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According to Hindu mythology, a demon named Mahisashura had threatened Gods out of heaven and established his evil dominion there and this devil was a constant threat to the existence of the universe. Mahisashura could not be defeated by any of god or man due to a boon he received after intense prayers to Brahma.Neither Indra, king of gods, nor Kumara, commander of the celestial armies could stop him. In despair the gods called on Vishnu for help. Vishnu confronted the demon Mahisashura first as Narasimha the man lion and then as Varaha, the boar, but each time he failed to subdue the demon.
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Shiva, the supreme ascetic, disturbed by the violence opened his third eye unleashing the fire of doom. Even the power of Shiva's third eye capable of destroying the three worlds could not arrest Mahisashura's march.
At that very moment a stream of lightning dazzled forth from the mouths of Brahma, in the form of the goddess Brahmi. She rode a swan and held books of wisdom in her hands.
Simultaneously, the shaktis of the other gods emerged taking female forms. From Indra, rose Indrani bearing a thunderbolt, riding an elephant, from Kumara rose Kaumari holding a lance and riding a peacock, from Vishnu rose Vaishanavi on an eagle with a discus whirling on her finger, from Varaha came the sharp tusk sow Varahi, from Shiva came Shiavani riding a bull bearing a trident.
They rose to the sky and merged with each other in a blinding light. The sounds of the conchs, drums and bells filled the air. With bated breath, the gods watched the light. From the heavenly light arose a beautiful goddess Durga ‘the inaccessible one'.
Then all the gods furnished her with their special weapons. Shiva gave his trident, Vishnu his discus and mace, Indra his thunderbolt, Kurmara his lance, Brahma his bow. Then mounting a lion, Durga prepared for battle.
A great battle commenced. Mountains shook, oceans trembled, clouds scattered across the sky, as the buffalo demon attacked Durga. He rushed towards her, sometimes as a buffalo, sometimes as a lion, sometimes as an elephant. The goddess broke the buffalo's horns with her mace, sheared the lion's mane with her lance, cut the elephant's trunk with her sword.
Weapon after weapon, when hurled at the buffalo demon, but each time he managed to rise up undefeated.
Realizing that her weapons had no effect on Mahisashura, Durga threw them aside, dismounted from her lion and with her bare hands sprang upon Mahisashura's back. With her tender feet she kicked his head. The demon, immune to the weapons of all the gods, fell senseless at the touch of Durga's feet.
Durga then raised her trident and plunged it into the buffalo demons heart conquering the unconquerable.
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