Everything About the Daughters of Lord Shiva – The modern world is dominated by science and technology, but there is something that is beyond any theory, science, and technology, and we call it God. God is everywhere, and even today, billions of people believe in God. Every religion has different Gods, and in the Hindu religion, there are numerous Gods. Hindu religion is all about belief, respect, and devotion towards God. Though the Hindu religion has different gods, there are three major Gods: Lord Brahma-The Creator, Lord Vishnu-The Operator; and Lord Shiva-The Destroyer.
Now Lord Shiva is one of the most powerful Gods in Hinduism, and he is beyond any Life and Death. Millions of people worship Lord Shiva, who is also known as the kindest God. Whether you talk about major & powerful Gods or Demons, most of them are big devotees of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is married to Mother Parvati, who is considered the mother of all goddesses. Today we will discuss Lord Shiva’s family in detail.
Lord Shiva’s Family
Though Lord Shiva is very popular among sages and recluses (Vairagi), he is married and has a complete family. The reason is Lord Shiva is beyond any relationship, life, death, enchantment, love, hate, and affection and always remains in meditation. He didn’t live in any palace and always avoided sexual appetite, luxury, and other materialistic pleasures. That’s why he is an inspiration for sages, and many people worship Lord Shiva to control their emotions and remain focused in their life.
Lord Shiva has a wife- Mother Parvati, the Goddess of the Universe, and he also has several children. So Lord Shiva has six children: three sons and three daughters. Now most of us only know about two of his children: Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya. But Lord Shiv has one more son Lord Ayyappa and three daughters. No, or very few, people know about the Daughters of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva has three daughters: Ashokasundari, Manasa, and Jyoti. And his daughters are still worshipped in many parts of the country. Let’s know about the Daughters of Lord Shiva in detail.
Ashokasundari
Ashoksundari is one of the most famous Lord Shiva’s daughters. She is also Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati’s first daughter. The story of Goddess Ashokasundari is mentioned in Padma Purana. As we mentioned earlier, Lord Shiva is always focused on meditation and is beyond love and affection. His favorite place for meditation is Kailash Parvat, where he goes frequently and doesn’t come back for days, months, and sometimes years.
Due to this, Mother Parvati feels lonely and wants somebody who can reduce her grief and accompany her. Once she went to Nandanavana, where she found Kalpavriksha. Now this tree can fulfill anyone’s wish, and Mother Parvati asked for a daughter from Kalpavriksha, and her wish got fulfilled, and a beautiful daughter was born.
As her daughter gives her happiness and gives her relief from grief, mother Parvati names her Ashokasundari. Ashoksundari is the combination of Ashoka which means free from sorrow, and Sundari means beautiful. Goddess Ashokasundari is worshipped in many parts of the country, especially in Gujarat.
Jyoti
Goddess Jyoti is Lord Shiva’s second daughter. She is known as the Goddess of Light, as Jyoti means Light. Though there is no confirmation about how she was born, most people believe she represents Lord Shiva’s Grace. It means she was born from the Aura of the light of Lord Shiva. She is popular as Goddess Jwalamukhi in the southern region of India and is worshipped in many temples in the Southern states. Goddess Jyoti is also associated with Vedic Raka; thus, in many parts of India, she is worshipped as Goddess Rayaki.
Manasa
The story of Goddess Manasa, who is Lord Shiva’s third daughter, is very interesting. The Goddess was born when Lord Shiva’s semen touched a statue carved by Kadru-mother of snakes. So Goddess Manasa is Lord Shiva’s daughter, but she has no direct relationship with Mother Parvati. She is very popular in many parts of the country as she cures snake bites. Goddess Manasa has no idol or physical image, but she is worshipped in the form of an earthen snake and many times in the form of a branch of a tree. She is worshipped a lot as she cures snake bites and helps control infection and the spread of poison.
Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati’s Children
Though Lord Shiva has six children with their mother Parvati, he has only three. The first is Lord Kartikeya; the second is Lord Ganesha, and the other is Goddess Ashokasundari. Lord Ganesha was created from the Turmeric paste that Mother Parvati applied to her body. Lord Kartikeys was born from one of the six fireballs that emerged from Lord Shiva’s third eye. He was born on a Lotus on the river Ganges. Now Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati’s only daughter Ashokasundari was born after Mother Parvati asked for a daughter from Kalpavriksha- a divine tree that fulfills everyone’s wishes.
Conclusion
The history of Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism is incredible and huge, and there are millions of Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism. A story is associated with every God and Goddess, and everyone has their own significance, power, and importance. However, all Gods and Goddesses are mainly either the Avatars or the Children of the Trinity: Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and Mother Parvati, also known as Aadi Shakti.
Lord Shiva’s family is very powerful because he himself is one of the most powerful Gods in the Universe, and he has taken many Avatars to end evil from the world. He has many children who were born to destroy demons and evil from the universe. Similarly, the Daughters of Lord Shiva were born to bring peace and prosperity to Earth.
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FAQs
1. How many daughters did Lord Shiva have?
Ans – Although his sons Kartikeya and Ganesha are the most well-known, he actually had three sons and three daughters. Unexpected, but correct. Each of Shiva’s three daughters is a deity in her own right and is still honored across India. You can find references to them in the Shiva Purana.
2. Who are the 5 daughters of Lord Shiva?
Ans – Ashoka Sundari, Manasa, and Jyothi devi, together with Ekaveera devi, were the three daughters of Lord Shiva. The Padma Purana describes Asoka Sundar / Ashoka Sundari, the daughter of Shiva and Parvati. Ashoka Sundari was the first child to be born to Lord Shiva and Parvati, predating even Lord Ganesh.
3. Who is Shiva’s first child?
Ans – There are two Hindu scriptures, the Shiva Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, that portray Kartikeya as Shiva’s eldest son and Ganesha as his youngest. In some versions of mythology, Kartikeya is Shiva’s eldest son, while in others, he is Ganesha’s younger brother. Another myth surrounding his birth suggests as much.
4. How many kids did Shiva have?
Ans – Shiva is a complex deity with both benign and malevolent sides. In his good deeds, he is shown as a householder with his wife Parvati and three children Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Ashokasundari, as well as an all-knowing Yogi who leads a monastic life on Mount Kailash.
