The most popular myth associated with the Goddess Durga is that of her slaying Mahishasura. One recurring motif in the Hindu storytelling tradition is that ‘the bad guys’ and villains have been granted blessings and boons from the gods. Mahishasura is no different. He was a half-buffalo demon who did penance and performed austerities in order to please Brahma, the Creator God.
After several years, Brahma, the Creator God, who was pleased with Mahishasura’s devotion, appeared before him. When the demon opened his eyes, he asked Brahma to grant him immortality.
Since Mahishasura had asked for the impossible, Brahma reminded him that all must die one day. In the end, after some negotiating, Mahishasura asked that only a woman be able to kill him.
Brahma granted the boon and disappeared.
After Brahma’s departure, Mahishasura began to torture innocent people. Due to the boon that Brahma had granted to him, Mahishasura no longer had any fear. Since he believed women to be powerless and weak, he never feared his own demise.
To combat this evil, Adi Shakti was born in the form of Durga. She was a warrior goddess gifted with much power. Himavan, who was the personification of the Himalayas, gifted Durga with a mountain lion as her vehicle.
The Goddess Durga appeared before Mahishasura. The demon took on many different forms and attacked the goddess. Each time he tried, Durga would destroy all his various forms and emanations. In the end, Durga slayed Mahishasura with her trident as he transformed into a buffalo demon.
The Goddess Durga personifies power. She is the eighteen-armed Goddess that is feared and revered by all due to her extraordinary power. It is said that she wears a garland of lemons. She is considered by some to be a sister of Vishnu.
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