Is the Goddess Parvati part of Navdurga like the Goddess Lakshmi is part of Tridevi?

 Maiyya Parvati is not part of Navdurga, She is actually Navdurga only because she took all those nine forms time to time at different situations.

• She becomes Shailputri as daughter of Himavan and Mainavati
• She becomes Brahmacharini when penancing to Mahadev for marrying him
• Katyayni devi to kill Mahishasur
• Skandmata when gave birth to Skandgupt ( Murugan)
• Chandraghanta when she carried Crescent moon on her head like like Mahadev
• Kushmanda when she showed her Parabrahma roop to saptrishis
• Kaalratri when she protect the sages and humans from the wrath of time.
• Siddhidatri when she possess eight siddhis ( superpowers like shapeshift, extra hands, element control, conjuring etc)
• Mahagauri — when Shivji calmed her Kali swarup by putting Gangajal onto her, sge transformed into Mahagauri — the mother of entire cosmos.

Goddese MahaLakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali are the amsha of Devi Tripurasundari Lalitha 😇🙏🚩

Jai Maa Durga 🙏😇❤️

Who is Goddess Mahalakshmi? Who is Goddess Parvati?

 Mahalakshmi is described as the eternal companion of Lord Vishnu—the sustaining force of the universe—and, acting as his creative energy, she carries out his divine purpose. She is traditionally said to have eight forms—the Ashtalakshmi—and each of these forms represents a particular facet of her abundant grace. Maha-Lakshmi, the Tantrik form of Lakshmi, is less the goddess of wealth and more the supreme mother-goddess. Lakshmi acquired supreme importance. She was Maha-Lakshmi, the supreme goddess.

Parvati, the goddess of the Himalayas, is the archetypal mother goddess and fertility image. She is the consort of Shiva and the mother to Ganesha and Skanda. In this role, she benevolently mediates between the worshipper and the divine. Parvati is also the goddess of love and devotion or Kamakshi; the goddess of fertility, abundance, and food/nourishment, or Annapurna. She is also the ferocious Mahakali that wields a sword, wears a garland of severed heads, protects her devotees, and destroys all evil that plagues the world and its beings.

Why does Shakti take multiple births like Sati and Parvati when Shiva can directly manifest? What's the purpose behind her earthly incarnations?

 It’s the cosmic play of Shakti in which Shiva participates for Shakti, his own versatile and dynamic side. Otherwise, Shiva is always in the state of absolute stillness.. For Shakti, he moves and acts in multiple forms.

The entire creation is actually the divine play of Shakti. Shiva’s original nature is Vairagya, he is uninterested about play, he remains in his actual state of reality that's why in most of the images he is depicted in samadhi.. The state of absolute oneness (Advaita).

Purusha represents awareness about the eternal reality and Prakriti represents the movement as the dynamic playful force that sets up the stage for the play.

In absolute eternal reality, there is only formless Param Tatva i.e., oneness between Shiva, his Shakti and everything which is in existence, the non-dual state.

Then the playful Shakti engages Shiva in the creation along with several aspects and factors that contribute in the play.

So Shakti has taken birth as Sati and Parvati, the same Goddess in her absolute form is Lalita Tripurasundari. Lalita itself means playful or the one who plays, Tripurasundari means the most beautiful in all three realms. This actually tells a lot about her multiple forms and incarnation. Every event in scriptures is directly or indirectly related to her.

The eternal consort of Lalita Tripurasundari is Kameshwar Mahadev, the most transcendental form of Shiva. They are inseparable as the eternal truth (Sanatan Satya).

But even in this form when they split for creation, Shiva is the one who is holding Shakti and it's Shakti who is running all the play while sitting on his lap. This depiction is not a causal romance, it represents the balance.

Shiva is the absolute static consciousness on which Shakti, the playful dynamic energy runs her cosmic play. The creation can be seen as the seed of Shiva but it is developed by Shakti since the world is her cosmic womb.

For Shakti, Shiva does the creation with her and all the cosmic play (lila). While engaging in this lila, Shiva maintains his original nature, he doesn't take birth, rather he manifests directly. Even while entering the material realm, Shiva does not take birth but directly manifests as Rudra through Brahma’s forehead when Brahma prays to Shiva while being frustrated with his struggle in creating the various beings.

But Shakti on the hand, always takes avatars and for that she comes in the stage of birth and death. For her play, even if she has to lose her life, she does that play, everything happens out of her will, it is not something that is not in her control, it is by her own will only. Be it her struggles or her achievements.

Maa Gauri incarnated as Sati and then self-immolated when Daksha insulted Shiva. It was completely her own lila, her script.

Then Shiva destroying Daksha by manifesting his matted hair as Veerabhadra.

Then Veerbhadra chopping off Daksha’s head and destroying the yagya.

Then Mahadevi again taking birth as Parvati, the daughter of Himavan.

She appearing in forms like Durga, Kali etc. to destroy the asuras.

Or in the plays where demons like Jalandhara and Andhakasura try to abduct her, Shiva or Narayan coming to rescue her.. It is all her play. From the stories where she is mentioned as the highest power to the ones where she is described in a painful and sad condition where is hurt or is losing life, it is all her design.

For Shakti, it’s never winning or losing, it’s just playing. Be it saving the world by slaying the demonic entities or losing life as Sati and taking 108 births and struggling in them for the reunion with Shiva. Each of them is her script.

She can be the Aaradhya Devi of all including Shiva and Narayan.

She can also be the devotee of Mahadev.

She can also be the devotee of Narayan.

She can herself be Shiva, Krishna or any form of the Ultimate. There is absolutely no rigidity about her. And it is not just about Maa Bhavani's own Parvati form, it is with other forms as well.

Maa Sita herself could have destroyed Ravana easily, yet she was abducted as a part of lila not because of any weakness but her maya which was beyond the imagination of Ravan.

Yet she wanted Shri Ram to do that as a part of play, Shri Ram then destroys Ravan. Shri Ram again could have easily defeated Ravan at once, yet he struggled, built Ram Setu, fought with Rakshas, took the attacks of Meghnad’s Naag Pash and then finally slaying the demonic entities including Ravan.

Similarly the separation of Radha Krishna was never an actual separation but lila.

Shri Ram and Shri Krishna taking birth and then leaving the world, that is also not actual birth and death. Lalita (Kali) herself is Krishna, again no difference since in reality, there is no male and no female but absolute Nirguna Parabrahman who appears as male, female etc.

And so the every act is Shakti’s own design and not mortality. It is therefore important to understand that the fluid nature of the Supreme power, be it Shakti (or Vishnu and avatars) or Shiva himself when he participates in lila. It is just play, the divine leela.

The purpose of each earthly incarnation is to play and establish Dharma by destroying Adharma. So it is like a film because in reality there is absolute oneness, Shiva is Shakti and Shakti is Shiva.

Jai Shiv Shakti 🙏

What is the meaning of Parvati's name Uma?

 Uma is one of the names of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. There are many meanings of the word Uma, but I will tell you two important meanings of the word Uma.

After Satidevi burnt Herself in the yogic fire in the Daksha Yagya, She was born as the daughter of King Himavanta and Mainadevi. That’s why She is known as Haimavati and Mainaaki. Since, She is the daughter of Parvataraaja Himavanta, She is known as Parvati. She had chosen Lord Shiva as Her husband. She decided to perform penance to please Lord Shiva and sat in penance. Actually, there were three daughters of Himavanta and a son, namely Aparna, Ekaparna, and Paatalaparna, and Mainaaka. Out of these, Aparna is the Parvatidevi, who was doing a fierce penance to please Lord Shiva. Seeing this fierce penance, Mainadevi, the mother of Aparna, came there and said, ‘U MAA!’ which means, ‘O daughter! please don’t do this fierce penance!” Maa in Sanskrit is meant in negation. So, Her name was Uma. After that, the story continued, and finally Lord Shiva came and married Umadevi. So, this was the first meaning.

Second is a spiritual meaning. ‘U’ in Sanskrit means ‘Utkrushta’ or ‘High’ or ‘Profound’. Maa means ‘knowledge’. Since Parvatidevi has Uttama knowledge or Utkrushta knowledge, She is known as Uma. Umadevi does Upadesha to Indra and other devatas. Lord Shiva provides the weaponry and paatha training to Indra and other devatas. This is proved from the story in the Kena Upanishad.

The devatas won against the demons. But they couldn’t conquer the inner enemy, which is arrogance. And in this arrogance, they were boasting a lot. Therefore, Bhagavan Vishnu assumed the form of a Yaksha and came near them. The devatas saw the Yaksha and were like, ‘Who is he?” Indra sent Agni. Agni came to the Yaksha, and before he could ask who he was, the Yaksha himself asked, “Who are you?” Agni boasted about himself that he could burn anything that came in his way. Yaksha chuckled, kept a twig there, and asked Agni to burn that twig. Agni couldn’t burn it and went away. After that, Indra sent Vayu (one of the Marutganas and not Mukhyaprana Vayudeva). Vayu met the same fate as Agni did.

