Kātyāyanī and Mahishāsura Vadha

Chapters 19 to 21 of the Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa tell how Devī Kātyāyanī came into being from the combined tejas (radiance) of all the devas. They also tell how the Vindhya mountain was humbled by Agastya, how Devī went to the Vindhya, and how she fought and slew the asura Mahishāsura and his generals.

The account begins with a separate event from Chapter 16.

The rākshasas and Sūrya

In Chapter 16 the account returns to Sukeśī and the rākshasas who followed the instructions of dharma. Their virtue gave them tejas, and they grew strong.

Bhagavān Sūrya saw the realm of the rākshasas as a danger and sent his rays to burn their city. Bhagavān Śiva was troubled that Sūrya was destroying beings who had followed dharma. He burned Sūrya with his own power. Sūrya then sought refuge, and Bhagavān Śiva restored him and set rules of right conduct. The tīrtha (holy place) of Lolārka was founded at this spot in Vārāṇasī, in honour of Sūrya’s restoration.

Kātyāyanī is born from the tejas of the devas

In Chapter 19, the power of the asura Mahishāsura had grown until it pressed on all three worlds. The devas gathered, and each gave his tejas into one blazing form. From this joined power rose Devī Kātyāyanī. Her radiance was beyond that of Bhagavān Brahmā, Bhagavān Vishṇu and Bhagavān Śiva taken one by one.

Each deva then gave her his own weapon. Bhagavān Śiva gave his triśūla (trident), Bhagavān Vishṇu his cakra (discus), Indra his vajra (thunderbolt), Agni his śakti (spear), Vāyu his bow and Varuṇa his pāśa (noose), and the other devas gave theirs. She was fully armed for the great battle.

Agastya humbles the Vindhya

Before the battle, Chapter 19 tells how the Vindhya mountain grew proud. It was growing so tall that it threatened to block the path of the sun.

The ṛshi Agastya came to the Vindhya. Out of respect for the great ṛshi, the Vindhya bent low so that he could pass. Agastya asked the mountain to stay bent until he came back. Then he went south and never returned. The Vindhya has stayed bent to this day, and so the path of the sun was kept open.

Devī Kātyāyanī then settled on the Vindhyagiri and became known as Vindhyavāsinī.

The origin of Mahishāsura

Chapter 20 tells how Mahishāsura was born. The dānava Rambha became enamoured of a she-buffalo (mahishī). From their union Mahisha was born, half human and half buffalo in form, and very strong.

Mahishāsura won the three worlds and drove the devas out of svarga (heaven). He took Indra’s throne and the elephant Airāvata, Varuṇa’s umbrella, and the treasures of Kubera. The prayer of the devas to Devī was the direct cause of Kātyāyanī’s appearance.

The same chapter names Raktabīja as a minister of Mahishāsura. He was an asura with a special power: every drop of his blood that fell on the earth made another Raktabīja. He appears again in the later account of Śuṃbha and Niśuṃbha.

Mahishāsura sends Dundubhi

Mahisha sent his messenger (dūta) Dundubhi to Kātyāyanī at the Vindhya mountains. The message was that she must either submit to Mahisha or fight him. Kātyāyanī answered plainly that she would fight. Devī was not one to be approached with an offer to submit.

The battle and the slaying

In Chapter 21 the battle began between Kātyāyanī and the great army of Mahishāsura. Her lion leapt upon the asura forces with terrible effect. She slew the generals of Mahishāsura one by one: Cikshura, Cāmara, Udagra, Karāla, Uddhata, Bāshkala and others, in long fighting.

When the great generals were dead, Mahishāsura himself came onto the field. Devī struck him down with the weapons that all the devas had given her. The three worlds were freed.

Sources

• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 16 (Sukeśī, the rākshasas, Sūrya and Lolārka)
• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 19 (the birth of Kātyāyanī, the weapons, Agastya and the Vindhya)
• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 20 (the origin of Mahishāsura, Raktabīja, Dundubhi)
• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 21 (the battle and the slaying)