Parvati's tapasya — the katha of Teej Mata
The Teej katha, traditionally narrated by Lord Shiva himself to Parvati, recalls that the Devi took 107 births striving to attain Shiva as her husband. In her 108th birth, as Parvati, daughter of Hima…
The Teej katha, traditionally narrated by Lord Shiva himself to Parvati, recalls that the Devi took 107 births striving to attain Shiva as her husband. In her 108th birth, as Parvati, daughter of Himavan, she withdrew to the forest and performed tapasya of unimaginable austerity — fasting, standing through monsoon storms, surviving on dry leaves and then on air alone. Moved at last by her unwavering resolve, Shiva accepted her as his consort on the Tritiya of Shravana Shukla Paksha.
Because her devotion succeeded on this day, Parvati is worshipped on Hariyali Teej as Teej Mata — the granter of saubhagya (marital blessedness). Shiva is said to have promised that any woman who keeps this vrat with faith will receive the same grace that united him with Parvati: a marriage protected, a household harmonious, and devotion answered.