From time to time, Shiva and Parvati play for kisses and erotic recombination is the result. However, more often the dice game separates them, acting as a centrifugal force inducing fragmentation. Parvati’s playful seduction of Shiva after the dice game, resulting in marriage, brings them back together. The external threat from Ravana, whose shaking of the mountain also acts as a centripetal force bringing them even closer together, as the terrified goddess rushes back into Shiva’s tight embrace. The separated pieces of god thus are reunited, temporarily at least, although they never achieve their prior unity. Marriage also occurs between Shiva and Parvati at other times, depending on the myth, after one or the other has been engaged in tapas. Let us look at tapas to see why.