Ajay Kumar at 18:01, 18 September 2023

2023-09-18T18:01:15Z

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{{More citations needed|date=June 2022}}{{Short description|Buffalo-demon in Hinduism}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
'''Mahishasura''' is a bovine [[asura]] in [[Hinduism]]. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting.<ref>{{cite book|first=Theresa|last=Bane|title=Encyclopedia of Demons in World Religions and Cultures |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=njDRfG6YVb8C&pg=PA214|year=2012|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-8894-0|page=214}}</ref><ref name=amazzone96/><ref name="Kinsley1988p96">{{cite book|first=David|last=Kinsley| title=Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition|url= https://archive.org/details/hindugoddessesvi0000kins |url-access=registration|year=1988|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-90883-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/hindugoddessesvi0000kins/page/96 96]–103}}</ref> Mahishasura was the son of [[Rambha (asura)|Mahisi]] (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of [[Brahmarshi]] [[Kashyapa]]. He was ultimately killed by goddess [[Durga]] with her [[trishula]] (trident) after which she gained the epithet [[Mahishasuramardini]] ("Slayer of Mahishasura").

The [[Navaratri]] ("Nine Nights") festival eulogises this battle between Mahishasura and Durga, culminating in [[Vijaya Dasami]], a celebration of his ultimate defeat. This story of the "triumph of good over evil" carries profound symbolism in [[Hinduism]], particularly [[Shaktism]], and is both narrated as well as reenacted from the [[Devi Mahatmya]] at many South and Southeast Asian Hindu temples.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Constance|last1=Jones|first2=James|last2=Ryan|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hZET2sSUVsgC|year=2014|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0816054589|page=399}}</ref>{{Sfn|Rocher|1986|pp=191-192}}{{Sfn|June McDaniel|2004|pp=215-216, 219-220}}

==Legend ==

Mahishasura is a Sanskrit word composed of ''Mahisha'' meaning "buffalo" and ''asura'' meaning "demon", translating to "Buffalo Demon". As an asura, Mahishasura waged war against the devas, as the devas and asuras were perpetually in conflict. Mahishasura had gained the boon that no man could kill him. In the battles between the devas and the demons (asuras), the devas, led by [[Indra]], were defeated by Mahishasura. Subjected to defeat, the devas assembled in the mountains where their combined divine energies coalesced into goddess [[Durga]]. The newborn Durga led a battle against Mahishasura, riding a lion, and killed him. Thereafter, she was named Mahishasuramardini, meaning ''The Killer of Mahishasura''.<ref name="Kinsley1988p96"/><ref name="Lochtefeld2002p410">{{cite book|first=James G.|last=Lochtefeld|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch|url-access=registration|year=2002|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8239-3179-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/n367 410]}}</ref> According to the [[Lakshmi Tantra]], it is the goddess Lakshmi who slays Mahishasura instantaneously, and extolling her feat is described to offer everlasting supremacy.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/LakshmiTantraAPancharatraTextSanjuktaGupta |title=Lakshmi Tantra A Pancharatra Text Sanjukta Gupta |pages=50}}</ref>
[[File:Durga slaying buffalo composite, 2nd-century to 13th-century Devi Mahatmya.png|thumb|250px|Artwork depicting the goddess Durga slaying the buffalo demon Mahishasura is found all over India, Nepal and southeast Asia. Clockwise from top: 9th-century [[Kashmir]], 13th-century [[Karnataka]], 9th century [[Prambanan]] Indonesia, 2nd-century [[Uttar Pradesh]].]]
Mahishasura's legend is told in the major texts of the [[Shaktism]] traditions known as the [[Devi Mahatmya]], which is part of Markandeya Purana. The story of Mahishasura is told in the chapter where Markandeya is narrating the story of the birth of Savarnika Manu. Per the [[Markandeya Purana]], the story of Mahishasura was narrated in the second [[Manvantara]] (approximately 1.3 billion years ago, as per the Vishnu Purana) by Maharishi Medha to a king named Soorut, as an incident which occurred in times ancient for even the 2nd Manvantara. Mahishasura is described as an evil being who can change his outer form, but never his demonic goals.<ref name="Lochtefeld2002p410"/> According to Christopher Fuller, Mahishasura represents the forces of ignorance and chaos hidden by outer appearances.<ref name="Fuller2004p108">{{cite book|first=Christopher John|last=Fuller|title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC&pg=PA108 |year=2004|publisher= Princeton University Press|isbn=0-691-12048-X|pages=108–109}}</ref><ref name=amazzone96/> The symbolism is carried in Hindu art found in South Asia and South-East Asia (e.g., Javanese art), where Durga is shown as a serene, calm, collected and graceful symbol of good as she pierces the heart and kills the scared, overwhelmed and outwitted Mahishasura.<ref>{{cite book|first=Heinrich|last=Zimmer|title=Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJmFDPkwj50C&pg=PA195|year=1990|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0751-8|pages=195–198}}</ref><ref name=amazzone96>{{cite book|first=Laura|last=Amazzone|title=Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PM_TNDu8NHUC|year=2012|publisher=University Press of America|isbn=978-0-7618-5314-5|pages=96–97}}</ref>

