Durga

Durga: Slayer of buffalo demon Mahisha
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 * Title: ** //Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini)// Location: India, Rajasthan, Bund[[image:http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/sub/goddess/IMAGES/DURGA/symbol_full.jpg width="328" height="333" align="right" link="http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/sub/goddess/durga.html"]] Date: c. 1725-1750 Pigment and gold on paper 20.5 x 21.6 cm Museum Reitburg, Zurich. Alice Boner Collection RVI1075

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This is a miniature painting that comes from a rajput miniature painting series, and was created in Rajasthan, India which is one of the largest states in India.  Durga, Sanskrit meaning "invincible, and she was born from energies of all the male divinities, after they failed to defeat the //asuras//, or demons.She was adorned with 3 eyes, and is referred as a //"Triyambake"// meaning the three eyed Goddess. =====

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In this devotional picture from the Devi Mahatmya series, a Hindu text or Purana, that describes the battle and victory of the Goddeess Durga, and her slaying of the buffalo demon, Mahisha. It was written along with the Markendeya Purana in 400-500 CE. Durga is depicted as a beautiful brave warrior riding on her white feline, as she fights the demons with her weapons in each of her four arms. In each arm she is holding one a weapon that was given to her by the gods. In her far right hand she is holding a sword, below that arm she holds a trident, next to that she holds a club, and arm on the far left holds a ring. She is wearing jewelry, and a crown with a horn-shaped object sticking out the back of it. It appears she is in a gloomy undefined world, which could possible represent night time or evening with the morning rising in the upper right hand corner. With all four of her weapons, she is defeating four demons who are all wearing red skirts including Mahisha who in this drawing is the white demon.The demon on the right has lost his head by Durga's sword. He is pink, with freckle-like dots and hold weapon in his right hand. Above him is a man or a little boy who appears to be in the mix of the battle as well, but there is not distinction as to who he is fighting for or against. Below the first demon is a blue demon with goat and cat-like features. Durga's mount is biting the blue demon on the neck and he appears to be in pain. Below Durga's mount is a green demon with horns and sharp teeth, who is trying to stab Durga with his sword, but at the same time that Durga is stabbing him in the chest with her trident. Behind Durga there is a black boar-like demon who is also holding a sword. Above him is Mahisha, the buffalo demon. He is white and has the head of a buffalo. He attempts to stab Durga with his sword, but appears to already be beheaded by her. At the bottom of the composition there is grass, small and large pink rocks and a small pond with birds swimming in it. Above Durga's head is a fan-like object that is floating in mid air, and there is a flowy shape behind Durga's head.=====

Formal and Contextual Analysis:
The painting depicts that Hindu goddess, Durga, as presented here is a warrior goddess of death, but she has approximately 64 other incarnations that she can form into, and they are Ambika, (meaning Mother)Bhadrakali, Bhima, Chamunda, Chanda, Chandi, Chandika (meaning The Burning or Fierce), Devi, Guari, Gaya (meaning The Conquering), Jaganmatri, Kali, Karala (meaning The Formidable), Karali, Kausiki, (meaning Like and Owl), Mahalaxmi, Parvati, Pathalavati (meaming Pale Red), Sarika (meaning Bird), Sati, Shakti, Simharatha (meaning having a car drawn by lions), Skanda, Uma (meaning Light), Vetanda (meaning Like an Elephant), Vetala (meaning Ghoul), Vikathikarla (meaning Fearful)(Williams, 2003, p.122) Each eye has symbolic meanings the right eye represents action (the sun), the left (the moon) and the central eye, knowledge (fire). In her pictorial description she bears a crescent moon on her forehead, and multiple arms that held lucky weapons, emblems, jewels and ornaments, garments, utensils, garland, and rosaries of beads, all offered by the gods. She is the mother of universe and is believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation and the destruction of the world. She also has nine names which are, Skondamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brachmacharini, Maha Guari, Katayayani, Chandraghanta, and Siddhidatri.(Rajhans, 2008, p. 1). In other artworks she is depicted as having eight or ten hands, and they are symbolic to the 8 quadrants or 10 directions in Hinduism meaning that she protects those who are devoted to her from all directions. Durga's //vahana// or vehicle is the lion, and symbolizes power, will and determination, and how she has mastered these qualities. However in this particular painting she rides a white tiger. Those who worship her and embodies these qualities and can overcome the demon of ego.

The Old Hindu Folktale
The imagery in this painting is based the original folktale which is described in the Markendeya, and the Devi-Mahathmya Puranas, however the are several versions to this story, that implement different ideas as to what happened. The original story begins where Durga, the buffalo demon slayer begins with her riding into the entrance of heaven, after they gods were removed from there by the //asuras//. She proceeds to tell them that she will become the wife of the first one who could defeat her in combat. Mahisha, the leader of the anti-gods fell in love with her, and was determined to have her to himself. The battle begins with Mahisha sending his seconds, following that his army and then finally himself. It was right then that he decided to turn into the buffalo demon. He didn't stay in this form very long because Durga took her discus and cut off his head. Generally speaking this is the most common story, however, there are many interpretations to this story and they come in many forms of art, sculpture, and paintings. Three of them come from the interpretations of this Hindu folktale, written between the 5th and the 7th centuries in the Markankeya Purana, the Skanda Purana, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana. (Menzies, 2006)

