The saga of Maa Durga and Mahishasura

The saga of Maa Durga and Mahishasura

AAYUSHMAAN MAZOOMDAR

ONGC NAGAR, PHASE-I, SURAT

Once upon a time there was an Asura (demon) named Mahisha. He found great delight in harming people. Once he decided to pray to Lord Brahma, to grant him a boon which would make him unconquerable and invincible.

After performing several penances and fasting for months as he stood on one foot. The three worlds Swarga, Martya and Patal tremble under the intensity of his penances and Lord Brahma bound to came to give him a boon. Mahisha asked for immortality, which the lord denied as every creature that was born had to die. Mahisha decided to ask for a boon which would make him as good as immortal.

He asked that no man should be able to kill him and if he had to die it should be only at the hands of a woman. He was sure that no woman be able to kill him no matter how strong she may be.

Now, Mahisha was invincible, he and his fellow companions went about killing people on earth. Finally he went to heaven to fight the devata (demigods). Even Indra’s  Vajra (the thunderbolt) could not resist the Asura attack. Mahisha drove out the devatas and took over the throne of Indra. And become the king of heaven. After their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Mahishasur, the gods took refuge under Lord Brahma, who took them to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The only solution left was the creation of a woman who possesses the ultimate power to fight and defeat Mahishasur. Pure energy blazed forth from Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the trinity forming the pure energy of Godhood, all concentrating at one point and used their radiant energies which were joined by the powers of Indra and others. This heavenly energy took form a divine body with thousand arms. In each arms she carried a weapon belonging to the Gods and Demigods. This was Durga Devi.

She mounted a fiery lion and roared. It was a roar that shook mountains and created huge waves in the seas. Even Mahisha was worried for a second, but his vanity took over when he saw that the terrible form was that of a woman. Durga created a large army from her breath to fight Mahisha's army and then fought with Mahisha who came in the form of a Buffalo. As he struggled to set himself from the Buffalo form she killed him with her sword delivering the earth and heavens of the Burden called Mahishasura.

Durga pujza is observed in her honor, to celebrate her victory over evil.