Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.56

v3.c19.56

The following account of the destruction of Mahishāsura is given in the Varāha-purāṇa: — Vaishṇavī, the Śakti of Vishṇu, was making tapas on the Mandara mountain. On one occasion, her mind lost its concentration, and in consequence several handsome looking females were born out of her. They began to attend upon the Dēvī; and thus, looked after by these damsels, she began to continue her austerities. Nārada, who happened to go that way, saw her resplendent beauty, and told Mahishāsura of the existence of a real paragon of beauty on the Mandara mountain. Seized by the madness of possessing her, the asura prepared himself to capture her and marry her. As a preliminary step he sent a messenger to the Dēvī to relate to her his greatness and prowess and to ask her to accept him as her consort. This messenger narrated to her the origin and history of Mahishāsura thus: — When the ṛishi Sindhu-dvīpa, son of Supārśva, was practising penance in Mahishmati, a girl named Mahishmati, a daughter of Viprachitti, came with her friends to the Mandara-parvata on a pleasure excursion. There they came upon a beautiful abode of a ṛishi, which she wanted to take possession of. To drive away the then occupant of the āśrama, they all took the shape of she-buffaloes and threatened to gore the ṛiṣi, who was doing penance. The ṛiṣi perceived by means of his mental vision the truth of the situation and cursed that these girls should all become real *mahishis* or she-buffaloes. As soon as they heard the curse, they began to realise the formidable nature of the offence they had committed and began to repent. The ṛiṣi also became cooled down somewhat, and promised them that their buffalo nature would disappear from them as soon as a buffalo-son was born to Mahishmati. After some years had passed by, Mahishmati was grazing on the banks of the Narmadā. The ṛiṣi Sindhudvīpa, who had also gone there, met a celestial nymph named Indumati and fell in love with her. As he was not able to approach her, his seed fell in the river Narmadā, and it was swallowed with the water of the river by Mahishmati who took then her drink from the Narmadā. This seed grew in the womb of Mahishmati, and in time Mahishāsura was born. In addition to giving this description of the origin of Mahishāsura, his messenger praised also the intelligence and valour of his master. On hearing this, Jayā, one of the attendants of the Dēvī, replied by saying that none of the women on the Mandara mountain was going to get married, and that therefore he might depart in peace. He left accordingly. After the departure of the messenger Nārada appeared before the Dēvī, and informed her that Mahishāsura, having defeated all the gods, was going to her to carry her away by force. Very soon, the asura, as stated by Nārada, came with a large army to attack the Dēvī; she with her female attendants met him and his army in battle and completely destroyed all of them.