Mahashasura Mardini - The Life Force in Every Woman

When the evil is defeated by the goodness..

The 'Rakshashas' ran and hid in the depths of the 'Pathala' and tried in vain to hide in the darkest of the corners - thinking they would never be found...

But, the 'Adi Shakti' hunted them down and leveled the bad with the good...history, mythology wherever one wants to search...there is always justice that was done in the end.

Time has been witness and will continue to wait and watch as this continues even in the 'Kaliyuga' - where the new world 'Rakshashas' will be punished for their wrong doings - by the very same 'Adi Shakti' and 'Maha Shakti'in one form or the other. Who knows?

There is also enough evidence in our mythology or history that a woman is capable of making or completely destroying everything that has done her wrong...like they say every woman is an incarnation of the very same 'Adi Shakti'

Listen to this beautiful chanting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiq6MddfBM4&NR=1

The same is depicted in a dance form:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQHryzwcndw&feature=related

The word Shakti, meaning sacred feminine force, and Durga reflects the warrior aspect of the goddess, embodying a traditional male role. She is also strikingly beautiful, and initially Mahishasura tries to marry her! Other incarnations include Annapurna and Karunamayi (karuna = kindness).

The Great Goddess Durga is said to be exquisitely beautiful. Her form is blindingly bright (devi), with three lotus-like eyes, ten powerful hands, lush hair with beautiful curls, a red-golden glow from her skin and a quarter moon on her forehead. She wears a shiny oceanic blue attire emitting fierce rays. Her ornaments were carved beautifully of gold, with ocean pearls and precious stones embedded in it. Each god also gave her their own most powerful weapons, Rudra's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's thunderbolt, Brahma's kamandalu, Kuber's gada, etc. Himalayas gifted her a fierce whitish golden lion.

According to the narrative from the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana, the form of Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight a demon. The demon's father Rambha, king of the demons, once fell in love with a water buffalo, and Mahish Asur (the demon Mahish) was born out of this union. He is therefore able to change between human and buffalo form at will (mahish means "buffalo"). Through intense prayers to Brahma, Mahishasur had the boon that he could not be defeated by any man or god. He unleashed a reign of terror on earth, heaven and the nether worlds.

Eventually, since only a woman could kill him, the Holy Male Trinity went down to the river Ganges and prayed the mantra, "Om Namo Devaye", imploring of the great goddess Devi to save their realm from ruin. They were blessed with her compassion when the goddess Durga was born out of the river.