winning love of shiva

Shivaratri ~ Union of ShankarParvati! The divine union which takes place when Shiva comes to meet Shakti represents enlightenment in absolute darkness! ShivaShakti, the Union of heart and mind. The two who are one, ShankarParvati, the soul and energy in the working. The soul is the consciousness, The mind is the matter. Shiva, the soul and Parvati, the mind. Sati loved Shiva to the core and being his wife became her motto. She left the pampered life of the family palace and retired to the forest to worship Shiva. She worshipped him day and night with her rigorous penance.

Although Daksha called Shiva uncivilised, a destroyer of all things respected in culture, Sati married Shiva anyway. 
But after Sati immolated herself in fire Shiva isolated himself amongst the snow covered peak of Kailasha. He rejected the world outside as so distraught was he after the loss of his first true love. Immersed in mediation, he performed great tapas that produced heat and energy. His mind was filled with great knowledge, and his body became resplendent with energy but all this energy and knowledge bottled within his being was of no use to anyone. "I will coil myself around Shiva, wean out his energy and knowledge for the good of the world and make him father a child," said Shakti!

Shakti took birth as Parvati. The first word that Parvati uttered was SHIVA. She was determined to draw Shiva out of his cave and make him her consort. "this unshakable heart knows no other feeling than love. Those whose goals are set don't care about criticism." It was after a lot of penance that Parvati won the love of Shiva and married him. Parvati is referred to as the symbol of love and devotion. She is also referred as as the embodiment of devotion in a marriage and is known to have reduced the anger of Shiva immensely through her affection. Their love is honest and equal. It balances male and female, spirit and matter! Shiva is able to function when united with Shakti, otherwise he is inert.!!