Bhadrakali and the Defeat of Darika

The story of Bhadrakali is described in the Linga Purana.

In the Deva-Asura war, when the Asuras were defeated, two Asura sisters, Darumati and Danavati, wished to take revenge. They performed intense penance and received a boon from Brahma that they would have extremely powerful sons. Darumati gave birth to Darika, and Danavati to Danava. Darika became the emperor of the Asuras, while Danava became his commander-in-chief.

Darika also performed severe penance and pleased Brahma, receiving several powerful boons. Only a woman who was not born through the union of a man and a woman could kill him. He would have the strength of ten thousand elephants, and from every drop of his blood that fell in battle, a thousand more Darikas would be born. In addition, Brahma granted him the deadly weapon Brahmadanda and two powerful mantras.

With these boons, Darika conquered all the worlds. He despised women, believing they were powerless and could never defeat him. Convinced of his invincibility, he terrorized the three worlds.

The Devas, unable to bear his oppression, approached Brahma and then, following his guidance, sought refuge in Maha Vishnu. On Vishnu's advice, they all went to Kailasa and prayed to Shiva for help. Following Shiva's instructions, six divine mothers emerged to fight Darika: Brahmi from Brahma, Vaishnavi from Vishnu, Maheshwari from Shiva, Kaumari from Subrahmanya, Indrani from Indra, and Varahi from Yama.

However, in the battle between Darika and the six mothers, Darika emerged victorious. As his blood spilled, countless more Darikas were born, overwhelming the mothers in battle.

Enraged, Shiva opened his third eye, from which the fierce Adi Parashakti manifested as Bhadrakali. As she leaped onto the ground, her terrifying form shook Mount Kailasa and all the mountains, and caused massive waves in the oceans.

Riding on a Vetala and accompanied by the Bhoota Ganas, Bhadrakali charged at Darika. She annihilated his mighty army and killed his brother, Danava.

Darika asked his wife to chant the mantras given by Brahma. Before proceeding to the battlefield, he told her to satisfy the demands of those who come asking for anything. 

The war raged on for twenty-one days without resolution.

Meanwhile, Parvati Devi understood that Darika was still standing strong because of the protective power of the mantras chanted by his wife. Disguising herself as a beggar woman, she approached Darika's wife and tricked her into revealing the mantras. She then passed the mantras to Bhadrakali.

As Bhadrakali chanted these mantras, Darika's strength weakened. Realizing his imminent defeat, Darika fled to Pathala.

Bhadrakali stretched out her massive tongue, covered the sun with her hair, and plunged the world into darkness. Believing night had fallen and the battle had ended, Darika emerged from hiding. At that moment, Bhadrakali caught him with her tongue, hurled him into the sky, and then slammed him onto the ground. She split his chest open with her trident, collected his blood in her skull cup, and drank it dry. She then severed his head, devoured his heart, and wore his intestines as a garland.

Seeing this fearsome form, the entire world trembled. 

Devas and Rishis chanted hymns to pacify her wrath.

Thus, Bhadrakali, the granter of all auspiciousness, manifested and brought an end to Darika.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi