Killing of Mahishasur (Buffalo Demon)

Killing of Mahishasur (Buffalo Demon) by Durga maa

Long back, king Danu had two sons, named- Rambh and karambh. Both were quite known, around. Issue- less, both did hard and long penance to get progency in the waters of five rivers; Karambh’s penance was conducted in water, where his legs were held by a big crocodile the form taken by Indra, to lessen the effect of his exertion so that he would not acquire extra- ordinary powers, as he was closely involved in the penance and thus his end came. Rambh did worship by means of sacred fires. In the mean while, hearing this sort of end of his brother, Rambh was greatly cut up; in anger and agony, he wanted to kill himself, by immolating in fire, Getting hold of tuft of his hair in one hand, he was about to cut his head, when fire-god came there.

Killing of Mahishasur (Buffalo Demon)

Fire-God:  O mighty one! You are trying to be fool, getting to cut your head, yourself. How such an abominable negativity as suicide came to your thinking. May you get goodness and ask for a boon from me, what you might desire.

Rambh: O prime god! If you are pleased with me, give me an invincible son, in the whole universe; none-gods, men, or demons of huge order should be able to get better of him. He should have immense might and should be able to take the form he wishes.

Fire-god: May it be as you wish. Take a wife, whomever you wish to in the universe and from her womb, you shall get the powerful son of your liking.

With this interaction with the god, Rambh came back to his town, which was rich with all diverse kinds of wealth. There were many divine money-keepers in his region, who have natural affinity to the mighty demons. This mighty demon was also endowed with animal instincts; he eyed a female-buffalo. This buffalo was at the height of passion. Rambh became ardently drawn to the female-buffalo. In the dominance of providence the buffalo got impregnated.

Around that time a male buffalo came upon that female buffalo; in the offense of passion, he pounced on the female; simultaneously, started goring Rambh with its horns, making him unconscious and the demon lost his life in this wild scuffle.

The buffalo (female), having lost its companion (the demon), ran away in fright and went into shelter of the divine-beings (Yakshas); the male buffalo also reached there in height of its pride. Divine beings saw the buffalo looking- begging mercy from them, in the height of fright and shedding tears. They also saw the male- buffalo chasing her; they resolved to save the female from onslaught of the male animal.

There was a dual between the yakshas and that male animal; they started shooting arrows on the animal, with which the animal was killed soon enough, falling on ground. Yakshas had good liking towards Rambh and they got on to give him a good funeral. Female buffalo thought of finishing herself on the pyre of father of its off-spring. All desisted her all with all persuasion, but it was not to be and she got into the pyre of her lover, hugging its body dearly. At that time, mighty Mahishasur came out of the pyre. Mighty Rambh also got another lease of living ( perhaps with the merit of that sacrificing she- buffalo), with the identity of Raktabeej. In this way, one demon produced the two strong ones of his specie. All demons gathered and chose Mahishasur, as their leader in one voice.

Mahishasur had acquired and enhanced all the mettle and authority; started ruling whole universe. The boon had increased his pride; all men and creatures came in his hold and whole earth came under his regime and protection.

Then he changed his rout to attack the domain of gods, with a big army. Movement of his large troops would shake up lands, all direction and skies. He encircled country of gods; king of gods rode upon his well-known elephant to counter demon’s forces, to chase them away. Demon chief ordered his general “ Vidal’ to annihilate might and pride of the gods. Commanded thus, demonic armies went attacking gods’ troops, in a fierce encounter and there was commotion of destruction on all sides. Son of the gods chief let out shining missiles upon demon-general, which struck him quite deep; he fell unconscious, badly injured. The charioteer took him in the vehicle and retreated to their camps. As Mahishasur saw, his army being chased by the weaponry of gods’ gathered his most ferocious warriors-Chikshur, Andhak etc. and launched most fierce offense upon gods. Seeing such ferocity, God Trinity also came in the battle field to buttress gods’ force. Mahishasur was endowed with many extra sensory powers also; he produced many duplicates of his, in the field with those abilities. Lord Vishnu instructed his divine disc to destroy this delusive play of demon-chief, but the more duplicates would get finished, manu more than before came up. So not able to exert their exclusive powers, God Trinity went to the respective abodes of theirs.

maa durga killing Mahishasura

No sooner the Trinity went from the battle gods armies were totally worsted; demon-chief entering gods domain took hold of all distinguished paraphernalia of Lord indra– the extraordinarily merited elephant, horse and the wish yielding cow of Indra. Heavens and earth were chanting victory cries of demon chief; gods were moving forlorn in wildernesses, now. They conferred mutually and made consensus-living of gods has become a burden upon their own selves; deprived of our abode as well as even our clothes, unprotected we are from all sides. Let us go to Grand-sire to seek corrective way; surely, He shall have some way out of our profound misery.

Indra , the chief god, thus decided, reached Brahma with his companion-gods and submitted, “Lord! Having annexed our country also, tyrannies of the demon on and all, are not finding any end; rather these are worsening; kindly find a way out.”

Brahma: My boon of his invincibility has gives him force and blinding of his head; I told him that no man can get better of him; but a woman could do sure enough defeat and kill him.

Indra agreed and then the question arose-which woman could accomplish such difficult task; for this they decided to go to Vishnu; they reached Lord’s sea-domain, where Vishnu was there in His unruffled repose. Brahma told Lord that gods were moving in great desperation and now only  He (Vishnu) was their hope. Lord asked how He could be of help; His divine disc also proved to be ineffectual, earlier. Brahma submitted they by way of h is boon- no man could get better of the demon.

Vishnu: It implies that a lady could kill this big demon; who other than Goddess Mother could take it up? She is the resting of Yoga ( Yoga-nidra), the primordial ultimate potential; She only has give great potential to Shiva and Me. Let us all venerate her to extricate whole universe of cruelties of the big demon.

