Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1292

c9.1292

2) *Origin.* Some are of opinion that the Saptamātṛs are connected with Śiva. Their names reveal that they were born from the bodies of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and such other gods. There is another story that when Śiva and Viṣṇu joined together and tried to kill the asura named Andhaka and failed, they created the seven mothers to kill the asura. From each drop of blood of Andhakāsura that fell on the ground an asura arose. These seven mātṛs joined with Yogeśvarī, the creation of Śiva, drank the blood of the asura without allowing it to fall on the ground and so it became easy for Śiva to kill the asura.