Firstly, Happy Valentine’s Day to my beloved readers! I usually don’t understand the hype for this day. We talk a great deal about how love must evolve, real stories on how one must show their love, and expectations around love. But love is a deeper emotion that goes beyond the depths of many emotions, sometimes prevailing above them all, making it profound. Love defies so many realities, and according to me, I feel we mortals may never understand the true meaning of love.
Sure, a mother’s love is beyond words, partners share a different kind of love, and siblings have their own version of showing love. Such is the vastness of love, selfless at the same time selfish, possessive at the same time free. On this amazing occasion of Valentine’s Day, I am here to share a few words on one couple whose love story I believe justifies the true meaning of Love: Shiva and Parvati.
Why do I love this couple?
Companions
Shiva and Parvati were the first couple who actually defined the term ‘companionship’. Their Ardhanarishwara pose depicts how a relationship is essentially a smooth blend of both partners. No one is higher than the other, no one is stronger than the other, but together, they are inseparable and firm as the mountain, Kailash. Such is how a relationship must be, isn’t it?
Mutual Respect in a Relationship
Sure, love is what floats the relationship, but respect keeps it a smooth sail. No matter how strong the waves are or how powerful the current is, respect in a relationship is a non-negotiable aspect. This is exactly the couple Shiva and Parvati elegantly indicate to us, as we all have heard stories of them. Each of them understands the different perspectives, respects them no matter how contradictory their perspectives are, and that is how their relationship evolves.
Encouraging each other
We have seen so many relationships where either partner discourages the other one in many ways, including sarcastic remarks, jealousy, emotional blackmail, etc. But a true relationship’s foundation is to ensure that one encourages the other to grow in their strong fields while growing in the relationship. This is how a relationship can truly get meaningful and very essential for the next generation to look up to and learn.
Conclusion
While there are so many couples in our Puranas, I specifically love Shiva and Parvati for how relevant they are to the current generation. Do you have any such couples you look up to? Do share what inspires you.
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