Moved by a great purpose, Madana—the god of love—arrived at the abode of Śambhu, Lord Shiva, accompanied by his devoted wife Rati and aided by the gentle presence of Spring. With determination, Madana set his mind on influencing the great three-eyed god. As Madana stood before him, Shiva looked upon the god of love with a smile, yet there was disdain in the glance of his third eye. In that moment, a fierce fire blazed forth from Shiva’s third eye, and Madana, standing nearby, was instantly reduced to ashes. Rati, overcome with grief, wailed in lamentation for her beloved. Hearing Rati’s sorrowful cries, Shiva—the compassionate Lord of Lords, the bull-bannered one—turned his attention to her. With great kindness, he consoled her, assuring her that though her husband would now be formless, he would still accomplish all his acts at the time of union, and there could be no doubt about this. Shiva further revealed that when Viṣṇu would become renowned as Vāsudeva, due to the curse of Bhṛgu, blazing with immense splendor for the welfare of the worlds, then Madana would be restored. Consoled by these words, Rati, pure and smiling, bowed to Rudra. She then departed, accompanied by Spring, having regained her beloved Madana in his subtle form. Meanwhile, the great goddess Pārvatī undertook severe austerities, seeking the favor of the blessed Śarva, as Brahmā had foretold. Pleased by her devotion, Shiva, for the welfare of the hermitages and for the sake of divine play, resolved to marry Pārvatī, the golden-born goddess, in accordance with sacred rites. Brahmā himself, accompanied by Marīci and other great sages, journeyed to Pārvatī’s forest hermitage. There, after respectfully circumambulating the goddess, Brahmā addressed her, “O daughter of the mountain, for what purpose do you afflict the worlds with such severe austerity? You, O Mother, have created all the worlds and sustain them with your radiance; do not destroy them by your penance. Bhava, the glorious Lord of all gods, is the master of all worlds, and we, the gods, are his servants. That supreme Lord, by whom you were created and without whom he himself does not exist, will choose you as his own. There is no doubt—you will be his wife.” Having spoken thus, Brahmā bowed repeatedly to Pārvatī and departed. After Brahmā’s departure, the supreme Lord Shiva himself came to the hermitage, disguised as a twice-born sage, to bestow his grace. Pārvatī recognized the bull-bannered Lord by his signs and respectfully bowed to him. Honoring the god who had come in the guise of a Brāhmaṇa, Pārvatī praised Parameśvara, the supreme Lord. Blessing the goddess with a gentle smile, Shiva spoke, upholding the noble traditions of her family: “For the delight of the virtuous, O goddess of divine beauty, the Lord of all gods will be present at your svayaṃvara.” He assured her that, assuming a gentle form, he would come together with her. With these words, Shiva gazed upon her with divine sight, then departed to his celestial city. Pārvatī, too, returned home, where her father Himavat, the snowy mountain, embraced and honored her, unaware that she had been enchanted by the Lord of gods. Soon, the grand self-choice ceremony of the goddess was proclaimed throughout all the worlds. The venerable Brahmā and Viṣṇu, the very Janārdana, arrived, followed by Indra, Agni, Sūrya, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭar, Aryaman, Vivasvān, Yama, and Varuṇa. Vāyu, Soma, Īśāna, the Rudras, sages, the Ashvins, the twelve Ādityas, Gandharvas, and Garuḍa also joined the gathering. Yakṣas, Siddhas, Sādhyas, Daityas, Kimpuruṣas, serpents, oceans, rivers, the Vedas, mantras, hymns, and even the moments of time themselves were present. The Nāgas, all the mountains, sacrifices, the Sun and other planets, the thirty-three gods, and three times three hundred more assembled. In all, three times three thousand and many other deities came to witness the unparalleled svayaṃvara of the daughter of the mountain king. Pārvatī, radiant and resplendent, ascended a splendid golden chariot, adorned on all sides with precious jewels. She was surrounded by dancing Apsaras, all beautifully adorned, and by Gandharvas, Siddhas, and various Kinnaras. Praised by bards, the mountain’s daughter stood beneath a white parasol mingled with rays of jewels. Malinī held a garland for her, Sandhyā bore the full-moon disc, and divine women stood ready with fly-whisks. Jaya stood holding a garland born from the celestial tree; Vijaya, with a fan, stood beside the goddess. As Pārvatī stood in the assembly of gods, holding the garland, Mahādeva, the bull-bannered Lord, assumed the playful form of a child. The venerable Bhava lay asleep in her lap. The assembled gods, seeing the child resting there, were puzzled and agitated. Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, raised his arm, preparing to wield his thunderbolt. But as he tried to strike, his arm was halted by the playful child, the god of gods. Indra found he could neither throw the thunderbolt nor move his arm; likewise, Agni could not unleash his power, and thus they remained, awed by the divine play of Lord Shiva. Thus, the divine assembly witnessed the wondrous events at the svayaṃvara of Pārvatī, where the supreme Lord revealed his playful and mysterious nature to all the gods and beings of the worlds.