Names
- Parvati — she of the mountain1
- Uma — her name in early texts, used in the Ramayana as a synonym1
- Gauri — the golden or fair one1
- Shailaputri, Girija — daughter of the mountains1
- Haimavati — daughter of Himavan1
- Ambika — dear mother1
- Shakti — power1
- Durga — the invincible1
- Aparna — she who took no sustenance1
Family
- Parents
- Himavan, Mena
- Consorts
- Shiva
- Children
- Ganesha, Kartikeya (Subrahmanya)
She is the rebirth of Sati, Shiva’s first wife, who gave up her body after her father Daksha insulted Shiva.1
Origins
The name Parvati does not occur in Vedic literature; Uma-Haimavati appears in the Kena Upanishad (mid-first millennium BCE), and her image grew through the epics (400 BCE–400 CE), Kalidasa and the Puranas.1
How traditions differ
Shaktism
She is a benevolent aspect of Mahadevi, the supreme goddess, whose fierce forms include Durga and Mahakali.1
Shaivism
She appears chiefly as the model devotee and the embodiment of Shiva’s grace.1
Regional forms
She is worshipped locally as Meenakshi of Madurai, Kamakshi and Akhilandeshwari, among others.1
Where to go next
AI-created illustrationThe slaying of Chanda and MundaHow the goddess Chamunda received her name.- AI-created illustrationThe birth of KartikeyaThe son born to defeat Tarakasura, and the battle remembered near Kukke Subramanya.
- AI-created illustrationHow Ganesha got his elephant headSeveral tellings of the birth of the elephant-headed god.
AI-created illustrationGanesh Chaturthi (with Gowri Habba)The birthday festival of Ganesha, preceded in Karnataka by the Gowri festival.
AI-created illustrationNavaratri and Mysuru DasaraNine nights of the goddess ending on Vijayadashami, Karnataka’s state festival.
Sources
- Encyclopedia Parvati — Wikipedia · accessed 2026-11-08
Researched 2026-11-08 from the cited sources. Community corrections are welcome; traditions differ, and differences are shown rather than resolved.