Devi Mahatmya - Markandeya Purana, tr. by Bibek Debroy
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evi Ambika severed Chikshura's standard, bow, destroyed his chariot, killed his horses and charioteer. Finally, Bhadrakali hurled her trident at him, shattering the asura into a hundred pieces.
It was now the turn of the general of Mahisha's army's, Chamara, to advance towards the goddess. A single humkara from her neutralized the spear he had hurled at Ambika. Chamara's end, however, did not come at the hands of the goddess. It was her lion that leapt up, dislodging Chamara from the elephant where he was seated. After a brief fight, the lion severed Chamara's head with its paw.
Similarly, Udagra was killed with boulders and trees, Karala with her fists and teeth, Uddhvata with her mace, Baskhala with a javelin, Tamara and Andhaka with arrows. Parameshvari killed Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu with her trident, beheaded Bidala with her sword, Durdhura and Durmukha with her sword. Kalaratri killed Kala with her kaladanda.
Seeing his army being destroyed by Ambika, Mahishasura took the form of a buffalo and entered the battlefield. Using his hooves, tail, and horns he killed many and created huge commotion. With his roars and the gusts of his breath, he killed many others. Seeing the destruction he was wreaking, Chandika ensnared him with a noose. Mahisha abandoned the form of a buffalo and assumed the shape of a lion. Ambika severed the lion's head, upon which he took the form of a man and then an elephant. The elephant grabbed the goddess' lion in its trunk and started to drag it away. The goddess sliced off the elephant's trunk. Mahisha finally took the form of a buffalo again. Chandika consumed some liquor, and roared at the buffalo, taunting him that he could roar only as long as she drank the liquor, after which it would be the gods who would roar when she had killed him.
Saying this, the goddess climbed on top of the buffalo, pressed down on his throat with her foot, and struck him with her trident. Mahisha tried to escape the form of the buffalo, but could emerge only partially since the goddess had him trapped within the body of a buffalo with her foot.
Devi finally used a large sword to slice off his head, thus killing Mahishasura.
Reference: Markandeya Purana, translated by Bibek Debroy. Published by Penguin, 2019. The Devi Mahatmya is covered in chapters 78-90 of the Markandeya Purana.
© 2020, Abhinav Agarwal (अà¤िनव अग्रवाल). All rights reserved.
