DURGA

DURGA Millions of Durgas massage the Lord. (Bhairo Kabir, p. 1162) Durga is the consort of Shiva. An account of her origin is found in \’Durga Saptshati\’ in Markandeya Purana. Mahishasura, the king of demons, at one time conquered the haughty gods in war. They went to Brahma and men to Shiva. But they could not help them. Then they went to Vishnu, who got enraged on seeing their pitiable plight.

From his extreme anger Durga or Maha Maya was born. The gods then gave their weapons to this newly-born goddess. With a frightful scream she ascended into the air and with great force attacked the demon-king and killed him. In Vaman Purana it is written that Vishnu gave her his discus, Shiva his trident, Varuna a conch-shell, Agni a dart, Vayu a bow, Surya a quiver full of arrows, Indra a thunderbolt, Kuvera a mace, Brahma a rosary and water-pot, Kala a shield and sword, Vishwakarma a battle-axe etc. Armed with these weapons, the goddess went to the Vindhya hills.

Chanda and Munda, the demon messengers saw her and captivated by her beauty, they described it to their king Mahisha. The demon-king asked for her hand, but she asked him to win her in fight. In the fight that followed Durga dismounted from her lion and jumped over the back of demon with buffalo-head and smote him with such force, that he fell senseless on the ground. Then she cut off his head with her sword. Durga has ten arms and her vehicle is a lion. She is said to have assumed ten forms for the destruction of two demon kings Sumbha and Nisumbha, the prominent of them being Kali, who drank the blood of Rakta-vija and did not let any drop to fall on the ground. See : Parbati (Parvati) and Maha-Mai

References :

1. Kohli, Surindar Singh (ed), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993