Durga Saptashati Chapter 3: The Slaying of Mahishasura

Chapter 3 brings the moment for which the Goddess appeared: the slaying of Mahishasura. That is why she is called Mahishasuramardini, and Vijayadashami after Sharad Navratri is also celebrated as this victory.

The generals are slain

Seeing his army destroyed, the great general Chikshura advanced in rage, raining arrows on the Goddess as a cloud rains on a mountain. She cut his arrows, killed his horses and charioteer, cut his bow and banner, and pierced his chest with her spear.

Chamara came on an elephant and hurled a spear; the Goddess made it fall powerless with a roar. Her lion leapt onto the elephant's head, grappled with Chamara and tore his head from his body. Then the Goddess killed Udagra with stones and trees, Karala with teeth and fists, Uddhata with her mace, Bashkala with a javelin, Tamra and Andhaka with arrows, and Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu with her trident. She cut off Bidala's head with her sword and sent Durdhara and Durmukha to Yama's realm with her arrows.

Mahishasura attacks

Seeing his army and generals destroyed, Mahishasura himself came in the form of a buffalo and began killing her attendants, some with his muzzle, some with his hooves, some with his tail, some with his horns. As he ran the earth split, his tail lashed the oceans, his horns tore the clouds, and mountains blown up by his breath fell from the sky.

As he came on, the Goddess bound him with her noose. Bound, he left the buffalo form and became a lion. As she raised her sword to behead him, he became a man with a sword. She cut him and his shield with arrows, and he became a huge elephant and dragged at her lion with his trunk. She cut off the trunk with her sword. Then he became a buffalo again and shook the three worlds.

The Goddess drinks and slays Mahishasura

Then the angry Mother of the world drank from a divine cup and laughed with reddened eyes. Mahishasura roared in pride of strength and hurled mountains at her with his horns. She powdered them with her arrows and said:

"Garja garja kshanam mudha madhu yavat pibamy aham, maya tvayi hate 'traiva garjishyanty ashu devatah": "Roar, roar a moment, fool, while I drink; when you are slain by me, here the gods will roar."

So saying, the Goddess leapt upon the great demon, pressed him down with her foot and struck his neck with her spear. Pinned beneath her foot, Mahishasura had only half emerged in his true form from the buffalo's mouth when she struck off his head with her great sword.

The asura army fled crying out. All the gods rejoiced and with the divine sages praised the Goddess; the gandharvas sang and the apsaras danced.

What this chapter teaches

• Evil changes form again and again (buffalo, lion, man, elephant); it must be recognised and stopped in every form.
• Mahishasura stands for the ignorance, inertia and pride within us (tamas); the Goddess's power overcomes it.
• Pride in one's strength comes before a fall; Mahishasura kept roaring and was slain.
• Gratitude after victory: the gods first praised the Goddess.