2023-02-23 18:49:21 by ambuda-bot
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THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
But to return to the legend. According to Aufrecht, the
origin of Katyayani (Caṇḍī), and her killing of Mahișa, are also
related in the Vamana Purana, chapters 19-21.¹ As I have no
text or translation of the Vamana accessible, I shall have to
give the substance of the account as taken therefrom by Kennedy,
and included by him in his Hindu Mythology. It differs some-
what from the account given in the Markaṇḍeya, and runs as
follows. Mahiṣāsura defeated the gods in battle, and they there-
upon hastened to Viṣṇu to implore aid. As they were all gath-
ered together, there issued from their eyes and faces a mountain
of effulgence, and from it Kätyāyani (Caṇḍī) became manifest,
blazing like a thousand suns, and having three eyes, hair black as
night, and eighteen arms. The gods presented to her their
several weapons, and thus equipped, she proceeded to the Vindhya
Mountain. There she was seen by two demons, Caṇḍa and
Munda, who reported to their master, Mahișa, the existence of a
lovely maiden dwelling alone on the Vindhya. Mahişa sent
forthwith, proposing marriage, but the wily goddess replied that
the custom of her family required that its daughters should marry
only those who were able to conquer them in battle. Mahişa
accepted the challenge and marshaled his forces. The battle
raged long and fiercely, and Candi had to contend against the
great difficulty that Mahișa had been rendered invulnerable by a
boon of Siva. Finally, however, she sprang upon the demon's
back, and with her tender feet so smote his head that he fell
senseless to the ground. She then cut off his head with her
sword.
254
For still another account of the slaying of Mahișa, the reader is
referred to the Varaha Purana, where, according to Aufrecht's
1 Aufrecht, Cat. Cod. Bibliothecae Bodleianae, p. 46, b, lines 10-12. As
was noted above (p. 249), the Vamana, in a later chapter, ascribes the
death of Mahişa to the prowess of Skanda.
2 V. Kennedy, Ancient and Hindu Mythology, p. 335-337.
In the Märkandeya Purana (chapters 85-92), there is a legend similar
to this, but the demon who sues for Candi's hand is there said to be
Sumbha, not Mahişa, and the mountain is Himalaya, not Vindhya; Canda
and Munda play the same part in both accounts.
But to return to the legend. According to Aufrecht, the
origin of Katyayani (Caṇḍī), and her killing of Mahișa, are also
related in the Vamana Purana, chapters 19-21.¹ As I have no
text or translation of the Vamana accessible, I shall have to
give the substance of the account as taken therefrom by Kennedy,
and included by him in his Hindu Mythology. It differs some-
what from the account given in the Markaṇḍeya, and runs as
follows. Mahiṣāsura defeated the gods in battle, and they there-
upon hastened to Viṣṇu to implore aid. As they were all gath-
ered together, there issued from their eyes and faces a mountain
of effulgence, and from it Kätyāyani (Caṇḍī) became manifest,
blazing like a thousand suns, and having three eyes, hair black as
night, and eighteen arms. The gods presented to her their
several weapons, and thus equipped, she proceeded to the Vindhya
Mountain. There she was seen by two demons, Caṇḍa and
Munda, who reported to their master, Mahișa, the existence of a
lovely maiden dwelling alone on the Vindhya. Mahişa sent
forthwith, proposing marriage, but the wily goddess replied that
the custom of her family required that its daughters should marry
only those who were able to conquer them in battle. Mahişa
accepted the challenge and marshaled his forces. The battle
raged long and fiercely, and Candi had to contend against the
great difficulty that Mahișa had been rendered invulnerable by a
boon of Siva. Finally, however, she sprang upon the demon's
back, and with her tender feet so smote his head that he fell
senseless to the ground. She then cut off his head with her
sword.
254
For still another account of the slaying of Mahișa, the reader is
referred to the Varaha Purana, where, according to Aufrecht's
1 Aufrecht, Cat. Cod. Bibliothecae Bodleianae, p. 46, b, lines 10-12. As
was noted above (p. 249), the Vamana, in a later chapter, ascribes the
death of Mahişa to the prowess of Skanda.
2 V. Kennedy, Ancient and Hindu Mythology, p. 335-337.
In the Märkandeya Purana (chapters 85-92), there is a legend similar
to this, but the demon who sues for Candi's hand is there said to be
Sumbha, not Mahişa, and the mountain is Himalaya, not Vindhya; Canda
and Munda play the same part in both accounts.