The Slaying of Mahishasura and His Commanders
Maharishi Medha said – When Chikshura, the commander of Mahishasura’s army, saw the Asura forces being destroyed, he was filled with rage and rushed forward to battle the Goddess. He began showering arrows upon Her as though Mount Sumeru itself were pouring down torrents of rain. The Goddess calmly cut down his arrows with Her own. She then killed his horses and charioteer, shattered his bow, and brought down his tall battle standard. Once his bow was destroyed, She struck his body with a stream of arrows.
With his bow, horses and charioteer gone, Chikshura charged at the Goddess with a sword and shield. He struck the head of Her lion with his sharp sword and then swung fiercely at Her left arm. But the moment the blade touched Her arm, it broke into two. Enraged, the Asura seized a Shula and hurled it at Devi Bhadrakali. The weapon blazed through the sky like a falling sun. Seeing it approach, the Goddess released Her own Shula, which shattered his weapon into a hundred pieces and ended his life. After Chikshura was slain, the Asura Chamara, who had long tormented the Devas, came riding on an elephant to fight the Goddess. As soon as he arrived, he attacked Her with a Shakti weapon, but the Goddess destroyed it with the force of Her mighty Hunkar and cast it to the ground.
Seeing his weapon broken, Chamara became even more furious and hurled a Shula, but the Goddess cut that down as well. At that moment, Her lion leapt onto the elephant’s head and attacked the Asura. A fierce struggle followed, and both fell from the elephant to the ground. The lion then sprang high into the air and, as it came down, struck Chamara with its paw and tore his head from his body. The Goddess, still blazing with anger, slew Udagra with blows from rocks and trees, while Karala was crushed by the force of Her fists, palms and teeth.
The Goddess struck down Uddhata with Her Gada, killed Vashkala with a Bhindipala, and brought down Tamra and Andhaka with arrows. The three-eyed Parameshwari slew Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu with Her Trishul. With Her sword, She cut off the head of Vidal, and with Her arrows She sent Durdhara and Durmukha to Yamaloka. When Mahishasura saw that his entire army had been destroyed, he took the form of a buffalo and turned his fury upon the Ganas of the Goddess.
He struck some with his muzzle, trampled others with his hooves, lashed out with his tail and gored many with his horns. Some were thrown aside by the force of his charge, others by his terrifying roar, and still others by the violent gusts of his breath. After scattering the Ganas in this way, he rushed towards the Goddess’s lion, determined to kill it. This enraged the Goddess. Mahishasura too was consumed by fury. He tore up the Earth with his hooves, uprooted mountains with his horns and hurled them across the battlefield while roaring with terrifying force.
The Earth shook under the force of his movements and began to crack. The sweep of his tail disturbed the oceans, his horns tore through the clouds, and the mountains flung into the sky were shattered by the force of his breath. Seeing the Asura raging in this way, Chandika was filled with anger and resolved to bring an end to him.
The Goddess cast Her Pasha and bound him. The moment he was restrained, Mahishasura abandoned his buffalo form and transformed into a lion. As the Goddess moved to cut off his head, he suddenly took the form of a man carrying a sword and shield. She immediately struck him with Her arrows. He then changed into an elephant and began dragging Her lion with his long trunk while roaring loudly. The Goddess cut off his trunk with Her sword. At once, he returned to his buffalo form and once again began throwing all three worlds into chaos.
The enraged Goddess then drank divine Madhu, Her eyes turning red as She laughed. Mahishasura, intoxicated by his strength, power and pride, continued to roar and hurl mountains at Her with his horns. The Goddess shattered the mountains with Her arrows and said, “O fool, roar while I drink this Madhu. When you are slain by My hands, it will be the Devas who roar in victory.”
Maharishi Medha continued – Saying this, the Goddess leapt upon Mahishasura, pinned him beneath Her foot and struck his neck with Her Shula. Even while trapped beneath Her, the Asura began to emerge from the mouth of his buffalo form in another shape. He had only come halfway out when the Goddess stopped him with Her divine power. As he continued to struggle in that half-emerged form, She raised Her sword and cut off his head.
At once, the remaining Rakshasa army fled the battlefield in terror. The Devas were filled with joy and, together with the Rishis and Maharishis, began praising the Goddess. The Gandharvas sang celestial songs, and the Apsaras danced in celebration.