Originally posted by: .Vrish.
New question - does anybody know which of these events took place earlier:
- Parvati invoking Ma Durga (and Mahakali) to avenge the beheading of Ganesh
- Ma Durga being invoked by all the deities to kill Mahishashur Mardini?
I personally think that it's the first, but is there anything in the texts to support it, or is it actually contradicted by a series of analysis of other events?
I think it was much before that, though I don't know the timeline when it happened.
It is said that the Goddess came to be known as Durga as she killed the demon (king) named Durgam.
Once, there was a Demon king named Durgam who wanted to know why the Devas always won over the Demons. When he asked his minister, the minister replied, "The Devas are knowledgeable in the Vedas. That gives them immense power."
Durgam wanted to posses the Vedas and gain enormous power. He performed severe penances and Lord Brahma appeared due to his efforts. Durgam asked for the Vedas to be kept in his custody. Lord Brahma granted his wish. As a result of this, the Demon Durgam received all the merits of the yaagas and worships thereby making him very powerful and invincible. He became arrogant and began tormenting everyone.
Another version says that Durgam asked to be made the protector of Vedas. Instead of using the Vedas for the good of the world, Durgam kept them locked up in the netherworld (Patala, I think). Due to this, the Devas and Sages lost their powers as all the yaagas, etc had lost its merit.
Due to Durgam's actions, it stopped raining on the Earth and there was a severe drought and famine. The sages all worshiped the Supreme Goddess, Devi Shakthi. (The alternate version says that the Devas asked Lord Vishnu for His help and He gave them a leaf asking them to meditate on the Supreme Goddess.)
The Goddess appeared before them in a wonderful form. She was dazzling with brilliance, had 100 eyes and carried vegetables, fruits, herbs greens, etc. She was known as Shakambari as she carried all greenery and also called Sataakshi as she had 100 eyes. Taking pity on her children, she was moved to tears. Her tears rolled down for 9 days and 9 nights which became a river and ended the drought and the Earth was prosperous once more. The sages (or Devas) pleaded to to Devi Shakambari to restore the Vedas and save them from Durgam.
Durgam came to know that the world was flourishing once more though his messengers. He gathered a huge army and attacked the sages, devas, gods and the Goddess. Devi Sataakshi protected everyone else with a firewall and let Her discuss hover around it. She faced Durgam in battle. A fierce battle ensued. From the form of the Goddess, the 10 Mahavidhyas and 64,000 other goddesses came into being. The Goddess Shakambari eventually killed Durgam on the eleventh day of battle. All the powers of Durgam was absorbed by Goddess Shakambari. She then handed over the Vedas to the Brahmanas and said, "Since I had destroyed the demon Durgam, I shall be known as Durga."
All living beings praised her glory and considered her the destroyer of all evil. It was said that all the Gods (and some others too) gave Durga a weapon like their own. Lord Vishnu created a discus from his own that looked exactly alike and presented it to Durga Devi. Varuna gave Her a conch, so on... Himavan gifted Her the lion to be used as Her vahana in her battle against demons and evil forces.
The story is found in Devi Bhagavatam / Devi Mahatmyam and Shiva Purana.
Edited by Vibhishna - 13 years ago
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