Iconography of Mahisha-Mardini

3. B. (ii) b. IMAGES OF MAHISA-MARDINI. Mahisa-mardini or Durga, as she is more generally known, is still the most popular goddess in India, especially in Bengal, where her worship is almost a national festival amongst the Hindus. The story of her origin has already been referred to. It is given in the 2 nd chapter of the Devimalatyam in the Markandeya-Purana. She is none other than the Universal Mother and she obtained this particular form when the gods invoked her aid against the tyranny of the demon Mahisa or Buffalo, who had become so powerful as to occupy the three worlds. The gods in their distress went on deputation to Visnu with Siva and Brahma at their head and recounted their sad plight in contest with Mahisa, the Buffalo demon. Thereon, from the faces of Brahma, Visnu and Siva, who were terribly angry, brilliant energies shot forth, as did also from the bodies of all the other gods. These energies

combined and the gods beheld that they united to form a mountain of effulgence, lighting up all the quarters." At last this mass of heavenly energy concentrated into a female form and succeeded in killing the demon Mahisa after a stiff contest. Henceforth, this form of the goddess became known as Mahisamardini, the vanquisher of the Buffalo Demon. The goddess is ordinarily called Durga or Chandika, but she is also called Katyayani, Sulini, Bhadrakali, Ambika, Now-a-days, Vindhyavasini, and by various other names. she is almost invariably represented with ten arms; but in the mediaeval sculptures found in Bengal, she is very often found represented with only eight arms. In the Agni-Purana, chapter 50, there is provision for her representation with The eight-armed ten, sixteen, eighteen or twenty arms. figure is favoured in the Prapanchasara Tantra (14-24, 14-70, 30-8) and in the Saradatilaka Tantra (Ch. X and XX). The 3. B. (ii) b Image of Mahisamardini in black stone, 33" x 17". The sadly mutilated state in which the image was discovered (from some village in the Madaripur Sub-Division of the Faridpur district) makes it difficult to say whether the goddess was represented with ten or with only eight arms. probability appears to be in favour of the former assumption. All the arms, however, are broken with the exception of a single right hand drawing an arrow from a full quiver on the back. The goddess is stepping to the left and impetuously attacking the demon Mahisa to her left, who has just come out of the decapitated Buffalo, his previous form. The figure of the demon is lost, but the severed head of the Buffalo is depicted below. The lion, the vehicle of the goddess, is represented near her right leg, ready to leap upon its prey. Towards the left of the piece, a demon is seen retreating, fighting with

attendant sword and buckler. To the right, a female similarly armed, is advancing to battle. The goddess is surrounded by flames, rising out of her body. A male devotee to the left and a female devotee to the right, are depicted below the lotus seat. Mark the band that holds tight the heaving breasts of the goddess. 2 3.B. (ii) b Image of Mahisamardini in sand-stone of a very bad quality, 38"x 23". Found from a tank at the village of Darinda Rasulpur, under the Matlab Police Station of the Chandpur Sub-Division of the Tippera district, along with a fine image of Visnu in black chlorite. The quality of the stone used is so bad that the image has been worn off to an extraordinary degree. Though the image itself has hardly sustained any injury, nothing beyond the bare outlines of the sculpture is recognisable. The goddess has ten arms. The figure of the demon is depicted fully emerged out of the decapitated Mahisa, but the right leg still remains within its trunk, [1. Image of an eight-armed Mahisamardini in black stone, worshipped as Adyu, in the famous temple of Madhava at Dhamrai (supra, p. 86. No. 7.) in the Dacca District. It has a short inscription on the pedestal which appears to read- tesrai khugmanikata candika The Chandika of the illustrious Khulmanika. The script is of the 12 th century A. D. 2. A ten-armed image of Mahisamardini in black stone, in the house of Babu Rasika Chandra Ghataka, B. L., at Baligaon. P. S. Tangibadi, Dt. Dacca.] 3. Image of Katyayani in the Madhavpasa, in the Bakarganj district. Tradition has it > house of the zamindars of that this image was fished out of the now-lost river Sugandha, that

TO FACE P. 196 (a) Mahisamardini. 3. B. (ii) b I (b) Katyayani of Madhavpasa.

used to flow through the Bakarganj district, by Danujamarddana, the founder of the royal family of Chandradvipa, (the old name of the Bakarganj District) about 500 years ago. (vide 'Bakla' by Babu Rohini Kumara Sena, p. 153.) It is an eight-armed image of Mahisamardini in black stone. The attributes of the arms are (clock-wise): Discus. www. 1. 2. Trident, striking the breast of the demon. 3. Arrow (being plucked from the quiver on the back.) 4. Sword. 5. Index-finger, raised (Tarjjani-mudra). 6. Buckler. 7. Bow. 8. The hairs of the demon. The attributes agree with the Dhyana given in the Prapanchasara-Tantra, 30/8, except the last item, for which Prapanchasara has Samkha, the conch-shell. We have, however, the authority of the Agni-Purana (50/12) in which it is directed th the goddess should seize the hairs of the demon by one of her hands. 4. A splendid ten-armed image of ardini in black stone, about 46" in height, worshipped in the house of a gentleman at Sakta, a village about five miles to the southwest of Dacca. The image is reported to have been discovered in the village several years ago. The image, which is in a perfect state of preservation, is one of excellent proportions and is a pleasing work of art. The technique, however, is rather devoid of lightness and energy. The left leg of the demon is depicted as still within the trunk of the decapitated buffalo, while the lion, the vehicle of the goddess, has pounced upon his right leg. The goddess has seized the locks of the demon by her left hand. and is piercing his breast with a Sula, held in her right hand. A female attendant on either side of the goddess is depicted fighting, sword and buckler in the hands. Clockwise, the following are the attributes of the goddess.. 4. 1. A pointed weapon, the suchi ? 2. Discus. 3. Arrow. Sword. 5. Javelin, piercing the breast of the

demon. 6. The locks of the demon. 7. Buckler. 8. Bow. 9. Axe. 10. Ankusa, (elephant-goad). A Krttimukha is at the top. There is a short inscribed label on the pedestal in the characters of the 12 th century A. D., which reads-Sri Masika chandi. It is not clear what may be the meaning of the qualifying term masika].