Description of How Devi Fought Chikshura

We are starting with the third chapter of Durga Saptashati, Devi Mahatmyam.

In the first chapter, we saw the manifestation of Devi in her tamasik form as Yoga Nidra, who can overpower even Sri Hari Mahavishnu and make him sleep. But when the time for action came—saving Brahma from the demons Madhu and Kaitabha—she released Vishnu from his sleep and even helped him eliminate them.

In the second chapter, so far, we have seen how Mahishasura ousted the Devas from Swarga and took over. The Devas, along with Brahma, approached Sri Hari Mahadeva.

The rage of all the Devas, including the Trimurti, came together and became a huge mountain of fire. That mountain of fire soon turned itself into a feminine form—Durga Devi’s manifestation as Mahalakshmi.

The first one was Mahakali. This is Mahalakshmi.

The Devas produced weapons and ornaments from their own weapons and ornaments and gave them to her.

A fierce battle started between Mahishasura’s army and Devi. She was destroying them playfully.

Seeing all those Asura soldiers who faced her dead, the commander of Mahishasura, called Chikshura, was enraged. He came to face Devi.

Then what did he do?

Like how the peak of Meru Parvata is showered with rain by dense rain clouds, he showered arrows on Devi.

This is what it looked like—he showered so many arrows on Devi that it looked like millions of raindrops were falling on the peak of Meru Parvata.

Why this comparison to Meru? Why is Devi compared to Meru and not any other mountain?

Because of her color. Meru is Hemadri, the mountain of gold. That is Devi’s color.

She broke all those arrows playfully, as usual. Then she killed the horses of Chikshura’s chariot first. Then she killed the Sarathi—the charioteer.

With her own arrows, Devi broke Chikshura’s bow, cut the tall flag post of his chariot, and brought it down. She pierced his body all over.

Chikshura’s bow is broken, his chariot is gone, his horses have been killed, his Sarathi is killed.

He ran towards Devi with his sword and shield drawn out to attack her.

That sword had a very sharp edge. With that, Chikshura struck Simha, Devi’s vehicle, on his head and Devi on her left hand.

As it hit Devi’s hand, the sword just broke into pieces.

His eyes turned red in anger. He took hold of a spear.

He threw that Shoola upon Devi. The Shoola, as it traveled through the sky, looked as brilliant as the sun itself.

When Devi saw the spear approaching, she took out her own Shoola and countered it.

Devi’s Shoola not only broke Chikshura’s Shoola into a hundred pieces, but Chikshura himself was broken into a hundred pieces.

Then came another Asura, seated on an elephant. His name was Chamara.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi