Mahishasuramardhini - Saumya and Ghora

October 20, 2005

As Durga, the Goddess is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is Devi Mahishasuramardini (Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon)

who appears to her devotees,

As Durga, the Goddess is “beyond reach” or “inaccessible.” She is Devi Mahishasuramardini (Goddess Killer of the Buffalo Demon) who appears to her devotees as both saumya (gentle and mild) and ghora (frightful and terrible). According to Skanda Purana, she is none other than Parvati who takes on the role of warrior at Siva’s request to kill a giant demon. The demon cannot be killed by any of the gods because he is protected against the torments of any male by a special boon. Thus Parvati alone is able to kill him, and in doing so, the goddess is named Durga. The demon then takes the form of a buffalo, an apparition that again appears in the famous Devi-Mahatmya tale of the slaying of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon (mahisha means buffalo).

Glory of the Goddess

Once in the land of the gods, a huge and terrible battle raged for hundreds of years. The gods were finally defeated, kicked from their celestial abode by the terrible leader of the demons, Mahishasura. The gods, who had fought the battle and lost, appeared before the greatness of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, explaining their defeat. The major gods became furious, and from their faces “came forth a great fiery splendor, and also from the...bodies of all the gods, Indra and others...and it congealed into a single form."

quote Thomas Coburn’s translation of the Devi-Mahatmya at this point will give a feel for the power of the tale of Durga’s appearance: A stupendously fiery mass like a flaming mountain the gods saw there filling the firmament with flames. That matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods, came together in a single place, pervading all the worlds with its lustre, and it became a woman...Devi bellowed aloud with laughter over and over again. The entire atmosphere was filled with her terrible noise, and from that deafening, ear-shattering noise a great echo arose. All the worlds quaked, and the oceans shook. The earth trembled, and the mountains tottered. The gods, utterly delighted, cried, "Victory!" to the one who rides on a lion.

And so the Great Goddess is born, ready to fight the enemies of the gods. In her battle with the demons, she easily wins, and must finally confront the general, Mahisha himself. For this battle she is called Chandika, “The Violent and Impetuous One,” in part because Mahisha so infuriates her by changing form every time she attempts to kill him. The goddess charges and he changes into a lion. She cuts off his head, and he emerges from that body as a man, armed for battle. She kills him, and an elephant appears in his place. She chops off the trunk, and the buffalo is once again before her. Needing something to channel her focus, Chandika drinks her fill of wine and becomes intoxicated. She laughs at Mahisha as he roars and throws mountains at her during her break. She yells at him that soon it will be the gods who are roaring over his death and defeat. Downing her last gulp, the goddess leaps across the battlefield at Mahisha, stands upon his

neck to stop him from changing into any other form, pierces him with her spear and chops off his head. She is indeed victorious with this manoeuver, and the gods sing her praise. She so loves their devotion that she tells them she will come again to their aid if they merely call. With this boon, she disappears.

The most detailed and glorious tale of Durga’s battlefield prowess comes when the gods, who remember her earlier promise, again call upon her. This time, She is asked to defeat the demons Sumbha and Nisumbha (two brothers). These demons had somehow managed to amass so much power that they deprived the gods of sacrificial offerings for a long time. This caused the gods tremendous stress because the offerings are what sustains their purpose-if they are not honored, they are depotentiated. This had been going on for so long that none of the gods could live in heaven any longer. The gods therefore sung out to the goddess, praising her for all things, hoping that she would help save them a fate of anonymity. When called, She came in her most beautiful aspect as Ambika. When Sumbha’s generals, Chanda and Munda, saw her, however, they immediately reported back to Sumbha of her splendor. They told him that she would be most worthy of his favors.

Sumbha, being vain and wanting all things of beauty for his own, decided to have his minions ask for her hand in marriage on his behalf.

The generals then go to the goddess, but she tells them of a vow taken in her youth to only marry the one who can defeat her in battle. Upon hearing this from his emissaries, Sumbha is angry to think that a “mere woman” would thus suggest challenging him. He calls another of his generals, Dhumralochana (Smoky-Eyes), and tells him to take sixty thousand of his forces, grab the woman by the hair and return her to him. Dhumralochana goes forth to Chandika and at first tries to persuade her to come peacefully to Sumbha. She is not so inclined, and when Dhumralochana attempts to attack her, Chandika turns him and his battalions to ashes. The goddess is not easily had. Sumbha quickly hears about his general’s defeat. He is so filled with hatred and desire to overcome and possess the goddess that he next summons Chanda and Munda, his most trusted officers. These two, acting on their commander’s request head off with the rest of the demon entourage

and find Chandika in the Himalayas. They immediately begin firing arrows at her, and with this, the goddess lets her rage be known. She turns black in anger and fury, and from her brow, Kali emerges. This emanation of the goddess is her most fierce and gruesome.

She is depicted as emaciated, with red eyes, protruding tongue set for lapping up blood, black countenance, and wild, long, disheveled hair. She carries multiple weapons, a skull-topped staff, and emits alternatively hideous shrieks and deafening roars. Her only clothing, if any, is a tiger-skin wrapped about her waist, and she wears as ornaments a garland of freshly severed human heads and dead infant earrings. Kali easily slays the generals and offers their heads to Chandika, who then names her Chamunda, or slayer of Chanda and Munda. Then, both Chandika and Kali set out to kill Sumbha and his remaining armies.

