PÁRVATII, THE YOGINII

Shiva’s spouse was Gaorii. She was also known as Párvatii. In Sanskrit parvat means “mountain”. Gaorii was a mountain girl, Himalayan girl; that’s why she is commonly known as “Párvatii”. She was also a great yogi. Now, Shiva and Párvatii are treated as ideal. They are looked upon as the ideals of each and every yogi, whether family person or ascetic.

For a family man, a yogi who is a family man, Shiva is the ideal. For a lady who is a yogi and a family [person], Párvatii is the ideal. For an ascetic, male or female – for a male, Shiva is the ideal, and for an avadhútiká [an avadhútiká is a female ascetic], Gaorii is the ideal, Párvatii is the ideal.

Now I think you have understood the story? It is not a story, it is a fact, and most of the books on yoga are nothing but conversations, dialogues, between Shiva and Párvatii. Shiva is treated as the ideal man, and Párvatii as the ideal lady.