Mahishasura real story

The Fire-God also gave him the boon of securing a son who would shake up the entire world. Rambha found that in the vicinity there was a passionate She-Buffalo. The he- buffalo which was also there killed Rambha. The she-buffalo killed herself on the funeral fire and while doing so gave birth to a hefty and ferocius Buffalo-Demon Mahishasura. Rambha too emerged from the Fire as The Fire God recreated him in another form who was eventually noted as 'Rakta Bija'or the Seed of Blood. As Mahishasura grew, he performed tough penance and pleased Lord Brahma who gave him the boons that no force on earth could kill him except by a woman whom the Danava made fun of, little realising that the exception might soon be a reality of his death. Puffed up by the boons secured, the Demon Mahishasura created havoc in the World by trying to dislodge Devas from Heaven, torturing Sages and Munis; slaughtering men, women and children, rejoicing in all kinds of sinful activities and finally attempting to dislodge Indra and Devas from the Heaven. He sent a messenger to Indra asking Him to surrender or get ready for a war. Indra got furious and warned the Demon. The latter convened a War Conference and alerted all the Danavas to get ready and assured them that he secured great boons from Brahma and that he was as good as immortal against any male power or animal power, excepting womanhood which was in any case helpless without male power! Indra too called for an urgent Conference of Devas including all the Planetary Heads like Varuna, Vayu, Agni, Surya, Saturn, Yama, Budha, Guru Brihaspati and so on to position themselves ready with their respective Vehicles and followers. So far, it was a battle between Indra and Mahisasura, during which the former Commander-in-Chief Chiksusa, General Vidala and Danava Tamra took up the offensive which Indra could control. But as Mahishasura himself entered the field and spread out his 'Samavari Maya' or the Illusion for all and thousands of Mahishasuras appeared on the battle field each acting as powerful as the other, Devas including Varuna, Yama, Kubera and Agni fled away. Indra in his fast-track mind prayed to Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra about Mahishasura's Illusionary tactics. Brahma got His conveyance Hamsa or the Swan, Vishnu by Garuda, Kartika His peacock, and Rudra His bull.While Indra controlled Chaksura, Varuna by Asiloma, Yama by Trinetra, Kubera by Maha Hanu, Vishna fought Andhaka and Rudra restricted Mahishasura. But when the battle went on for hundred years and each year Mahishasura became mightier, it became clear that the Demon would not be shattered unless a female 'Shakti' would have to be thought of for the purpose. It was also realised that instead of depending on the female power of one Devi, say Sachi Devi, Vani, Lakshmi or Parvathi individually, it would be ideal to unify the Powers of all and generate one Maha Nirguna Shakti who would destroy the Demons once and for all. The Composite Super Energy converging into a Unique Shakti thus emerged with all the Individual Shaktis of Trinity, Devas and their respective female powers embodying a mountain like Fire and dazzle which was not visualised even by Devas themselves let alone normal species. The Supreme Deity was endowed with the armoury and 'Mantras' of Gods together too.

the two Eye Brows were black like 'Sandhyas' ( twilights) curved like the arrows of Cupid; the two Ears created by Vayu or Air, Her Nose chiselled and attractive; teeth like gems of Daksha; lower lip like 'Aruna' the Charioteer of Sun and the upper lip after Lord Kartika; thighs and legs of Earth and Varuna; eighteen hands of Vishnu and red fingers like the glitter of Vasu Devatas.

Soon after The Maha Devi was formed, various presentations were made to Her by the Devatas: the Ocean of Milk gifted a pearl necklace and eternal red robes; Vishvakarma provided ornaments for each part of Her Physique never seen in the Universe earlier; Varuna presented flowers of everlasting fragrance and freshness as well as a Vijayanti garland on her chest; Mountain Himalaya a ferocious lion as Her Conveyance; Maha Vishnu gave a Chakra (Discus); Sankara a 'Trisula' (Trident); Agni (Fire) Deva gifted a 'Sataghni' Weapon; Conch by Varuna; Divine Bow and Arrows by Vayu Deva ( Wind God); Yama God of Death a Sceptre; Indra his thundebolt; Brahma a 'Kamandalu'a vessel of Holy Water Ganges; Kubera gifted a Drinking Cup of Gold and an everfresh Lotus; Varuna a 'Pasa' (A Destructive Rope) capable of rounding off hundreds of Demons together and Visvakarma a high voltage Kaumudi Mace and so on.

Mahishasura's amorous proposals to Maha Devi

With all the armoury and ornaments Maha Devi was comfortably mounted on the Lion and laughed so deafeningly that the entire Universe trembled with fear as though a catastrophy occurred. Mahishasura too was shuddured at the roar and his associates ran helter skelter to ascertain what was it about! One messenger reported to the Demon that he had an illusionary appearance of a huge sheet of light and when seen intently looked like an outlined feminine figure, with a cool and smiling face of rare beauty, fully armoured and ornamented, seated on a lion with several Gods surrounded around Her.