The gods at this point send their power, or sakti, to the aid of the goddesses. Together, these forces, along with the sakti of Chandika, called Aparajita, decimate all foes while those demons still able to do so flee the battleground in terror. One demon though, named Raktabija (Blood Seed, or Drops of Blood), comes forward again to fight. He has the special gift of being able to multiply wherever one of his drops of blood falls upon the earth. But Chandika and Chamunda team up to defeat him. Chandika lances the demon, weakening him, while Chamunda laps up his blood before it can reach the ground, thus ensuring his death. Now, only Sumbha and Nisumbha are left to challenge the goddesses. To make a long story short, however, devi withdraws Her emanations back into herself, kills Nisumbha first and renders Sumbha powerless, finally destroying him with one fatal pierce of her spear. The Goddess is yet again victorious.

(From Net Resources)

Shree Mahishasuramardhini Stotram

Ayi giri nandini, nandita medini, visva vinodini, nandinute ||Giri vara vindhya shirodhini vasini vishnuvilaasini jisnunute ||Bhagavati he shitikanthakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikrute ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute |||| 1

Suravaravarshini durdharadharshini durmukhamarshini harsharate ||Tribhuvanaposhini shankaratoshini kilbishamoshini ghosharate ||Danujaniroshini ditisutaroshini durmadashoshini sindhusute ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 2

Ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavanapriyavaasini haasarate ||Shikharishiromani tungahimaalaya shringanijaalaya madhyagate ||Madhumadhure madhukaitabhaganjini kaitabhabhanjini raasarate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 3

Ayi shatakhanda vikhanditarunda vitunditashunda gajaadhipate ||Ripugajaganda vidaaranachanda paraakramashunda mrigaadhipate ||Nijabhujadanda nipaatitakhanda vipatitamunda bhataadhipate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 4

Ayi ranadurmadashatruvadhodita durdharanirjara shaktibhrute ||Chaturavicharadhuriinamahasiva dutakrita pramathaadhipate ||Duritaduriihaduraashayadurmati daanavaduta krutaantamate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 5

Ayi sharanaagata vairivadhoovara viiravaraabhayadaayakare ||Tribhuvanamastaka shoolavirodhishiirodhikritaamala shoolakare ||Dumidumitaamara dundubhinaada mahomukhariikrita tigmakare ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 6

Ayi nijahunkriti maatraniraakrita dhoomravilochana dhoomrashate ||Samravishoshita shonitabeeja samudbhavashonita biijalate ||Shivashivashumbhani shumbhamahaahavatarpita bhutapishaacharate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 7

Dhanuranusangaranakshanasanga parishphuradanga natatkatake ||Kanakapishanga prishatkanishanga rasadbhatasringa hataabatuke ||Krutachaturanga balakshitiranga ghatadbahuranga ratadbatuke ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 8

Jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute ||Jhana jhana jhinjhimijhinkritanoopura sinjitamohita bhootapate ||Natita nataardhanatiinatanaayaka naatitanaatyasugaanarate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 9

Ayi sumanah sumanah sumanah sumanoharakaantiyute ||Shrita rajanii rajanii rajanii rajanii rajaniikaravakravrute ||Sunayanavibhra marabhra marabhra marabhra marabhra maraadhipate||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 10

Sahitamahaahava mallamatallika mallitarallaka mallarate ||Virachitavallika pallikamallika shrillikabhillika vargavrute ||Sita kruta phullisamullasitaakruntallaja pallavasallalite ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 11

Aviralaganda galanmadamedura mattamatangajaraajapate ||Tribhuvana bhooshana bhootakalaanidhi roopapayonidhiraajasute ||Ayi sudatiijanalaalasamaanasa mohanamanmatharaajasute ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 12

Kamaladalaamalakomala kaantikalaakalitaamala bhaalatale ||Sakalavilaasakalaanilayakrama kelichalatkala hamsakule ||Alikulasankula kuvalayamandala maulimiladbakulaalikule ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 13

Karamuraliirava viijita koojita lajjita kokila manjumate ||Militapulinda manoharagunjita ranjitashailanikunjagate ||Nijagunabhoota mahaashabariigana sadgunasambhruta kelitale ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 14

Katitatapiitadukoolavichitra mayookhatiraskrita chandraruche||Pranatasuraasura maulimanisphuradamshulasannakha chandraruche||Jitakanakaachala maulipadorjita nirbharakunjara kumbhakuche ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 15

Vijitasahasra karaikasahasra karaikasahasra karaikanute ||Krutasurataaraka sangarataaraka sangarataaraka soonusute ||Surathasamaadhi samaanasamaadhi samaadhi samaadhi sujaatarate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 16

Padakamalam karunaanilaye varivasyati yonudinam sashive ||Ayi kamale kamalaanilaye kamalaanilayah sakatham na bhavet ||Tava padameva param padamityanushiilayato mama kim na shive ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 17

Kanakalasatkala sindhujalairanusinchinute gunarangabhuvam ||Bhajati sa kim na sachikuchakumbha tatiiparirambha sukhaanubhavam ||Tava charanam sharanam karavaani nataamaravaani nivaasisivam ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 18

Tava vimalendukulam vadanendum alam sakalam nanu koolayate ||Kimu puruhoota puriindumukhiisumukhiibhirasau vimukhiikriyate ||Mama tu matam sivanaamadhane bhavatii kripayaa kimuta kriyate ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || || 19

Ayi mayi diinadayaalutayaa krupayaiva tvayaa bhavitavyamume ||Ayi jagato jananii krupayaasi yathaasi tathanumitaasitare ||Yaduchitamatra bhavatyurariikrutaadurutaapa mapaakrurute ||Jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute || ||

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