Chaitra Navratri 2023: Ashoka Sundari, The Beloved Daughter Of Lord Shiva And Parvati

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It is a well-known fact that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati have two sons, Kartikeya and Ganesha. Little do we know of their daughter Ashok Sundari, who is none other than the Bala Tripura Sundari, a form of Goddess Durga. She is the presiding diety of the famous Jwalamukhi temple of North India as well.

She was born to relieve people of misery and unhappiness, and to bestow beauty and luxury in life.She was born to relieve people of misery and unhappiness, and to bestow beauty and luxury in life. Ashoka Sundari is known to spread Dharma by personal example of conduct and deeds. She represents a perfect daughter who ends the sorrows of her parents. On her day in Navratri, devotees avoid salt in the diet, and also buying of salt. There is an important reason why. Let us get into the details.

How Ashoka Sundari Was Born?

Lord Shiva and Parvati were walking down the slope of the Himalayas and on the way, Parvati spotted the Kalpavriksha. Overcome by desire, Parvati prays to the Kalpavriksha that a girl child should be given to her. Immediately Ashoka sundari was created to relieve Parvati of her boredom in Kailas. The girl child that was born relieved her of her sadness and boredom. Hence she was named as Ashoka Sundari, Ashoka means the remover of shoka which is sorrow and sundari means the one who is beautiful.

The girl as soon as she was born, asked Parvati the reason behind her creation and what should she do for her. Parvati told her that she was created to relieve Parvati of her boredom and that she would get her married to a King called Nahusha in the future. Pleased, the girl stayed on with Parvati.

When Ashoka Sundari Decides To Become An Ascetic

When Ashoka Sundari grew inclined towards ascetism, during her adolescence, Parvati advised her not to get into tapasya but Sundari was so adamant that she left to the Forests in order to do tapasya. There a demon called Hunda, stunned by her beauty, chased her in order to marry her. When he found that she was unwilling, he changed into a widow's form and plaintively narrated her sob story. Believing his story, Ashoka sundari followed him to his palace unawares. When she came to know that it was not a widow but the demon himself, she cursed the asura saying that he will be killed by Nahusha, and then ran back to her mother.

Asura searched for Nahusha everywhere and then found him in an ashram. As he was still small, he came back to Vashishta maharshis ashram, grew up there, and learnt all the vidyas from the Maharshi. Whatever Parvati had foretold about Nahusha turned out to be true. But the demon Hunda went back to Ashoka Sundari and informed that he had killed Nahusha. Hearing this, Nahusha marched forward towards the demon, and killed him on the spot.

Ashoka Sundari and Nahushas Journey Together

Ashoka Sundari and Nahusha had a child called Yayati who was the predecessor for Raghu vamsha or Ikshvaku dynasty. Nahusha became high handed and arrogant due to his victory over the demon. He was cursed especially due to his dangerous behavior towards Indras wife, and was cursed to become a serpent. Scared to bits, Nahusha hid inside the palanquin of Agastya Maharshi who calls him out after which Nahusha falls on the earth. The yuga passed by.

Nahusha Meets Yudhishthira

As Dwaparayuga approached, Bhima during his stroll in the forest, found Nahusha lying in the snake form before him. Immediately Bhima wanted to kill it thinking that it would harm him and Yudhishthira. But Nahusha was too powerful for Bhima due to the blessings of Agastya. During the tussle, Yudhishthira walked up to them and found out from nahusha that he was the predecessor for Pandavas. Nahusha, as per the blessings of Agastya Rishi, frees himself of the curse, blesses Bhima with immense power and leaves the earth in his divine form as Indra.

Ashoka Sundari's Association With Salt

She told her that She was present in the scene where Ganesha was beheaded by Lord Shiva. Unable to withstand her parents rage, and so scared about the consequences, she hid herself behind a salt sack which got Parvati angry. But Ashokasundari is associated with Salt as it is the life giving and taste enhancing ingredient. She is a goddess that blesses her devotees with beauty and luxurious life. She is also called by other names she is known by- Bala Tripura Sundari Devi, Jwalamukhi Devi (In the North India). Ashoka Sundari is also called Okha and on her day in Chaitra Navratri, salt is not used in the diet.

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