Umâ

in the epic and Puranic mythology of India, is one of the principal names of the consort of Siva. She is also called Durgta, Devi, Kali, Parrati, Bhavani; while there are many more belonging to her of less frequent occurrence, as Kafyayani, Anbika, Hainmavati, Siva, etc. She was the younger of two sisters (Ganga being the older), and was so beautiful that she remained thirty-six thousand years in the embrace of Siva, her husband. She was, however, barren, and inflicted upon all the gods the curse of remaining childless. She also cursed the earth, making it constantly subject to change, and to be the wife of many husbands. In great anxiety, the gods now all turned to Brahma, who promised that heaven should not be depopulated, and that Uma's elder sister, Ganga, should, by Siva, become mother of a son who should command the heavenly hosts in the great Daemon-war. Thus it happened that Ganga became pregnant by Siva, and so also Uma, whereupon the latter became reconciled and withdrew the curse. Though the popular creed regarded Uma far more as the type of destruction than as that of divine wisdom, yet the works devoted to her praise never-fail to extol her also as the personification of the highest knowledge. The myths relating to this goddess, who is worshipped in various parts of India-particularly in Bengal-are met with in the great epic poems and Puranas, in poetical works such as the Kumarasamhava, and in modern popular compositions; She is as Kali (q.v.) the favorite divinity .of the Thugs. See Moor, Hindu Pantheon; Muir, Original Sanscrit Texts (Lond. 1863), vol. 4; the Harivansa, translated by Langlois (Paris, 1834- 35); and the Markandeya Purdna, in theBibliotheca Indica, edited by Rev. K. M. Banerjea (Calcutta, 1862).