One day Shiva wanted to go and visit Mount Mandara. He was in a terrible
rush, but Parvati was not ready. Finally Shiva decided to leave without her.
Some apsaras and gandharvas, or celestial musicians, followed him.<br>
<br>
When they reached the destination, Shiva began to feel sorry that he had
not waited for Parvati to accompany him. So he sent Nandi back to bring Parvati.<br>
<br>
Meanwhile, Parvati was sulking. How could Shiva go without her? When Nandi
arrived, she said to him, ?You have come to get me, but I am still not ready
and I do not know when I will be ready. You can go and tell Shiva that I
am not ready.? Parvati was very sad and depressed.<br>
<br>
Nandi went to inform Shiva that Parvati was still not ready. This time Shiva
told him, ?Nandi, go back and wait for her. No matter how long it takes,
wait for her. You have to bring her here.?<br>
<br>
Nandi returned to Parvati again and waited and waited for her to finish getting
ready. In the meantime, some apsaras and gandharvas wanted to fool Lord Shiva.
The apsaras were the main instigators. One of them took the form of Parvati
and one of the gandharvas took the form of Nandi. They looked exactly like
the real Parvati and the real Nandi.<br>
<br>
This particular apsara and gandharva appeared before Lord Shiva. The false
Nandi said, ?I have brought Parvati,? and the false Parvati added, ?Yes,
my Lord, I have come.? Shiva was very, very happy. He thought they were the
real Parvati and Nandi.<br>
<br>
O God, in a few minutes? time, the real Parvati and the real Nandi arrived,
and there was great confusion. The second Parvati insisted that she was the
real one and the first Parvati insisted that she was the real one. A fight
broke out between the two sides, but the real Parvati and the real Nandi
easily defeated the false ones.<br>
<br>
Then Lord Shiva, with his infinite compassion, forgave the false Parvati
and the false Nandi.<br>
<br>
Sri Chinmoy&nbsp;