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| Mahisamardini (brass) 18th Century AD Assam State Museum, Gauhati. Place of Find Tinsukia |
In the puranic times, Rambha the asura king fell in love with a water buffalo (a cursed princess herself) and Mahishasura was born from that wedlock. He had immense physical strength and mastered occult power like shifting forms. As a young boy, he always saw the wars between asuras and devas, and the constant trauma that they had on society. He wanted to end them forever by defeating the devas. He did hard penance to become immortal and pleased Brahma. As Brahma said he cannot give the boon of immortality, the asura sought a boon that no man, God, or animal can ever kill him. He was confident that there is no feminine being that could defeat his powerful self, and thus get perpetual immortality.
Mahishasura, true to his nature misused the boon. He soon went into war and was undefeatable, and his tyranny spread across the three worlds. He collected his army and decided to charge Amravati, the capital of devas, and finish the war between asuras and devas for all times. He charged, defeated the devas, and drove the gods out of Amravati. The devas consulted Brahma, who could not change the boon. Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and all the gods went to war with their mightiest weapon. If one form of Mahishasura was attacked and slain by any weapon, he took a different form and rebounded back on the battlefield. The Gods exhausted all their weapons but could not defeat the asura.
The trinity of Lord Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu consulted to find a way out. They agreed to combine all their powers and that of all devas to create an invincible feminine form, to destroy the evil asura. All the Gods closed their eyes, meditated, and transferred their energy to form a column of light from the sky. It is said that the light was so bright that no one could open their eyes.
Lord Shiva created her face, Lord Vishnu gave her arms, Lord Brahma her legs, Lord of Ocean gave her red sari and diamond necklace, and Lord Vishwakarma presented her with jewelry that he himself made. She had a molten gold complexion, with three staring eyes and a relaxing face. Once she was beautifully dressed, all the Gods gave her special strength and power. Vishnu gave her a chakra like his own, Shiva a trident, Brahma a kamandal of Ganga water, Varun gave lotus flower and conch, Agni gave sadagni, Vayu a bow and quiver with endless arrows, Indra his thunderbolt, Vishwakarma gave an axe, Yama with a staff, Kuber a cup of amrit, Surya gave his blinding rays, Tvashtha gave a mace, and all the devas presented her with some weapons. Himalaya presented her with a fearsome tiger as her mode of transport to ride. Mahadevi Durga was created as the Mahashakti or the Supreme goddess.
She is Maa Durga, Mahadevi Mahishasura Mardini.
You can read about the Story of Mahishasura in the link below