Finally, Indra came there and saw that there was no Yaksha, but a beautiful lady standing. She was none other than Umadevi. The Kena Upanishad explicitly mentions, ‘Haimavathi Uma’, while describing this incident. Umadevi then tells Indra that the Yaksha was none other than Bhagavan Himself who had come to remove the arrogance of the devatas. Indra bowed to Umadevi, and thus the arrogance of the devatas was shattered. This shows that She has Uttama Gyaana about Bhagavan and does Upadesha to the devatas led by Indra.

Thus, She is the Jaganmaata and the presiding deity for speech along with Lakshmidevi and Sarasvatidevi. Where each devata handles each department of the mind, Umadevi handles the whole mind department along with Lord Shiva. She is the presiding deity for fragrance and beauty. At the time of Pralaya, as Lord Shiva, being the Samhaaraka, does Samhaara till the Svarloka, that’s why He is known as Sharva. Umadevi, also in Her Durga roopa, does the Samhaara along with Lord Shiva. That’s why She is also known as Sharvaani.

Worshipping Her, along with Lord Shiva, results in a long and happy married life, which is also known as Deergha Sumangalitva for women and strong familial bonds for the whole family. She, being Annapoorna Devi Herself, removes the hunger of the people, be it the hunger of food or the hunger of knowledge. Since She is golden in color, She is known as Gowry. She is the wife of Bhava (Lord Shiva), that’s why She is known as Bhavaani. Umadevi is thus a great devotee of Bhagavan Vishnu as per the Sattvika Puranas and Upanishads like the Kena Upanishad. Such is the glory of the consort of Lord Shiva, Umadevi!🙏😊

Uma is one of my favorite names of Parvatidevi!😊In this answer, we discussed not only the name Uma, but also other names like Haimavati, Mainaaki, Parvati, Aparna, Umaa, Sharvaani, Annapoorna, Gowry, Bhavaani. Wow! Nine names…😊😁

Hope this helps!
Jay SriRam!
ShriKrishnarpanamastu!

Why do people often associate Bhavani Devi with other goddesses like Durga and Parvati, and what’s the significance behind this?

 The Reasons i will tell you listen

Goddess Parvati is herself Bhavani for the following reasons:

BHAVANI means

Sanskrit Root Breakdown

Bhava (भव): Means "existence," "being," or "source." It is also a name for Lord Shiva.

Ani (आनी): Means "she who brings" or "the source of."

further it also means :

The Consort Connection: Bhavani directly translates to "the wife of Bhava (Shiva)"—identifying Goddess Parvati/Durga as the divine partner of Lord Shiva.

There after it also means :

The Life-Giver: Together, they show that Shiva is the underlying reality of the universe, and Bhavani is the active, nurturing power that breathes life and form into it.

Are Lalita and Goddess Parvati the same?

 Yes, Goddess Parvati is Raj Rajeshwari Bhagwati Lalita Tripurasundari.

Maa Tripurasundari is more transcendental and when she incarnates in this realm as the daughter of King Himavan, she is known as Parvati.

Tripurasundari is the most beautiful among the three realms. Basically she is the Ultimate source of beauty, the entire beauty, whatever is beautiful, it's her manifestation.

She is also known as Kamakshi, she is the consort of Kameshwar Mahadev but Mahadev also resides with him in multiple forms like Mahesh, Rudra, Bhairav, Ishan, not just as husband (Kameshwar) but also in these forms to serve her out of love.

She sits on Sadashiva, another auspicious form of Mahadev. This symbolizes the active, flowing energy, i.e., Shakti over the static, unshakable consciousness, i.e., Shiva. Mahadev is the Aadhar (Base) and Mahadevi is the projection.

Jai Maa Lalita Tripurasundari 🙏 Har Har Mahadev 🙏

Is Parvati the only goddess with a dark complexion?

 Goddess Parvati was named also as Kali after birth by her father Himachala due to her complexion as mentioned in chapter 7 of Parvati Khanda in Shiva Purana.

गतस्तत्र गिरिः प्रीत्या सपुरोहितसद्विजः। ददर्श तनयां तां तु शोभमानां सुवाससा।।6।।

The mountain king accompanied with the priest as well as the Brahmanas went to see the girl who was self illumining.