Mahishasura, who never ever realised that a female figure was mounted on a Lion with eighteen hands and was fully armoured as though ready to fight, felt that the Messenger must be crazy or the view was an Illusion created by the Devatas to frighten Danavas. Any way he sent his Prime Minister to take a personal Message to 'that Woman' to say that if really She were not an Illusion, She should meet and surrender to him and that he would assure Her to make her a life partner as the Reports received were that she was of marriageable age without a husband. She roared in loud laughter and asked him to convey the message to the stupid Demon to withdraw his fight if he had any sense (which a Mahisha as an animal normally lacked), apologise to Her and quietly to go down to the nether world Patala to save himself! The Prime Minister talked highly arrogantly and even desired to attack Her but for Her being a woman and Maha Devi said that She could have smothered him then and there but for His being a Messenger and Dharma Shastras or the discipline of War prevented Her to kill a Messenger. The Prime Minister left for Mahisha still asking for the Devi's rethinking about the possibility of marrying his King and not to finally close the chapter of his King's amorous offer to Her! The Messenger met the King and conveyed the proceedings that She was ready to fight. Mahisha called for a Conference and many opinions were expressed including a ridiculous explanation that the Devi indirectly meant that She could kill him by the corner looks of Her eyes, that She would lay him down and that She could take out his vitality in no time! The Resolution was that all the Four Methods viz. 'Sama' ( Counselling), 'Dana'or material temptation, 'Bheda' ( divide and rule) and finally 'Danda' or punishment. Thus Demon Tamra was sent to the battle field with the Brief that he should try all the Methods before punishing Her. Tamra did use the methods of good counselling, the temptation of marrying a hero like Mahisha and seeking to divide Her and the 'timid' Devas. Maha Devi laughed at the foolish alternatives proposed by Tamra and when he kept on arguing about the happiness that She could attain by Her union with Mahisha got terribly annoyed and roared thunderously when mountains shook and Tamra fled away back to Mahisha.

Carnage of Mahishasura's Army

As Tamra returned without result that the three initial methods of Sama, Dana and Bheda did not yield results, the Danavas got the firm reply that war was imminent. But one elderly Statesman among the Danavas, Vidaliksa expressed the concern that by taking advantage of the loophole in the boon given by Brahma to Mahisha of not getting killed by any species excepting by a female should cause concern; it might well be that by placing Her ahead, Devatas might kill Mahisha!

Durmukha said that whatever might happen the situation was of no return and they have to fight out without showing their backs any way. Vaskala bragged that when the entire Deva army including Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra had retreated and collapsed, why should one think and plan strategies at this late stage; this is an hour of action and not of precious- little- do- nothings and thus therefore was high time for action! As an initial step in the battle, the two Demons-Durmukha and Valsala- once again used the catch phrase of Devi's romance with Mahisha. Maha Devi got infuriarated, lost patience that She displayed for long and fired five arrows against Vaskala to start with. When he took up his club aloft, She hurled her own club and smashed his head to death. Her action was so swift that Durmukha's reflexes did not work for a while as there were shrill shouts of Victory to Maha Devi and after regaining some composure Durmukha reacted with his arrows and bow. Meanwhile Maha Devi rained piercing arrows all around and hundreds of Danava heads rolled all over and Durmukha's chariot was shattered. As he jumped out and hit Devi's lion with his club, She cut his throat with Her axe. There were screams of happiness heard from Devas, Gandharvas and Kannaras as also Great Sages and Siddhas from Earth. As the armies of Vaksala and Durmukha ran for their lives and fled back to convey the killings of their masters, Demon Mahisha got a shock that two great warriors had succumbed to death and that was unbelievable indeed. His General Chiksuraska, a Danava of never-ending cruelty and intense loyalty to Mahisha leapt from his seat and shouted with rage that the Devi would be destroyed for sure. He took Mahisha's permission to shatter that Woman and bring her back to Mahisha dead or alive. Demon Tamra too accompanied the General. The moment he entered the war field, Chiksuraska kept on shouting at Devi that he had arrived to avenge the death of Vaksala and Durmukha and bombared with arrows, spears, maces, sharp swords and a lashing tongue. Tamra went near Bhagavati and hit the lion on its head with an iron 'musala' ( club) when Devi was provoked and hurled Her axe with dashing speed as the Demon fell, turned around and tried to throw his musala but took the last breathing. The General Chiksaruska started screaming with rage and flew across to reach Devi who pierced with Her spear through his body. The entire army ran for their lives in the same direction that they arrived. Asiloma and Vidalaksa were the two top Demons who not only had valour and might but were well versed in war tactics and diplomacy too. In fact these two were in the inner ring of Mahishasura's court and get rarely provoked but could call a spade a spade always counselling their King Mahisha about the pros and cons of a given situation. Asiloma addressed Devi Bhagavati and asked Her as to why She had been killing Danava soldiers recklessly without least provocation, excepting request Her fair hand in wedding to their master. Was it a sin to ask Her for Mahisha's wedding? After all She could simply say 'no', but why this carnage? Maha Devi replied to the calm reasoning put forth by Asiloma: ' I have no desire nor hatred. I stand for 'Dharma' and 'Nyaya'( Virtue and Justice). Your King had perpetrated endless sins of severe nature and interfered with the natural way of human life and destroyed all norms of decency. He had hurt Devas, Indra and Trinity. Having secured boons from Brahma, he had harmed Brahma Himself and thus proved to be an ungrateful demon who should never be excused. I am the Origin of the Universe- The timeless, featureless, sexless, and faultless Super Energy without fear or favour. Mahisha's consience is impure and had been wanting to marry Me; this is clear that he had no sense as he had been posseesed by high degree of Maya.' Thus explaining in an impassioned manner, She advised Asiloma and Vidalaksa to retreat to 'Patala' but both of the Demons decided to die while fighting rather than betraying their Master. Knowing fully well that Maha Bhagavati would kill them any way, they wished rather to get killed valiantly on the battle field than show their backs. Maha Bhagavati had fully acknowledged the maturity of their thinking and felled both of them after their waging a brilliant battle.

