Madhu-Kaitabha Vadh Katha
In the first chapter of Durga Saptashati, Maharishi Medha narrates to King Suratha the story of the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha, explaining the power of Yogamaya.
Katha
Maharishi Markandeya said – Listen as I narrate in detail the story of the birth of Savarni, the son of Surya, and how, through the grace of Mahamaya, he became the lord of a Manvantara. In earlier times there was a kingdom ruled by King Suratha. He treated his subjects like his own children, yet the Kolavidhvamsi kings became his enemies. King Suratha, who punished the wicked, fought against them. Although the Kolavidhvamsis were fewer in number, King Suratha was defeated in battle. He returned to his capital, retaining only the kingdom of his own land, and continued to rule there. But his enemies attacked him again.
Seeing the king weakened, his corrupt ministers took control of his army and treasury. Having lost his authority over the kingdom, King Suratha mounted his horse under the pretext of going hunting and left for a dense and dangerous forest. There he came upon the Ashram of Maharishi Medha. Maharishi Medha was seated there, surrounded by his disciples and other sages, while even many wild animals lived peacefully in that place. King Suratha bowed before Maharishi Medha, who received him with due honour. The king stayed in the Ashram for some time.
Drawn by attachment to his city, the king began thinking within himself: “The city that my ancestors protected for generations has now slipped from my hands. I do not know whether my wicked and corrupt ministers are now governing it according to Dharma or not. What suffering must my chief elephant, always powerful and heroic, now be enduring under the control of my enemies? My loyal servants, who lived happily through my favour, wealth and food and always followed me, must now surely be serving those wicked rulers. And because my corrupt ministers may be wasting the wealth I accumulated, my treasury will certainly become empty one day.” Thinking constantly in this way, the king remained deeply sorrowful.
One day, near Maharishi Medha’s Ashram, King Suratha saw a Vaishya. The king asked him, “Brother, who are you? Why have you come here? Why do you appear so sorrowful and absent-minded?” Hearing the king’s gentle words, the Vaishya bowed before Maharaj Suratha and said, “O King, my name is Samadhi. I was born into a wealthy Vaishya family. Driven by greed, my wicked wife, sons and relatives took away all my wealth and expelled me from my home. Grieved in this way, I came to this forest. Living here, I do not even know whether everyone at home is safe and well.”
“Here I receive no news about the conduct or condition of my family. I do not know whether my sons are living righteously or have fallen into misconduct.” The king said, “Those very wife and sons, greedy for your wealth, threw you out of your own home. Why then does your mind still remain attached to them?” The Vaishya replied, “What you say about me is true, O King, but my heart is not so hard. Although they abandoned their affection for me, became greedy for wealth and drove me from my home, I still cannot become harsh towards them.”
“O wise one, even knowing all this, I do not understand why my mind remains attached to them. My heart suffers for them. I sigh deeply thinking of them. They have no affection for me, yet my heart does not become hard towards those who have no love for me.” Maharishi Markandeya said, “O Brahmin, after this, King Suratha and the Vaishya both went to Maharishi Medha. After respectfully speaking with him, they began their conversation.” The king said, “O Bhagwan, I wish to ask you something. Please explain it to me. My mind is not under my control, and because of this I suffer greatly. I still worry about my kingdom and wealth. My attachment continues to grow like that of an ignorant person. This Vaishya named Samadhi has also come here after being humiliated and rejected by his own family, yet he continues to love them deeply. In this way, both of us remain sorrowful.”
“O Mahabhaga, even after seeing their faults, attachment born of affection still arises in our minds. Why does this happen even though we possess knowledge? Why do we behave with such foolishness like ignorant people?” Maharishi Medha said, “Knowledge of the objects of the senses exists among all living beings, though their abilities differ. Some creatures cannot see during the day, some cannot see at night, while some can see during both day and night. It is true that human beings possess knowledge, but humans alone are not knowledgeable. Animals, birds and other creatures also possess awareness. The knowledge found in humans is also present, in different forms, among animals and birds, and many tendencies are shared by both.”
“Even though birds possess awareness, see how lovingly they place grains of food into the beaks of their hungry young. O King, the same affection is found in human beings towards their children. People desire sons and become attached to them, often hoping for support and repayment of their care. In this way, they fall into the pit of attachment. This entire world is deluded by the Maya of Lord Shri Hari. There is nothing surprising in this, for She is the Yoga Nidra of Lord Vishnu. It is through this Maya that the world is bound in delusion. This very Mahamaya, Bhagavati Devi, powerfully draws even the minds of the wise into attachment. Through Her, the entire universe comes into being.”
