Durga took birth as daughter of king himavana (king of mountains). She was named as parvati.When parvati grew up sage narada - son of bhramha paid her visit. He told that she did not have a chance to marry shiva from her previous birth.Parvati embarked upon an extremely difficult regime of penance & devotion. For thousand years, she ate only fruits and flowers. She slept on the floor of forest under an open sky for thousand years. Thus, she earned name Tapascharni or Bharmhacharini which means one who follows the path of Tapas.
Finally she gave up eating fallen fruits & flowers. She continued penance without having fruits & water for many years, her body became too week. Maina, was deeply in pain seeing her daughter in such a state she cried out "O! Ma!" Since then parvati also called as UMA.The news of such long penance reached everywhere. Bhramha deva appeared & told her no one had appeared tapa the way she had. He also said her that only she could have undertaken such hardships as her love for shiva was true & pure.He also blessed her that she would have shiva a her husband. Following the penance, parvati became Bharmhacharini. Shiva accepted parvati as wife.
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