From the Markankeya Purana:
This story begins,when the //devas// (gods) and the //asuras// (anti-gods) were in the midst of war, their leader Mahisha the leader of the anti-god. When the gods were defeated by the //asuras// and were infuriated by this fact and they became were so angry that their energies or (shaktis in Sanskrit) formed the goddess Durga ("Hard to Get"). The gods then gave her all of their weapons, as gifts and they gave her necklaces and earrings anda garland of lotuses. They also gave her a lion for her mount and the king of snakes gave her a necklace of snakes that had large gems that cobras have on their foreheads. Mahisha saw her, and he said " Now who is this" and the battle between the gods and the anti-gods, began. They fought, and Durga lassoed him and tied him up. Next, she cut the head off of the buffalo and a man appeared from his neck with a sword in his hand and as the man came halfway out of the buffalo's head open neck, she cut off his head with her sword.  (Menzies, 2006)

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The story begins when leader of the //asuras// (anti-gods), Mahisha, heard of her beauty and went to see her. Once he saw her in person, he was automatically smitten with her bountiful beauty, and proceeded to boast his bravery, and his great qualities to her as the leader of the //asuras// (anti-gods). He proceeded to ask her to marry him, and she responded by calling him a woman, and saying how she did not believe in this powers, and introducing a challenge to him. The infuriated god went after her to kill her for her what she had said about him. The //devas// (gods) then gathered all of their weapons and gave them to Durga to defeat the evil anti-god, Mahisha. When Durga arrived and displayed how powerful she was to him, he ran away afraid. It was then that she decided that she would have to trick him in order to defeat him, which she does and then she kills him.(Menzies, 2006)=====

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This story begins when the //asura// (anti-god), Mahisha and the //deva// (god) Brahma were speaking with one another. Mahisha then asks Brahma to promise him that if he had to die, it would be in the wrath of a woman, because they are meek, and not fit for war. He makes this choice because he thought the gods would never let a woman defeat him, for they would never know what to do in battle. Knowing this they created a woman and sent her to kill him. This woman they created was named Durga, and by her being created they were able to defeat Mahisha without breaking their contract with him. She then went to him, and enticed him, and he followed to propose to her. She replied to his proposal by saying that she wanted to kill him instead of marrying him, and then divulging the reason for her being create, to kill him. During battle Durga did not appear to be a man, but had the nature of a man, who was assuming the form of a woman, because he asked to be killed by a woman. She tells Mahisha's messenger "Your master is a great fool, and certainly no hero, to want to be killed by a woman. For to be killed by one's mistress gives sexual pleasure to an impotent man, but misery to a hero." When Mahisha heard this speech, he took it a display of her love for him, and denied what his messenger said, that is was an anti-erotic speech. He proceeded to get dressed in his best clothing and went to her boasting about his greatest qualities, and why he was the perfect match for her. She then laughed and then beheaded him.=====

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The Goddess Durga was adorned with many gifts when she was born, which were given to her as gifts from the male divinities. She carries a conch shell, symbolic to the Pranava or the mystic word "Om" and represents her holding onto God, in the form of sound. A bow and arrow, which represent energy, she carries them both in one hand to evoke the idea that she is in control of the two kinds of energy, potential and kinetic. The thunderbolt is a sign of firmness, and those devoted to her must be firm in their own convictions, and because the thunderbolt can break anything when it strikes without causing harm to itself, the devotee must attack a challenge in the same manner and not lose confidence. The lotus that she carries is not fully bloomed, symbolizing that being successful is certain but not final. In Sanskrit, lotus is "pankaja" meaning born of mud, and therefore symbolizing a continuous spiritual evolution to those devoted to her who live in the muddy world of lust and greed. (Rajans, 2008, p.2) The sword that she holds symbolized knowledge, which is free from all doubts reflected in the shine of the sword. She also holds a trident, or a trishul, and is a symbol of 3 qualities: Satwa (inactivity), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (non-activity) and Durga is the remover of these miseries in the physical, mental and spiritual sense. The last of your weapons is the "Sudarshan-Chakra" or beautiful discus which spins on her index finger without her touching it. It signifies that the world is controlled by her command. The use of this weapon is to destroy evil and produce an environment that will create righteousness.(Rajans, 2008)=====

 Title:The Goddess Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon, Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini) Location:Bangladesh or India Date:Pala period (ca. 750–1200), 12th century



Title: //Durga Battles the buffalo demon, Mahisha// Location: The Mahishamardini Cave Temple, Māmallapuram, India Date: 670-700 CE

**Text References:**
Coulter, Charles Russell. __Encyclopedia of ancient deities__. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland, 2000. "Devi Mahatmyam -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 12 June 2009 .Freeman, Michael. "Durga Battles the Demon Mahisha - Picture - MSN Encarta." __MSN Encarta : Online Encyclopedia, Dictionary, Atlas, and Homework__. 27 May 2009 ."Geography of Rajasthan, Geography- Rajasthan." __India Map, Map of India__. 12 June 2009 ."The Goddess Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon, Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini)." __Metromuseum.org__. 27 May 2009 .Http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/durga/. "Durga - Narrative Art of an 'Independent' Warrior Goddess." __Indian Art: Exotic India__. 12 June 2009 .M., Williams, George. __Handbook of Hindu mythology__. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2003.Williams, 2003, p.28Menzies, Jackie. __Goddess__. Mason: Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2007.Michell, George. __Hindu Art and Architecture (World of Art)__. London: Thames & Hudson, 2000.Rajhans, Gyan. "Goddess Durga: The Mother Goddess & Her Symbolism." __About Hinduism - What You Need to Know About Hinduism__. 8 June 2009 ."Rajput Paintings, Rajasthan Paintings, Indian Paintings, Rajput Miniature Paintings." __Crafts In India - Handicrafts__. 12 June 2009 .