Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 Mahisamardini Durga - An Archaeological and Puranic Study Anasuya Swain The Supreme Goddess (Devi) is worshipped in puranic accounts) bespeak her hoary antiquity and many forms. She is variously named according to wide celebrity as the world mother.3 The origin her imagined age; sometimes, she is named in of Durga is mysterious. Some scholars have traced recognition of her heroic achievements of having her origin to the pre-Vedic period. According to destroyed the Mahisasura.1 According to scholars, in the primitive societies, the entire Markendeya Purana the Devi is described as culture centered round the mother, who was the Durga and in this form Devi destroyed the Asura.2 symbol of generation and actual producer of life. Durga, one of the most In the social evolution, eminent of the goddesses of maternity was held in high Hindu Pantheon emerged as a esteem, the mother being the formidable warrior deity to control figure of religion.4 protect the universe from the destructive power of the In the view of demons. Her popularity as J.Marshall who excavated the Mahadevi or Mahasuri (great Indus valley sites, Sakti cult goddess) never receded even evolved in India out of the after the lapse of thousands of socalled mother. Goddess years. In the course of her rise cult, closely associated with of to a pre-eminent position in the cult of the so called proto- the Hindu Pantheon, Durga Siva and Sakti, the dual multiplied her manifestations deties, were the principal for specific purposes, thus deities of the non-Aryan earning on abiding popularity people of the Indus in the Hindu world. The civilization. From the Vedic abundant archaeological period onwards ample remains and loose sculptures references are found about of of different periods spread through out the goddess Durga in various forms. The name Durga country, numerous myths highlighting her exploits finds mentioned in the Taittiriya Aranyaka.5 In the and miraculous power, her profuse representation Khilaratri Sukta Durga is stated to have three in the plastic art, her emergence from combined important manifestations. Mahakali, Mahalaxmi energies of the Hindu Gods (according to the and Mahasaraswati.6 30 Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 In the Upanishads the concept of Sakta Upanisad enhanced the status of Devi Brahman is associated with that of Sakti the in philosophical grab. The Devi Upanisad relates feminine personification of the universal life force. the personifications of Shakti Durga as Mahalaxmi, It is believed that this cult gained pre- Saraswati and Vaishnavi as Brahma Swarupini. eminence in the Indian religions during the Gupta Durga is here depicted as a Mahavidya, period. Viswarupini refulgent like Morning Sun, relieving her devotees from the pains of worldly existence The popularity of the legend can be with all their desires. She is the goddess of assessed from the fact that it had its impact felt nationality. She is the infinite, incomprehensible throughout the country, where she found of the whole universe. She is Durga, beyond her represented profusely. In the Indian plastic art there is nothing. she became more lively and wide spread, with the Tantricism gaining popularity during the In the Mahabharat, the name Durga is medieval times and there after, she came to be mentioned alongswith the names of different adorned as one of the principal Tantric deities goddesses in a hymn addressed by Arjuna in the and a number of Tantric rituals were added to form of a prayer to the goddess Kumari, Kali, her worship. Kapali, Bhadra Kali, Kandi, Kanda, Tarini, Katyayani, Durga etc.depicted as adorned with She embodied in her the integral character jewels and different weapons. as mother goddess and was known by various names like Katyayani, Chandika, Kali, Yudhisthir's invocation to goddess Durga Chamunda, Kausiki, Satakshi, Sakambari, gives a clear picture of her as the war goddess, Bindhyabasini, Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, Mahagouri, the killer of Mahisasura(the buffalo daemon). Mahamaya, Maha Durga. Here she is depicted as a four-faced, four-armed, and holding a noose, bow, arrow and disk in her The story of Durga's combat with the asura hands.12 Mahisa, resulting in latter's final annihilation was recorded in several texts, further popularizing this In the epics Durga is said to be worshipped mythic event by giving a variety of names