Maha Devi destroys Mahishasura

So far Mahishasura was despatching his warriors to fight Maha Devi but when his most trusted Asiloma and Vidalaksa had also got smashed, he got into his chariot and faced the Devi in a handsome human form to impress Her with his smartness. The all- knowing Devi smiled and said that his human form did not make any impact on Her. The Demon harped again on the same topic of union between them. She said that the only union possible could be of a sincere devotee and Almighty as She was a Parashakti and Prakrithi wedded to Maha Purusha who was also the Maha Purusha Himself!

She was requested by all the Devas and the Trinity to protect them and wipe out the demons including him. Still persistent, the foolish Mahishasura gave the example of Mandodari, the daughter of King Chandrasena of Simhala, who took a vow of celibacy but when her younger sister was arranged a 'Svayamvara' ( bride's choice of wedding) from a group of select suitors, Mandodari was tempted to select a husband although he proved to be a cheat later; Mahisha assured that he would never be like him. Maha Devi got highly infuriated with such narrations and said that he was not only stupid but also a coward and perverse and that he should decide at once either to fight or withdraw to 'Patala', lest he would not avail of the chance of fight but would unilaterally decide to destroy him. Meanwhile, two other followers of Mahisha viz. Durdhara and Trinetra had duels separately and got exterminated. Mahishasura changed his forms first like a lion and later on as an elephant and finally in his Sarabha form. The entire Universe and the Pancha Bhutas ( The Five Elements) were dislocated from their axis as the duel was in progress. The Danava tied up his tail to mountains and whirled them against Maha Devi, who was enjoying cups of Grape juice meanwhile. The Demon kept on transforming his body forms in such quick succession that one could hardly realise what was happening and each time there was a change, he was striking from various angles with different kinds of arms like arrows, swords, Trisulas (Tridents), clubs, and maces. Charged then with red eyes looking like torrential balls of fire, Devi Bhagavati finally lost Her cool and commanded Her Chakra ( discus) which broke Mahisha's body split into two, each part jumping one over another and the Greatest menace on Earth had thus been terminated; there were hysteric shriekings and reverberations of earsplitting sounds of high volume drummings spread across the entire Universe to the utmost relief and ecstasy of all Devas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas, Apsaras and world wide congregations of Sages all rejoicing with celebrations.

Originally posted by: mrmrfrevr

@kkr531 thanks very much for this article. You narrated each and every part of mahishasurmardini correctly. I will be greatful to you for this. May ma Durga bless you.

Originally posted by: kkr531

Carnage of Mahishasura's Army

(...snip...)

Asiloma and Vidalaksa were the two top Demons who not only had valour and might but were well versed in war tactics and diplomacy too. In fact these two were in the inner ring of Mahishasura's court and get rarely provoked but could call a spade a spade always counselling their King Mahisha about the pros and cons of a given situation. Asiloma addressed Devi Bhagavati and asked Her as to why She had been killing Danava soldiers recklessly without least provocation, excepting request Her fair hand in wedding to their master. Was it a sin to ask Her for Mahisha's wedding? After all She could simply say 'no', but why this carnage? Maha Devi replied to the calm reasoning put forth by Asiloma: ' I have no desire nor hatred. I stand for 'Dharma' and 'Nyaya'( Virtue and Justice). Your King had perpetrated endless sins of severe nature and interfered with the natural way of human life and destroyed all norms of decency. He had hurt Devas, Indra and Trinity. Having secured boons from Brahma, he had harmed Brahma Himself and thus proved to be an ungrateful demon who should never be excused. I am the Origin of the Universe- The timeless, featureless, sexless, and faultless Super Energy without fear or favour. Mahisha's consience is impure and had been wanting to marry Me; this is clear that he had no sense as he had been posseesed by high degree of Maya.' Thus explaining in an impassioned manner, She advised Asiloma and Vidalaksa to retreat to 'Patala' but both of the Demons decided to die while fighting rather than betraying their Master. Knowing fully well that Maha Bhagavati would kill them any way, they wished rather to get killed valiantly on the battle field than show their backs. Maha Bhagavati had fully acknowledged the maturity of their thinking and felled both of them after their waging a brilliant battle.