The Markandeya Purana (Study)
by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words
This page relates ‘Future Birth of Mahamaya’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.
6. Future Birth of Mahāmāyā
When, after killing all the demons, the other gods came to praise her for helping them in future, then goddess Cāmuṇḍā told about her future births. Accordingly, at the age of twenty-eighth years, in the Vaivasvata Manvantara, two other great demons Śumbha and Niśumbha would be born. Then she would be born in Yaśodā's womb in the house of Nanda-gopa and dwell on the Vindhya Mountain. She would destroy those demons.[1] She would again incarnate in a very terrible form on the earth. She would slay and eat up the Vaipracitta Dānavas and her teeth would become as red as pomegranate flowers. Thus people would praise her as red-toothed i.e. Rakta-dantikā.[2]
Again, after a hundred years she would be born for the praises of the Munis. She would be known as Śatākṣi and Śākambharī (herb-bearing or herb-nourishing). She would bless the whole world with the life sustaining vegetables that would grow out from her own body.[3] At that time, she would kill Durgama, a powerful demon and save the world. For this reason, she would be known as Durgādevī.[4] In this context the significance regarding the name Durgā as stated in the Śabdakalpadruma may be mentioned.[5] Because of her slaying the demon, she is called Durga. Again she would become visible in an awesome form on the mount Himalaya to destroy the demons for the sake of delivering the munis. She would kill the demon Bhīmarūpā and protect the world. For this reason, she would be known as the terrible goddess i.e. Bhīmādevī.[6] Durgā would save the gods from all the dangers and difficulties.[7]
The Mahābhārata also expresses the same view regarding the name of Durgā thus:
Again, she will incarnate in the world to kill the demon Aruṇa. She would take the form of a bhramara (bee) and thus she would be known as Bhrāmarī.[9]
After telling them her future, Goddess Ambikā promised the gods that she would incarnate in the world and would slay the demons whenever the Gods will be disturbed by the demons.[10] The incarnation of the goddess according to her promise resemble the statement of Lord Kṛṣna in the Bhagavadgītā.[11]
Thus Devī Mahāmāyā killed all the demons and saved the world. She is seen as the only source of śakti for which she is praised.[12]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 89.38-40
[2]:
Ibid., 89.41-42
[3]:
[4]:
tatraiva ca vadhiṣyāmi durgamākhyaṃ mahāsuram // Ibid., 88.46 b
[5]:
durgeti daityavacano’pyākāro nāśavācakaḥ/
durgaṃ nāśayati yā nityā sā durgā prakīrtita // Śabdakalpadruma, p. 1666.1667 cf. D. K. Sharma, Durgāsaptaśatī, p.v
[6]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 88.47-48
[7]:
durgāsi bhavasāyaranaurasaṅgā / Ibid., 81.11
[8]:
Mahābhārata, 4.6.20
[9]:
Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 88.49-50
[10]:
itthaṃ yadā yadā badhā dānavottahā bhaviṣyati /
tadātadā’vatiryāhaṃ kariṣyāmyarisaṃkṣayam // Ibid., 88.51