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This is the story of how Parvati revealed her fierce form as Kali to teach her son Ganesha the beauty of his own divine self.
Characters in the story:
Goddess Parvati: Goddess Parvati is a prominent deity in Hinduism, known as the divine mother and the consort of Lord Shiva. She represents feminine power, fertility, love, and devotion, and is worshiped for her nurturing and compassionate nature.
Goddess Kali: Goddess Kali is a goddess known for her fierce form and association with destruction, time, and the power of femininity. She is often depicted with a dark complexion, multiple arms, and a necklace of skulls.
Lord Kartikeya: Lord Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha, and Murugan, is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of the deities Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha.
Lord Ganesha: Lord Ganesha, also known as Ganapati, is a Hindu deity who is revered as the remover of obstacles and the god of new beginnings, wisdom, and intellect. He is depicted with the head of an elephant and is widely worshiped across India and beyond.

One day at Mount Kailash, the home of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, their two sons, Kartikeya and Ganesha, were sharing a brotherly moment. Kartikeya, the god of war—swift and radiant—rode his majestic peacock. His brother Ganesha, wise and gentle, bore the round belly of abundance. Though they loved each other deeply, their differences often sparked playful rivalry.
With a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, Kartik teased his brother.
“Does your belly wobble when you run, Ganesha? Perhaps it’s a good shelf for your sweets! And that single tusk—doesn’t the other one feel lonely?”
Kartik’s words were not meant to wound, yet they pierced Ganesha’s heart. The laughter of the attendants nearby echoed in his ears, making him shrink inside. He adored his brother, but Kartik’s sharp beauty made him feel heavy, clumsy, and strange.
With slow, heavy steps, Ganesha retreated to a quiet grove near his mother Parvati’s chambers. Beneath the Ashoka tree, he sat down, sorrow pressing on him. A tear rolled down his cheek and caught on his tusk. Why must I look like this? Kartik is like a shining arrow, and I am nothing but a round pot.
Parvati, the Divine Mother, felt the tremor in her son’s heart. She found him there, slumped in silence.
“Ganapati?” she asked softly. “Why has the sunshine left your face?”
Ganesha tried to smile, but it faltered. “It’s nothing, Mother. Only Kartik’s jokes… they hurt more today.”
Parvati knelt and touched his head gently. “He mocked your form, and you began to doubt yourself?”
Ganesha nodded, another tear falling. “My belly, my tusk… they seem foolish, unworthy of a god.”
Parvati’s eyes flashed with fierce love. “Foolish? You, remover of obstacles? You, who wrote the Mahabharata with that very tusk? No, my son. Divinity wears countless forms, each perfect for its purpose.”
She rose, and the air around her grew charged. “You think your form is strange? Then see me—not as gentle Parvati, but as Kali.”
The grove trembled as her form changed. She became Kali—dark as the cosmic void, her hair wild as a storm, her eyes blazing like suns. Around her neck hung a garland of severed heads, at her waist a skirt of arms. Her long tongue dripped crimson, and her hands held weapons. She stood with terrifying power, the embodiment of raw Shakti.
Ganesha’s breath caught. Fear and awe swallowed his sadness.
“Do I frighten you, my son?” Kali’s voice rumbled.
“Yes,” whispered Ganesha, trembling, yet knowing this was still his mother.
Kali stepped closer. “Do I look beautiful like Kartik? Or graceful? Should I be mocked for my form?”
Ganesha looked at her with wide eyes. Slowly, he said, “Your tongue, Mother—it is long and free, tasting the universe… like my trunk. They are alike.”
A fierce pride lit Kali’s eyes. “Yes! And my dark skin—like the endless sky, strong and eternal. Just as your golden skin holds wisdom. Your belly is not a burden—it is the universe itself, filled with prosperity and the strength to digest all joys and sorrows. And your tusk—it is not broken, it is sacrifice. You gave it to preserve wisdom. It is your crown of honor, not your shame.”
Her fearsome form bent down, her touch suddenly gentle as she cupped his cheek. “My beloved son, never measure yourself by shallow eyes. I am Kali—strange, terrifying to some—yet I am worshipped, needed, adored. Just as you are. Kartik is swift as fire, you are steady as a mountain. Both are divine. Both are perfect.”
As she spoke, her terrible form softened. The skulls became flowers, the weapons faded into light, and Parvati returned, her eyes still carrying Kali’s power and tenderness.
Ganesha looked at himself anew. His belly was no longer shame but the vessel of the cosmos. His tusk no longer broken but sacred. A radiant smile spread across his face.
He rushed into his mother’s arms. “Thank you, Mother, for showing me you… and showing me me.”
Parvati held him close, the protector and nurturer both. She had given him the greatest gift: the knowledge that his unique form was not only divine—it was perfect.
And from that day, Ganesha no longer carried shame. He knew he held the universe within him.
In his mother’s fierce love, Ganesha saw the truth: every shape of divinity is sacred. What seems strange to some may hold the strength of the cosmos. And when one accepts oneself fully, the whole universe shines within.

Mesmerising 🙏