PARVAT I 578 PARVAT I

"Virtuous black a and the Rtus never- woman, from today onwards, your com- nagas, na.gaha.ra ; (seasons), plexion would change into one of the hue of a lotus fading flowers. The three-eyed Katyayani on getting petal. Because of that 'gaura' hue you would be called all these was highly pleased and made a roaring sound. 'Gaurl'." By the time finished blessing her the , thus worshipped and adored by all, mounted on colour changed into the one described by Brahma. the lion and went to the topmost peak of the Vindhyas. 4) Gauri changes into Kdtydyani, Vindhyavdsini, Candikd and and went and served Katyayani thus living Cdmundikd. When Devi became Gaurl her superficial there. Vindhya called Devi, KausikI and Agastya skin peeled off and dropped down, it is said. called her . At that time there were two great demons called Mahisasura once went to the Vindhyas after conquering and Karambha. They had no sons and they all the three worlds. He was accompanied by his started severe penance. Karambha was doing penance ministers, Raktabija, Canda, Munda, Ciksura and standing in deep waters and a crocodile swallowed him. Naraka. They met there the goddess Katyayani. The crocodile was none other than Indra. Rambha did Mahisasura fell in love with the beautiful and well- penance standing in the midst of fire and finding no figured Katyayani and he sent Dundubhi as messenger result even after a long time decided to sacrifice himself to the goddess to make her know his desire. Dundubhi into the fire. Agnideva then appeared before him and approached Katyayani and told her to become the wife blessed him thus : "Oh Rambha, you will get a mighty of Mahisa, the emperor of all the three worlds. Devi son of the woman you love." Rambha stopped his replied that she would accept as her husband one who penance and returned home with the boon. On the way defeated her and that was the custom also in her he saw a beautiful she-buffalo and passion rose in him caste. Mahisasura with a huge army and heavy equip- and he made contacts with the buffalo. The buffalo be- ments went to war with her. But Katyayani entered came pregnant and in due course delivered a child the field alone mounted on her lion and the devas which later on became the notorious Mahisasura. In watching her enter the battlefield without wearing the meantime a buffalo loved Mahisasura's mother and even an armour were shocked. Devi went forward it attacked Rambha and gored him to death. The reciting the mantra of Visnupancaksara given to her Yaksas burnt his dead body in a funeral pyre and the by Siva and lakhs and lakhs of demons were killed by she-buffalo jumped into the pyre and abandoned her the adroit sword-swinging and the dinning roar of life. From that pyre there arose then another demon Katyayani. Mahisa and his ministers surrounded her and he was the notorious RaktabJja. Mahisasura became and Devi stepping down from the lion started to dance the king of demons and Raktabija, Canda and Munda wielding her sword. Swinging her swcrd to the rhythm became his ministers. They attacked the devas and drove of her dance-steps Devi picked up the leading demons them to exhaustion. The devas took refuge in Brahma one by one and killed them. Seeing that, Mahisasura to think of a plan to kill those . Visnu, and Siva approached her, burning with rage like the pralayagni. took part in the conference. Visnu the eternal, got All the attendants of Devi fled. Those who remained angry along with Siva and became fierce like the fire were trampled to death by Mahisasura. Devi at first of death. Brahma and the devas also became angry and killed the ministers and then faced Mahisasura. Mahisa from the face of everyone a brilliance emanated and all became an elephant and Devi cut off its trunk. The these brilliances joined together and reached the holy elephant became a buffalo then. Devi sent a spike and asrama of Katyayana maharsi and that eminent sage it broke. Even Devi's Discus, granted to her by Visnu was also sent out a brilliance. The ascetic brilliance joined blunted when it hit the rock-like body of Mahisasura. with the divine brilliance and the combined brilliance Varunapasa, Yamadanda and Indravajra were all shone like a thousand suns. Then this superior brilliance alike fruitless against the mighty Mahisasura. Angered entered the peeled-off skin of to produce the Devi jumped on the buffalo form of the demon and fierce and divine form of a goddess named Katyayani. drove it to exhaustion and when at last its power of Each limb of the new form was made up of the brillian- resistance had failed, Devi plunged her spear into the ce from a particular god as follows : From the brilliance ears of the buffalo and the demon fell dead. wife of Mahendra was formed the face; from Agni, the eyes; Many years went by. KaSyapa begot of his Danu from , the hair; from Visnu, the eighteen hands; three great sons named Sumbha, Nisumbha and Namuci. from the central from the fierce demons. Namuci attacked Indra but Indra, parts ; , hip All were and the from the feet from to a But Indra hid in the thighs ; Brahma, ; , they soon came compromise. toes entered the nose and the ; from Prajapati, the teeth; from Vasus, the foam of the ocean which ears, of the hands from the from while he was in the ocean. fingers ; Yaksa, nose; mouth of Namuci playing the ears and from the ascetic brilliance,the erotic eyebrows. Indra used his Vajrayudha from inside and killed him. Thus Katyayani shone in the world with a figure formed were angry and they entered with distinctive perfection. svarga and defeating everyone there, carried all the met and All the gods and devas presented Katyayam with gifts: riches from there to the earth. They Raktabija Siva her a trident Visnu a I minister of Mahi- gave (trigula) ; Discus ; he said "Oh Lords, am Raktabija, a a a killed virtuous Mahisasura. Varuna, conch; Agni, javelin ; Vayu, bow; Surya, sasura. Katyayani Devi a ministers and Munda are inside never-empty quiver ; Indra, Vajraghanfa ; Yama, His two Canda hiding a danda a a afraid devi." While he was (stick ) ; VaisVavana, mace ; Brahma, rosary the ocean of Katyayani speak- a sword and shield and also came there. When garland ; KaJa, ; Candra, Camara ing thus Canda Munda brush-like and a necklace all ideas Sumbha called one of his men (white fan) pearl ; Ocean they exchanged a a lion a and tell to garland ; Himavan, ; Visvakarma, moon- and said "Bho: Sugrlvasura, go Katyayani disced and a the of wife." went to and returned Cudamani, earrings dagger ; King be my Sugriva Katyayani a the of said "Lords Sumbh* * nf1 iM^mnhha. , silver-plated drinking cup ; King disappointed and