All came to the sea shore and venerated Mother Goddess durga and then a thundering voice came from skies-Gods! Gather your abilities and power; I shall manifest with all attributes and uplift the world. Even as the sky-pronouncement was on the shining mettle’s of all gods and the God-Trinity got cumulated in the sky and they all saw rays of light like flares of fire dancing in all directions. That mass of light fast changed to a woman-form; whole universe shone with light of the Goddess.

Her limbs were thus constituted with merited potencies- Face-shiva; hair god of justice; arms-Vishnu; breasts-moon god; Indra-waist; thighs and calves- Varun; hips-earth; fingers-flows of life-givinig airs; Brahma-feet; toes-Sun; First progenitor-feet; eyes- fire-god; eye-brows-shine of evening; ears-air-god. All gods also gave their own special weapons to the Goddess. Other adornments were also offered by the gods; Sun-energy in all Her body-orifices; ocean of Vishnu-divine clothes and ornaments; other oceans- crest-jewel, ear-rings and half-moon shaped ornaments; Shesha-serpant-garland of the form of snakes.

With this the Goddess reassured gods to be free of any fears; the demon would be rendered ineffectual; soon the mother would send the demon to death and gods would get back their every-thing, lost.

Saying this mother resounded a loud thunderous laugh and sky, directions, with whole universe trembled with fright. Swollen-headed demon was angry at the thunder of Goddess durga; he declared to his army men-whose was this loud sound; go and find out.

Her thunder was still sounding all over and chasing this sound, the demon army man reached, where Goddess had positioned Herself, riding upon her lion. Seeing her the soldiers ran back to report to the chief with great expectancy, Mahishasur asked who this person was, who made such a frightening sound?

Demon-soldiers: On the nearby hill, there is an extremely beautiful lady; decked up though she is with many attractive ornaments and weaponry but none could be more charming than her to adorn your palace.

Upon this demon-king ordered his general- Chikshuk’ to usher her in his court with respect and dignity. Thus commanded , general set out to the Goddess with a few soldiers and said, “Beautiful one! In this lone forest, why are you alone? You should be the chief-queen of the demon king Mahishasur the master of three worlds.

Goddess Mother was rife with great anger, “ Demon Chikshuk! I am here to shatter pride of Mahishasur and send him to the worst hells. Tell him to fight with me.”

As the general gave Mother’s message to Mahishasur, after return, he became mad with anger. “God , general with a big band of soldiers; seeing the numbers of troops itself, she would come to my shelter quietly.

Ordered so, the general reached at the site of the Goddess, with a big army; not to say of any fear, Mother Goddess took up her bow and fast she released so many arrows that demons could even not wield their weapons to fight; countless in then reached their death, quick, including the general; no soon the general was worsted all troops field in panic, coming to the king; they reported, “Sir! That lady is no ordinary one; she did not even give time that we could take our weapons in hand to tackle her. Including the general, our 75% army is destroyed at her hands, in next to no time.”

Demon king’s wrath fired up more; he ordered two more generals, “Vashkal! Durmukh!! Take your respective platoons; kill her or bring here; do not return, unless you have avenged the slain general’s death.”

They also went and their fate was also no different form the earlier troops.

Repeated losses of his troops made the demon to come to limit of his wrath; taking the remaining soldiers along, he marched to the site and reaching there, he thundered upon

Goddess, “Your pride has swelled, killing ordinary soldiers, but be alerted of your death hovering over your head, else, come with me to the royal palace, to become my queen; then, I shall pardon you.”

Goddess: Only the cowards look for apology in the war field; take my strike; I shall finish you up with your armies, whatever now remains. I shall hit you with as many arrows to pierce you grievously, as the crimes you did and terrified men and gods.

Saying this She rained missiles upon the demon; her lion also came in great anger. Goddess produced her duplicated as attendants; so many Goddess went on a killing spree, demon-ranks, thundering. Seeing so many getting killed , demon became a buffalo and took upon attendants of Devi. As it could harm a precious little, it went towards lion of Devi.

Devi: Demon, your last moment has arrived! Thunder so long as I give you the gift of life.

Demon: Stupid woman! I cannot be won over; the mightiest of this world can not get better of me. A woman like you has no mettle to take on the master of the three worlds.

Devi: Fool! Grand-sire’s boon was in effect a curse, for you to be defeated and finished at the hands of a woman; in your haughtiness, you could not find its true import. You shall get killed at the hands of not a man, but a woman- such was Brahma’s humiliating pronouncement upon you.

Mahishasur: So was I fooled by Brahma! Gods have old way of cheating demons; after taking your care, I shall fix up Brahma.

Saying this, the buffalo started digging around with his paws; up-rooting hills, he started throwing to Devi; as if earth was tearing open. With lashes of his tail, he started to sink earth into waters of oceans. Whole earth started crying in despair, as if its end had come. Goddess threw a snake-loop binding him in it; just then, he changed his form buffalo to lion. Goddess went on to cut it head and it became man carrying a sword; then he changed the form to an elephant and gripped lion of the Goddess into his hold; Devi cut its trunk with the sword. He pounced towards Goddess , but so many attendants of Goddess came in between, fighting with him.

The Goddess jumped up and rode upon the neck of the demon; then she pressed him under her feet and struck his neck with her trident. He tried to come out from his own mouth, as a man. But hardly his half portion had emerged when Devi cut his head with the sword. Seeing him thus finished, his left over armies rushed towards the nether world. Soon as he died, gods rained flowers from sky upon Goddess in thankfulness and auspicious celebrations and all divine ones sang and danced heartily.

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