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामा सुद्युर्ति सुमनोरमाम्। दृष्ट्रा च तादृशीं कन्यां मुमोदातिगिरीश्वरः।।॥7॥

She had the reflection of the blue lotus flowers, looking quite charming with beautiful complexion. The mountain king was immensely pleased by looking at her.

अथो शुभमुहूर्तेऽस्मिन् हिमवान्मुनिभिः सह। नामाकरोत्सुतायास्तु कालीत्यादि सुखप्रदम्॥11॥

Thereafter in the auspicious time, Himacala, in the company of the sages, gave the daughter the pleasant name of Kali.

Later Goddess Parvati did hard penance for Brahma to achieve fair complexion & named as Gauri. Plot was necessary for death of Shumbh Nishumbh by Kaushiki.

Is Yogmaya Lakshmi or Parvati? Give reference from authentic scriptures.

 Yogamāyā is Mahālakṣmī. She is the eternal consort of Lord Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu). She is the covering and connecting power of the Lord who perfectly perfectly controls and arranges His divine pastimes i.e his līlās.

Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa (Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, 5th Sarga):

"This Rāma is the supreme Viṣṇu, remembered as the primeval Nārāyaṇa; and this Jānakī is that very Lakṣmī, renowned as Yogamāyā."

Jānakī Kavaca (from the Brahma Saṃhitā): Sītā is again praised as the Supreme Parāśakti and Yogamāyā who sports with Lord Rāma:

"Jānakī, the Māheśvarī, the Parāśakti, is known as Yogamāyā. She, Sītā who assumes various forms, sports in the companionship of Rāma."

Bṛhad Viṣṇu Purāṇa:

"Victory to you, O Mahāmāyā! Victory to you who destroy the sufferings of devotees! Victory to you, O Goddess beloved of Viṣṇu! O Yogamāyā, I bow to you." (Here she is called Viṣṇupriyā).

Lakṣmī Tantra:

"As I connect (link), so I am known as Yoga or Yogamāyā; as I confer knowledge on men, so I am known as Māyāyogā."

Skanda Mahāpurāṇa (Maheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa):

"O Yogamāyā, O Yogeśvarī, full of youthful beauty, bearer of the pair of Śrī and fruit of union, O Goddess Lakṣmī, obeisance to you."

When Śrī Kṛṣṇa performs the Rāsa dance, the texts say He "takes refuge in Yogamāyā." Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas clarify that this Yogamāyā is none other than Śrī Rādhā:

"Here, the term Yogamāyā refers to two powers: The supreme power (paramā-śakti) and The covering power (āvarikā-śakti). The supreme power here is Śrī Rādhā herself in her role as the presiding goddess of the Rāsa-līlā."

-Gopala Tapani Upanishad Commentaries

Yogamāyā is Mahālakṣmī (and her expansions like Sītā and Rādhā). She is the conscious, dynamic Svarūpa-śakti of Lord Viṣṇu.

Jai Vaiṣṇavī Mā!

Who does Shiva love the most, Vishnu, Shakti, or Parvati?

 Lord Shiva loves Lord Vishnu the most, because Lord Vishnu is the Ishta-daiva of Lord Shiva. Even before Lord Shiva married Mother Parvati or Mother Sati, he was a Parama Vaishnava (a supreme devotee of Lord Vishnu).

I once read on Quora that in a certain Purana it is mentioned that Lord Vishnu told Lord Shiva that he would take birth as Parvati or Shakti and marry him to assist him in the process of cosmic destruction. In support of this idea, it is said that Mother Parvati was Krishna-varna (bluish-black in complexion famously known as Kaali) at birth, and after performing intense tapasya she became Gaura-varna (fair or golden in complexion) and hence known as Gauri.

Infact Bengalis also believe that Lord Vishnu is Mother Kali and it’s famous as Krishna Kaali.

A certain sect of Vaisnavas called as Madwas see Mother Kaali or parwathy has a special avesha of Govinda in her which makes her indifferent from Govinda.

And yea Even Lalita Sahasranama have a name Govinda Roopini

Even Famous Premanandji Maharaj of Vrindavan has spoken about a similar idea, saying that Lord Vishnu manifested as Parvati and that Lord Shiva manifested as Radha Rani.

Hare Krishna

Har Har Mahadeva

Jai Bhagwathy Lalitha