to the by the Savaras, Barbers and Pulindas(the Mahadevi. The Matsya Purana, Baraha Purana, aboriginal tribes possibly belonging to the Austro- Devi Bhagavati Purana, Skanda Purana, Kalika Asiatic ethnic stock, that inhabited middle India Purana, Padma Purana etc. recorded the story in ancient times).13 by interpolating interesting anecdotes, thus further Durga was raised to the highest position in highlighting the greatness of Mahadevi. She was the Pantheon by the Puranas. The Devi Mahatmya given numerous names by different Puranas so Section of the Markandeya Purana(which is that, in course of time nomenclature of Durga pantheistic and non-sectarian Purana) conceives became associated with one hundred eight or even Mahisamardini Durga as a full-fledged warrior 9 thousand Pithas. goddess in the form of Candi and Chandika. Born The authors of the Devi Mahatmya by out of the consolidated and refulgent, emerging creating a powerful myth highlighted the might and from the gods, her countenance dazzling like supremacy of Durga. According to the description thousands of suns, she pervaded the three worlds contained in Kenopanisad, the great goddess of and seven seas forcing the gods themselves to non-Aryans manifested herself to the host of the bow down as a mark of respect to the all powerful Aryan gods providing her superiority to them.10 goddess, fully equipped, engaged the demons and 31 Orissa Review * September-October - 2007 their leaders in terrific battles, vanquished them "Ittham yada yada badha danovathabhavishyati and finally over powered the Asura Mahisa, Tada tado vatriyaham karishami cerisan khyayam" piercing his body with the trident when the demon References : cause out of the carcass of the buffalo. So 1. Francesco Prighentio, "Sakti Cult in Orissa", goddess Durga became Mahisamardhini. New Delhi, 2001,p-213. It is believed that this cult gained 2. T. A Gopinatha Rao prominence in the Indian religious scene during 3. Franesco Prighentio, "Sakti Cult in Orissa", New the Gupta period. The archaeological evidence Delhi, 2001, p-213. points to the emergence, the legend started 4. N. N Bhattacharya, "History of the Sakta influencing the priesthood, the monarchy in Religion", New Delhi, 1974, p-1. particular, and the masses general. The popularity 5. J. Marshall, ed. , "Mahenjo-daro and the Indus of the legend can be assessed from the fact that it Civilization", London, 1931, part-f, p-107. had impact felt throughout the country. We find 6. Ajner Seetvalekar, Taittiriya Aranyaka. 3rd ed., representation profusely in the Indian Plastic art. Ananda Ashrama Sanskrit Series, Poona, 1967, During Gupta Period the cult become more and p-69. more popular and there after she came to be 7. P. Kumar, "Sakti Cult in Ancient India", Varanasi, adorned as one of the principal Tantric deities 1974, p-44. and a number of Tantric rituals were added to 8. Satyendra Patnaik, "Brahmanical Religion in the mode of her worship. Ancient Orissa", New Delhi, 1984, p-138-140. 9. D. Kinsley, "Hindu Goddesses Visions of the She embodied in her the integral character Divine-Faminine in the Hindu Religious of mother goddess and was known by various Tradition", Delhi, 1986, p-101-2. names like Kalyani, Chandika, Kali, Chamunda, 10. Ajmer Satvalekar, e, "Mahabharata", Bombay, Kousiki, Satakshi, Sakambari, Mahisamardini, 1940, iv, p-17-19. Vindhyavasini, Mahalaxmi, Mahakali, and 11. "Kena Upanisad", Bombay, 1927,iii, 25. MahaDurga.14 12. Ibid, iv, p-62. Different inscriptions from 5th - 6th century 13. Francesco Prighentio, "Sakti Cult in Orissa", of the Christian era upto 13 century A.D. speak NewDelhi, 2001, p-215. the prevalence of mother worship in different 14. Inscriptions of Orissa, "Epigraphia Indica", ii, places of Orissa.15 no.23, xxviii, p-331. 15. Inscriptions of Orissa, "Epigraphia Indica", Copper plates from Kanas and Olasing in no.27, xviii, p-332. Puri district reveal the existence of a popular 16. Ibid. mother cult in Tosali during 6th-7th century A.D. It is interesting to note that in both the copper plates one of the donees is a deity Maninagesavara Bhattaraka.16 From the above study it is concluded that Durga's importance never diminished and has ever been growing, ever since she came on the Indian religious scene while she declared that she would come for protection when ever there is an uprising Anasuya Swain is a Research Scholar, Utkal University, of the Asuras. Thus - Vanivihar, Bhubaneswar, Orissa. 32.