Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1293

c9.1293

There is a story in Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 56, about the birth of the Saptamātṛs, as follows : In olden days a fierce war broke out between the devas and the asuras. When the fierce asuras Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa were killed the famous asura named Raktabīja entered the battlefield with an akṣauhiṇī of army (21870 chariots, so many elephants, 65610 horses and 109350 infantry). Seeing this immense army of the asuras drawing near, Kauśikī, Māheśvarī and Kālī made a loud roaring sound. Then from the mouth of Māheśvarī, Brahmāṇī came out seated on a swan and wearing rosary and water pot. From her eyes Māheśvarī with three eyes came out seated on a bull and wearing great snakes as bangles and ear-rings and holding a trident. From the loins came out Kaumārī, seated on a peacock and holding a lance. The beautiful Vaiṣṇavī came out from her hand, seated on Garuḍa, holding a conch, discus, club, sword, the bow śārṅga and arrow. From her posterior came out the horrible Vārāhī (Boar) with a great pestle, seated on the Nāga (serpent) Śeṣa, and furrowing the ground with her fierce tusks. From her heart came out the awful Nārasimhī (woman-lion) with fierce claws, who at the shaking of her mane displaced the planets and the stars, and from her foot Cāmuṇḍī came out. (See under Palālā).