“When pleased, the same Bhagavati Devi grants liberation to human beings. She is both the cause of worldly bondage and the supreme sovereign power.” Maharaj Suratha asked, “O Bhagwan, who is this Devi whom you call Mahamaya? O Brahman, how did She arise and what is Her function? What are Her divine deeds? O Lord, kindly tell me everything about Her power and form. I wish to hear it from you.” Maharishi Medha replied, “O King, the Devi is eternal in nature. This entire universe is created through Her. Yet She appears in many different forms. Listen as I explain. Whenever She manifests for the fulfilment of the work of the Devas, She is described as having appeared or taken birth.”
When the entire universe was covered in water and Lord Vishnu lay asleep upon Shesh Shaiya under the influence of Yoga Nidra, two Asuras named Madhu and Kaitabha arose from the impurity of His ears. They prepared to kill Shri Brahma. When Brahma saw the two Asuras approaching him and also saw that Lord Vishnu was asleep under Yoga Nidra, he began praising the Yoga Nidra residing in the eyes of Bhagwan so that Lord Vishnu might awaken. Shri Brahma said, “O Devi, You alone are Swaha, You alone are Swadha, and You alone are Vashatkara. The sacred tones themselves are Your form, and You are the nectar that gives life.”
“Within the eternal syllable Pranava, in A, U and M, You are present as the three Matras. Beyond these, You are also the subtle Ardha-Matra, represented by the Bindu, which cannot be fully expressed in ordinary speech. O Devi, You are Sandhya, Savitri and the Supreme Mother. You uphold this universe, You have created it, and You alone sustain it. At the end of a Kalpa, You are the one who withdraws everything into Yourself. O Devi, at the time of creation You become the power of creation, during preservation You become the sustaining power, and at the end of the Kalpa You assume the form of dissolution. You are Mahavidya, Mahamaya, Mahamedha, Maharatri and Moharatri. You are Ishwari and the intelligence that gives knowledge. You are modesty, nourishment, contentment, peace and forgiveness.”
“You wield the sword and the trident. You are fierce in form and hold the mace, discus, conch and bow. The arrow, Bhushundi and Parigha are also Your weapons. You are gentle and gentler still. Indeed, among all that is graceful and beautiful in this world, You are more beautiful than all. You are beyond both the manifest and the unmanifest. O Devi, who are the very form of everything, whatever exists as Sat and Asat, and whatever power is present within it, is You alone. In such a state, who could truly praise You? When even Bhagwan, who creates, sustains and dissolves this universe, has been brought under the influence of Your sleep, who could possibly describe Your greatness? You are the one who enables me, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shankar to assume our respective forms. Who then has the power to praise You fully?”
“O Devi, You are worthy of praise because of these immense powers of Yours. Please cast the terrible Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha into delusion. Quickly awaken Shri Hari, Lord Vishnu, and inspire Him with the resolve to destroy them.” Maharishi Medha said, “O King, when Shri Brahma praised the Devi in this way and requested Her to awaken Bhagwan and bring about the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, She emerged from the eyes, mouth, nostrils, arms, heart and chest of Lord Vishnu and stood before Brahma. The moment She withdrew, Shri Hari immediately awakened. He saw the two extremely powerful and heroic Asuras, whose eyes were red with rage and who were ready to kill Brahma. Enraged, Lord Shri Hari began fighting those two wicked Asuras. Their battle continued for five thousand years.”
The two Asuras were already extremely powerful and heroic, and Mahamaya had also cast them into delusion. Intoxicated by pride, they said to Bhagwan, “We are greatly pleased with Your courage. Ask us for a boon.” Bhagwan replied, “If you are truly pleased with Me, then let yourselves be slain by My hands. That is the only boon I ask from you. I have no need for any other boon.” Maharishi Medha said, “Thus deluded, when they looked around and saw water everywhere, they said to Lord Shri Hari, ‘Kill us only in a place where there is no water, on dry ground.’”
Maharishi Medha continued, “Saying ‘So be it,’ Lord Shri Hari placed both of them upon His thighs, which were above the surrounding waters, and cut off their heads. In this way, the Devi had manifested in response to the praise of Shri Brahma. Now listen further as I describe Her divine power.”