Durgā and Durgāsura
Durgāsura was a daitya, the son of the daitya Ruru. He conquered the three worlds and drove the devas from their homes. At Bhagavān Śiva’s word, Bhavānī, his own Śakti, set out to destroy him. She first sent her fierce form Kālarātri. Then she fought a great battle and killed Durgāsura with one arrow through the heart. Because she slew Durgāsura, she became known as Durgā. The Kāśī Khaṇḍa tells this in Chapters 71 and 72 of the Uttarārdha, and tells how Durgā took her place in Kāśī.
The rise of Durgāsura
Durgāsura was the son of the great daitya Ruru. He was strong with fierce tapas (austerity) and with the power of his line, and he made war on all three worlds. The devas, including Indra, the Ādityas, the Vasus and the Maruts, were driven out of their own realms. The realms of the devas filled with daityas, and all the yajñas (fire rituals) and acts of pūjā (worship) that held up the order of the world stopped. In their helplessness the devas went to Parameśvara at Kailāsa and told him of their trouble. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 71)
Bhavānī is given the task
Bhagavān Śiva, the ruler of the three worlds, knew that Durgāsura could be ended only by Bhavānī, his own Śakti. He told Bhavānī to take a form fit for battle and destroy the daitya. Bhavānī knew how grave the task was. She decided first to send a messenger. She called up her most fearful form, Kālarātri, the night of dissolution, and sent her to Durgāsura’s court with a message. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 71)
Kālarātri kills thirty thousand daityas
Kālarātri came to Durgāsura’s court in her terrible form. Durgāsura was blind with lust and pride, and he tried to seize her and carry her off. Kālarātri was enraged. She took up no weapon. She breathed out once with the bīja (seed-syllable) HŪṂ, a single breath charged with the whole power of the Śakti. Thirty thousand daityas close by were killed on the spot, and the rest ran away in fear. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 71)
The great battle
Durgāsura now gathered his whole army and fought the devī. In the battle, Bhavānī showed her power over her own form. In one stage she rode an elephant. Then she rode a great buffalo. Then she grew into a glorious form with a thousand arms, with a weapon in each hand. The daitya army was overwhelmed, in spite of its great numbers. At the decisive moment Bhavānī took careful aim and pierced Durgāsura through the heart with one arrow. The daitya fell. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 72)
The name Durgā
With Durgāsura slain, the devas were put back in their realms. They gathered in joy before the devī and made a kavaca (a hymn of protection) of twenty-nine verses in her honour. Each verse praised one of her names, deeds or divine qualities. The main statement of the hymn was this: she who slew Durgāsura is from now on called Durgā. This name comes from the daitya she destroyed, and it became the best known of her names. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 72)
Durgā as guardian of Kāśī
After the battle, Durgā was set up in Kāśī on the southern edge of the holy kshetra (sacred ground). In that place she is the protector of the city on the south, one of the guardians of its boundary.
Skanda told how she is to be honoured in Kāśī:
- She is to be honoured with pūjā on the eighth and fourteenth lunar days, and above all on Tuesdays. She is also honoured every day in the autumn Navarātra.
- A bath in Durgākuṇḍa, followed by devout pūjā, destroys the pāpa (sin) of nine births.
- The yearly Navarātra tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) to Durgā at Kāśī is to be made with the members of one’s family. Missing this yearly festival brings thousands of obstacles at every step.
Under Durgā’s command, these groups of guardians protect Kāśī:
- Nine Śaktis of the directions: Śatānetra, Sahasrāsya, Ayutabhuja, Aśvāruḍhā, Gajāsya, Tvaritā, Śavāvahinī, Viśvā and Saubhāgya-Gaurī, placed in the eight directions and the centre.
- Eight Bhairavas: Ruru, Caṇḍa, Asitāṅga, Kapālī, Krodhana, Unmatta-Bhairava, Saṃhāra and Bhīshaṇa, guarding the eight directions.
- Sixty-four Vetālas of terrible form, who love the blood of the wicked and terrify all evildoers, led by Vidyujjihva.
- A hundred crore Bhūtas of many fearful forms, who guard the city with weapons raised.
(Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 72)
Sources
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 71 (Durgāsura’s rise; Bhavānī’s task; Kālarātri)
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, Chapter 72 (the battle; the name Durgā; Durgā in Kāśī)