According to Shiva Puran, after the strong tapasya of Tarakasura, Bramha was pleased. He appeared in front of Tarakasura and said, I am pleased with your tapasya. What boon do you want?
If you are pleased, replied Tarakasura, grant me two boons.
- The first boon should be that no one created by you should be as strong as me.
- The second boon should be that I should be killed only by Shiva's son.
Shiva at that point of time, had no sons. Sati had died and although she had been reborn as Parvati, she had not not been married to Shiva.
Brahma granted Tarakasura the two boons. The demon went to a city named Shonitapura and began to live there. All the other demons made Tarakasura their king. Thanks to the boon. Tarakasura was so strong that he easily defeated the gods.He conquered the three worlds and drove the gods out of heaven. He stole all their belongings and employed the gods as his servants.
The despondent gods went to Bramha and asked him to find a solution to the Tarakasura problem.
I can't, said Brahma. It is because of my boon that the demon has become so powerful. Besides, my boon says that Tarakasura can only be killed by Shiva's son. Shiva has got to have son. He is now performing tapasya in the Himalaya mountains. Parvati is also in the region. Do somethings so that these two falls in love with each other and marry.
The god decided to follow Brahma's advice. But how could it be ensured that Shiva and Parvati fell in love with each other? The king of god was Indra and the god of love was Kandarpa or Kamdev.
Indra summoned Kamdev. You have to help us, said Indra. There is no other way out. Shiva is performing tapasya in the Himalayas. Parvati is also in the region. Make sure that the two fall in love. That is your job.
Kamdev went to the place where Shiva was meditating. And as soon as the god of love appeared, the place took on the traits of a spring which was perennial. Flowers bloomed and bees buzzed among the flowers. Cuckoos sang and fragrant breezes started to waft thought the forest. Shiva tried to concentrate on his meditation. But he kept getting distracted.
While all this was going on, who should arrive there but Parvati ? She was so beautiful that Shiva was, after all, Shiva. He realized that something was wrong. How could his meditation have been disturbed? How was it that the season seemed to be spring although it has no business to be spring? When Shiva glanced around, his eyes fell on Kamdev who was hiding. He realized that it was Kamdev who was responsible for all this mischief.
Shiva was angered. He has a third eye in the middle of his forehead. From this third eye flames sprouted and these flames burnt Kandarpa to ashes.
Kamdev's wife was was Rati. When Rati saw that her husband had been burnt to ashes, her grief knew no bounds. At first she lost consciousness. When she recovered, she lamented, Woe is me.What is going to happen to me? My husband, my love, where have you gone?
The gods and Rati sought out Shiva. They explained that it had been no fault of Kamdev. He had been asked to disturb Shiva's tapasya because of the Tarakasura problem. What would happen to Rati now?
Shiva replied, What has happened, has happened. Nothing can be done about Kamdev now. He will eventually be born in the city of Dvaraka as Krishna's son Pradyumna. Rati will then be reunited with Kamdev. But till the time, let her simply wait.
The god dispersed still despondent. The matter of Shiva and Parvati's marriage had not progressed at all.
