Story of Godess Durga

Long, long ago, there lived an asura, or demon, called Mahishasura. He was so called because he could take on at will the form of a giant mahish or water-buffalo.

Mahishasura decided to ask the great god Brahma for a boon that would protect him from death. He meditated long and hard, and soon earned Brahma's favour. Brahma, moved by the demon's penance, agreed to grant him the boon he asked. Mahishasura, said Brahma, could not be killed by any man or god.

The demon, now secure against death, began to conquer the world. He defeated all men and began to rule over the earth. He was a cruel and tyrannical ruler, mercilessly killing all those who opposed him and subduing the rest to his will. He soon gained complete control over the earth, so that not one man was left with the courage to oppose him.

He then attacked heaven itself, and, the gods, powerless to kill him, were helpless. Mahishasura defeated the gods and took the throne of heaven for himself.

The frightened and despairing gods appealed to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to help them. The three great gods, hearing of the cruelty and violence of Mahishasura, were filled with anger. Their anger came forth in a great burst of energy. Thunder and lightning filled the skies, and a great light dazzled the world. Men and gods fell to the ground in fear. This great energy coalesced into the form of a young and beautiful woman. This young woman was energy, or shakti, personified. She was the goddess Durga.

The gods fell to their knees and worshipped the goddess, begging her to rid the universe of the demon Mahishasura.

To help her, the gods gave her their own divine weapons: Vishnu gave her his discus and Shiva his trident. Varuna, the god of the Sea and the Rivers, gave her his conchshell and a noose, Agni, the god of Fire, gave her a flaming missile, and Pawan, the god of the Winds, gave her fast-flying arrows. Indra, king of the gods, gave her his thunderbolt, and Airavat, his white elephant, gave her his bell. Yama, the god of Death, gave her a rod, while Vishwakarma, the god of smiths, gave her a sharp-edged axe and bright armour. Haimavat, god of the Mountains, gave her jewels to adorn herself, and a fierce lion to ride into battle as her steed.

Durga, blazing with light, rode into battle against Mahishasura. The demon, seeing Durga, realised that his end was near, for Brahma's boon did not protect him against women. Wild with fury, he changed himself into a gigantic water buffalo. Durga's lion attacked the buffalo and pinned it to the ground. Durga beheaded the buffalo, and from it emerged the demon in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with Shiva's trident and killed him, thus freeing the earth and heaven from his cruelty and tyranny.

And therefore, because she rid the world of evil, the goddess Durga is, to this day, worshipped by all the gods in heaven and all mankind on earth.