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There are warriors and there are unparalleled warriors, but they are all but a shadow of the great warrior goddess of the Indic region – Mahishasuramardini (also written as Mahishasura Mardini). While unravelling of the history of the goddess’ emergence in this form is a work in progress, her unmistakable iconographical representations as the slayer of the buffalo king – Mahishasura are at the least two millennia old.

Durga as Mahishasuramardini and in other forms has been the go-to goddess for warriors embarking on military missions. From Rama in the Ramayana (in some retellings and versions) to Arjuna in the Mahabharata and from Shivaji Maharaja to Guru Gobind Singh, she has been the darling deity of those who have broken bastions. She is also revered as the mother by the masses who pray to her for protection and nourishment.

इस लेख को हिन्दी में पढ़ें एवं यह विडियो हिन्दी में देखें 

As most Indian stories, the narrative of Mahishasuramardini is told variously in multiple texts and folk retellings. While Durga and Mahishasura keep appearing in various Puranas including  the Varaha Purana, the Vamana Purana, the Skanda Purana and the Kalika Purana, we have chosen perhaps the best-known telling of the Parashakti Devi’s origin and her annihilation of Mahishasura and his army from the Durga Saptashati of the Markandeya Purana (Devi Mahatmya).

Mahishasuramardini in the Devi Mahatmya

Chapters 2 to 4 of the seminal text Durga Saptashati narrate the story of Mahisasuramardini. The story is narrated thus.

Read our popular piece on the Devi Mahatmya to understand this seminal text

Long long ago, the mighty asura Mahisha and his massive army defeated the devatas led by Indra. At the end of a war that lasted for over hundred years, Mahishasura usurped Indra’s powers and became Indra himself. The vanquished devatas prayed to Vishnu and Shiva for help. Vishnu and Shiva were enraged. Radiant energy or tejas  emanated from their faces and bodies and Brahma and the other devatas. This dazzling energy coalesced into a brilliant whole which seemed like a never-ending mountain of fire. The mountain of radiant energy transformed into the feminine form of the incomparable Devi – the Adishakti (the primordial being and/or energy). She was endowed with all divine weapons including the conch (shankh), the spear, the wheel, the lotus, the arrow and the mace.

The bejewelled, unparalleled Shakti roared so loudly that the worlds trembled. Attracted by this loud sound, Mahisha’s demon army attacked her. She destroyed the demon army, wreaking havoc with her weapons and with the aid of her vahana (aide or vehicle) – the majestic lion. The three-eyed, enchanting Devi and Mahisha engaged in a fierce combat both on land and in the skies. The fearless Mahisha assumed the form of a buffalo and attacked the valiant warrior – Devi. Finally, the infuriated Devi leapt upon him, pressed him with her foot, and struck his throat with her spear. As the demon – Mahishasura came halfway out of his own buffalo mouth, still fighting, Shakti beheaded him and became the indomitable Mahishasuramardini – she who killed Mahisha.

She is the one who re-establishes the reign of dharma in all ages and all times. She is Shakti incarnate.

Allegorical Messages of the Story of Mahishasura Mardini

Mahishasuramardini is the formless divine (nirguna) who assumes form (saguna) to re-establish Dharma or the moral order. She is feminine, she is independent, and she is timeless. She is accessible to her devotees and is the divine mother who protects and nurtures. She is an ageless icon of women empowerment and a role model for every young woman.

Mahishasura or the buffalo king is reminiscent of tamo guna – the inherent tendencies of human beings to be arrogant, lazy and ignorant. Mahishasuramardini slays ignorance, she slays sloth, she slays the false sense of I(ness); she helps us in traversing the journey from darkness to light.

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता।

नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

Salutations to the Devi who is the Shakti inherent in all beings and objects in the universe.

Editor’s Note: This is intended to be a 101  introduction to the story of Durga Mahisasuramardini as narrated in the Durga Saptashati. Narrate the story of this indomitable goddess to your daughters and to your sons and inspire them to conquer the Mahisha within them.

Also Read: Contemporary Relevance of the Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya