Trust triumphs

Every relationship will have phases of ups and downs it is during these ebbs and tides, negative feelings of jealousy, one-upmanship, hatred and incompatibility set in. It is up to us to overcome these feelings and smoothen out the relationship.

This cannot be done in a day. It requires careful nurturing and intense quality time spent in each others company highlighting each other’s characteristic traits. A complete understanding of the other person and the ability to accept that person with unconditional love is of great esse- nce here. Once that state is arrived, at no amount no back biting, gossip or misdirection can affect a relationship.

An episode from the story of Shiva and Parvathi can illustrate this point perfectly.

When Parvathi came of marriageable age, the celestial sage Narada suggested that Shiva would make an ideal husband for her. At that time Shiva was in a deep state of penance.

Nevertheless Parvathi decided to woo him through her rigorous penance and prayer.

Time flit past. Shiva noticed the unswerving perseverance of Parvathi. He decided to test the love and devotion of his spouse and appeared as a disheveled tramp in front of the lovely maiden.

Then he dissuaded her from enticing Shiva into marriage. He was the personification of uncouthness and indecency which reflected in his rude and unbecoming behaviour.

He put Shiva in bad light to dissuade Parvathi from considering him as her spouse.

Parvathi was disgusted with the tramp but chose to remain silent before ticking off the vagrant effectively. Shiva was pleased with her steadfastness and her implicit trust in him. Parvathi had proven her love beyond doubt. Shiva married her.

This story highlights the unwavering trust that Parvathi had placed on her chosen lord. No amount of brainwash to the contrary effect could make her stray from her belief.  Besides, she did not attach any importance to the materialistic or social aspects of life. Her courtship period was a rigorous one riddled with uncertainties and hardship but true love triumphed in the end.

If this tale can have an impact on our lives we can certainly refresh the strained rapports with our loved ones and fuse it with a new lease of life to make it worthwhile.