before.
 Purusha and Prakriti had united once again. 

Parvati disengaged herself form him. She was still looking down- and yet- she did not remove her hands from his waist.

 She was looking down- not wanting to break the intimacy the embrace had given them. She was looking down-  reveling  in the magic of the moment when he had held her close. She was continuing to look down- simply because she was too bashful to look up. 

 It was easier- she felt- to look at his feet - which had been her guide and refuge. If she had looked up, she would have seen how his face radiated the happiness in his heart. 

 But she continued to look down, wanting  this moment of blessedness to linger on. If this was the result of her penance, she acknowledged shyly and silently, it was worth every bit of it.

 At length she looked up and asked ever so hesitantly, "Lord, may I ask you something?"

 Shiva looked into her large and beautiful eyes, smiled and nodded "What is it dearest?"

 "Lord, earlier on, you asked me what you meant  to me. Can I now know, what I mean to you?" lowering her head once again.

 "You are to me..." began Shiva spontaneously, pressing her head to his chest,  but paused and began grinning, as a wicked thought struck him.

 Faking a sigh, he said  "Parvati... I know what you want to hear from me... But I am afraid I cannot satisfy your desire. For me, all devotes are the same. I do not favour one over the other. Nandi, my faithful servant had served with devotion for so many years. There have been others too, who have done penance for years, hoping to please me. I do acknowledge that you too have undergone severe difficulties... that's why I have accepted you as my wife... but..."

 Parvati's heart nearly stopped on hearing Shiva's grave voice.

 Suppressing his grin, and continuing in his grave voice Shiva continued "...but do not ever think, you deserve something more from me just because you are my wife.."

 A lump rose in Parvati;s throat. She tried to control the tears that were forming at the corner of her eyes. She rubbed the ground beneath her, with her toe nails.

 Oh how could it be, she thought. He had equated her with his devotees? Didn't she as his wife deserve the loving attentions and ministrations of a husband? Did all her tapas lead to this?

 Tears began flowing from her eyes and fell on his feet. Shiva felt a twinge of guilt. He was not prepared for an abhisheka of tears - that too his dear wife's. 

 He could feel her body stiffen. Parvati composed herself. 

 Very well, she thought. If he had relegated her to a devotee, so be it.  After all, he was her araadhya, and whatever he decreed would have to be accepted by her. During her long and arduous penance she had sought nothing from him- only offered herself. He had accepted her. SHe should have been satisfied. It would take a lifetime - several lifetimes- for her to express her gratitude.

 Parvati wiped her eyes and and resolved that she would never ask anything again- only offer her love and gratitude to her Lord. 

 Holding her in his arms, Shiva could read her thoughts as clearly as a book. He marveled at her innocence, at her faith in him and her surrender. He was only pulling her leg, but she had taken his words seriously. 

 He felt his heart yielding to the purity and piety of the woman who was offering him her all and yet demanding nothing in return. His heart brimming with emotion, he caressed her head which was still leaning on his chest.

 He held her chin and tilting her face up, wiped her tears. Looking deep into her eyes, he said in a low voice  "Parvati...you are the fragrance in the flower, warmth in the sunshine, the lustre in the moon beam. Amidst the ice and snow, Parvati, I too had become cold and austere. You brought the spring in my life. Your love and surrender melted me."

 Respectfully, she lowered her gaze. Shiva continued  "Do not ask what you mean to me, Parvati. You are a part of me."

 Once again, beneath the moonlight, under the starry sky, he enclosed his arms around her and brought her close to him. He felt all his reserve give way as he lost himself in the magic of the moment . Overwhelmed, she let his entire being pervade her.

 Purusha had surrendered to Prakriti.

 -By Varaali