War in Ancient India c6.s6.t3.14

c6.s6.t3.14

It roughly belongs to the 10th century A.D. or later. It is worth while comparing this with the description of Durgā’s battle with the Asura in literature.¹⁷² In the battle that raged between Mahiṣāsura and Indra the latter was defeated and consequently the Asura became the god of heaven. All the gods became enraged and created a goddess, each out of his own element. Śiva endowed her with a trident, Viṣṇu with a disc, Varuṇa with a noose, Agni with a spear, Marut with bow, arrows and quiver, Indra with the thunderbolt and the bell of his elephant, Yama with pāśa or rope, Kāla with a lustrous sword and shield, and Viśvakarma with a battle-axe. She rode on a lion with a voice that struck terror. In the battle thousands of Asuras with horses, elephants, and chariots offered resistance. The Mahiṣāsura himself was equipped with the tomara, bhindipāla, śakti, musala, gadā, paraśu, and paṭṭiśa. Durgā attacked him with all her fury and a river of blood flowed in the field. Cinchchuna, the general-in-chief of the Asura host, was killed with the trident, his staff, chariots, and horses being broken. Lastly came Mahiṣa assuming the forms of a man, an elephant, and a buffalo, and fought bravely, but in vain. His head was cut off and the whole of heaven and earth was filled with indescribable joy.