==Art==

Durga slaying Mahishasura is a prominent theme which was sculpted in various caves and temples across India. Some of the prominent representations are seen at the Mahishasuramardini caves in [[Mahabalipuram]], the [[Ellora Caves]], in the entrance of [[Rani ki vav]],<ref name=Frontline>{{cite web|last1=mahishasuramardini|title=Rani ki vav|url=http://www.frontline.in/arts-and-culture/heritage/a-queens-tribute/article6675794.ece|work=Frontline|access-date=26 January 2016}}</ref> [[Hoysaleswara Temple]] in Halebidu and many more temples across India. The worship of Durga during [[Durga Puja]] in [[Bihar]], [[West Bengal]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Odisha]] and other eastern states is represented in ''Pandal'' which depict Durga killing Mahishasura.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Durga-Puja Durga Puja], ''Encyclopaedia Britannica''</ref> The legend of Mahishasura has also been inspiration to films, plays and dance dramas.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ahalya|first=Performing Arts|title=Mahishasura Mardhanam - Dance drama|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnqoYc1QAyw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/VnqoYc1QAyw |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=26 Jun 2020|website=Ahalya Performing Arts}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Etymology of Mysore==

The popular legend is that [[Mysore district|Mysore]] (Mahishooru) gets its name from Mahishasuramardini, a manifestation of goddess [[Durga]]. The Buffalo demon Mahishasura, states the regional tradition, had terrified the local population. It is believed that goddess Durga (Chamundeshwari) killed Mahishasura on top of the [[Chamundi Hills]]. The spot was constructed as the [[Chamundeshwari Temple]] in Mysuru, an event that is annually celebrated at [[Navaratri]] and [[Mysore Dasara|Mysuru Dasara]]. The British Era in [[India]] saw the name of "Mahishooru" change to "Mysore" and later Kannadized into "[[Mysuru]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=Mysuru name|url=http://www.mysore.org.uk/mysore-history.html|website=mysore.org.uk|access-date=27 January 2016}}</ref>

The temple of the city's guardian deity, [[Chamundeshwari]], has a giant statue of Mahishasura on the hill facing the city{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}. The earliest mention of Mysore in recorded history may be traced to 245 B.C., i.e., to the period of [[Ashoka]] when on the conclusion of the third Buddhist convocation, a team was dispatched to ''Mahisha Mandala''.<ref name="mysore">{{cite journal|title=DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK MYSORE|journal=Census of India 2011 KARNATAKA|date=2011|volume=SERIES-30 PART XII-B|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/2923_PART_B_DCHB_MYSORE.pdf|access-date=31 January 2016|page=8}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:8th - 9th century Durga Mahishasuramardini killing the buffalo demon, Hindu temple ruins Sirpur Chhattisgarh 1.jpg|Durga killing Mahishasura, 9th century [[Sirpur Group of Monuments|Sirpur temple]], Chhattisgarh.
File:Goddess Durga- Early 1900 print Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a Goddess riding a lion and with many arms, each carrying a weapon to defeat Mahishasura or the buffalo demon.jpg|Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a Goddess riding a lion and with many arms, each carrying a weapon to defeat Mahishasura or the buffalo demon
File:Durga Slays Mahisasura.jpg|Buffalo-headed Mahishasura in Cave Temple, Mahabalipuram
File:Durga Temple Aihole ADSC 1481.jpg|Mahishasura at Durga's foot in the [[Aihole]] Temple
File:Durga Puja DS.jpg|Durga is worshiped in her ''[[Mahishasuramardini]]'' form, during [[Durga Puja]]. [[Lakshmi]] and [[Ganesha]] flank the left while [[Saraswati]] and [[Kartikeya]] flank the right.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Raktabīja]]
* [[Sumbha and Nisumbha]]
* [[Rambha (asura)]]
* [[Chanda and Munda]]
* Dhumralochana
* Sugriva (asura)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*''[https://books.google.com/books?id=hgTOZEyrVtIC Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions]'', David Kinsley ({{ISBN|81-208-0379-5}}).
* ''Mahishasura Mardini Stotram'' (Prayer to the Goddess who killed Mahishasura), [[Sri Sri Sri Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya]].
*{{cite book|first= June |last= McDaniel |title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC | year =2004| publisher=Oxford University Press| isbn=978-0-19-534713-5}}
*{{cite book|first=Tracy|last=Pintchman| title=Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JfXdGInecRIC |year=2014| publisher=State University of New York Press| isbn=978-0-7914-9049-5}}
*{{cite book| first=Tracy| last=Pintchman|title=The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JsDpBwAAQBAJ| year=2015| publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-1-4384-1618-2 }}
*{{Cite book|first=Ludo |last=Rocher| year= 1986| author-link= Ludo Rocher| title= The Puranas| publisher= Otto Harrassowitz Verlag| isbn= 978-3447025225}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080320044327/http://www.divinelifesociety.org/graphics/activities/navaratri_04/durga_saptasati.htm Devī Māhātmya] by [[Swami Sivananda]] at [[Divine Life Society]]

{{HinduMythology}}
{{Shaktism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Asura]]
[[Category:Animals in Hinduism]]
[[Category:Water buffalo]]

Mahishasura - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 18:01, 18 September 2023