Story of Raktabīja

General.

Rebirth of Rambhāsura, father of Mahiṣāsura. Stories of Raktabīja and Rambhāsura are inextricably intertwined.

Origin of Raktabīja.

Once upon a time there lived an asura king called Danu. His two sons, Rambha and Karambha who had no children, did tapas at Pañcanada for the blessing of having issues. Rambha and Karambha meditated upon Mālavaṭa Yakṣa, the former seated at the centre of the five fires and the latter standing in the water. Indra in the guise of a crocodile dragged Karambha away by the feet and killed him. Angry at the death of his brother, Rambha decided to cut off his head and offer it in fire. When he was about to do so, Agni appeared and told him that suicide was worse than killing others, and promised to grant him whatever he desired. Accordingly Rambha requested Agni for a son more effulgent than the latter, who would conquer the three worlds and would not be defeated even by the Devas and the Asuras. Rambha further wanted that son to be as powerful as Vāyu, exceptionally handsome and skilled in archery.

Agni blessed Rambha that he would have, as desired, a son by the woman whom he coveted. On his way back home he saw a beautiful she-buffalo, which he married. He took the buffalo which got pregnant by him, to Pātāla to protect it from the attack by other buffaloes. One day another buffalo felt a passion for Rambha’s wife and in the fight that ensued Rambha was killed by it. Rambha’s wife died in his funeral pyre. It was from the centre of the fire that the very powerful Mahiṣāsura was born. Rambhāsura also rose from the fire under the name Raktabīja. (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 17; Devī Bhāgavata, 5th Skandha).

Boon to Raktabīja.

Raktabīja secured from Śiva a boon according to which if one drop of blood from his body fell on the battlefield, many Raktabījas would arise from the blood and fight the enemies. Each of these Raktabījas would also be like the others in the matter of strength, form and weapons. (Devī Bhāgavata, 5th Skandha).

His death.

War between Devas and Asuras broke out and in the fight between Devī and Raktabīja blood from his body flowed. When Devī found it impossible to kill the lakhs of Raktāsuras who arose from the blood, she resorted to a trick. She asked Cāmuṇḍī to lick off the blood flowing from Raktabīja before it fell on the ground. Accordingly Devī began killing the asuras and Cāmuṇḍī consuming their blood and flesh. When the artificial Raktabījas were all killed thus, the original Raktabīja alone remained and in the fight between them, Devī cut off his head with her sword. Cāmuṇḍī did not permit even a drop of blood to fall on the ground. (Devī Bhāgavata, 5th Skandha).